Seeking your real world class D amp head comparison and experience

[Gizmot]

Great thread! I can’t remember when I read this many posts. I have used an EA iAmp for several years now and it works great for most of the gigs I play. It’s 4 band fully parametric EQ and clean, solid amp section sound perfect. I’d buy another EA in a millisecond.
Although I don’t use it very much, I also have a custom made preamp and a Powersoft K3DSP amp that delivers 5,200 watts. It’s got power and headroom for days, but it doesn’t sound quite as good and isn’t as flexible sonically as my EA.

 

[ComeHomeShane]

Orange Terror 1000W.

LOUD. I use it for outdoor gigs when I just need to fill up space with sound and tone doesn't matter. However under master lvl 4 (of 10) the 3 band EQ and gain control are fairly effective. The highest I've cranked it with my OBC 410 is lvl 5 for a big backyard party. It's discontinued but not too difficult to find.

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

My impression of the Bergantino B Amp was not dissimilar to my old Demeter HPB-1 (which I would love to have back) in terms of clarity alone. The Demeter has a tube vibe beyond what the B Amp can muster but the trade off is worth it if you need a portable Class D size head that has uber tonal flexibility. I have not tried the Forte HP so cannot comment directly but I suspect it's along the same lines-very clean and natural.

BTW Jim B. has created some overdrive options for the B|Amp and also the Forte HP that essentially can duplicate the sound of a Tube amp. At least to my ears and many others. And it is a software update into the B|Amp. And Jim offers that software update for free as a download file. Its called Firmware. My last update that was loaded is the files noted below.

 

[eban3]

i'm old and dont like weight , i have 3 class D heads a markbass lil mark tube (500 watts at 4 ohms ) ,a lil mark tube 800 and a trace eliot elf (200 watts @ 4 ohms )....i get my sound with the mark bass amps ,no problem and aside from a power supply blowing out after 11 years? on the 500,which is about right for a class d power supply's life ,no other problems , the ELF is a little bit more problematic from a sound point of view ,its not as versatile but i fixed that with a boss ge-7 (graphic eq pedal ) making it more palatable to my ear and the size can't be beat for what i get out of it .......in the best of all worlds i'd prefer an non class D especially if recording but i'm fine with what im using............

 

[fishdreams]

Went from Aguilar th500 to Quilter 802.

Th500 is great for faux-vintage, as others have said. Not quite what I wanted, a little too artificially compressed for my taste.

The Quilter is a super sturdy little amp, with a great power section. It has a dedicated line in which works great with a separate preamp. Much more natural sounding amp with a decent bit of slam. What you put into it it will put out.

 

[Jesuguru]

My $.02 (at most). For Class D I've owned:
- Genzler 800 - actually decent, loud, clean but still with some character. Great contour and drive channel. Best of the bunch, might try again.
- Quilter 800 and 802 - not bad but didn't quite get the hype, decent "heft" and low-end but the built-in limiter seemed to be holding back the tone rather than helping.
- Berg Forte 800 - hyper-transparent, surgical. Cleanest amp I ever played through. Whether you want that or not is your call, it wasn't for me. "Loud" but felt like it was hitting your ears more than your chest.
- Carvin 1600 - so bad that I think maybe there was something wrong with it. Lifeless, loudless, soulless.
- Rumble 500 combo - still own it. For whatever reason(s), sounds as loud and as good or better to me than the above, and it's cheap and portable.

None of the above come close to my GK 1001RBII at "only" 700 watts. When I'd A/B (no pun intended) the GK against any of them into a 2x12, there was this certain punch/heft/girth/insert-overused-nebulous-word that the others lacked, even at lower volumes. And higher volumes were.... higher volume. The Class D felt like they were slapping you in the face (hard). The GK, like punching you in the gut (hard).

Would still like to try a Mesa D800+ and/or WD800, GK's new Fusion S800, or the Eich 1000. But I can't get overly optimistic they can hang with the lead-sled, like the others couldn't. 22 pounds (gasp!) just doesn't seem like too much when I get that much tone, and it can roll on a cart like the heavier cabs it powers. YMMV etc.

 

[gotly]

I’ve used a Genz Benz shuttle for hundreds of shows over the last 10 years. No complaints. I’m going to buy a Mesa WD-800 or TT-800 when Covid ends and I can try one in person. Not enough videos or demos of the TT-800 to make a good decision right now.

 

[el murdoque]

First hand experience amps I can clearly remember:

Markbass LMII:
The 500 Watts they claim seem to be real, but like a Ferrari you should not run it at max RPM for extended periods of time. Also, it's quite sensitive regarding loads. Don't go under 4 Ohms. Not even 3,9.
This amp is simple. Have a clean technique and a good bass. The LMII amplifies what you feed it, and it does so with a cruel clarity. Play sloppy or play a bad bass and you'll sound terrible. There is no option to hide, this is painfully clear. OTOH - plug in a good bass, play well and you'll sound great. The EQ is super simple and super effective. I've always set it to noon and never tweaked anything beyond 11 o'clock / 1 o'clock.

Aguilar Tonehammer 500:
The advertised 500 Watts come out of that thing. Run it dimed for extended periods if you like, It does not care.
AFAIK the used ICE modules are capable of more than 500 Watts but are limited to that, so they don't sweat when pushing 'full' load. Built like a tank.
The sound is soft, fat and warm. More tubelike than many amps that actually have tubes. Beautiful and complex breakup when you dial in gain or drive or both.

TC Rebel Head 750:
Well, it sounds louder than the two hundred something watts it actually has (this has been discussed to death here). Way louder. But IMHO not like a true 750 Watts amp. You won't notice when you don't really want to do some damage and play at obscene SPL levels, and most people never do that.
I did not dig the build quality (the plastics on the front were not meant to last) and I absolutely hated the EQ.
Everything is parametric. You can set Q and freq for any of the bands and even save / recall three presets.
Being an audio engineer's wet dream, I always wrestled with that thing. It was quick and easy to get an okay sound, but once you toy around with the controls, you get the feeling that you can always tweak a little more to get it a little better - and never be satisfied with what you got.

Orange Terror Bass 500:
Their interpretation of 500 is a bit of a rough estimate. Bugera would probably advertise this amp as 5kW.
It is mighty. Easily the loudest amp of all the aforementioned.
The controls are rather simple. Either you like Orange or you don't. Don't try to tweak an Orange to sound like something different, just buy something different.

I've played a couple of Ashdowns, but I can't remember the models. I know that I had the feeling these don't come even close to the advertised volume levels, but in every case, these were coupled with Ashdown cabinets and it might have been that the amps were fine, but the cabs lacked oomph.

 

[Michael Milner]

I'm a Traynor fan. I use the SB500H into a 2 x 10 cab. The sound is great; no problem with power and the low notes are deep and clear. I also have the SB106, which is mainly for practice, although I have used it for one or two small gigs with my upright. Trainer is real value for money IMHO. Take care and stay safe y'alls.

 

[SteveHeissner]

I've got two. A Genzler Magellan 800 and a EICH T-900. I slightly prefer the EICH but both of them provide more tone and power than I'll ever need for any bar gig indoors or outdoors. I don't miss my old lead sleds.

 

[scuzzy]

Don't try to tweak an Orange to sound like something different, just buy something different.

No truer words have ever been spoken.

 

[reno88]

Sold my Ampeg SVT2 (non pro) several years ago because I was gigging a lot and I got tired of carrying around an 80+lb head (on top of making multiple trips for cabs). I use a Carvin BX1500 with a Sansamp di pedal in front of it. The head is 2-ohm capable and with the pedal, gets close enough to the Ampeg tone for me (and no one cares about how closely I can get to Ampeg tone nearly as much as I do - dude, just play your bass.). I also use a Mesa D800 (also with the Sansamp pedal - again, 2-ohm capable). When I want to go heavy, I use my old Acoustic 370 - also 2-ohm capable (all my cabs are 4 ohms). The Acoustic can bring it in a big way. And at just over 40lbs, it's still 1/2 the weight of the Ampeg. Class-D technology has progressed such that we bassists can have excellent tone in a lightweight package. To be honest, I don't miss my SVT - my back and legs certainly don't. Perhaps if I has roadies, I'd think differently.

 

[swarfrat]

Ampeg PF-500. Sounds like Ampeg and outperforms my 115.

I think most "Class D disappointment" has to do with "creative marketing" of the specs. 2000 watts!!!! on an amp with a 3A fuse. I have a guitar wedge (Headrush FRFR 8) it boasts 2000 watts. It clips at 108db and it sounds like clipping not excursion)

 

[BobbyT]

I've used nothing but class D amps at gigs for the last dozen years or so. They're a proven technology that works.

Every manufacturer makes them a little different in terms of tone, size and how much they lie about watts. Just like every other type of amp.

This says it all.

 

[quickfix]

At 66 years of age this interests me as well. However my WT-400 weighs 15lbs...thank you very much.
Still reading with keen interest though.

64 here. My Ampeg PF 800 weighs ~12-13lbs and has that Ampeg sound which, to me, is not something to be sneered at.
It's light and it's small, but doesn't need to be gun taped to keep it from sliding off the cab.

It cut out on me once though a few years back while playing through two 8 ohm cabs.
So, as a result I won't trust it with a 4 ohm load in front of a crowd, but have never had a problem with an 8 ohm load.

I too am keenly interested in this thread.

 

[Watchootognbout]

To replace my 14 yr old Carvin B500 class A,I bought a class D TC Electronics Thrust BQ500 last year.
Much controversy about the actual wattage by others,but it works just fine for me.

