When I called them about a week or so ago, they said that they should be in within a couple of weeks. As soon as I find out that they're in, I'll be there.
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TC Electronics RebelHead 450 - Rebel with a Cause
- Thread starter Andy Brown
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When I called them about a week or so ago, they said that they should be in within a couple of weeks. As soon as I find out that they're in, I'll be there.
Got the Rebelhead to try out from a Local Bass Shop here and spent about 4 hours at home - running through my 4x10 and 1x12 Markbass Cabs.
Personally, A & B'ing it with a Markbass LM2, the LM2 won hands down.
This is subjective but to "MY" ears the LM2 was warm and responded well to all aspects of my playing with very little EQ'ing needed, while the Rebelhead sounded "processed" and "Hi-Fi" and I really needed to chase settings to get something I was happy with.
Don't get me wrong - its loud!, and in a gigging situation it may be da-bomb., but if I couldn't dial in a sound I was happy with at home - I would hate to have this as my main rig in a bigger venue.
All the bells and whistles are cool ie: Tuner, Compression etc - but I couldn't justify the price tag especially compared to the LM2..
Played through Lakland 44-02, Fender Marcus Miller 4, and Status Series 1 and was constantly chasing a sound I liked.
Plugged the LM2 in and played all 3 instuments at a flat setting and loved it.
Probably coming across as being "Markbass" ( gee, check out my signature! lol )biased here but after spending some time with the amp I wouldnt buy one - I hate having to chase tone, (maybe i am just one of those players who likes "warmth" and flat EQ's ie Eden, Markbass. etc)
I'm sure some players will love the amp and good luck to them - just my 2 cents worth anyhows..
Personally, A & B'ing it with a Markbass LM2, the LM2 won hands down.
This is subjective but to "MY" ears the LM2 was warm and responded well to all aspects of my playing with very little EQ'ing needed, while the Rebelhead sounded "processed" and "Hi-Fi" and I really needed to chase settings to get something I was happy with.
Don't get me wrong - its loud!, and in a gigging situation it may be da-bomb., but if I couldn't dial in a sound I was happy with at home - I would hate to have this as my main rig in a bigger venue.
All the bells and whistles are cool ie: Tuner, Compression etc - but I couldn't justify the price tag especially compared to the LM2..
Played through Lakland 44-02, Fender Marcus Miller 4, and Status Series 1 and was constantly chasing a sound I liked.
Plugged the LM2 in and played all 3 instuments at a flat setting and loved it.
Probably coming across as being "Markbass" ( gee, check out my signature! lol )biased here but after spending some time with the amp I wouldnt buy one - I hate having to chase tone, (maybe i am just one of those players who likes "warmth" and flat EQ's ie Eden, Markbass. etc)
I'm sure some players will love the amp and good luck to them - just my 2 cents worth anyhows..
Yep! We got our first order of the heads and cabs today. You'll have to tell me how you like the cab, Paul.
Tom7
I'm so bright, my mom called me son! ;-)
I am very surprised by this review -- appreciative, but surprised. TC Electronics' studio and post production gear has a reputation of being clean, not hifi or processed. And TC Electroncs' studio monitors are multi-award winning for their fidelity to the true sound.Got the Rebelhead to try out from a Local Bass Shop here and spent about 4 hours at home - running through my 4x10 and 1x12 Markbass Cabs.
Personally, A & B'ing it with a Markbass LM2, the LM2 won hands down.
This is subjective but to "MY" ears the LM2 was warm and responded well to all aspects of my playing with very little EQ'ing needed, while the Rebelhead sounded "processed" and "Hi-Fi" and I really needed to chase settings to get something I was happy with.
Don't get me wrong - its loud!, and in a gigging situation it may be da-bomb., but if I couldn't dial in a sound I was happy with at home - I would hate to have this as my main rig in a bigger venue.
All the bells and whistles are cool ie: Tuner, Compression etc - but I couldn't justify the price tag especially compared to the LM2..
Played through Lakland 44-02, Fender Marcus Miller 4, and Status Series 1 and was constantly chasing a sound I liked.
Plugged the LM2 in and played all 3 instuments at a flat setting and loved it.
