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New Kustom DE1200HD head!

#3
I saw this on the Kustom website yesterday. Has anyone seen one in the wild?
600W continuous/1200W peak, D class, 11 pounds, 12ax7 enshrined in a window so that one can bask in it's glow. A little larger than their micro that created such a stir a couple of years ago then vanished for reasons unknown.
I checked dealers listed in SoCal. Nobody has it listed but are waiting for other models.
 
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#4
Hunh. Invalid Link Removed says: Power Amp Circuit: Kustom Amplification Class D Proprietary Design

If they have indeed, a la Markbass, Quilter, and Peavey, developed their own power module/custom class D power section, I'll be surprised.

I have the KXB500 (the "micro that created a stir a couple of years ago") and, for what it is, I like it. It's not going to replace any of my lead sleds, but it's a decent, straightforward amp that sounds better, to my ear, than a lot of similar micros (using the ICE 125 ASX2 power section -- Aggie TH350 is one such that comes to mind). I ended up preferring mine to an Aggie TH500 (which uses a 250 ASX2) and a Markbass F500 (which uses a proprietary Markbass power module) that I had.

I tried a KXB800 (the big lead sled) in a store and thought it sounded decent (more substantial and crisper than the little 500), but this was a used one in slightly rough shape and I already had a good, reliable lead sled with which it would have been redundant.

As for the DE1200HD, it might end up being a great, economical bass head (there's a new one on Reverb for under $530, and Thomann is selling them for 322 Euros), but there are a few things that I think are misses in the presentation and the marketing:
  • It's nice to know both the RMS (600 Watts) and peak (1200 Watts) power, but this is a 600 Watt amp, by my reckoning, not a 1200 Watt amp. (Somewhere between 1200 and 2400 Behringer Watts, though -- I forget the conversion for those.)
  • 600 Watts RMS into how many Ohms? I'm guessing 4 Ohms (and would guess a 4 Ohm minimum load), but it would be nice to know those things for sure.
  • The tube window... strikes me as kinda cheesy. Not the only amp to do that, though. Is the tube incorporated into the circuit in a meaningful way -- is it allowed to make a meaningful and positive contribution to the sound? If not, its inclusion is kinda cheesy.
  • Two 1/4" speaker outputs and one Speakon -- eh, I guess I can't fault it much. I prefer Speakon (particularly as the power gets higher), but I get it -- there are plenty of cabs using 1/4" connections that people might want to pair this head with.
The KXB500 didn't seem to be as thoughtfully designed or as well-built as some amps that, IMO, it outperformed -- as far as I could tell, it was a simple pre with a decent EQ into a power section without a whole lot more going on besides -- I could be wrong, but I don't think that it had some of the sophisticated power management features (apart from those already incorporated into the module) of its more pedigreed classmates. Fan was noisy. It just happened to sound pretty decent.

Again, this might end up being a great amp -- if the power, tone, and feel are there and it's reasonably reliable, then the basics are in place -- but I'd have to play one.
 
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#5
MarkA said:
Hunh. Invalid Link Removed says: Power Amp Circuit: Kustom Amplification Class D Proprietary Design

If they have indeed, a la Markbass, Quilter, and Peavey, developed their own power module/custom class D power section, I'll be surprised.

I have the KXB500 (the "micro that created a stir a couple of years ago") and, for what it is, I like it. It's not going to replace any of my lead sleds, but it's a decent, straightforward amp that sounds better, to my ear, than a lot of similar micros (using the ICE 125 ASX2 power section -- Aggie TH350 is one such that comes to mind). I ended up preferring mine to an Aggie TH500 (which uses a 250 ASX2) and a Markbass F500 (which uses a proprietary Markbass power module) that I had.

I tried a KXB800 (the big lead sled) in a store and thought it sounded decent (more substantial and crisper than the little 500), but this was a used one in slightly rough shape and I already had a good, reliable lead sled with which it would have been redundant.

As for the DE1200HD, it might end up being a great, economical bass head (there's a new one on Reverb for under $530, and Thomann is selling them for 322 Euros), but there are a few things that I think are misses in the presentation and the marketing:
  • It's nice to know both the RMS (600 Watts) and peak (1200 Watts) power, but this is a 600 Watt amp, by my reckoning, not a 1200 Watt amp. (Somewhere between 1200 and 2400 Behringer Watts, though -- I forget the conversion for those.)
  • 600 Watts RMS into how many Ohms? I'm guessing 4 Ohms (and would guess a 4 Ohm minimum load), but it would be nice to know those things for sure.
  • The tube window... strikes me as kinda cheesy. Not the only amp to do that, though. Is the tube incorporated into the circuit in a meaningful way -- is it allowed to make a meaningful and positive contribution to the sound? If not, its inclusion is kinda cheesy.
  • Two 1/4" speaker outputs and one Speakon -- eh, I guess I can't fault it much. I prefer Speakon (particularly as the power gets higher), but I get it -- there are plenty of cabs using 1/4" connections that people might want to pair this head with.
The KXB500 didn't seem to be as thoughtfully designed or as well-built as some amps that, IMO, it outperformed -- as far as I could tell, it was a simple pre with a decent EQ into a power section without a whole lot more going on besides -- I could be wrong, but I don't think that it had some of the sophisticated power management features (apart from those already incorporated into the module) of its more pedigreed classmates. Fan was noisy. It just happened to sound pretty decent.

