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TC Electronic or Aguilar

N

NimrodHunter

May 11, 2014
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2
#1
Hey Guys sorry if this is a repost from somewhere else, but I'm new to this forum and wanted to get some opinions.

I am in the market for new cabinet and head. I currently use a 2x10 old David Eden combo that I am tired of it. I am looking at both the Aguilar SL-112 with the Tone Hammer 350 and the TC Electronics RS112 and either the BH250 or 450.

The reason i am looking for either of these is i do t need a "big" setup. I've played through the Aguilar setup at a local dealer and love the sound, compared to the typical Ampeg, Hartke, etc (that the dealers typically carry).

The problem I have is that no local dealer has TC Electronic in stock and before I go driving into another state I just looking for opinions from other players who may have tried both or own either one.

And yes I have play my own bass through the Aguilar and fell in love with the warm sound and lows it produced.

Any advice, recommendations, suggestions would be appreciated.
 
#4
In addition to having the sound you want he Aguilar is very well built and probably has better re-sale value. The TC's are not bad amps at all but compared to the TH350 they're under-powered and for me just don't have the same satisfying girth of the Aguilar.
 
#6
Between those two, Aggie by a landslide. TC takes low powered amps and adds high pass filtering to cut lows and compression to bring signals up as high as they can, then says they're much higher wattage than they really are. Plus Aggies are analog and TC's are digital, and to me they sound like a low bitrate MP3 version of an SVT.
 
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#8
NimrodHunter said:
Hey Guys sorry if this is a repost from somewhere else, but I'm new to this forum and wanted to get some opinions.

I am in the market for new cabinet and head. I currently use a 2x10 old David Eden combo that I am tired of it. I am looking at both the Aguilar SL-112 with the Tone Hammer 350 and the TC Electronics RS112 and either the BH250 or 450.

The reason i am looking for either of these is i do t need a "big" setup. I've played through the Aguilar setup at a local dealer and love the sound, compared to the typical Ampeg, Hartke, etc (that the dealers typically carry).

The problem I have is that no local dealer has TC Electronic in stock and before I go driving into another state I just looking for opinions from other players who may have tried both or own either one.

And yes I have play my own bass through the Aguilar and fell in love with the warm sound and lows it produced.

Any advice, recommendations, suggestions would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Both are first rate heads for sure. If you want wide open low end, the TH heads (350/500, they sound identical within their output range) are wonderful and would have a clear advantage over the more tight, mid present, compressed voicing of the TC heads. Wide open low end, and powerfully interactive EQ.

If you don't mind a bit of weight, the DB112's sound wonderful with these heads.

The TC RS210 is one of my favorite 210's ever, by the way. Very warm and articulate, with a beautiful sounding, warm top end (coax tweeter). Nice small footprint due to its vertical configuration. Very nice, and very affordable. Sounds great with any head I've tried it with. Not a featherweight, but small and easy to schlep.
 
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#9
Funny how the plastic toys thing was never mentioned prior to the BGM review.

As for the so called active power management, I have seen nothing about it in regards to the BH250. I don't know whether or not it has the same technology as its RH brothers. If it does not I would assume people here would hear it...;)

The TC heads have their sound which you might love or hate. Wide, deep lows not so much.
 
#11
"Funny how the plastic toys thing was never mentioned prior to the BGM review."

Who cares, if it's the truth?
I actually called it a plastic toy, out-loud, in the middle of a guitar center.
And I refuse to read guitar or bass magazines, don't know why but I do.

But the truth is, they sound like toys, toys attempting to sound like tools.
 
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#12
SunnBass said:
"Funny how the plastic toys thing was never mentioned prior to the BGM review."

Who cares, if it's the truth?
I actually called it a plastic toy, out-loud, in the middle of a guitar center.
And I refuse to read guitar or bass magazines, don't know why but I do.

But the truth is, they sound like toys, toys attempting to sound like tools.
Click to expand...

I found their stuff first rate myself. However, they do have a baked in voicing that you can't get around. If you don't dig that baked in voice, then you most likely wouldn't like these heads. I gigged quite a few gigs with the RH450, and was actually a prototype tester for the TH750 update. Good company, and a unique tonal profile. Pretty ruggedly built also.

