New Ampeg Rocket 500 watt vs Fender Rumble 500

[Deleted member 165050]

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I believe the new Rockets are very close Ampeg copies of the 7-year-old Rumbles.
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I don't think so at all. They are a much-improved reissue of the Ampeg B50R, B100R and B200R range, from before the Rumble existed afaik. With the range obviously extended to directly compete with Fender's very successful Rumble series, but not copies.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

Those aren't extension cabs. Those are ported hard top alternative options to the sealed "fliptop" design. They were never marketed as extension cabinets. Just alternate design. The only one ever meant to be an extension was the 112. Although, it's also marketed as a standalone, hard top, ported 112 cabinet.

I have 2 of those PF-112HLF cabs, so each is its other's extension

 

[richwag]

About what I expected. The Ampeg sounds more like an Ampeg with a little more depth and a little more clarity on top. Fender is more mid-forward, which may be desirable for some.

As a Rumble 500 owner, this description is perfect.

Adding the 1x15 Rumble cabinet to the 500 IMO really balances those forward mids.

 

[Marc61]

Well the thread was for naught. I decided to go with the Rumble Stage 800. My online dealer did a pretty sweet ( did I give away anything? )deal with some other items I needed. Slight back order. I’ll have mid September. Gives me time to sell my current rigs ( see amps for sale)

 

[G-Dog]

Well the thread was for naught. I decided to go with the Rumble Stage 800. My online dealer did a pretty sweet ( did I give away anything? )deal with some other items I needed. Slight back order. I’ll have mid September. Gives me time to sell my current rigs ( see amps for sale)

Wow, Marc! That is SUCH a radically different animal, a beast actually, from the Rockets and the non-modeling Rumbles! I trust you've done your research, including reading the Rumble Stage 800 & Studio 40 manual. I was really quite surprised they even called these Rumbles, since they are SO different from the other Rumbles.

You should also peruse the Rumble LT25, Studio 40 & Stage 800 sub-thread for common questions and discussions. That "sub-thread", as we call it, is an extension of the regular Fender Rumble Club so that we can keep the modeling technicalities from confusing the non-modelers.

Best wishes with your new acquisition, Marc. Show us a photo in the the Rumble LT25, Studio 40 & Stage 800 sub-thread when it arrives and get a free membership to The Club.
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[jeff7bass]

How about GK 212 iI combo ?

Gallien-Krueger MB212-II 2x12" 500-watt Bass Combo Amp

I like it but favor the new Fusion and Legacy combos and their upgraded cabinets. Especially the Fusion since it does gritty tube sound with the tube-pre. IMO it's the best combo out there right now. If Mesa dropped a D800+ head on their SW 212 cab, it would be there with it.

 

[David Carl]

It really depends on how your rig components come together. I'm not saying broadly that the Ampeg is better than the Fender. What I'm saying is as a practice amp with my rig the Ampeg gives me the sound I'm looking for. Your results may vary depending on rig and application. The only way to know is to try them out.

 

[butterfingers1]

As long as you stack the wider one on the bottom for a slight pyramid shape instead of on top of the smaller one fur an upside down triangular stack, it shouldn't be too bad. Not as nice as matching sizes of course, but workable. Surprised they haven't come out with matching dimension extension cabs on it yet though. They very specifically put extension cab connections on both their 115 and their 210 Rockets.

I think the Rocket Bass combo is wider than the matching Portaflex cabinet. Yet the combo really should be on top, the controls are on the top of it. An inverted pyramid of these heavy boxes would look and be awkward.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I think the Rocket Bass combo is wider than the matching Portaflex cabinet. Yet the combo really should be on top, the controls are on the top of it. An inverted pyramid of these heavy boxes would look and be awkward.

Yeah the inverted pyramid just looks wrong. It's just the way the human eye sees it. Looks like it might tip over even if it's solid. Ever notice that store displays of all kinds of products are either straight even towers of merchandise or pyramid in shape. Even though they have very solid shelving on display end-caps putting the narrow assortment on the bottom shelf and the wider assortment at the top just looks wrong. You can always set the cabs next to each other if stacking them covers up the controls.

 

[butterfingers1]

They really should just offer a matching Rocket Bass cabinet, 115 and 210.