Probably coming across as being "Markbass" ( gee, check out my signature! lol )biased here but after spending some time with the amp I wouldnt buy one - I hate having to chase tone, (maybe i am just one of those players who likes "warmth" and flat EQ's ie Eden, Markbass. etc)
I'm sure some players will love the amp and good luck to them - just my 2 cents worth anyhows..
But I guess that doesn't mean their bass gear will follow suit though.
Until I can get my hands and ears on one in person, I'll continue to eat up reviews like this (thanks again), and see what the web can teach me about them, like this Steve Bailey promo video.
If this doesn't pan out, I'll just wait and hope other head makers come up with presets, and with a multiband compressor.
In fact, I am 100% satisfied with my Demeter, and would really prefer a rack mount preamp with the feature set of this TC amp.
I still find it interesting that there is enough interest in compressors for live bass performance and interest in presets, etc. to warrant a product like this. I've never found any need for a compressor in live performance, and I don't think I've ever touched a knob on an amp once the gig starts. I guess other's do!
Given the surprising number of negative reviews of this product so far, it reinforces my belief in using design time and production dollars to make sure an amp has a high quality power amp, and a preamp that sounds good right out of the box, with just enough knobs (typically a bass, mid and treble control) to keep that nice sound relatively constant across difference playing environments.
However, since I like all things small and loud, I will look forward to trying one of these. The several comparisons to the Yamaha with a similar feature set are not promising, if you've ever tried on of those
My review was more aimed at the possibility of swapping my LM2 for the Rebelhead, so my A & B between the two amps was designed to convince me that the Rebelhead delivered a "better"option for me.
As I already have a decent compressor and tuner - these really didnt justify the $600-800 extra I would pay to have this amp.
I worked for a couple of years as a Factory Manager for an audio production company and know ( and Love ) the T.C. range, so this is definately not a judgement on T.C. at all.
Possibly if I had played it though an Aquilar, Eden, or Berg cabs I would have had a different outcome - but as I use Markbass cabs this is the result I got. (possibly a mid boost on the cabs is inherent and needs compensation via the amp? whereas the LM2 may have that as part of its "flat" EQ compensation).
It really needs to be checked out with "your" cabs, bass, technique, etc etc to really get a subjective view but this was my review from my set up.
My current amp is a Line 6 Bass POD XT Pro with 64 slots for presets and uber-programability. I use one (1) preset. I went down the road of infinite choice and found that I really just want one good sound. So I'm debating the replacement.
Tom7
I'm so bright, my mom called me son! ;-)
Ah. Good points -- great points really.My review was more aimed at the possibility of swapping my LM2 for the Rebelhead, so my A & B between the two amps was designed to convince me that the Rebelhead delivered a "better"option for me.
As I already have a decent compressor and tuner - these really didnt justify the $600-800 extra I would pay to have this amp.
I worked for a couple of years as a Factory Manager for an audio production company and know ( and Love ) the T.C. range, so this is definately not a judgement on T.C. at all.
Possibly if I had played it though an Aquilar, Eden, or Berg cabs I would have had a different outcome - but as I use Markbass cabs this is the result I got. (possibly a mid boost on the cabs is inherent and needs compensation via the amp? whereas the LM2 may have that as part of its "flat" EQ compensation).
It really needs to be checked out with "your" cabs, bass, technique, etc etc to really get a subjective view but this was my review from my set up.
I have a Demeter HB-600 that I LOVE. I mean I so love this amp through my Accugroove El Whappo that I'd never look for another rig...
Except that I like to gig with several different basses.
What I am most curious to test though, is the compressor. I don't usually use one live too often, but that's not because I wouldn't want to. I just haven't come across a "full band" compressor I really like, and I am wondering if a compressor that breaks the signal into 3 bands and compresses them separately would satisfy me.
Tom7
I'm so bright, my mom called me son! ;-)
Oh I am intensely interested in presets -- not only for the multiplicity of basses, but so that I can press a button and get an ideal slap tone, then press a button and go back to optimal finger style tone.I still find it interesting that there is enough interest in compressors for live bass performance and interest in presets, etc. to warrant a product like this. I've never found any need for a compressor in live performance, and I don't think I've ever touched a knob on an amp once the gig starts. I guess other's do!
