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NAD Aguilar AG700

Old Ozzie Guy

Old Ozzie Guy

Supporting Member
Mar 5, 2023
943
1,699
Surfers Paradise Qld Australia
#1
IV been waiting 9 days, but finally mentioned received AG700.
1st impressions are really positive.
The amp has elegant, classic looks.
It's lightweight, the pots have a quality"feel".
Plugged in my bass (Gibson DC tribute) all 4 tone controls 12 , Hi/Lo both disengaged, master vol at 12... and slowly bring up gain..
Gain ti 12 , it's way too loud , but just what I was looking for. Warm, but articulate. I wind master back , push gain to 1 , sound flattens , but still very defined.
I engaged Hi/Lo , mild but noticeable smiley face EQ.
Pulled lo mid down to 9 and bass to 11, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a Ampegy tone.
I will b playing a show tomorrow night, we get a sound check , so I will play around a bit "at volume ". Really looking forward comparison with Microtubes 500 IV been using for last few months...
To Be Continued..
 
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#2
Trying to put a pic up
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#8
Hi All... I couldn't be happier with AG700. Last night we played a show, the AG "shone"!
IV been using a Darkglass Microtubes 500 V2 @2 ohms..
2xAmpeg svt210avs (8ohms each)
And 1 Hartke HiDrive 112(set 4 ohms), so each 210 only got 125 watts each, 12 got 250watts. IV tried using just 2 (2x10) , but alone they were "a bit wanting".
With the AG, 2.67 ohms, driving same speakers.
Each 2x10 received 233 watts
Hartke set to 8ohms received 233 watts. The power spread alone was a huge improvement. The little 2x10s really "come to life" given full power.
The Hartke, on its side to get port uncoupled from floor, was just perfect to add foundation to the 2x10s.
Now , to the head itself..I had 10 minutes to dial in "my" tone for the room....it took 30 seconds..
I ran input gain at 11 , treble 1(add) , hi mid 1(add), lo mid 10(cut), bass 11(cut). Ran DI out of head , pre eq , foh was "happy" with what he got. Both hi/lo disengaged, thought by 5th song I engaged hi (bright) , which probably was just my old ears "top end fatigue".. Enough of "numbers", OMG..the sound..big , warm , defined.. I use a Gibson DC tribute, mostly with pickup "split" (single coil) , (tech21 VT pedal or just AG)for clean sounds. For dirty tones (DG BK1), pickup humbucking. At all times, if I backed off, or played up near neck, or used a pick near bridge (only 1 pickup!!), the Amp responded 100% accurate to playing style/tone!!
The Darkglass did not respond as well to nuance. I should mention I never used compression DG head.
All in all, I'm "in love" with the Aguilar AG700, it faithful amplifies my sound and playing, has an overall warmth (without colouring) , and it's loud !!
IV tried to attach an existing pic to TBass before, but my only success has been to attach a pic "in real time" ( I'm old, hopeless with computer files , jpeg? ECT .) So I will take one of rig now, if pic is not attached, I apologise in advance .(I understand onTB that "it's not real , without a pic"
16940600003772140951256610287599.jpg
16940600003772140951256610287599.jpg
16940600003772140951256610287599.jpg
) Welcome, old dude, to 2023!!
 
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#11
Hi OP, congratulations on the new amp. I've only tried the AG700 once, but I liked it. I tried 3 basses through it and no matter where I set the gain, there was always this growl that I would get that was very nice.

I've thought about getting one, but have actually shrunk my amp collection down to 6 or I would be very tempted in getting one. I also used to own a Microtubes 500 V1 and it was not my thing. The AG700 is much more to my liking.
 
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#12
I should add regarding the Darkglass Microtubes 500 V2.. it's not really a fair comparison with AG700. Mainly because of power spread , really the Microtubes 900 would have run my speaker stack way better.
.ie with Hartke set at 8ohms , all speakers would have received roughly 225 watts . This would be a fairer comparison, but I believe the overall tone/ response of the DG is quite different, and not my taste, as much as AG700..
 
#13
Wicked G said:
Hi OP, congratulations on the new amp. I've only tried the AG700 once, but I liked it. I tried 3 basses through it and no matter where I set the gain, there was always this growl that I would get that was very nice.

I've thought about getting one, but have actually shrunk my amp collection down to 6 or I would be very tempted in getting one. I also used to own a Microtubes 500 V1 and it was not my thing. The AG700 is much more to my liking.
Click to expand...
Only 6!! My wife is howling over me having 2 &1/2 !! . I'm selling the DGlass, so I will have 2 Aguilars a TH350 , AG700 , and a "broken" Ampeg Micro VR (which once repaired, I will probably sell TH350)
 
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#14
Old Ozzie Guy said:
Only 6!! My wife is howling over me having 2 &1/2 !! . I'm selling the DGlass, so I will have 2 Aguilars a TH350 , AG700 , and a "broken" Ampeg Micro VR (which once repaired, I will probably sell TH350)
Click to expand...

Lol, yes only 6. I used to have quite a bit more, but I found that I was gravitating more to my Orange, TC Electronic and Genz Benz rigs. So I let quite a few go.

I felt kinda funny about it at first, but in the long run I really don't miss any of them except for maybe the Ashdown Rootmaster 500 EVO. But if I were to buy one more, I could see it being the AG700.
 
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#15
Wicked G said:
Lol, yes only 6. I used to have quite a bit more, but I found that I was gravitating more to my Orange, TC Electronic and Genz Benz rigs. So I let quite a few go.

I felt kinda funny about it at first, but in the long run I really don't miss any of them except for maybe the Ashdown Rootmaster 500 EVO. But if I were to buy one more, I could see it being the AG700.
Click to expand...
My top 3 amps that IV played, are Ag700, mesa D800+ , and Orange Terror bass, all 3 different, but, to me 3 "classic" bass tones...
If I had d $s.....
 
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#18
chris_b said:
An AG700 has been my main amp for 7 or so years. Love the tone and it always has tons of volume to spare.

I've bought and sold a Quilter BB800, Mesa Subway D800 and Berg Forte HP but the AG700 has remained.
Click to expand...
That's definitely "top shelf" comparisons. I'm so happy with my AG, the thing that surprised me most , is it's ability to handle even the slightest nuances.. just magic. And , did I mention how loud it can be..
 
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#20
1 final post. I made the "beginners error" of not having any Neutrik speakon cables on hand when I received amp. This I realised the day it landed. I ordered sum online, then dug up 1 unbranded speakon cable, which I connected to my Hartke HiDrive 112 (set to 8ohms), I then Daisy chained with jacks ,to 2 more Ampeg SVT 210av's. Sounded fine, played a show at volume (all good), then on 7 today , I started hearing weird top end fizz(distortion), and volume fluctuations. I pulled pedalboard apart, changed power supply, changed instrument cables, tried straight bass to amp...
I had purchased amp s/hand , so started to panic. I stopped use until Neutrik cables arrived, and took amp to a tech to check out. He gave amp A OK , and I received Neutriks this morning. All fine, I ran amp and rig pretty loud, doors , windows shaking for most of today, all good.
Moral is us Old Dudes forget/ overlook basics sumtimes. Quality gear with cheap leads will let u down. Silly Old Coote...
 
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