OMW to get my rig.. Some doubts about it.

[Low End Scum]

I've considered this amp before, myself. I hear good things about them tonally, some people have experienced problems with them breaking on them, but any mass-produced product is going to have duds. I believe you can still get these serviced though, I can't say that for sure.

I remember a bunch of those posts on here like 8 years ago for those PF500's. There was a good deal of back and forth on if the 350 and 800 models were better or worse. Any of y'all got info on if the duds have effectively "failed out" by now and OP should be good to get one if it's currently still in working condition?

 

[ga_edwards]

FWIW, the Ampeg and Harke output 300w and 250w respectively at 8ohms. That may be enough for you. I gigged a Markbass head and single 8ohm 1x12 cab running at 300w for years without needing anymore. Kept up with a drummer just fine. If I needed more, well, that's what the PA system it for.

The BQ500 is a little more challenging to advise on as TC Electronics is notorious for "fiddling" their figures. Reports suggest this head is actually anywhere between 250w - 350w at 4ohms and 100w - 175w at 4ohms. Have a look at the reviews.
TC Electronic | Product | Reviews | THRUST BQ500

That said. There are many people who use these amps without issue, as they "perform" like the rating they are advertised at. So don't get too caught up in the long-going controversy - each of these amps you've listed should perform at similar volumes through the same cab.

Personally, would be basing my choice on tone and reliability. Harke is known for making reliable stuff, but being class D, they are all a little more fragile than bigger amps. Just don't drop it!

If you can, try each one through your cab of choice and go with the one you like the sound of the most with all tone controls set neutral. if you have to really crank the eq to get a pleasing sound, it's not going to give you much leeway when you play in different rooms.

 

[Crackle]

My TC BQ500 has no problem with keeping up in loud rock bands. Plenty of headroom and natural tone.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hello mates!

I am extending a post that I made yesterday about the same topic ( see here if you wish Expensive HEAD affordable CABINET or expensive BIG COMBO? )

I have done some research in the past weeks and also talking advices from the mentioned post, I am aiming to some amps that have particular features I am interested on.

The amps I liked were:
TC electronic BQ500. I love the fact that YouTube is full of good reviews about this one.
Ampeg PF-500 portaflex, Ampeg is a well know brand. Little review on YouTube.
Hartke lx5500. Also little review on YouTube but I kind of trust it because hartke is also a big brand.

What do you guys think about these three?
I decided to buy new, that's why many other options I liked got out of the final list.

The features that they have are price and watts. (I don't want to dig into tone because that's another story)

Now, first thing I notice is that the great majority of cabs of less than 400 watts are 8 ohms. That means that with the mentioned amps on 8ohms they actually run about 150-200 watts. I found only 2 cabs 4ohms under 400 watts. 1 of them is 115, while the other is 210 ( I prefer 210 but that one is a Aguilar that cost $1.300).

In some guide I read, I found that " as a general rule, the amp should double the watts of the cab". That means that if the amp runs 150 watts at 8 ohms, my cab should be even smaller?

So what should I do if I want to have more options in cabs? As I said in the other post. I will play small gigs and garage band rehearsals mostly. Nothing big. But I wanna have a solid equipment to keep up with any drummer.

Should I look for a head with higher watts on 4ohms ( like 700 watts 4 ohms ) in order to be able to extend those cabs's watts on 8ohms?

Thanks everyone!!

@Plucky The Bassist
@abarson
@bherman

Go for a pf800.

The 500s have problems. The 800 and the 350 are solid amps

 

[Hawk256]

Go for a pf800.

The 500s have problems. The 800 and the 350 are solid amps

I have a rock solid 350. Just don't need the 500.

 

[secondbestcody]

I’ve had the Portaflex 500, it was a great amp. Mine came with the 1x15 (maybe 1x12? I don’t remember) flip top cab. After it finally died after years of use I got a Rumble 500 combo and haven’t looked back.

 

[Judobassmech]

Hello mates!

