I use bass mostly for recording, and I like having an amp in conjunction with the DI. I have an ampeg PF20T head and a matching 1x15 cab (not the flip top, the sealed version).
The Ampeg setup is nice thick and warm. I want something 'quicker' or 'faster' to respond to playing. I am using a Fender Front man for this sound, but I am aware that if I keep doing it I will blow out the speakers, which are not worth replacing as the amp does not have much value.
What SS amp and 1x10/2x10 cab (or combo but I would prefer head and cab so I could mix and match) would you recommend for a different tone?
I would highly recommend that you look at the DNA (David Nordschow Amplification) amps and cabs. David was the founder of Eden and DNA is his newer company that he started in 2010 after selling Eden to USM. He has come out with some amazing stuff.
Take a look at his [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] amp. It's a class D amp so it only weighs 4.8-lbs and it puts our 800-watts rms @ 4 ohms. Super clear and articulate, warm, and loud. Also has a studio quality compressor built-in with adjustable threshold and Ratio. Has a mute switch, gain-pad, pre and post DI with level adjustment, effects-send and receive, 4-band EQ (bass, low-mids, high-mids, treble), aux-in, and a back panel input that you can use instead of the front input if you're running a rack system and want to keep the front looking clean. The DNA-800 is on my wish list, but since this pandemic has put the kibosh on gigs, I'll have to wait a bit before I buy that. it will be my next purchase. Street price is ~$799
For a cab, I'd suggest the
Invalid Link Removed. I have that cab myself (also have a DNS4-410). It is an amazing cab - super clear and articulate with a tight bottom end and crazy LOUD. It will handle 700-watts rms both thermally and mechanically and I drive mine with my 800-watt Eden amp that I bought directly from David in 2010.
Yes, an 800-watt amp could put out more power than the cab can handle if you managed to run it at full power. However, your ears couldn't handle turning the master up anywhere near that. 700-watts rms will produce a max SPL of 134db with this cab and you'll never need to get close to running that much power into it. I run my 800 watt Eden amp at 10 o'clock indoors in both medium and large venues and switch to my DNS-410 for outdoor festivals.
If you have a 5 string, this cab really shines when using your B string. Low end on the frequency response is 34Hz., so you will hear the actual clear fundamental down to the C on your B string. It has a very tight and focused bottom end. Street price seems to run between $849 and $949 although I did see one once for $799. You can sometimes find them used in the $600 range.
I was surprised that so many of the DNA Endorsing Artists use that cab instead of the DNS-410. After I bought the DNS-210, I understood why right away. It's much more cab than it appears to be at first glance. It can easily handle clubs where I would have used a 410 previously.
Below is a video review of the DNA-800 by Bass Musician Magazine. He's running it through the DNS-210 cab that I recommended above. It's a great sounding combination:
