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TC Electronic BG250 Club (Part 2)

#1,161
I was going to write on the official TCE boards but they seem rather dead. So here goes.

Today I checked the Toneprint app and noticed that there are two new effects for the BG250, the Phaser and the Vibe. So I tried to beam them up without checking if there was a firmware update for the combo. Beaming did nothing, as expected. And there was a firmware update (from November) available.
So I updated the combo, and the app and tried to beam the new effects but they still don't work ... at all.

Anybody experiencing the same issue? Any ideas on how to fix it?
 
#1,162
Any idea what the new software changes? I couldn't see a "readme" on the download site to say what is new.

How odd. I tried to download the new TonePrints (I'm on the page for BG250 toneprint downloads) and the file it downloads is a toneprint editor (a new one released Dec 7) that says my device isn't supported (BG250 210). I don't see any way to download the actual toneprint.

In fact when I try to download any of the old toneprints that I already have, it takes me to the toneprint editor instead.

But from inside the editor ... on the "edit" tab it says my device isn't supported - but on the "Library" tab, it went ahead and happily sent the new toneprints to my amp and they are working. I'm using this on a PC with USB cable BTW.
 
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#1,163
LkS said:
I was going to write on the official TCE boards but they seem rather dead. So here goes.

Today I checked the Toneprint app and noticed that there are two new effects for the BG250, the Phaser and the Vibe. So I tried to beam them up without checking if there was a firmware update for the combo. Beaming did nothing, as expected. And there was a firmware update (from November) available.
So I updated the combo, and the app and tried to beam the new effects but they still don't work ... at all.

Anybody experiencing the same issue? Any ideas on how to fix it?
Click to expand...

Do you have the BG250-115 MKI or MKII? If you have the MKI, the updated firmware is not compatible with it. Unfortunately, the firmware is necessary in order to use the updated Helix and Viscous Vibe Toneprints.
 
#1,165
While I'm here; I've come full circle. Had a BG250-115 MKI that I sold to pick up a BH500 head/BC212 cab. I after gigging for a year with that rig, I found myself in need of a smaller combo to use for more intimate gigs. Thanks to a crazy Black Friday deal, I picked up a BG250-208 and couldn't be more happy with it. Don't expect to shake a building with this little thing but it puts out enough to fill out the sound of our small, mostly acoustic, trio and provides a super tight punch with the two 8" speakers. I almost picked up a Fender Rumble 200 but I went with this for only $50 more due to the Toneprint slot and the addtional speaker out with speakon connecor to hook into my 2x12 if I need a little more punch. I did the firmware upgrade shortly after I picked it up and love the Helix phaser Toneprints. I'm now thinking I'd like an FEA Dual Band compressor so I can route the high frequencies to the BG250 when I'm using my full stack and have the effects only hit against the higher frequencies. We'll see...

IMG_4800.JPG
 
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#1,168
From what I was able to determine by experiment - I flashed my 210 with the new firmware and then I downloaded the new TonePrint Editor and it won't let you edit BG250 toneprints - but it does grab toneprints from the internet and load them into the BG250 via USB from my PC - including the new Phaser and Vibe toneprints. (though I found that some of the old toneprints wouldn't work that way - expecially any toneprint with "Drive" - those I had to use the old method to send to the amp. (I'm guessing they need to tweak the toneprints to work with the new delivery method).

I don't use the smartphone app - but my guess is you have to download the new (Dec 7) smartphone app in order to send the new toneprints to your amp.
 
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#1,170
A newcomer to the club here as well. My dad and I had often tested out different basses off a BG250-115 at a Guitar Center across the border, until last week when we finally read what the amp had said on its paper flap about the TonePrint. We read up on it and it seemed like an impressive feature. At first, I had my heart set for a 208, since it was small, and we were looking for a replacement to our old, Traynor Bloc amp (I used to lug the heavy amp around for practices and such). Then we realized it was incredibly pricey for a buy costing almost $650 CDN. We then looked at the 112 and weighed our options (specifically the fact it had 2 TonePrint knobs instead of 1, and some extra options that were much needed, as well as a cheaper total cost of $450 CDN), and ultimately made the call to get the 112. It's slightly bigger than our Traynor, but at least, it's lighter than it and comes with more options than our Traynor had, not to mention the sound of the thing.

Took a bit to find out about TonePrint and how it actually worked, though after spending 30 mins hunting for FAQ threads, we eventually got it to work. Then we proceeded to spend another hour just going through all the different effects available. Seems the Phaser, Comp, and some of the Combined prints aren't really working, but aside from that, we really enjoy using The Grind a lot. I personally enjoy using some of the Vibrato tones (either Fast Vibrato or Variato), though I think my dad kind of likes the Octaver tones. :)

Really blown away by the power and sheer sound quality of the amp, though. When we maxed the gains and master volume, we could hear the nearby bedroom mirror of mine vibrating off the wall (not the kind of power I'd get out of my Traynor for sure). Even some tones like The Beast were incredibly loud (as someone else mentioned, we had to tone it down as well). We then realized it had an auxiliary input, so we grabbed a cable and hooked up our iPhones for a bit, and were impressed with the sound quality from playing music from our iPhones through the amp.

Also curious, has anyone else kept the paper flap on their BG250? I kind of like referring to it for different presets (love the Jazz preset by far).
 
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#1,172
AndyPanda said:
If you are referring to the paper cover that sits on top showing the presets and pictures of all the endorsing artists ... I still have mine. Want me to take a photo of it and post it here?
Click to expand...
Nah, there's no need. I was just wondering is all. :) I've been debating about tossing mine (or, at least, removing it from the top of the amp), but I think I'll settle with keeping it on there for now. Perhaps once I'm more familiarized with the presets, or take a photo of them on my phone, then I might consider removing it from my amp.

