TC Electronic describes its new BQ-series as "a revolution in portable bass amplification, packing more bang for the buck into an ultra-lightweight micro bass head than a warehouse full of discounted fireworks!" At 250 and 500 watts respectivel,y the two BQ heads provide bare-bones bass power for the stage, the club gig or the home studio. The MOSFET preamp and a custom-designed 4-band EQ provide a "tremendous tonal palette" and "realistic tube-like sound and feel." The built-in Thrust compressor circuit allows a wide range of dynamic expressions, making the BQ series ideal for any playing style. Made for the pragmatic bass player who wants a versatile no-nonsense rig, the BQ amps feature a headphone output and an AUX input, to let bassists groove along to their favorite tracks without waking the neighbors. Learn more about BQ250 and BQ500 Available early Q4 2018 {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {}
So, replace toneprint with "thrust"? Actually, even with the loss of flexibility, this is probably a fine trade-off for most bassists. I am intrigued...
And no tuner.... Now that i'm thinking this thru a little more.... The thrust compressor thing is probably one of those deals that you have to experience to understand. It may not be that "kind" of compression, but a compressor you can't turn off has me a little leery... Still, if it's basically a BH-250/550 with no tuner and no tone print, that would be fine and make good sense. I do like that variable-eq thing they do on the tone setting knobs. (cue the sound effect for the can of worms being opened) Just wish they would be more forthcoming with their power. It it 500 watts at 4 ohms...?
More importantly, what kind of compressor is a "Thrust compressor"? tc electronic's budget line of pedals inherited from Behringer doesn't have a "Thrust" pedal, so presumably this is something new, I am guessing a single band analog compressor derived from the Forcefield pedal.
I love TC and own a BH550. The demo is terrible IMO. The bass thru the BQ sounds dead. I don’t like the name, either. BQ reminds me of BBQ.
i'm intrigued, too. but for "most bassists," trade-offs might include the price of the thing --- maybe we'll find out more about that, soon --- hopefully!
I have the same questions. Is it 500w RMS or 500w peak? Are they 500 real watts or is TC going to say "It sounds like 500w" when pressed? Why would you advertise a 500w amp as something "for small gigs?" 500w is a lot if you have the right cabinets.
My first bass amp was a Trace Elliot Series 6 AH200 that I got used for $250. at 8th Street in Philly, back in the early 1990s. By comparison, the BQ500 seems like a good deal for a new player. And, NGL, that Trace Elliot was probably all the amp I've ever *really* needed, and I could probably have saved myself a metric crapton of dinero had I simply stuck with it.
Don't see the point compared to BH250/BH550, losing toneprint, losing tuner, gaining a bit in size and weight.
Pure analog, or does it still digitize the signal like their old amps? As to MOSFET sounding like tubes, I generally subscribe to this famous quote over in one of the Fender forums more than a decade ago: The only people saying MOSFETs are tube-like are people that are trying to sell you MOSFETs.