Peavey MiniMega 1000

[B-string]

Have to admit I was checking sites for availability.

 

[monsterthompson]

Soon.


"Comparison is the thief of joy."
- Theodore Roosevelt

 

[Thundar]

Have money! Will spend!
Want the MiniMax too!

 

[neptoon]

I have been checking a lot, too, but bobby just said the other day that they were supposed to be getting some sample production units in, so I'm assuming that they either may or may not have actually come in on time and they may or may not have even had a chance to check them out, and with the holiday, they likely won't be getting around to it until next week or the week after, so I'm thinking at the earliest late September or early October if no issues are encountered...I think I'm gonna hold out...I've narrowed my choices down to this new peavey, a gk mbf800, an ampeg svt-7 or a mesa m6 carbine...I know those are all different favors, but I like them all, other than the mini mega unknown...and I'm still wondering about the 1516, too...I think I will dig this

 

[BurningSkies]

I've always seen toys like tuners and DSP modeling a sign of below professional grade entries. A hook if you will for newer players. Of course, I am a grump old fart that grew up with a volume, bass and treble controls to make things work.

I think the DSP could be very effective for people using compact cabs. The fact that DSP is now a fairly standard feature on many power amps suggest that it's more than a toy. But then, we all have different lines we draw.

 

[B-string]

I think the DSP could be very effective for people using compact cabs. The fact that DSP is now a fairly standard feature on many power amps suggest that it's more than a toy. But then, we all have different lines we draw.

I think we can agree that the DSP in PA power amps is a different thing than amp modeling. If my Driverack smoked I could be swayed by DSP in PA power amps.

 

[BurningSkies]

I think we can agree that the DSP in PA power amps is a different thing than amp modeling. If my Driverack smoked I could be swayed by DSP in PA power amps.

Yet this amp isn't a modeling amp? The DSP involved isn't bass/amp/cab modeling. This implementation is much closer to some of the PA amp DSP that shows up now in the IPR series.

 

[B-string]

Correct, I was speaking more towards Line6 and TCE's offerings.

 

[Chef]

Tuner: no thanks
I have a strobostomp and a headstock clip on

DSP: hmmmm. Don't know enough to comment other than in wouldn't use amp modeling.

If you need field testers, let me know ;-)

I'm also curious about the 1566.
Waaaaaaay back in the day I use two 1820's.
Make them much lighter than those!

 

[BurningSkies]

Tuner: no thanks
I have a strobostomp and a headstock clip on

DSP: hmmmm. Don't know enough to comment other than in wouldn't use amp modeling.

If you need field testers, let me know ;-)

I'm also curious about the 1566.
Waaaaaaay back in the day I use two 1820's.
Make them much lighter than those!

I think the real split on tuners is those of us who are using 'stage rigs' vs those who would use this in a home setting. For the same reason, I don't really want a headphone out or a 'aux in' on a bass amp either.

On the DSP, IIRC what we have here are two different things...the Maxxbass DSP and some sort of subharmonic something or other. It's not a fully realized DSP (aka, programmable EQs, HPF/LPF, limiter, compressor that you'd find on a power amp or in a 'house sound' rig) I can say that a subharmonic thing would rest fully in the 'off' position for me. Sounds like a wonderful way to make a mess of room sound. Now, the Maxxbass thing on the other hand...I have some experience. I have a Waves MB-103 unit that I've used around the house. It's really great at making small or under-engineered speakers have bass presence in the mix. I've used mine on my 'home stereo' which for size considerations is down to a pair of bookshelf speakers...but sounds like a fully sized system.

I also used my 103 on my Alesis stereo monitors (also smallish) to be able to balance bass for some mixes I did...until I bit the bullet and bought the VST Waves Maxxbass version of it for mixing use. I love it. I can finally mix tracks so you can hear the bass on any system that has less than ideal low end reproduction. That means the boombox, the car stereo, the plug-in computer speakers (nothing can save the bass on my MBP, unfortunately. ). As with anything you have to know how to use it, balance what it can do, with what you're hearing... In this way it would be a real boon for those who are sacrificing low end extension in their chosen light/compact cabs for a micro rig. Imagine having those little compact 210 or 112 cabs but them sounding close to full sized cabs.

Speaking of such things... here's a rough of a track that has some Maxxbass on my track:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Luke the Fluke]

DSP: hmmmm. Don't know enough to comment other than in wouldn't use amp modeling.

