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NAD! Ampeg BA-108

lark_z

lark_z

Supporting Member
Feb 26, 2020
1,757
3,098
Overland Park, KS
#1
Wow, I love it. I did what one should not do, buy it sight unseen. I just listened to sound clips online. I was sold on the claims of the traditional Ampeg tone. It was sold on EB** by a west coast music store at a bit of a discount. "Mint condition, floor/demo model, all original packaging". When I opened it, it's obvious that they sent me a brand new one. Sweet!

Now, I'm a noob. My first bass adventure, I played through a 15 watt Crate, then through a headphone amp I made from Craig Anderton's book (too many complaints from the frau). This adventure, I've been playing through a cheap (Donner) headphone amp, which let me hear myself. Point being - I've never really played through a halfway decent amp.

I was surprised at the size, I guess I expected it to be a bit smaller. The bass response is amazing. So much better than what I've used previously. My playing seems cleaner, could it be there's some built-in compression going on? The angled back is quite handy to get the sound up off the floor.

<EDIT> Pic added </EDIT>

P1020037.JPG
 
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#3
lark_z said:
Wow, I love it. I did what one should not do, buy it sight unseen. I just listened to sound clips online. I was sold on the claims of the traditional Ampeg tone. It was sold on EB** by a west coast music store at a bit of a discount. "Mint condition, floor/demo model, all original packaging". When I opened it, it's obvious that they sent me a brand new one. Sweet!

Now, I'm a noob. My first bass adventure, I played through a 15 watt Crate, then through a headphone amp I made from Craig Anderton's book (too many complaints from the frau). This adventure, I've been playing through a cheap (Donner) headphone amp, which let me hear myself. Point being - I've never really played through a halfway decent amp.

I was surprised at the size, I guess I expected it to be a bit smaller. The bass response is amazing. So much better than what I've used previously. My playing seems cleaner, could it be there's some built-in compression going on? The angled back is quite handy to get the sound up off the floor. Even playing through headphones, it sounds amazing.

Too lazy to take a picture. It's new, so really not much to see.
Click to expand...
Well no pictures no proof, so...
 
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#5
lark_z said:
Wow, I love it. I did what one should not do, buy it sight unseen. I just listened to sound clips online. I was sold on the claims of the traditional Ampeg tone. It was sold on EB** by a west coast music store at a bit of a discount. "Mint condition, floor/demo model, all original packaging". When I opened it, it's obvious that they sent me a brand new one. Sweet!

Now, I'm a noob. My first bass adventure, I played through a 15 watt Crate, then through a headphone amp I made from Craig Anderton's book (too many complaints from the frau). This adventure, I've been playing through a cheap (Donner) headphone amp, which let me hear myself. Point being - I've never really played through a halfway decent amp.

I was surprised at the size, I guess I expected it to be a bit smaller. The bass response is amazing. So much better than what I've used previously. My playing seems cleaner, could it be there's some built-in compression going on? The angled back is quite handy to get the sound up off the floor.

<EDIT> Pic added </EDIT>

View attachment 4120095
Click to expand...
Best of luck with your new Ampeg. I have a BA combo too and am very pleased.
 
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#8
My Hartke HD25 is also amazing for 25w into an 8" speaker. I have played the little Ampeg too and was also impressed. I gotta believe there's some kind of compression/filtering going on with them because I can turn the volume up quite high on mine and it doesn't distort. I sold my Behringer BX300 (30w, 10" speaker) to my cousin and it did have compression built into to it, which it advertised, and was also quite loud, thick and clear for a little amp. Bottom line these little amps are WAY better than they were like 10-15 years ago.
 
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#9
jeff7bass said:
My Hartke HD25 is also amazing for 25w into an 8" speaker. I have played the little Ampeg too and was also impressed. I gotta believe there's some kind of compression/filtering going on with them because I can turn the volume up quite high on mine and it doesn't distort. I sold my Behringer BX300 (30w, 10" speaker) to my cousin and it did have compression built into to it, which it advertised, and was also quite loud, thick and clear for a little amp. Bottom line these little amps are WAY better than they were like 10-15 years ago.
Click to expand...

