TC Electronic's biggest mistake on BG250 combos

[okcrum]

The Ashdown already keeps up. That's with only the 2x10. The problem is that I'm worried about speaker wear. Also the amp was a pawnshop special, maybe approaching it's end of life.

Any of my 500-600W heads almost keeps up (at 250-350W with a single 8 ohm 2x10) with a dimed Marshall half stack, but only by driving it right up to (but not past) the point where I'll lose drivers. That's why I have a second 2x10 and the extra amp power.

 

[Artobass]

If your guitarist has a 100 Watt Marshall stack, you shouldn't even be thinking about a combo. You need need a head/cab/s set up to keep up with 100 w guitar amps.

 

[deff]

A 4x10 is not necessarily what you need, especially as an extension to a 2x10 combo. In most cases you end up with half the power to the 2x10 in the combo, and the other half to the 4x10. I'd say go for separates (2x2x10 or 4x10 plus a head) or a used combo with 500 watts and 2x12 or 4x10 like the G-K MB212 or MB410. If a combo is all you'll consider, then a 500 watt 2x10 combo with a 2x10 extension cab is what you want. I've been down this road myself, and it'll be cheaper in the long run to assemble the more capable rig.

I agree with just about everything here. It just hurts.

 

[okcrum]

You know, there's something else you could do - use BOTH combos, feeding the headphone out or balanced out (since there's no line out) of the TC into the input of the Ashdown. You could also feed the Ashdown into the TC, depending on what model it is and what outputs it has.

If I'm guessing correctly, that's 450-550 watts and 4x10, right? Just make sure the headphone out doesn't disconnect the speakers in the TC. If it does, then you have to use the balanced out.

 

[MNAirHead]

I had one... it fell apart.

Problems?

1-The little black buttons fall off (for tuner etc)
2-The fasters fall off
3-The front grill rattles loose
4-To buy a silly little button switch -- you have to buy them through authorized distributors ($25 net)
Overall I wanted to like it... after 40 gigs... it killed itself... I ended up Giving it away

The Peavey wouldn't commit suicide in the same manner.... all that said I gig GK microheads hard...

GK did have a very cool 210 cabinet that also used the 15 extention... it was crazy loud. and clear.

Yea... the BG250 is for kids

 

[Two-Spirit]

Who needs more than 250 watts from a combo? It must be nice.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Seriously no extension cab out? WTH were they thinking? I played one in a store the other day against a Peavey MAX 115 which I wanted to like more. The TC wiped the floor with that thing. The TCE combo was voiced appropriately, the Peavey was hot trash. The PV could barely handle low volumes and voiced with too much low end which just rumbled badly. I feel despite the 50 watt advantage in power, the PV would have died a swift death and wasn't as loud as the TCE.

Would have bought it right then if I could have added an additional cab, no such luck. What were they thinking? This should be a feature on all combos above 100 watts.

(Shoulder shrug) it's a combo. Get the same head instead, and you can extend it with any 3 cabs you want. Know what I mean?

 

[cheapbasslovin]

I'm loving my 2x8. I haven't needed to go with an extension cab yet. Maybe I'm a kid.

 

[five7]

I owned one and never needed an extension cab. If i did I took my big rig. Great combo amp in my opinion.

 

[DavC]

most smaller combos don't have ext spkr outs ... i wish they did ,... because it is a prerequisite for me ..!!

the BG250 2x8 model has the ext spkr jack out ..!

 

[jeff7bass]

most smaller combos don't have ext spkr outs ... i wish they did ,... because it is a prerequisite for me ..!!

the BG250 2x8 model has the ext spkr jack out ..!

Some have a speaker out but it disables the internal speaker.

 

[jeff7bass]

(Shoulder shrug) it's a combo. Get the same head instead, and you can extend it with any 3 cabs you want. Know what I mean?

For a lot more money. The combo works for a lot of people. Bottom line.

 

[tradernick]

For a lot more money. The combo works for a lot of people. Bottom line.

For sure, at this price.

I just had a look. Taken as a whole, file this under 'you get what you pay for'. It's a price point offering by TC. This cheap, they're not shooting for people like you, OP. They're shooting for people who just want a fairly decent amp they can plug into and play, and who want to spend around this much. To be honest, if this sounds good, it's a decent deal (I actually can't find a USD price but it sells for the equivalent of $350 USD at our big chain store here in Canada). Not bad.

And yes, adding things like an extra out does change their value calculation.

 

[Downunderwonder]

For a lot more money. The combo works for a lot of people. Bottom line.

What combo would you use to keep up with a Marshall 100w JCM FULL STACK?

AMP
12 12
12 12
12 12
12 12

I had enough trouble keeping up with the 50w one on ONE 412. Back in the day.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Well, another buyer might think "why should I have to buy another cabinet before my amp will deliver full power? If I wanted to cart lots of boxes around I wouldn't get a combo amp."

Speaker area is usually cheaper than watts for creating louder volumes. You can have a 500 watt amp, but if your speaker (s) can only handle 350.. your rig is going to sound like a 350 watt rig.

In regard to the original post, it maybe that the combo has a 4 ohm speaker, and the amp would be unstable running at 2 ohm, hence the lack of an extention cab out may be to keep us cowboys from blowing their amps.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

Well, another buyer might think "why should I have to buy another cabinet before my amp will deliver full power? If I wanted to cart lots of boxes around I wouldn't get a combo amp."

The way I always thought was, combo for rehearsal, combo + extension cab for gigs. Not that I use a combo these days.

 

[wmhill]

I bought the BH 250 head and use one or two cabs as needed - no issues. (combos are not my thing)

 

[AndyPanda]

Just buy two of the BG250 210 combos. Use one when one will do, if you need 410 then bring both 210 combos.

 

[Uncle Hanky]

::shakes head:: What planet are all these idiot guitarists from that they think they need a full stack for bar gigs?

 

[Fun Size Nick]

Problem solved

Seriously, guitarist needs to unplug one of the 4x12s or just leave it at home. 100W into one of those cabs is enough to kill small animals. 50W amps sound better...20W amps sound even better than that! If you want real juicy tube amp distortion you need to go lower wattage and lower driver count. Good luck convincing a full stack user though...