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Need Help ------ Choosing Between G-K MB500 and Warwick LWA500

G-K or Warwick?

  • Total voters
    25
ZSN624

ZSN624

Apr 15, 2018
115
42
29
Beijing
#1
I just don't know why so few people use that Warwick light weight amp. It seems to have excellent power and it might be the smallest and lightest bass head among all the 500 watt bass amp head. I live in China and I cannot find any reviews of the Warwick LWA series. And the unofficial demos on YouTube is also few.

It has aux in and headphone output, and I think compressor is more useful than overdrive on the amp heads.

Many brands have terrible overdrive sound on their amplifiers or preamps IMO, such as Trace Elliot, and I also don't like the overdrive of Gallien-Krueger (MB500 fusion is OK but MB500 is awful). I might buy a Darkglass AO in the future.

I want to buy a portable head to drive a 410 cab, sometimes for practicing and recording and sometimes for playing together with my friends. Then I found the Warwick LWA but someone asked me not to buy it because this model has almost no users in my country. He found me a used G-K MB500 for 3000RMB, which should be 450USD today. While I can still get a brand new Warwick LWA500 for less than 400USD with a rig bag.

Don't know how to choose because I can not find enough informations, and please help QwQ
 
#3
I voted for the GK MB500. While I have not used either one of these, I did own the MB500's big brother, the MB800. It is LOUD, clear and has that baked-in high mid that's hard to dial out. While I didn't always favor the tone by itself, it was outstanding in a live band setting. Really cut through in a pleasing way. I would add that you can run a preamp of your own choosing straight into the power amp on the MB800. I believe this is true for the MB500 as well. I ran a B7K into mine for a while with great results. The MB500 does not have a compressor, true, but it does have a switchable limiter.

That said, it sounds like the lwa 500 may have the features you want at the right price for you.
 
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#7
You are right......But if so few people use Warwick LWA, I worry about that it has something unpleasant. I want to buy Warwick just seeing the specifications on the official website, and if this amp is not that popular I want to know why. I am afraid that I'd get regret if I really bought this one (._.)
arbiterusa said:
You're not asking a question. You obviously want to buy the Warwick and want us to give you reasons to. So buy it!
Click to expand...
 
#9
ZSN624 said:
Could you please describe more about why you dislike the Warwick's sound? I have found some videos and I thought it's OK but many videos are official and have been embellished.
Click to expand...

Very thin sounding. Even the dealer I bought it from who was clearing them out commented on how bad it was. Keep in mind that the videos are probably coming straight off the DI and you are not actually hearing the amp.
 
#10
If you buy the Warwick new, do you have a return option if you're dissatisfied with it?
Either way, there's always the possibility that you'll regret your purchase in some way, whichever amp you choose. I don't think you'll really know until you've spent some time with it.
I can only speculate as to why more people don't use this amp. Could be partly that Warwick is relatively new/not as established when it comes to amplification.
 
#11
Willy B said:
If you buy the Warwick new, do you have a return option if you're dissatisfied with it?
Either way, there's always the possibility that you'll regret your purchase in some way, whichever amp you choose. I don't think you'll really know until you've spent some time with it.
I can only speculate as to why more people don't use this amp. Could be partly that Warwick is relatively new/not as established when it comes to amplification.
Click to expand...

The LWA has been out for several years.
 
#13
Low Class said:
Very thin sounding. Even the dealer I bought it from who was clearing them out commented on how bad it was. Keep in mind that the videos are probably coming straight off the DI and you are not actually hearing the amp.
Click to expand...
'Thin'...that is not a good feature for bass
I thought the sound in videos a OK but as you sad the sound may came from DI rather than the cabinets.
And I'm also worried that when driving a 410 cabinet, the smaller power-amp in LWA500 will sound quite different from the big ones in LWA1000. I've tried Taurus Qube300 and Qube450, and there is distinct differences. Even at a same volume, the Qube300 is weaker.
 
#14
Willy B said:
If you buy the Warwick new, do you have a return option if you're dissatisfied with it?
Click to expand...

No I guess, the instruments have no return service... Only if I can find a dealer where I live so I can try it, but it's quite a pity that even in Beijing there's no dealer of Warwick (._.)
And you are right, I should try to how to get the tone that I'm satisfied with rather than rush to blame the equipment.
 
#17
Willy B said:
Are you looking for a specific sound/tone?
Click to expand...

I don't go for some kinds of particular sound, just not too strange is OK.
But there is some of my likes and dislikes:
(Most of them are the sounds in the videos, I just tried Markbass/Taurus/EBS/Epifani/Fender myself):

■I like Epifani most cuz it get a good balance among the punch, warmness and clearness.
■In comparison, Markbass is a little bit too 'smooth and warm'(sorry for lack of words) but it's quite suitable in some sorts of music.
■Not quite sure about Aguilar TH but I think it should be similar to Epifani, and more.
■I like what Trace Elliot Elf sounds like with 208 but not with 110 cabinet, and TE's overdrive is not pleasant.
■Taurus Qube-450 and Vandall-500 Edition1 is very aggressive and punchy, maybe too much for someone but I like this. I can get a Vandall-500 Edition1 for RMB3800(570USD) but still too expensive for me.
■EBS Reidmar 500 is OK, but too bright IMO (Have tried with its own cab, a darkglass 115 and also a taurus 115, feeling all the same)
■G-K sounds a little bit dry and too near the front in sound field. While I still like it
■Eden sounds good, Ashdown sounds good, Ampeg sounds good and aggressive(Have used for many times in live house) all this traditional sounds can be pleasant, but I might won't go for a very old school sound.

■I don't like Fender Rumble 100 combo
■And I also don't like TC BH250 and RH450, which sound like playing plastics, especially through cabs with eminem speakers. They sound like trying to imitate Ampeg SVT but just don't get the crunch feeling.
(to be continue if I can remember more)
 
#19
Low Class said:
Very thin sounding. Even the dealer I bought it from who was clearing them out commented on how bad it was. Keep in mind that the videos are probably coming straight off the DI and you are not actually hearing the amp.
Click to expand...
If the DI is set to post EQ, you're still hearing the amp, or well, the preamp anyway. You're just not hearing the cab. I prefer when amp reviews/demos are done this way. The same amp is gonna sound totally different through different cabs. Do you think maybe the "thin" sound is a problem with the power amp? Maybe it's underpowered or not responsive enough? (I have never gotten to try the LWA500, but I am also curious, as I appreciate a very neutral amp)
 
#20
ZSN624 said:
■Eden sounds good, Ashdown sounds good, Ampeg sounds good and aggressive(Have used for many times in live house) all this traditional sounds can be pleasant, but I might won't go for a very old school sound.
Click to expand...
If cost is a concern, than the EDEN WTX500 (as well as the WTX264 and WTX260) has pretty much all the same features as the LWA500, and while a bit heavier, is still quite svelte at 4.3 lbs. It's been discontinued, but can still be found pretty cheap used (there's a few on Reverb). If you're willing to spend a bit more, the Terra Nova amp heads look very nice and very flexible.

ZSN624 said:
■And I also don't like TC BH250 and RH450, which sound like playing plastics, especially through cabs with eminem speakers. They sound like trying to imitate Ampeg SVT but just don't get the crunch feeling.
Click to expand...
The new BQ500 and BQ250 from TC Electronic seem to have a warmer tone, based on the reviews so far. The EQ is different from the BH heads as well. They may be worth checking out since they're dirt cheap.
 

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