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Peavey TKO115 vs Ashdown five 15 vs TCE BG250 vs Ampeg BA112

Which one soundwise, for funk and stoner?

  • Peavey tour TKO115

    Votes: 24 22.0%

  • Ashdown Five 15

    Votes: 14 12.8%

  • Ampeg BA112

    Votes: 35 32.1%

  • TCE BG250

    Votes: 36 33.0%
  • Total voters
    109
irakliszs

irakliszs

Aug 26, 2013
74
76
Athens, Greece
#1
Hello there!
This is my first post here, although i am reading the forums and getting lots of help a long time now!

I come from guitar playing and other stringed instruments but i am new to bass and its gear. I am planning to buy soon an amp to do abut everything from practice to rehearsals and maybe small gigs.

After a lot of reading i decided to go with a combo amp (due to budget limits) and i narrowed my choices to these 4:

The budget is my first priority so i am between 250 and 350 euros.

1) Peavey tour TKO 115
(+) Plenty of power, tilt back cabinet, low price, full specs
(-) No overdrive, not enough demos/opinions on the web
Invalid Link Removed

2) Ashdown five 15
(+) Enough power, cool input gain setting
(-) No DI, not enough demos/info found
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

3) Ampeg BA112
(+) Light, good specs, everyone says it has a killer sound, tilt back cab
(-) Low wattage, price to power ratio, no overdrive, no DI
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

4) TCE BG250
(+) plenty of power, full specs, overdrive, light, tuner, everyone has something good to say about it
(-) not enough sound samples
Invalid Link Removed


I play funk with fingers and working on slap to use it one day (but not all the time, just for filling). I also play stoner and a bit of every kind of rock.

Which one of these would you advise me to get, soundwise? I cannot try them out since local stores have nothing in stock so i have to order by internet.

I like the low price of peavey, i practically know nothing of the ashdown, i like the sound of ampeg i heard on demos but i am concerned about its low power, and i like almost everything about TCE but i didn't know this company was making bass amps and for how long

Thanks in advance for the help, and excuse me for the big text!

:bassist:
 
#2
I have an older model TNT (600 watt rather than 400 for the TKO). My only complaint is the weight (it weighs a ton) I assume the newer ones are lighter. Tons of power, plenty of features and plenty of bang for your buck. If you can find a Peavey used (mine was $150.00 from a pawn shop) Then go for it.
 
#3
Personally, I'd pass on the Ashdown and Ampeg, simply on the power factor alone. Nothing against them so much -- and I like the sound of the Ampeg -- but I'm afraid you would outgrow them soon, especially if you wanna gig with 'em.

Either the TC or the Peavey should do you well. Years ago, I'd have picked Peavey because they're tough as nails. But I havent used new Peavey gear in years...all mine is old and still going strong!



dcr
 
#4
+1 on what P-Bunny said. To find older Peavey used would be great. I had an older Basic 50, Mark IV with 2x15, and several others. All were great, all were heavy, all seemed bulletproof. AAMOF, the Mark IV and 2x15 I had rolled down a mountain in a Jeep wreck from previous owner. Cab had a torn grill and something went thru a speaker, but it still played. Jeep didn't. I kept it for years, then sold it to my bass teacher for what I paid for it.



dcr
 
#5
irakliszs said:
TCE BG250...everyone has something good to say about it

Which one of these would you advise me to get, soundwise? I cannot try them out since local stores have nothing in stock so i have to order by internet.
Click to expand...

Well, you've come to the right place to be disabused of the notion that everybody has something nice to say about the BG250 :D

Compared to the others, a 50 watt 112 combo is probably the least suitable to use with a group.

If the lack of DI is something you can really see as an important point, why bother with one without when other viable options have it?

Between the other two, as mentioned, through its history and older models, Peavey certainly has a record of long-lasting "toughness." Cosmetically, the BG250, with a little more than a 1 year history, is notable as having easily scratched and torn covering.

