TC Electronic introduces BQ250 & BQ500 Ultra-Lightweight Bass Heads

Sign me up! Everything you need, and NOTHING you don't. I love the form-and-function concept.

 

And the people say.... “Amen!”

 

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...?

 

The compressor can be shut off via a switch right next to the knob.

 

is that correct? the pics seem to show an on/off switch for that feature.

price point?

 

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 think UR right. Missed that...

 

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!

 

TC Electronic BQ250 Compact Bass Head (Prototype)

 

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.

 

From a TC email

 

Seems and looks fine for the price and possibilities. Could be a good amp.

 

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.

 

I wonder if the BQ series fits the RS210C?

 

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.