I'm surprised someone hasn't brought out an amp with DSP that matches to their cab line. Like the implementation in PA land or the Berg iP series it would help protect the driver and keep the sound flatter. It would have to be some kind of thing where you select the cab you're using it with on the unit... but it would mean you would probably be locked into that make of cab (which isn't a bad thing from the makers point of view)- implement this and make the DSP open source however....

 

[mbelue]

Good thing there isn't any DSP in the amp.

The signal path is 100% analog. The pre and power amp sections are under digital control.

 

[Chef]

"adds sub-bass"

Nope. I laready run an f-deck hpf some of the time.
Deep switch? Maybe, depending where it's "tuned." I do, occasionally, use that on the MBF, at low volumes.

Most "tricks" like that are just great ways to hurt your speakers at higher volumes, IME.

 

[BurningSkies]

Good thing there isn't any DSP in the amp.

"Built in Kosmos Bass Enhancement with Psycho-acoustic and Sub controls"

 

[BurningSkies]

"adds sub-bass"

Nope. I laready run an f-deck hpf some of the time.
Deep switch? Maybe, depending where it's "tuned." I do, occasionally, use that on the MBF, at low volumes.

Most "tricks" like that are just great ways to hurt your speakers at higher volumes, IME.

Any subharmonic do-hickey, I'd totally agree. The other piece that they're marketing as 'psycho acoustic' actually removes the deep deep stuff and only makes you think you're hearing it. It actually could help from over-excursion.

 

[CL400Peavey]

"Built in Kosmos Bass Enhancement with Psycho-acoustic and Sub controls"

Right. That means there is some signal processing. Doesnt mean it is digital.

 

[mbelue]

Right. That means there is some signal processing. Doesnt mean it is digital.

That's what in getting at. No fake computer simulation.

 

[BurningSkies]

That's what in getting at. No fake computer simulation.

Whether it's digital or not, I don't think anyone has said 'fake computer simulation'. Not a modeling amp, and at no time has anyone suggested it is.

 

[mbelue]

Whether it's digital or not, I don't think anyone has said 'fake computer simulation'. Not a modeling amp, and at no time has anyone suggested it is.

Whether you are modeling an amp or not I am not interested in any ADCs in the signal path. Nothing sounds worse to me than a clipped ADC.
Digital Signal Processing is what DSP stands for, I'd just like to point out is not in use. So everytime you say "DSP" I severely hope it's incorrect. It seems like you aren't interested in the sub-harmonic generator?
Great, please stop referring to it as DSP. In the designers words it's an all analog signal path.

 

[BurningSkies]

Lets be honest, you're also muddying the water by referring to 'digital signal processing' as modeling, which again, it' isn't. Beyond a brief comment early on about an analog signal path, I also note that you yourself expected the Kosmos to be a digital implementation.

I just took this from another thread because it speaks to what's going on in this part of the amp.

(...)
The subharmonic generator in the Mini Mega is labeled "Kosmos A" because it's actually Kosmos. The main difference between Kosmos and an octave effect is that the dynamics of the sub synth tone track the dynamics of the input signal. The dynamics tracking is patented. A recent addition to Kosmos is low frequency damping, which keeps the synthesized tones in control. This function on the Mega is not really meant to be an octaver effect, rather it's a way to add massive, but tight low end provided that you have a cabinet that can handle it. In other words, companies, including Peavey have incorporated stuff like this in heads before, but this is actually usable. It is 100% analog.

The Max II combos have the "psycho-acoustic" button, which actually works by manipulating upper harmonics and generating extra harmonics. There is no way to set the level on the Max II amps. The processing is pre set based on the internal speaker, so you just turn it on or off. The psycho harmonics processor is also 100% analog. The "psycho" function on the Mega is called "Kosmos C". The processor is the same as the Max II combos, but the level is adjustable. Some of the newer mixer products also use my Max II processor and it's labeled as "Kosmos C" even though Kosmos C has meant something else on past products. Anyway, this processor can be used to make smaller cabinets sound larger, but it can also just be used as a tone thickener similar to the way an overdriven tube amp sounds more full because of the extra harmonic content, but different in that the signal is not clipped and compressed. The dynamics of the upper harmonics track playing dynamics, and latency is extremely low because the circuit is not only analog, it's discrete. Low latency is extremely important for this type of processing.

From now on, I'll refer to it as ASP...