Again, this might end up being a great amp -- if the power, tone, and feel are there and it's reasonably reliable, then the basics are in place -- but I'd have to play one.
Click to expand...
Good points, and I share your opinions about the KXB500.
 
#6
I have my kxb500 at practice and at least once every practice I say.. man this thing always sounds so good...I wonder if it's the same preamp layout and if the tube does any actual work or it's just for show...FWIW I tried to contact kustom a few months ago on facebook and heard crickets... not impressive to me...on one hand you have companies like mesa and gk who try to incorporate a feedback loop for their products with the user base then you have these guys who don't answer a simple query on social media....in my mind when you don't respond to your customers it makes me think the service will be nonexistent as well
 
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#7
I looked for a manual, online, for the DE1200 HD -- failed to locate one, but I did find one for the DE300 HD, which appears similar, at least on the surface, in many respects (tube window, basic EQ/features).

It specifies power output for that head as 300 Watts RMS @ 4 Ohms, 180 Watts RMS @ 8 Ohms. Both figures are given at "less than 1% THD" [total harmonic distortion], which is encouraging (almost surprising, given the way some companies inflate specs). Following that example, though, it would seem to make sense to call the amp in question the DE600 (not 1200) HD.

A 4 Ohm minimum load is specified for the 300 Watt amp.

The manual is actually fairly detailed. It notes, among other things, that "gain is applied to the tube stage before the tone controls" and gives frequency centers for all of those controls. The tube stage, per manual, will overdrive and produce "thicker, more aggressive tones" as it's dialed up.

There is, in addition to the pre/post DI, a speaker emulator circuit that can be engaged on the post-EQ DI out.

The amp also incorporates a feature Kustom calls Organic Clipping which, per the manual, is supposed to emulate the "natural clipping characteristics" and "lower order, musical harmonics" of a tube amp as the power section is pushed.

There is also a LO/High Contour room EQ of some sort.

Again, this is all from the manual on the DE300 HD -- didn't find one for the 1200. If the manuals are located on the Kustom website, I missed them.
 
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#8
I have both the DE300HD and the DE50 combo, both sound very nice and warm. The stock speaker on the combo is kinda mediocre, but that is to be expected at that price range.

The tube is not just a gimmick, it really affects the sound and give a nice drive sound. A lot of gain on tap if needed. It does need some time to warm up when you turn up the amp, no sound before that happens. Which, to me is another sign that the tube is actually integrated into the circuit in a meaningful way.

I like the room EQ on the big head. Good amps both, especially considering the price.

Good to see that they are still going somewhere with the brand.
 
#9
Just for kicks, I had a look at the [This invalid link has been removed]. Power is listed at 500 Watts into 4 Ohms, 300 Watts into 8 Ohms, but at "10% THD+N" rather than the "less than 1% THD" for the DE300HD. I'm not sure how significant the "+N" [noise] figure is in this case, but it would seem that the HD head was rated a little more stringently than the KXB500.
 
#10
MarkA said:
I looked for a manual, online, for the DE1200 HD -- failed to locate one, but I did find one for the DE300 HD, which appears similar, at least on the surface, in many respects (tube window, basic EQ/features).

It specifies power output for that head as 300 Watts RMS @ 4 Ohms, 180 Watts RMS @ 8 Ohms. Both figures are given at "less than 1% THD" [total harmonic distortion], which is encouraging (almost surprising, given the way some companies inflate specs). Following that example, though, it would seem to make sense to call the amp in question the DE600 (not 1200) HD.

A 4 Ohm minimum load is specified for the 300 Watt amp.

The manual is actually fairly detailed. It notes, among other things, that "gain is applied to the tube stage before the tone controls" and gives frequency centers for all of those controls. The tube stage, per manual, will overdrive and produce "thicker, more aggressive tones" as it's dialed up.

There is, in addition to the pre/post DI, a speaker emulator circuit that can be engaged on the post-EQ DI out.

The amp also incorporates a feature Kustom calls Organic Clipping which, per the manual, is supposed to emulate the "natural clipping characteristics" and "lower order, musical harmonics" of a tube amp as the power section is pushed.

There is also a LO/High Contour room EQ of some sort.

Again, this is all from the manual on the DE300 HD -- didn't find one for the 1200. If the manuals are located on the Kustom website, I missed them.
Click to expand...

thank you Gollum...this amp IS shiny
 
#11
I've had the DE300HD. Majestic & loud amp, I used it to play some doomy/stonerrock stuff and blackmetal on a Peavey TVX412. Couldn't be more happy. Switched to a Ampeg SVT7-Pro, still very pleased (and more lightweight)... but the Kustom sounded dirtier and grindier.

I'm seriously looking into the DE1200HD as a backup amp, since my Randall RB750 is failing on me and I guess repaircosts would be as much as the price for the new Kustom. Information on the internet is scarce. Very scarce. I prefer to see some youtube review of the amp, and not just a product presentation. But since Kustom is not the most popular brand, I guess it won't be up there very soon? Dunno... Some more technical details, or - indeed - and online manual with the specs would come in handy.
 
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#12
Just ran across the DE1200HD on Musician's Friend, new for $449, expected to ship June 30th, 2019.
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/kustom-de1200hd-1200w-tube-hybrid-bass-amp-head

Sure would love to know more about this amp. Not a lot of info out there about it.

Thomann has it for under $300 U.S. but... says Kustom won't let them ship it to the U.S.
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