Given the surprising number of negative reviews of this product so far, it reinforces my belief in using design time and production dollars to make sure an amp has a high quality power amp, and a preamp that sounds good right out of the box, with just enough knobs (typically a bass, mid and treble control) to keep that nice sound relatively constant across difference playing environments.
However, since I like all things small and loud, I will look forward to trying one of these. The several comparisons to the Yamaha with a similar feature set are not promising, if you've ever tried on of those
And while the smallness is attractive to me, but the narrowness is even more so. Sure it's cool the rig more transportable, fits in cars and stuff, but sometimes the space on stage is, well, stingy, and it would be nice to slip a narrow column in the back line and let others do the sweating about space.
But like I wrote earlier, I'd actually be more interested in a preamp with this feature set so I could rack 'em into my Demeter + Accugroove rig.
BTW, here is a youtube link of the compressor being demoed with a Fender Jazz bass being slapped as a reference. Call me nuts, but dialing in the compressor REALLY improved that slap tone, so I'd love to be able to do that with a quick press of a button, then go back to the settings I have for finger style.
As for the negative reviews, maybe I'm not read up yet but the one I noticed said it wasn't a right fit for what he was looking for, not it stunk, you know?
Tom7
I'm so bright, my mom called me son! ;-)
It's fine, but I want something more transportable than the BPXT Pro, Carvin DCM-1000 in a 4U SKB case. Plus the big negative about the Bass POD Pro XT is that the knobs don't necessarily point to where they're currently set so it makes little tweaks difficult. It's still a cool thing to play around with. Lots of tones. The new micro amps are putting out insane power in under 10 lbs. That's a huge selling point.
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
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- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
I won't call you nuts but I listened to that demo about four times and even tried without watching the video and I didn't hear anything except for a slight increase in the volume. I was listening with my Bose headphones but in all fairness, they only played for about 10 seconds before they started adding in the compression so maybe that's why I wasn't able to hear much of a difference.
I too have never found a compressor to help with a slap tone, at least in a live setting. I guess if you have problem controlling the dynamics with your hands, it could be helpful (but that's a woodshed issue
). Part of the beauty of slap style to me is the wide range of dynamics you can achieve. I can't quite figure out why you would want to limit that. Of course, slotting a bass into a recording mix is a bit of a different thing, but a compressor between a bass and backline is a bit of a strange concept to me for live performance.Again, just another point of view and totally IMO. I don't think any of my personal peers uses a compressor in their live rig that I'm aware of.
IMO, there is absolutely no reason to change EQ settings going from slap to fingerstyle. If you have the need to do that, it's a woodshed issue. I don't think I've ever turned a knob on stage after the gig starts, other than maybe adding a bit of bass boost with my on-board pre for certain tunes (maybe 10% boost).
We are all different though, so purely IMO. However, the idea that you would have to have radically different EQ for different playing styles is a little strange to me. I guess I could see the use of a distortion pedal for some styles, but beyond that, I don't quite get it.
Again, just IMO and a different perspective I guess.
Generally, Ken, I agree with you. I like simple, straight forward designs. I avoid compressors all together, because, quite frankly, I have no idea how to use them and they scare me. I don't fiddle with knobs too much.
I think, though, that most 'high end' products are a niche thing. Even though it's not for everyone, if we DID want all the bells and whistles, the RH450 would probably be the only option.
I think, though, that most 'high end' products are a niche thing. Even though it's not for everyone, if we DID want all the bells and whistles, the RH450 would probably be the only option.
+1 all the way. I know that Yamaha and Ashdown tried similar products, and they were quite mediocre (and that's being kind). This one does seem a whole level above those early attempts at this kind of 'all in one' thing.
As many on TB know, I'm a bit of a micro amp fanatic, and pretty much buy most of them that come out to try. So, sooner or later, I'll spend some time with this one, just for the heck of it, even though all the fancy stuff doesn't interest me much.
It would be interesting to see how 'plug and play' it can be. It seems like the interface is pretty familiar and friendly. So, you might be able to get away with minimal tweakage. Then again, why buy a swiss army knife and only use the bottle opener? It seems like TC has their act together. I'm just not sold on all the hype, personally. I'll keep my eye on it to see where they take it...and of course, I'm not ruling anything out. If I get a chance to plug in, I'd test it out...never say never.
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