 

[3bc]

My genzler 800 head and two 1x12’s is as nice of a rig as any that I’ve had. It’s not perfect but I’ve never owned a perfect rig before and I’ve had a few good ones. First proper rig was an RB800 through a an ampeg 4x10. Never liked it much. Then had svt3pro through the pro ampeg 4x10 and that was nice. Then SWR 750x through a megoliath and that was sublime.

the Genzler rig gives me as much power as I’ll ever need. My playing is with a group with 3 guitars, drums and piano. The Genzler is also very transparent by default. What you put in is what you get out. You can use the drive channel (which is very subtle) to get some extra “warmth” or “saturation”. The EQ is very flexible and the tone curve either gives you a scooped sound for slap or a vintage tone that rounds off lows and highs.

the cabs sound slightly compressed to my ears. Like subtle differences in articulation with your plucking hand do not translate well in terms of volume change coming out of the speakers. Tone wise the articulation change is noticeable. I feel like this is a criticism I’ve had of other high end bass systems, and it might be an unfair criticism because I spend a fair amount of time playing through studio monitors that are much more accurate and three dimensional than any bass amp could ever hope to be.

 

[Glennbassmann]

I have two class D amps a Phill Jones D-400 and a Markbass LM II ..class D just has something missing..hollow sounding...I have two old SWR redface Bass 350's there is just no comparison the difference in a live situation is amazing..one you feel the bass... class D you kind of hear it but it sucks..

 

[Sam Reese]

Glennbassmann, some refer that as being the metal in the transformer. I only have class D's right now, but I get it.

 

[esoxhntr]

Holy crap... there are so many small amps, any of which would be a good replacement for the SWR if all you need is less weight and more volume. I've been through a pile of them, both on gigs and at music stores. The best sounding amp I ever had was (actually is) a Genz Benz GBE400, so when I play through any new amp that's kind of the tone I am looking for.

Mesa 800, 800+, WD800, Walkabout - all warmish to warm depending the model. Good features sets and EQ. Of that group I like the 800+ the most, but the tone is a little dark for my taste.

Markbass - Maybe I should give one a shot again someday, but not an amp I can easily get a sound out of. The F500 was my favourite of the group, but it wasn't good enough to commit to. Someone earlier said something about "hitting you in the face, and not in the chest" - that's how I feel about Markbass.

Traynor - not bad for the money, but not the sound I want. Decent enough power for sure.

Genz Benz Shuttle 9.2 - Close, very close... but not the tone I was after. Plenty loud, but didn't feel like there was substance behind the volume. Good EQ.

Genz Benz Streamliner 900 - even closer and better than the Shuttle, but I could never quite get what I wanted out of the EQ. This amp - paired with a Traynor TC115 cabinet (which weighs a ton) did a terrific job of mimicking a 1964 Ampeg B-15N. I would have kept that rig if I had extra room in my basement. But I don't.

Ampeg - I have tried so hard to like Ampeg... 2 types of B-15, SVT, V4B... It's just not for me. So, I wasn't surprised when I plugged in a PF350 and was completely underwhelmed. I hear folks raving about Ampeg stuff all the time. I don't get it.

Aguilar - Like Ampeg... I want to like it, but I don't.

Orange - Nope. Not a fan of the sound of the bigger stuff, even less so of the class D offerings. I wanted very badly to like the Terror, but I couldn't. Just not my cup of tea.

Tecamp - Almost... but no

Gallien Krueger MB800 - Love it. For whatever reason, the control set fits my preferences perfectly. The EQ points are just where I want them, and the mid-scoop and presence switches function exactly as they were intended to. Loads of volume. MB500 and MB200 are also excellent. To me, it sounds like the preamp in the MB500 is a little different than the MB200 and MB800.

Genzler Magellan 800 - Another close call. A very good sounding amp, but I already had the MB800. The MB800 has a 4 band EQ, the Magellan had a 3 band EQ. Experience tells me that I like 4 bad better than 3. Decision made.

TC Electronics - Hells to the naw.

Bergantino B|Amp - After gigging the MB800 for 4 or 5 years, I decided to treat myself to an upgrade and bought a B|Amp. In my experience, the most transparent bass head in existence. Excellent control set - so many presets and functions. In fact for me, too many. In your basement, there is lots of time to time to fiddle with presets. On a gig, not so much. After about a year, I found myself not needing all the functionality, and while I appreciated the honesty of the B|Amp, I preferred the attitude of my GK MB800. On a side note... If I were to do the Bergantino thing again, I would do the Forte. No digital controls to work with, and I think the Forte sounds a little less compressed than the B|Amp. There is also a Forte HP, it's louder than the Forte, but has some noise issues. It has a nasty pop when turned on and off, and hisses a bit.

Gallien Krueger Legacy 800 - This amp came out not long after I switched back to the MB800 from the B|Amp. Brought it home for a spin, and was thoroughly surprised that it was a clear step ahead of the MB800. It reminded me of the MB800 (and the RB800), but slightly rounder tone, and more authority. Again, the EQ controls and tone switching are eminently useful. I run it with a Bergantino HG410 cab. It's an amazing combo that I can make work practically anywhere.

Some day I will try a Quilter - I imagine that I will probably like the tone, but the minimal control set will leave me wanting. For me that is the secret sauce of the GK stuff... It has exactly the control functionality I need on a gig.

Anyways just my opinion on the matter. My ear, my gear. YMMV. There is certainly no lack of options.

TL;DR version...

I like the GK Legacy 800.