The BG250 doesn't tilt-back. At more than twice the weight of several combos in the same class, that's quite some nerve to call the Peavey "extremely light."

As you noted, the BG250 has the benefit of some features that the Peavey doesn't have. This can be the double edged sword that makes the Peavey more durable...less to go wrong.

As far as sound goes, IMO you can only find out so much from internet comments.
 
#6
Thanks a lot for the replies!

so it seems Ampeg will not do the job with only 50 watts. I would like to know if there is any possibility for it to serve as a monitor with the assistance of PA, through the line out (i don't know if its going to mute the speaker)

ashdown is at the bottom of my list right now, since it doesn't have anything "special" compared to the others

so its between peavey and TCE. I think i read somewhere about this new line of tour series that are not as durable as old peavey. I think i found a foto with broken speaker buffle or something, can't find it right now.

soundwise is there any objective difference between the 2?

the lack of tilt back cab on TCE is a serious (-) for rehearsals and gigs?

thanks again!
 
#8
irakliszs said:
so its between peavey and TCE. I think i read somewhere about this new line of tour series that are not as durable as old peavey. I think i found a foto with broken speaker buffle or something, can't find it right now.

soundwise is there any objective difference between the 2?

the lack of tilt back cab on TCE is a serious (-) for rehearsals and gigs?

thanks again!
Click to expand...

An objective difference in qualities of sound? :hmm: I'd think that the only thing you can get here are people's impressions...some, not only subjective, but highly so.

The value of tilt-back is also a subjective matter. I'd feel quite safe venturing a guess that the vast majority of 15" enclosures are not tilt-back. They work just fine.

I think it's semantic...where the feature can be a +, but the lack of it isn't necessarily a -, if that makes sense. i.e., If it's a feature you're very interested in, and you're comparing two amps; one with and one without, the one with gets a tick in the plus column. In a vacuum, or at least in the whole universe of enclosures that are, say, < 24" tall, the quality or usefulness of all the ones that don't tilt isn't diminished.
 
#9
i understand that judging qualities of sound is subjective matter, but maybe there are some variables that can be estimated with relatively objective manner.

i don't know about bass amps but for guitars there are some "objective" standards about which school of amp suits best to musical genres (fender overdrive cant play metal). Or sound characteristics that are widely accepted (this amp tends to be too bright, that one tends to be muddy etc)

maybe something like that happens with bass amps as well?

thanks again for the answers! :)
 
#10
Having owned two of the four, I would cast my vote for the TC Electronics BG250. It is very light, very powerful and very versatile. Get the Toneprint app, and you have a built in effect pedal, tuner and tubedrive effect.

I also had the Ashdown. It sounded very nice, I liked it a lot. But it was a little underpowered at 100W, and was pretty darn heavy.
 
#11
I played both the Peavey and the TCE when shopping. I ended up buying the TCE.

The Peavey is loud and absolutely gigantic. It weighs a ton and is way too big for a combo amp. The TCE is relatively small and very light weight. Sound wise, I thought the Peavey sounded like every other Peavey combo I've played. That is, not offensive, but nothing special.

The TCE gets pretty loud and it does a pretty good tube simulation. The built in effects processor is a nice touch, but not very useful to me in the real world as I could only find one or two effects for it that were really usable. At half the weight and a bit less money than the Peavey, this was a pretty easy choice. I spent an extra $30 on a kickback stand and it works great.

It may be worth noting that I don't think there is much use to large combo amps. Either the gig is small enough for the TCE to handle (up to a medium bar gig or anything with PA support) or it is too big for most combos to handle.
 
#12
tbirdsp said:
So stick a piece of 2X4 under it, or if you want to get fancy get one of these
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/ampwedge-polyurethane-amplifier-isolation-floor-wedge

I've never felt the need to tilt my BG250 back. I do use the Ampwedge with my GK MB200+ Eden EX112 though.
Click to expand...

OR install your own spring-loaded tilt-back handle. Done it to a couple of cabs and worked great. May have to add/replace rubber feet on the bottom to ensure the handle is cleared.
 