I've also been wondering, though. I have been using the amp primarily with my Squier Vintage Modified Special HB (which sounds awesome), though I'm wondering if the TonePrint would work well with my acoustic bass (I own a Fender Kingman Acoustic-Electric Bass with nylon tapewounds on it). I know it has a Fishman PreSys pickup with an active on-board preamp and tuner (which is placed near the soundhole), but I'm just not sure if it would recieve the encoded signal properly by just sticking my phone next to the soundhole. :unsure:
 
#1,174
GoldMan27 said:
Also, anyone else experiencing issues with the Phaser and Vibe prints? I've tried loading all of them into my amp, but to no avail. I did buy it incredibly recently (as in, literally yesterday I bought it), though I'm not sure what the issue is.
Click to expand...

If you just bought it yesterday, you likely need to update the firmware in order to use those Toneprints. TC just released an update at the end of November. Go here and download the update for your amp (BG250-112) and follow the instructions and that should take care of it.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#1,175
Jamvan said:
If you just bought it yesterday, you likely need to update the firmware in order to use those Toneprints. TC just released an update at the end of November. Go here and download the update for your amp (BG250-112) and follow the instructions and that should take care of it.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...
Sure enough, a simple update was all it needed. All the prints work now, thanks! I think I've got a new favourite with the TubeBite N' Comp. :D
 
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#1,176
New member to the forum and began playing bass in April 2015. My BG250-115 recently began making an occasional static noise from the tweeter. I've searched the forums for this issue and have read from posts that the tweeter either works or it doesn't. Someone rotated the tweeter as a fix. I've inspected the wire connections for the tweeter and peered inside the cabinet but have not found any obvious issues. I did have some earlier vibrations issues from the amp which turned out to be wiring that required better securing. Since the wiring issue several months ago, it has worked well until a couple days ago when the static sound started. I normally play an active Warwick Rockbass Streamer LX 5 string and a passive Fender Aerodyne 4 string. Both produce the occasional static noise from the tweeter.

Any idea what may be causing this and what the fix would be?
 
#1,177
On the fence. GK115(black) or the BG250-115. I play NS EUB, Clement 5, and a Lakland 44-51. They will almost always be run through a Basswitch IQ(love it). I will mostly use for rehearsals and venues where my Markbass 410 paired with my LM Tube 800 won't fit or be too loud. I need instant feedback. Thanks ahead of time. I know this is a TC site
 
#1,178
Jim C said:
tico & drpepper,
Having played this thing today I am of the opinion that:
* It sounds like a big, hollow, boomy piece of trash when the EQ is flat
* Setting the bass to -2 ish and rolling off some treble sounds much better; the "Q" on the bass control is not good; in fact the entire EQ system seams honky; just boost the mids a bit for instant car horn
* With the EQ flat, I can pull a ton of 100 Hz and boost 50 Hz on my Trace graphic EQ pedal and it sounds even better
* The tone is not very linear with volume; granted all amps have different EQ when going from soft to loud but this thing is REALLY different; it sound best at a pretty stout mid-volume level

Not sure that I would love this thing at $400 but this is a killer amp on the used market.
It is amazingly light and loud.
I'm going to run this thing for awhile and then try some bracing over the winter

rico, did you just use a piece of something like 1" dowel rod only, or did you add a piece of wood or metal at the sides for a wider contact point?
Click to expand...
Hi Jim, Just saw your post and was wondering if you have done anything else to your amp to make it sound any better? I own one of these (the 15) and REALLY have tried to like it but now it sits idle. I agree with most of your findings. I even have to lower the mids to about 10 o'clock for me to get a tone that sounds decent. I think it sounds like garbage actually and really have tried to like it. Was wondering about opening it up and adding something to the interior to possibly tighten it up. It's just gawd awful as it is if you ask me. I've been playing for 35 years now so i've been around the block and the tone of this thing is just blahhh imho
 
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#1,179
I used this combo during 2 years until the head died.
I then used the cab only plugged to a power amp with an external preamp and while I could get interesting results with the configurations I was always bothered by this persistant honk. So I think it's the cab which is voiced that way. A speaker changing may solve the problem.
On my side I bought a new Fender Rumble 200 combo and I find it more easy to eq right. Even with the mids pushed it doesn't sound honky.
I am planning to change my bg250 cab speaker for a 8 ohms to use it as an external cab for my Rumble. That way I'll be able to compare it soundwise with the original speaker.
 
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#1,180
ticol07 said:
I used this combo during 2 years until the head died.
I then used the cab only plugged to a power amp with an external preamp and while I could get interesting results with the configurations I was always bothered by this persistant honk. So I think it's the cab which is voiced that way. A speaker changing may solve the problem.
On my side I bought a new Fender Rumble 200 combo and I find it more easy to eq right. Even with the mids pushed it doesn't sound honky.
I am planning to change my bg250 cab speaker for a 8 ohms to use it as an external cab for my Rumble. That way I'll be able to compare it soundwise with the original speaker.
Click to expand...
I don't have the fender rumble combo but i did recently purchase a FRumble 500 head. Been loving that thing!!! It actually has replaced my Eden WT550 on my last few gigs and have really have been enjoying it into my Bag End D10BX 2x10 cabinet. Was scared to get the combo because i didn't want to run into the same sort of sound issues i found with the TC. Glad i didn't because i can now use the head with other stand alone cabinets and it sounds AWESOME!! Glad you are having much success with the FR200 then you found with the TC.
 

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