That being said, I tired of the low end voicing (of course, I can't stand sealed bass cabs, which is what the TC RH heads attempt to emulate). I actually recommend the Aguilar TH500/350 to those who really liked the warm, punchy tone of the TC RH heads, but needed/wanted a more extended, deep low end and a bit more articulate up top (upper midrange).

Different strokes. Toys.... don't really get that. IMO and lots of IME.
 
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#13
The BH250 does not have active power management (basically the compression people refer to), but has an honest 250 watts re to the TC site. Still people keep dismissing with the same reasoning as for the
RH heads.

Also, if compression was all there was to it, how come the RH750 is louder than the RH450? Both use the same power module with a cut off at 236w. By this logic the RH750 should be
all spongy compared to the 450. Which it isn't, quite the opposite in fact.

Baked in voicing for sure, and not for everyone. Nothing is.

My "toy" holds its own very well in an A/B comparison with my GK MB800. Totally different sounding heads, both great IMO.

Edit: a bass playing buddy of mine tried out both my GK MB800 and my RH750, through my Barefaced cab as well as his own 410/215 stack. He ended up ordering a RH750.
 
#14
I honestly don't get the TCE hate around here. I've used the TH500, BH250 and the RH450. I use the RH450 extensively. It's far from underpowered and I love the voicing. Consider all the facts but just know the if you end up with TCE you are not doing yourself a disservice at all. The BH250 is small and light and if portability is your goal you will have a tuner and compressor in one amp (use the spectracomp tone print).
 
#15
I played the TC Staccato and upgraded to the RH750. They sounded great and were as loud as they claim. I enjoyed playing both but sold the RH750 to buy a Thunderfunk.

Now I also own a TH500 and would recommend it to anyone.

There are lots of good amps out there, GK, Genz (if you can find them) and Markbass to name a few, but if you've tried the Tonehammer and like it then don't worry about any other amp. The TH is good enough to make your Eden cab come alive.
 
#17
srcTW said:
I honestly don't get the TCE hate around here.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your opinion and others who have nice things to say about TC, but if you were me and read this what would assumption be of you've never played them? I would be willing to give them a chance, but no local dealer has it in stock and I don't want to go to far to try something especially when there is more negative than positive.

Everyone, aside from Aguilar is there anything else that you may recommend? I am sold on Aguilar because I did play through it and because it is the only other vendor available to try locally, but always willing to try new vendors. because they dealers around here only really carry the basic stock items I am limited in my choices of other vendors to try.
 
#19
NimrodHunter said:
Thanks for your opinion and others who have nice things to say about TC, but if you were me and read this what would assumption be of you've never played them?
Click to expand...

My only concern for you in this post is to attempt to give you some assurance that TC Electronics is good gear. I'm aware of pros that use it and love it. The RH450 is the one that I use. KJung's descriptions of its tone are spot on. To me, it's voiced perfectly. There are other reasons to consider TCE, by the way:
  • It has a built in tuner
  • It has a built in compressor that is very usable
  • It has built in dirt (subtle to very growly) in the tube tone (should you get the RH450)
  • The DI is dead quiet (note the TH500 is as well)
  • It has memories that store settings so the knobs moving in your gig bag matter not (should you get the RH450)
  • It also has a tweeter tone that emulates the pot on the back of your cab (should you get the RH750)
So to me, it's everything you need in one box with outstanding tone.

I will tell you that the opinions on this board that were so strongly against TC Electronics gear that they actually lead me to sell my first RH450 and venture down the rabbit hole of buying and selling amps (I figured people knew much better than me). I went to the Aguilar TH500, the Genz Benz Shuttle 6.2 and finally I came back to the RH450 and realized it was my ears that matter vs pleasing the TalkBass monster.

I will say that if you land on the Aguilar TH500, you can't go wrong there either - awesome amp.

Take it for what it's worth - I'm not a pro - I play in Church. I value convenience (integration) and I look for a supportive tone that cuts through. RH450 has it in spades.
 
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