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Portable power amps?

I

Insidious_elk

Dec 10, 2019
4
3
#1
I use a Two Notes Le bass preamp on my pedalboard and would like to take this straight out to a power amp on top of the cab. I'm looking for something portable and light, but all the power amps I'm seeing are big rack units that weigh in at 5+ kg. My best bet so far seems to be to get something like a GK MB800 and just skip the preamp section, but that seems incredibly wasteful... It's a lot of money to spend to just ignore half the amp. I'm just not sure why I can get a pre and a power stage in a smaller, lighter package than just a power stage?

Any suggestions for a power amp that won't break my back or my bank account?

Cheers,
Greg
 
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#2
I’m not sure you’re going to get more than a couple hundred watts without spending $500 or more. Maybe try and find a used RAD Engineering amp. Will probably set you back somewhere around $500-$700 for somewhere around 1000 watts
 
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#7
Insidious_elk said:
I use a Two Notes Le bass preamp on my pedalboard and would like to take this straight out to a power amp on top of the cab. I'm looking for something portable and light, but all the power amps I'm seeing are big rack units that weigh in at 5+ kg. My best bet so far seems to be to get something like a GK MB800 and just skip the preamp section, but that seems incredibly wasteful... It's a lot of money to spend to just ignore half the amp. I'm just not sure why I can get a pre and a power stage in a smaller, lighter package than just a power stage?

Any suggestions for a power amp that won't break my back or my bank account?

Cheers,
Greg
Click to expand...
Have you looked at the:
Quilter Bass Block 800?
 
#12
EmpInfNed said:
What do you mean?
Click to expand...
The product, as is, will not work in the US, where home voltage is 120 volts.
seamonkey said:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
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Not a problem if, as I suspect, @EmpInfNed is from the right side of the Pond. ;)
I mentioned the Harley Benton GPA 100 a while ago but, as I said there, I don't really need it. If it works, it is a lot of watts for very little money.
Also see below (again quoting myself) :
HaphAsSard said:
IIRC (I haven't got time to re-read it now), according to an online review
www.bonedo.de/artikel/harley-benton-gpa-100-test/
the GPA-100 benefits from a strong input signal = a passive instrument can sort of drive it, but not to full power. So it is possible an active bass would be enough (then again, depending on the bass, adding some kind of signal booster in between might be preferable).
Click to expand...
 
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#13
I can't find anything portable. I am looking for a nice portable and light power amp like the size of the latest and greatest class D <10lb amp heads to amplify the output from something like a Two Notes Revolt Bass preamp but cannot find it. How do they make stuff like the D800, or Little Mark Ninja, or Trace Elliott whatevers, but not have even smaller power amps without the built in preamp?
 
#14
vokain said:
I can't find anything portable. I am looking for a nice portable and light power amp like the size of the latest and greatest class D <10lb amp heads to amplify the output from something like a Two Notes Revolt Bass preamp but cannot find it. How do they make stuff like the D800, or Little Mark Ninja, or Trace Elliott whatevers, but not have even smaller power amps without the built in preamp?
Click to expand...
Because by the time EMC and safety certifications, different sheet metal, PCBs, packaging, warehousing and marketing are factored in, a low volume product like such a power amp become MORE expensive.
 
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#15
vokain said:
I can't find anything portable. I am looking for a nice portable and light power amp like the size of the latest and greatest class D <10lb amp heads to amplify the output from something like a Two Notes Revolt Bass preamp but cannot find it. How do they make stuff like the D800, or Little Mark Ninja, or Trace Elliott whatevers, but not have even smaller power amps without the built in preamp?
Click to expand...
You can always bypass the EQ section of the amps you describe by using the Effects Loop, thus giving you the portable , small power amp you want. The now discontinued Quilter 802 would be perfect for this, giving you an 800 watt power amp.
 
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