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Micro heads

J

Jim11895

Dec 10, 2009
175
12
Atlanta
#1
So, I'm thinking about getting one of these ultra-lightweight heads, and I'm intrigued by the ones that use tubes in the pre-amp section. I've noticed that certain makes use one tube, others may use two or three tubes. Do the heads with multiple tubes sound more "tubey" than the ones that use only one tube? Or is it the type of tube, not the number of them, that imparts the tube sound?

Also, are the tube preamp and class D power amp completely independent of one another, or does the choice of tube or tube configuration in the preamp limit or affect the power output of the amp section in any way.

Thanks in advance for your replies,
Jim
 
#4
i'm no techie, but i hear what i perceive as tubey clean sounds in certain micros. nothing compares to the real all-tube thing, though, even if they have pre tubes in them. however, they're getting better at it every year.
 
#6
Jim11895 said:
Thanks. Any idea if the number of tubes used in the design makes a difference?
Click to expand...

It makes a difference, just not always the same difference. You'll have to try, or at least read trusted reviews on whichever head/s you're thinking about. IMO, some of the solid state preamps do a fair job of "tubing" -- e.g. RH450, Aguilar TH500 (at least based on my experience with the pedal version of the AGS circuit). Very much my opinion, and you'll find plenty who disagree, of course, but they're certainly worth a listen.
 
#8
I was looking at the MB Fusion 500. Seems like a really nice head. My only hesitation is that I'm thinking I want to make a long term investment in my rig and I'm not sure I won't be lusting for more power in a year or so. I know the cabs make a big difference in perceived loudness, but I'm just thinking more watts/headroom now, the less I'll want to change my rig later on down the road.
 
#12
Jim11895 said:
Thanks. Any idea if the number of tubes used in the design makes a difference?
Click to expand...

More important than the number is how they're used. I'm not techie, so I can't give you much more than to say that it's been discussed in some past micro head threads, searching is your friend. Might want to try a google site search (use "search term site:www.talkbass.com" minus the quotes) to find a detailed answer.
 
#13
Bongofour said:
What situations will u be playing in?
Click to expand...

Mostly classic rock, but sometimes some very country-tinged material as well. We play outdoors a lot, so I'm thinking the extra headroom with maybe 700 to 900 watts would be a good thing.

I'm also planning on new cabs as well. Probably NEO's because of the lighter weight. I planned on checking out a pair of 212's versus a pair of 210's. I play through a 210 combo with 115 extension cab presently.

Thanks.
 
#15
Well, I had to decide between the G&K MB 500 (with a small cabinet like a 1-12) or a MarkBass F1 or Little Mark. Ended up with a MarkBass CMD121P 12" combo. Very pleased with the power, punch and growl, and smooth sound this unit puts out. And it's still light enough and has enough power (500 watts into 4 ohms) that it will easily drive another cabinet.
 

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