I am extending a post that I made yesterday about the same topic ( see here if you wish Expensive HEAD affordable CABINET or expensive BIG COMBO? )

I have done some research in the past weeks and also talking advices from the mentioned post, I am aiming to some amps that have particular features I am interested on.

The amps I liked were:
TC electronic BQ500. I love the fact that YouTube is full of good reviews about this one.
Ampeg PF-500 portaflex, Ampeg is a well know brand. Little review on YouTube.
Hartke lx5500. Also little review on YouTube but I kind of trust it because hartke is also a big brand.

What do you guys think about these three?
I decided to buy new, that's why many other options I liked got out of the final list.

The features that they have are price and watts. (I don't want to dig into tone because that's another story)

Now, first thing I notice is that the great majority of cabs of less than 400 watts are 8 ohms. That means that with the mentioned amps on 8ohms they actually run about 150-200 watts. I found only 2 cabs 4ohms under 400 watts. 1 of them is 115, while the other is 210 ( I prefer 210 but that one is a Aguilar that cost $1.300).

In some guide I read, I found that " as a general rule, the amp should double the watts of the cab". That means that if the amp runs 150 watts at 8 ohms, my cab should be even smaller?

So what should I do if I want to have more options in cabs? As I said in the other post. I will play small gigs and garage band rehearsals mostly. Nothing big. But I wanna have a solid equipment to keep up with any drummer.

Should I look for a head with higher watts on 4ohms ( like 700 watts 4 ohms ) in order to be able to extend those cabs's watts on 8ohms?

Thanks everyone!!

@Plucky The Bassist
@abarson
@bherman

Tech 21 svt, boss gt1b and a 2000 watts Yamaha clean powered speaker. unlimited tone 1500$ you're sound tech will thank you

 

[agedhorse]

Tech 21 svt, boss gt1b and a 2000 watts Yamaha clean powered speaker. unlimited tone 1500$ you're sound tech will thank you

Just note that the powered speaker, when rated using RMS power handling like most quality bass amps, is closer to 500 watts RMS using an apples to apples comparison. Other than that, it should be fine.

 

[10emmanuel]

Hello. Why are you weighting YT reviews so heavily? Although imperfect and not united in opinion, the hive mind of TalkBass is a much more reliable measure of the nature, quality, and usefulness of bass gear.

Quickly reading this thread, comparing your first post to the replies, I see that what you need most of all is knowledge of the general principles that govern design and use of bass amplification. Once you have a solid basic knowledge of that, your decisions about which specific amplification gear to get will be easier, and the results probably will be better.

This is not a criticism, but an observation and a suggestion. I know that you are researching. What I am advising is that you change the premise guiding your research and selection.

I get what you mean. The reason I am rushing is because I live in the US now, but un less than 20 days I go back to my country ( South America ). There, any amp is twice as expensive ir more. You can pay 2 thousand for a aguilar 350 that here is about $600 . So I want to take one amp with me, and then get a cab ( which will be expensive but I got no option, I can't bring a cab in the plane, or I could but not in this trip).

 

[bherman]

I would agree with @agedhorse recommendation, can't go wrong with the Fender Rumble line of gear. Good value for the money, can add more cabs as you go. Still pretty sure that's not what I would do if I had up to $1500 to spend on a amp and cab or two, but a solid choice.

 

[agedhorse]

I would agree with @agedhorse recommendation, can't go wrong with the Fender Rumble line of gear. Good value for the money, can add more cabs as you go. Still pretty sure that's not what I would do if I had up to $1500 to spend on a amp and cab or two, but a solid choice.

Could also buy one of the larger Rumble combos.

 

[bherman]

I get what you mean. The reason I am rushing is because I live in the US now, but un less than 20 days I go back to my country ( South America ). There, any amp is twice as expensive ir more. You can pay 2 thousand for a aguilar 350 that here is about $600 . So I want to take one amp with me, and then get a cab ( which will be expensive but I got no option, I can't bring a cab in the plane, or I could but not in this trip).

