Poll: Help me decide on a new amp

[Low Class]

The new Fender Rumble 800 Head. Preorder one and save $100.

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/amp...ass-amp-head/l47990000001000?source=3TEM5KTBK

 

[And I]

The GK MB amps are very reliable

 

[rohi]

Bergantino is worth checking out-- the Forte HP looks crazy.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I'd say go with GK myself, I have the MB500 Fusion and it is here to stay, reliable and powerful with tons of tone capabilities.

 

[Pulverizor]

Grab the cheap as chips Minimega. The Darkglass is your pre and the Peavey is a thousand watt power amp with the added feature set of compression and their sub enhancer dial. Thunderous and flexible. Has to be worth trying if you want Websters very effected sound.

 

[klejst]

When it doubt go for carrots...well unless their rotten...how metal!

Seriously though, between the choices my vote goes to the G-K.

 

[dvs20]

sounds like you've already picked ashdown in your head and want someone to talk you out of it..... with that being said I love GK gear

 

[mrjim123]

I haven't heard of too many sound guys that want a post-eq DI signal. He shouldn't be dictating your on-stage tone. Give him your pre-EQ signal and let him make the adjustments.

 

[Hypocrite]

sounds like you've already picked ashdown in your head and want someone to talk you out of it..... with that being said I love GK gear

Yeah, I guess. GK was actually my first choice, but then I found the Ashdown. It's pretty much tied between those two at the moment.

I haven't heard of too many sound guys that want a post-eq DI signal. He shouldn't be dictating your on-stage tone. Give him your pre-EQ signal and let him make the adjustments.

Local guy I work with does whatever you want and makes it work. Sometimes he'll take a DI off the amp, sometimes he'll mic the cab. I just want the ability to eq my cab without changing the signal to the desk

 

[joel406]

Yeah, I guess. GK was actually my first choice, but then I found the Ashdown. It's pretty much tied between those two at the moment.


Local guy I work with does whatever you want and makes it work. Sometimes he'll take a DI off the amp, sometimes he'll mic the cab. I just want the ability to eq my cab without changing the signal to the desk

Yeah...

You want the GK.

 

[Zbysek]

I just want the ability to eq my cab without changing the signal to the desk

+1

 

[Jokei]

I play bass in a death metal band, if that's relevant. My current setup is LTD B-206SM -> Darkglass Alpha/Omega Ultra -> cheapo 500W poweramp -> 800W GK 8x10

I love the sound of my bass, very clear and full/punchy. I mainly use the Darkglass to boost the low mids and top end, getting that clanky, grindy Derek Boyer/Alex Webster sound. I can't boost the low end at all or else the poweramp clips and sounds terrible, also it's a hassle for gigs when the soundguy wants a post-eq DI signal that sounds good out front but not through my cab

Am I the only one that's had terrible experiences with Ashdown?

Have you maybe considered Hartke? I used to play in a (very) heavy post rock band and it was great for clean and distortion, no problems cutting through at all. I had the 4x10xl and the HA3500, I'd still be using it if life didn't get in the way.

Also, post some audio

 

[mikewalker]

The loudest, meanest, heaviest doomcore power trio in our town gets by with just one of these: SamsonTech

 

[ColonelZulu]

Consider a non-cheapo power amp?

 

[InhumanResource]

I play bass in a death metal band, if that's relevant. My current setup is LTD B-206SM -> Darkglass Alpha/Omega Ultra -> cheapo 500W poweramp -> 800W GK 8x10

I love the sound of my bass, very clear and full/punchy. I mainly use the Darkglass to boost the low mids and top end, getting that clanky, grindy Derek Boyer/Alex Webster sound. I can't boost the low end at all or else the poweramp clips and sounds terrible, also it's a hassle for gigs when the soundguy wants a post-eq DI signal that sounds good out front but not through my cab.

Amps I've been looking at -
Peavey MiniMega:
Pros:
1000W, 700W@8Ohm
Lightweight
Sweepable mids
Cheapest
Relatively transparent tone

Cons:
Reliability, hit or miss
Won't even use half the features
Seems tacky, not rugged enough for gigging

G-K MB800:
Pros:
800W
Lightweight
Onboard limiter
Small

Cons:
Reliability
Knobs seem flimsy

Ashdown RM-800-EVO:
Pros:
800W
Relatively lightweight
Previous brand experience
Love the sound
It's Ashdown

Cons:
Budget line - reliability?
Won't use half the features
No pre-DI
Don't know if baked-in sound mixes well with Darkglass

Ashdown ABM600 EVO IV:
Pros:
Top pick
Great sound
Would love to upgrade to flagship Ashdown model
Extensive EQ

Cons:
Big
Heavy
"Only" 600W
Might not be enough Watts if I down the road decide to go with two separate 8Ohm cabs

I voted GK. I am a long time ampeg guy but I just picked up a GK MB212 combo for portability and situations where I don't want or need to lug my big 410 stack. It absolutely kills, the only con is it can have TOO MUCH bite. Last night I actually had to cut mids on my bass to get the tone I wanted.