#13
lakefx said:
It may be worth noting that I don't think there is much use to large combo amps. Either the gig is small enough for the TCE to handle (up to a medium bar gig or anything with PA support) or it is too big for most combos to handle.
Click to expand...

I've been gigging the BG250 for a few months now, and I agree. If I had to get louder I would use my RBI+power amp (or Hartke 3500) and one or two Genz Benz Focus 115's.

A combo much bigger/heavier than the BG loses it's advantages IMHO.
 
#17
irakliszs said:
4) TCE BG250
(-) not enough sound samples
Click to expand...


https://soundcloud.com/#tcelectronic/sets/bg250-sound-examples

irakliszs said:
the lack of tilt back cab on TCE is a serious (-) for rehearsals and gigs?
Click to expand...

I put my BG250 cover over the box I use to haul cables, then put the BG250 on top of that. For rehearsals or when I travel light, I prop it up on the Mono Guitar Tick that goes with me everywhere. You can also cut up on of the those 'noodles' that are used in swiming pools. Not the most professional looking thing you'll ever see, but then again, neither am I. Works fine for rehearsals.

On the Ampeg, while it sounds good and I like Ampeg stuff, you are going to burn through those 50 watts in a hurry. With no DI, you're screwed unless they mic the cab.

FWIW, yes, I am very happy with my BG250.
 
#18
irakliszs said:
the poll is about sound only
Click to expand...

Not trying to be belligerent or rude in any way here, but you may consider the poll to be about sound only, but as a practical matter, the poll is about whatever the person clicking their choice wants it to be about.

IMHO, these kinds of polls are largely going to be about what people like the best, without any more, necessarily, than a very casual regard to the specifics of what you're asking. People may like something because it's what they have or what they want, and there can be myriad reasons for what they like that are not the same as yours, and then even if their reasons are nominally the same as yours, one person's (+) bright is another's (-) harsh, one person's (+) mid-forward is another's (-) nasal, etc. This general lack of meaningfulness is compounded by the fact that, with gear, a lot of people hear partly with their eyes.

There is nothing so remarkable, good or bad, about the sound (only) of any of these amps that sets it very far apart from the others. They are all relatively low cost amps, so that makes sense.

No one on an internet forum can truly tell you whether an amp that would seem marginal is going to meet your needs or should be removed from your consideration because it's 50 watts. It might work fine, it might not. What can be said is that it is less capable than all of the others in terms of how loud it can get and lacks some features.
 
#19
drpepper said:
Not trying to be belligerent or rude in any way here, but you may consider the poll to be about sound only, but as a practical matter, the poll is about whatever the person clicking their choice wants it to be about.

IMHO, these kinds of polls are largely going to be about what people like the best, without any more, necessarily, than a very casual regard to the specifics of what you're asking. People may like something because it's what they have or what they want, and there can be myriad reasons for what they like that are not the same as yours, and then even if their reasons are nominally the same as yours, one person's (+) bright is another's (-) harsh, one person's (+) mid-forward is another's (-) nasal, etc. This general lack of meaningfulness is compounded by the fact that, with gear, a lot of people hear partly with their eyes.

There is nothing so remarkable, good or bad, about the sound (only) of any of these amps that sets it very far apart from the others. They are all relatively low cost amps, so that makes sense.

No one on an internet forum can truly tell you whether an amp that would seem marginal is going to meet your needs or should be removed from your consideration because it's 50 watts. It might work fine, it might not. What can be said is that it is less capable than all of the others in terms of how loud it can get and lacks some features.
Click to expand...
Well said.
And while the 50 watt amp may have "the sound" that sound is not going to be the same when the amp is stressing trying to keep up with a band
 
#20
Well, I just came back home from rehearsal with my TCE BG250.

Great tone, clear, warm sound with plenty of everything and, well, I was too loud when the master volume was at 4 (I thought I was too loud...).

I'm an Ampeg SVT guy, but for portability, the TCE is a very good buy!
 

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