NAD... Orange TB500

[zachoff]

Picked it up from a local pawn shop today. Good price, but anyone else fell dirty buying stuff at pawn shops? I kinda did. Apologies to any shop owners on here, but yeah...

Anyway, now I need to get some XLR -> 1/4" speaker cables. :scowl:

--edit-- for people searching for info on these things:

A mini-review...

I used it at practice last night for the first time & played my G&L SB-2 -> Orange -> Ampeg 810. It took some time to get the levels right. I'd guess I turned knobs for half the practice until I found the sound I liked and it definitely didn't fit the "Ampeg EQ" model that I usually use (noon for bass & treble 2:00 for mids).

I ended up with the bass at 9:00, mids at 9:00, and treble at 3:00. Weird weird weird. I've never had to turn the bass and mids down so far, but it's a pretty boomy head through the 810. I got a good, usable tone at home w/ my 210 that was not EQd that way so maybe it's a cab thing. Who knows, but I wouldn't have done it if I didnt' think I needed to.

After getting settled on the EQ I messed with the volume and gain. Its a pretty early breaking gain monster. I ended up w/ the gain at 10:00 and got a bit of grit when I dug in but not total breakup. Turning the gain to 2:00+ will give you total breakup and while I think it sounded cool when I was solo I don't think it was super usable in the mix. So IMO, the sweet spot is between 10:00 and 12:00 for gain. I only had the volume at 9:00 and it was keeping up with a pair of Half stacks (1 Marshall, 1 Mesa).

In short... Small, lightweight, powerful, different (from Ampeg, anyway), and sounds great with some tweaking.

 

[CL400Peavey]

Picked it up from a local pawn shop today. Good price, but anyone else fell dirty buying stuff at pawn shops? I kinda did. Apologies to any shop owners on here, but yeah...

Anyway, now I need to get some XLR -> 1/4" speaker cables. :scowl:

No.

You need speakon to 1/4" cables. Or for a lot less you can just chop off the end of one of your existing 1/4" cables, and attach a speak on end. Just takes a screw driver.

 

[bigsides182]

Congrats! i bought a tb500 a coupla months ago and i love it.

 

[zachoff]

No.

You need speakon to 1/4" cables. Or for a lot less you can just chop off the end of one of your existing 1/4" cables, and attach a speak on end. Just takes a screw driver.

Oh, right on... Still need a 1/4" cables for the SVT though so might as well get the 1/4" to speakon cables for this one. For some reason I always thought the middle of those connections could fit a 1/4" if needed, but I was wrong.

 

[CL400Peavey]

Oh, right on... Still need a 1/4" cables for the SVT though so might as well get the 1/4" to speakon cables for this one. For some reason I always thought the middle of those connections could fit a 1/4" if needed, but I was wrong.

Only if the jack is green. Personally it would make more sense to me to replace the jack in your cab and just use a speakon cable.

 

[zachoff]

Only if the jack is green. Personally it would make more sense to me to replace the jack in your cab and just use a speakon cable.

Cool, thanks for the info. Never had an amp that I had to use speakon connectors before. All this new-fangled equipment...

 

[3l3phantstomp]

I've got a hosa cable that's 1/4 to speakon and it works great with my TB500. Was my first speakon amp as well. Do some searches on here to learn about some peculiarities, such as the XLR out on the side (sort of a DI out) being "hot" for some, etc.

 

[godofthunder59]

You can get a adaptor speakon/1/4" I have a TB500 and love it! I think the Speakon cables are over thought junk. A solution to a problem that doesn't exists.

 

[CL400Peavey]

You can get a adaptor speakon/1/4" I have a TB500 and love it! I think the Speakon cables are over thought junk. A solution to a problem that doesn't exists.

The adaptors have limited power handling capabilities, and frequenly sh!t the bed.

Clearly you dont understand the point of these connectors. A standard 1/4" cable has an incredibly small point of contact, about the size of a pin head. A speakon has much larger surface contact. Much safer for your person and gear if you are running higher power amps, which is why they are a regulatory requirement in the EU. Additionally even if you are using a tube amp, they are a great idea. Locking ends means you are or a sound guy are less likely to pull one out and fry your OT.

 

[godofthunder59]

My problem with the Speakon is that if some idiot bumps into them they will break and not pull out. I have had plenty of cables pulled /ripped out of my tube gear by careless roadcrew/stage hands but never have had a output transfomer go. If a 1/4 inch is damaged it's a easy fix. A cracked female Speakon is not.

 

[mbelue]

My problem with the Speakon is that if some idiot bumps into them they will break and not pull out. I have had plenty of cables pulled ripped out of my tube gear but never have had a output transfomer go. If a 1/4 inch is damaged it's a easy fix. A cracked female Speakon is not.