Ah, that changes things - in that case, I'd buy absolutely the best amp that I could, and definitely consider used - not sure how a warranty would play out if you buy an amp in a different country. And it sounds like you are going to need more than 1/2 of the money for a cab to buy in your home country.

 

[10emmanuel]

I’m not so sure this is correct. If I understand this correctly, if you run 500 watts into a cab rated for 250 you could be looking at replacing drivers (speakers) very soon. IMO, is your cab should be rated at least for the amount of wattage your amp can put out.

There is no risk to the cabinet or amp, if you have an amp that puts out less wattage than what the cab can handle.

I actually did more research on this and it seems that you are right.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I get what you mean. The reason I am rushing is because I live in the US now, but un less than 20 days I go back to my country ( South America ). There, any amp is twice as expensive ir more. You can pay 2 thousand for a aguilar 350 that here is about $600 . So I want to take one amp with me, and then get a cab ( which will be expensive but I got no option, I can't bring a cab in the plane, or I could but not in this trip).

Any way they’ll let you “fly” a Rumble 800 combo (in carton) for extra $$?

Riis

 

[Pocket Dave]

The amps I liked were:
TC electronic BQ500. I love the fact that YouTube is full of good reviews about this one.

Bassist I work with on a weekly guitar gig has the 700w version driving an SWR Goliath II 410. More than capable amp, easy to EQ for tight, punchy or any derivative thereof.

Can't comment on reliability - he's been gigging his steadily, 2-3 times a week, though only for 6 months.

Ampeg PF-500 portaflex, Ampeg is a well know brand. Little review on YouTube.

I love the sound and feel of these; Have had one for 11 year - since new. Super-percussive and easy to EQ. The problem, as has been mentioned, is you just don't know if you're going to get a reliable one or not. Mine's been reliable so far, though there're a lot of on-line reviews where this hasn't been so.

Hartke lx5500. Also little review on YouTube but I kind of trust it because hartke is also a big brand.

No experience with the current Hartke line to make a recommendation.

I've fought with previous generation Hartke's - both heads and combos - for limited EQ options. For the previous generation, an EQ pedal seems like a must, even for those with on-board GEQ. When I run into those amps without an EQ pedal as provided backline, either as a listener or player, they've come across boomy and inarticulate.

 

[Pocket Dave]

The PF500 only has one speaker out? Nope. It has two. One Speakon, one 1/4”.

Or get one of these for two cabs with the PF500:

https://www.amazon.com/speakon-splitter/s?k=speakon+splitter

 

[Pocket Dave]

The term used for combining cabinets is called a daisy chain.

Not a fan of using that term because its conflicting definitions.

If you say "daisy-chain" to an electronics engineer, it means to wire in SERIES. Example: in a 16 ohm, 2-speaker cabinet with 8 ohm speakers, those two speakers are wired in series; Their wiring is daisy-chained.

If you say it to a musicians or roadie, it means to combine cabinets using their in/out jacks, which in 99% of cases, is parallel.

You get into trouble when you start talking with a musician or roadie with an electronics background.

 

[Pocket Dave]

I’m going to make what I think is a reasonably obvious suggestion…

a Fender Rumble 350 or 500 head and start with a Rumble 210 or 115 cabinet with the option of a second cabinet only if needed.
This will easily fit your budget new, will work well together, be reliable and comes with a 3 year warranty.

THIS.

Sometimes the best solution is the simplest.

And the Rumble does good with both modern and vintage tones. As provided backline, these have always put a big stupid grin on my face.

 

[droo46]

I have a PF-500 paired with an Ampeg 115, and I think the RB210 is so much better in every way. It's lighter, more powerful, and just flat out sounds better.

 

[Pocket Dave]

I have a PF-500 paired with an Ampeg 115, and I think the RB210 is so much better in every way. It's lighter, more powerful, and just flat out sounds better.

Not sure that's as much of an amp thing as speaker. If its the PF-115HE, I vastly prefer just about anyone's 10's.