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Seymour Duncan Powerstage Bass

#4
Spector2112 said:
Available now:

www.seymourduncan.com

PowerStage™ 700 Bass

The PowerStage 700 Bass is a compact, 700-watt bass head with pristine tone, versatile EQ, built-in overdrive, and seamless stage or studio integration.
www.seymourduncan.com www.seymourduncan.com

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...erstage-700-bass-700-watt-bass-amplifier-head
Click to expand...
I find it weird that Seymour Duncan is finally making a full featured bass amp under the "Powerstage" name.

Everybody was expecting a more powerful version of their exisiting power amps, with lots of bassists using modelers, who just want a power amp without the preamp features.

And they come out with a very versatile and full featured amp, that will add to an already super long list of versatile bass amps.

And at the end of the video, he explains that with the effect loop you can plug your modeler directly to the power section… just like with all other equivalent bass amp.

I'm sure it's a great amp, but don't think they should have kept the "Powerstage" name (it's confusing IMO since it's no longer a simple power amp), and I don't really see any unique feature that sets it appart from the competition.
 
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#6
Challanger2 said:
I guess one benefit is that if you’re having an issue with your modeler for whatever reason, you’ve got the built in preamp as a backup rig?
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Yes, absolutely. Just like with any amp that has an FX loop.

There are dozens of threads of bassists asking of specific bass power amp, and each time we tell them to use a normal amp's fx return if they want to bypass it's preamp section "cause if something happens they can also use it as a regular amp."

So… nothing new here. Except maybe the name "Powerstage".
Maybe the same bassists would not agree to buy a regular amp, but if it comes from Seymour Duncan, and the name is Powerstage, then it's different?

Sorry for being a little bit sarcastic, again I'm not criticizing an amp that I haven't tried, maybe it's great. I just find the marketing a bit unclear.
 
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#9
Spector2112 said:
Click to expand...

To be fair…

I don't know how important is it, but at 8:00 in this video, "Why Powerstage?", he asks "why can't I simply use the FX loop of my existing power amp?"
  • He explains that the EQ section comes after the FX loop returns, which lets you use it to refine the EQ to match the room for example. Other amps usually have their EQ section before the FX loop return (I'm not sure it's true for all other amps though, and does it make such a big difference anyway?)
  • And the EQ sounds flat the knbs are at noon, most other amps are suppposed to incorporate their own baked in tone. Well I know for sure that this varies a lot from one amp to another, some exisiting amps also sound pretty flat without EQ adjustments.
At least I clarifies a bit, I think (nice effort)

So you can sort of take it like "it's a power amp + bonus preamp features when you need them".

But that's already how I view my Quilter, GR Bass amps are also good contenders for the double usage with defeatable EQ and flat tonal curve, with probably a few others.
 
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#11
RavenousPoe said:
...I think it's a cool idea, but wish it was just a single channel power amp for less money...
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Same here. Something sized right and more affordable (not paying for bells and whistles, just wattage) and adjustable input sensitivity would be great. IDK how complicated it would be to work in, but maybe a LPF and HPF before it hits the power section would also help differentiate it from normal power amps?
 
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#12
KevInDaBassment said:
Same here. Something sized right and more affordable (not paying for bells and whistles, just wattage) and adjustable input sensitivity would be great. IDK how complicated it would be to work in, but maybe a LPF and HPF before it hits the power section would also help differentiate it from normal power amps?
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I think the things that you mentioned here plus an onboard master volume (can't stand how some fx returns' volume must be controlled by the external preamp, and on some it then affects the DI volume) would be absolutely perfect for many, but of course I don't work in marketing.
 
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#16
burgerdj said:
That’s an amp head. PLEASE put a simple 500/800w poweplant into a pedal mount box. I’ll even take a dual 2x 200w box. That is all.
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I agree. The ashdown ANT is the right idea. Knobs on top etc. However it’s only 200W. A 500-700W would be great.
I tried to find this and everything is too large. I ended up getting a bigger board and attaching my quilter 802 head even though it takes up too much room.
 
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#17
klattman said:
I agree. The ashdown ANT is the right idea. Knobs on top etc. However it’s only 200W. A 500-700W would be great.
I tried to find this and everything is too large. I ended up getting a bigger board and attaching my quilter 802 head even though it takes up too much room.
Click to expand...
Do you know Jay Ganz Straight Ahead Power Amp ?

I'm surprised that no brand makes an industrial product with the same concept?
 
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#18
gtirard said:
Do you know Jay Ganz Straight Ahead Power Amp ?

I'm surprised that no brand makes an industrial product with the same concept?
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yea there are a few out there but any really in current production?

I also have a powered cab I sometimes use. Same concept, have as few things to connect as possible. Could go back to rack mount (80s style) but pedalboard set up is significantly less weight.
 
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#19
gtirard said:
To be fair…

I don't know how important is it, but at 8:00 in this video, "Why Powerstage?", he asks "why can't I simply use the FX loop of my existing power amp?"
  • He explains that the EQ section comes after the FX loop returns, which lets you use it to refine the EQ to match the room for example. Other amps usually have their EQ section before the FX loop return (I'm not sure it's true for all other amps though, and does it make such a big difference anyway?)
  • And the EQ sounds flat the knbs are at noon, most other amps are suppposed to incorporate their own baked in tone. Well I know for sure that this varies a lot from one amp to another, some exisiting amps also sound pretty flat without EQ adjustments.
At least I clarifies a bit, I think (nice effort)

So you can sort of take it like "it's a power amp + bonus preamp features when you need them".

But that's already how I view my Quilter, GR Bass amps are also good contenders for the double usage with defeatable EQ and flat tonal curve, with probably a few others.
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing that. Makes this product a little less of a head-scratcher!

Having said that, I would have been happy with a Powerstage 700 that used combo inputs and swapped the 3-band guitar EQ for a Broughton-style HPF & LPF.
 
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