Amp side you mean? ouch thats a bitter pill to swallow.

 

[zachoff]

...and since it doesn't exist w/o a pic:

Link Removed

 

[rpsands]

I'd recommend putting a speakon on your cabinet. Easy mod.

Still loving my bass terror

 

[zachoff]

I'd recommend putting a speakon on your cabinet. Easy mod.

Still loving my bass terror

Problem is my 810 is a 70s/MTI cab and only has a single 1/4" input & not much room for more. I think my SVT210 has a speakon, but the 115 doesn't. I'll see how it goes w/ speakon to 1/4" for now.

 

[rpsands]

Just yank the 1/4 and replace it with a speakon/1/4 combo jack

 

[vin*tone]

...If a 1/4 inch is damaged it's a easy fix. A cracked female Speakon is not.

One of the points of the Speakon design is that you can fix it without a soldering iron..... which I rarely take with me to a gig.

 

[zachoff]

A mini-review...

I used it at practice last night for the first time & played my G&L SB-2 -> Orange -> Ampeg 810. It took some time to get the levels right. I'd guess I turned knobs for half the practice until I found the sound I liked and it definitely didn't fit the "Ampeg EQ" model that I usually use (noon for bass & treble 2:00 for mids).

I ended up with the bass at 9:00, mids at 9:00, and treble at 3:00. Weird weird weird. I've never had to turn the bass and mids down so far, but it's a pretty boomy head through the 810. I got a good, usable tone at home w/ my 210 that was not EQd that way so maybe it's a cab thing. Who knows, but I wouldn't have done it if I didnt' think I needed to.

After getting settled on the EQ I messed with the volume and gain. Its a pretty early breaking gain monster. I ended up w/ the gain at 10:00 and got a bit of grit when I dug in but not total breakup. Turning the gain to 2:00+ will give you total breakup and while I think it sounded cool when I was solo I don't think it was super usable in the mix. So IMO, the sweet spot is between 10:00 and 12:00 for gain. I only had the volume at 9:00 and it was keeping up with a pair of Half stacks (1 Marshall, 1 Mesa).

In short... Small, lightweight, powerful, different (from Ampeg, anyway), and sounds great with some tweaking.

 

[karl_em_all]

You can get a adaptor speakon/1/4" I have a TB500 and love it! I think the Speakon cables are over thought junk. A solution to a problem that doesn't exists.

Agreed! People just finding ways to make saps like us spend more $$ on gear. I bought the Speakon -> 1/4" cable for my TB500. I ordered in the SP212 and found out later that it only has the speakon connection (even though the specs state both speakon and 1/4" connection for the cab). I bought the adapter for $13 instead of another $30 plus tax for another cable.

 

[CL400Peavey]

Agreed! People just finding ways to make saps like us spend more $$ on gear. I bought the Speakon -> 1/4" cable for my TB500. I ordered in the SP212 and found out later that it only has the speakon connection (even though the specs state both speakon and 1/4" connection for the cab). I bought the adapter for $13 instead of another $30 plus tax for another cable.

I would have just spent $10 on parts for a speak on cable. All you need to build one is the ends, wire, screw driver, and a knife/wire stripper.

 

[MuthaFunk]

I must admit I felt the same way about speakons as karl_em_all but since I've spent the money and converted a few of my amps and cabs to be compatible I've accepted that Speakons are actually better. I find them cumbersom to use however the larger contact area is a genuine benifit with the higher power heads and now that most heads are bridging sound modules to get their power ratings at 4 ohms the metal 1/4" handle on male cables could give a person a shock if the bass player was layin some loud bass lines out and the guy put his hand on the chassis of the grounded amp and used the other hand to remove the speaker cable.

The reality is, that situation would rarely come about however it is a possibility.

Once everyone converts over to Speakons we will be fine but this in-between stage is driving me nuts. First I bought a bunch of male Speakon cables pre made off Invalid Link Removed. Then I went on eBay and bought a bunch of female combo adapters that I've been adding to all my gear that didn't have them. It's made my life much easier.

My Mesa Walkabout Scout combo uses 1/4" outputs on the amp and the cab is simply a male 1/4" connector. I installed the Speakon 1/4 combo and now I can use any amp be it old school tube or modern Speakon equipped.

My SWR Headlite didn't come with a combo adapter either. Now it does:

If I had a vintage cab I was trying to mate with a modern head I'd modify the head to have a Green combo Speakon 1/4" jack. If you buy the ones with Spade connectors there's a good chance you wouldn't have to soldier to replace the stock black Speakon output. Some manufacturers use the board mounted Speakons but many use the simple spade connectors. Take a look inside the amp to figure out which.