TC Electronic or GB 9.0, tough decision

[Nedmundo]

I don't find the TC RH450 to be a great match with the UL line of Epi cabs.... not a great mix and match with the wide, hi fi voicing of the Epi cab and the more vintage voicing of the TC head.

If you've ever tried G-K Neo 112 cabs, do you think the same would apply? They're relatively full-range and hi-fi as well, which is fine, but I've thought I'd like running a more vintage voiced head through them, at least for a different tonal option than my (much loved) G-K 700RB-II. The RH450 looks like a mighty attractive option for this.

One reason is that, due to a finger injury, I need to play with a pick most of the time. I think a juicy, vintage voiced head might be great to maintain a little mo' phatness.

 

[KJung]

If you've ever tried G-K Neo 112 cabs, do you think the same would apply? They're relatively full-range and hi-fi as well, which is fine, but I've thought I'd like running a more vintage voiced head through them, at least for a different tonal option than my (much loved) G-K 700RB-II. The RH450 looks like a mighty attractive option for this.

One reason is that, due to a finger injury, I need to play with a pick most of the time. I think a juicy, vintage voiced head might be great to maintain a little mo' phatness.

I have not tried the newer GK neo's, but they are getting good reviews. My feeling is that they would sound good with the RH450... GK is not known for that wide, smooth type voicing like the Epi UL. However, no direct experience.

You might want to PM Tom Bowlus, who has a number of the GK neo's and an RH450 on hand.

And, while I don't use a pick, every bone in my body says that mid-chewy voicing of the RH450 would sound great!

 

[KJung]

Thanks for the input Ken.

A little background, I'm in the process of selling a Mesa M9. I absolutely love this head for it's tone but I'm looking to downsize.

I also have a GB Shuttle 3.0 and find I end up taking it to practices and small gigs more than the M9 because of it's size.

My initial thought was to get a GB 9.0 because I do like my 3.0 but then I started reading about the RH450. And now I'm torn.

One of the big pluses for me with the GB is their customer service. It seems top notch. How is TC Electronics customer service?

I'll be playing either head thru either an Epifani UL 1x12 (small gigs) or UL 4x10 (large gigs).

Thanks again.

PS... FYI, my favorite head with the Epi UL"s is the Markbass F500... period... bright, punchy, nice upper mids that yin yang nicely with that bit of an upper mid hole that the ULII';s have, and into a 4ohm 410UL, plenty of volume and punch, which still keeping the low end tight and focused. Another head to consider IMO!

 

[LeonD]

PS... FYI, my favorite head with the Epi UL"s is the Markbass F500... period... bright, punchy, nice upper mids that yin yang nicely with that bit of an upper mid hole that the ULII';s have, and into a 4ohm 410UL, plenty of volume and punch, which still keeping the low end tight and focused. Another head to consider IMO!

Thanks for the recommendation.

For some unexplainable reason, I've never taken a liking to MarkBass amps. Maybe some personal bias or whatever. I just don't know. I should give them another try.

At least with MB and Guitar Center, I can give it a good work out for 30 days.

 

[Red Planet]

The same folks telling you how wonderful the TC amp is were telling me how wonderful the MarkBass amps were. I purchased two of the MB units, the LMIII, TA-501. Neither could get the job done. Sounded too HiFi, sterile, and not enough power in either 8 or 4 ohms for a loud band. I regretted listening to these folks. A fool and his money were soon parted but not again.

It all sounds good on the internet but reality is another thing. Make sure you do your research before you buy.

The Genz Benz warranty and service alone tells you they are in this for the long haul. To me in this day and age a 1 year warranty means get your money and run.

Also the Shuttle 9.0 should not ever be compared to any of the other Genz Benz amplifiers tonally (it's a different sounding animal) especially any of the other Shuttle amps. The 9.0 is fat, warm, gooey, tubey, and has tons of bottom. Not that the other Genz amps are bad, none of them sound like the 9.0. If someone is comparing the 9.0 to the 6.0 question it. They do not sound the same. It's not just the power difference.

Good luck.

 

[KJung]

Thanks for the recommendation.

For some unexplainable reason, I've never taken a liking to MarkBass amps. Maybe some personal bias or whatever. I just don't know. I should give them another try.

At least with MB and Guitar Center, I can give it a good work out for 30 days.

All these heads have their own unique voicing that will work for some and not for others. However, you really do have to take the cabinet voicing into account, since the mix and match can make these heads sound quite different depending on the cab voicing. I again wouldn't really recommend the TC RH450/UL match-up myself.

Again, if you really dig the Shuttle 3 and just need more ooomph, IMO you will LOVE the Shuttle Max 6. Think of it as a more powerful Shuttle 3 with the very nice variable voicing filters versus those rather useless 'all or nothing' buttons, and a tube pre thrown in as a bonus!

 

[wateroftyne]

I 'downgraded' from a Mesa MPulse 600 to an RH450... and it doesn't feel like a downgrade at all.

The TC is far punchier and more defined the the MPulse (I use Berg cabs - HS210s). I wish the TC had been around a couple of years ago. Best amp I've ever had.

Here's a clip of me & my band being bluesy-ish through a single HS210, with flats:

 

[Eublet]

The volume difference resulting in output power from the 9.0 and RH450 would be pretty small, but if your needs are teetering on the edge of what the RH450 can handle, then the 9.0 might very well be better for you.

But in terms of vintage feel and tube-like performance, the RH450 is MUCH more in that vein than the Shuttle 9.0 is. The 9.0 is fat and warm, but it does not have the feel of the RH450. I liken the Shuttle 9.0 more to a wam SS head than a tube amp by far. Dialing in some tube grit does add some harmonic complexity, but it doesn't necessarily make it feel like a tube head at all to me. If you really push it, then the output limiter does give it that feel, but you have to reach a certain volume for it to kick in. If you can't turn it up that much, then you won't get that effect from it.

The RH450 on the other hand is very much tube-like in how it plays and feels if you want it to be. They've just very different heads. I can' say which you'd like better as they are both fantastic.

 

[David A. Davis]

The volume difference resulting in output power from the 9.0 and RH450 would be pretty small, but if your needs are teetering on the edge of what the RH450 can handle, then the 9.0 might very well be better for you.

But in terms of vintage feel and tube-like performance, the RH450 is MUCH more in that vein than the Shuttle 9.0 is. The 9.0 is fat and warm, but it does not have the feel of the RH450. I liken the Shuttle 9.0 more to a wam SS head than a tube amp by far. Dialing in some tube grit does add some harmonic complexity, but it doesn't necessarily make it feel like a tube head at all to me. If you really push it, then the output limiter does give it that feel, but you have to reach a certain volume for it to kick in. If you can't turn it up that much, then you won't get that effect from it.

The RH450 on the other hand is very much tube-like in how it plays and feels if you want it to be. They've just very different heads. I can' say which you'd like better as they are both fantastic.

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