The Hartke was on my short list for sure.
 
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#10
lark_z said:
The Hartke was on my short list for sure.
Click to expand...
I really didn't need it but I sold a bunch of equipment to Sam Ash and found out there's no tax on new gear if you do a trade so I grabbed it. I'm glad I did because I live in a condo and now don't have to plug into my 450W head into my Avatar SB-112 cab just to practice. Good for the neighbors!
 
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#11
lark_z said:
Wow, I love it. I did what one should not do, buy it sight unseen. I just listened to sound clips online. I was sold on the claims of the traditional Ampeg tone. It was sold on EB** by a west coast music store at a bit of a discount. "Mint condition, floor/demo model, all original packaging". When I opened it, it's obvious that they sent me a brand new one. Sweet!

Now, I'm a noob. My first bass adventure, I played through a 15 watt Crate, then through a headphone amp I made from Craig Anderton's book (too many complaints from the frau). This adventure, I've been playing through a cheap (Donner) headphone amp, which let me hear myself. Point being - I've never really played through a halfway decent amp.

I was surprised at the size, I guess I expected it to be a bit smaller. The bass response is amazing. So much better than what I've used previously. My playing seems cleaner, could it be there's some built-in compression going on? The angled back is quite handy to get the sound up off the floor.

<EDIT> Pic added </EDIT>

View attachment 4120095
Click to expand...

Congrats man! Keep playing. Great amp. You're gonna love it when you first hear yourself through a ground shaking cabinet.
 
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#13
Good choice. I've had both the 108 and the 110 and I'd recommend returning the 8 and getting the 10. It's definitely a fine bedroom amp but with the 10 you can actually jam with people. You could maybe play the eight quietly with a guitar player but it's not designed for much more than that. I played the 40 watt 10 with a drummer and a guitarist the other day at reasonable volumes and it held up.

This way you can have both a bedroom amp and a grab-and-go amp that can actually jam with a band.

The only other thing you might want or need later is a big boy rig and this way you won't need to get another in-between amp just to jam with friends, or impromptu get-togethers.
 
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#18
Im a little jealous of new bassists these days (cue the part where Old Fart opines about how rough it was back in the Day). The options for really good sounding and physically tiny, lightweight bass amps and equipment continually amazes me. When I started playing in the 70's, Ampeg invariably meant heavy and expensive, which is what i thought i needed. Other than the complete lack of gigs, a great time to be a bass player. :D
 
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#19
SgtHulka said:
Good choice. I've had both the 108 and the 110 and I'd recommend returning the 8 and getting the 10. It's definitely a fine bedroom amp but with the 10 you can actually jam with people. You could maybe play the eight quietly with a guitar player but it's not designed for much more than that. I played the 40 watt 10 with a drummer and a guitarist the other day at reasonable volumes and it held up.

This way you can have both a bedroom amp and a grab-and-go amp that can actually jam with a band.

The only other thing you might want or need later is a big boy rig and this way you won't need to get another in-between amp just to jam with friends, or impromptu get-togethers.
Click to expand...

I understand. I've found this type of comment on many of the TB threads re- smaller amps. "Go bigger..".

I'm reminded of "two-foot-itis" from my sailing days - which means "I'll only be happy when I get two feet more boat".
 
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#20
SgtHulka said:
Good choice. I've had both the 108 and the 110 and I'd recommend returning the 8 and getting the 10. It's definitely a fine bedroom amp but with the 10 you can actually jam with people.
Click to expand...
Get both and use the 8 as a remote monitor by a drummer...the 10 is louder and clearer than a Fender Bassman into 2x15 cab c. 1974, many amp generations ago. An home practice (the 10) I don't get above 3, but vs a loud drummer I still do like the old double stack 500w minimum.
 

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