 

[Hypocrite]

Am I the only one that's had terrible experiences with Ashdown?

Have you maybe considered Hartke? I used to play in a (very) heavy post rock band and it was great for clean and distortion, no problems cutting through at all. I had the 4x10xl and the HA3500, I'd still be using it if life didn't get in the way.

Also, post some audio

The loudest, meanest, heaviest doomcore power trio in our town gets by with just one of these: SamsonTech

I have some experience with Hartke, was never a fan of the sound I got. It was a 300W jobbie with matching 4x10

Consider a non-cheapo power amp?

Still want the eq points though

 

[DonaldR]

Since you like your current sound, I suggest Crown XLS 1502: cheap, light, loud and with HPF.

 

[Lfsbera]

Why don’t you get a Mesa Boogie D800+?

It has high pass filter, lots of watts, just enough knobs to help you get your sound, a nice drive if you crank up the gain and - most important for me - you get to ditch lots of pounds, trading everything for an amp head that fits in a gig bag!

 

[Lfsbera]

Why don’t you get a Mesa Boogie D800+?

It has high pass filter, lots of watts, just enough knobs to help you get your sound, a nice drive if you crank up the gain and - most important for me - you get to ditch lots of pounds, trading everything for an amp head that fits in a gig bag!

And also you get post and pre EQ!

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I play bass in a death metal band, if that's relevant. My current setup is LTD B-206SM -> Darkglass Alpha/Omega Ultra -> cheapo 500W poweramp -> 800W GK 8x10

I love the sound of my bass, very clear and full/punchy. I mainly use the Darkglass to boost the low mids and top end, getting that clanky, grindy Derek Boyer/Alex Webster sound. I can't boost the low end at all or else the poweramp clips and sounds terrible, also it's a hassle for gigs when the soundguy wants a post-eq DI signal that sounds good out front but not through my cab.

Amps I've been looking at -
Peavey MiniMega:
Pros:
1000W, 700W@8Ohm
Lightweight
Sweepable mids
Cheapest
Relatively transparent tone

Cons:
Reliability, hit or miss
Won't even use half the features
Seems tacky, not rugged enough for gigging

G-K MB800:
Pros:
800W
Lightweight
Onboard limiter
Small

Cons:
Reliability
Knobs seem flimsy

Ashdown RM-800-EVO:
Pros:
800W
Relatively lightweight
Previous brand experience
Love the sound
It's Ashdown

Cons:
Budget line - reliability?
Won't use half the features
No pre-DI
Don't know if baked-in sound mixes well with Darkglass

Ashdown ABM600 EVO IV:
Pros:
Top pick
Great sound
Would love to upgrade to flagship Ashdown model
Extensive EQ

Cons:
Big
Heavy
"Only" 600W
Might not be enough Watts if I down the road decide to go with two separate 8Ohm cabs

First off, be aware that the wattage ratings you are quoting are typically at 4 ohms, not at 8 ohms. running one 8 ohm cab through them will give you a little more than half the power that they will deliver at 4 ohms.

Second, be aware that boosting your bass EQ way up will suck out most of the power from your amp without making a lot of difference in your sound, depending upon what frequency the Bass EQ defines. That quickly leads to clipping in your amp. It takes a LOT of power to produce the lowest frequencies and typically about all they do is muddy up your sound with rumble. Try boosting your low-mids around 250Hz for more definition in the mix and better thump in the chest.

Now to your main question about what amp to get, I'd suggest you take a look at the DNA1350 by DNA. It delivers 1350-watts rms into 4 ohms and at least 675-watts into an 8 ohm load. Hook up either one 4 ohm cab or two 8 ohm cabs to get the full 1350-watts.

This amp has all the bells and whistles including a 4 control compressor with threshold, ratio, attack, decay, as well as hard-knee/soft-knee button, effects loop AND side chain effects loop. It weighs all of 7-lbs. and will run down to 2 ohms if needed, although according to the designer it sounds best in either 4 ohm or 8 ohm configuration.

Here's a link to some info on it:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It's not cheap. Street price is ~$1269 to $1400. Once in a while you may find a used one, but they are still ~$1,000.