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Tecamp Puma 900 and L410 for rock and country?

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by rigorous bass, May 31, 2019.

  1. May 31, 2019 #1
    rigorous bass

    rigorous bass Supporting Member

    Mar 12, 2012
    Hi everyone. I recently acquired this combination based on YouTube videos and I’m not completely sold on it. To me it lacks some grind or chunkiness in the low to mid range. Not sure how to describe it better. It sounds great with all the slapping and high end stuff but to me it lacks in the finger department. From reading some reviews, which there aren’t many I could find, said it was easy to get a good tone right out of the box. But I’m having issues with the low end. The low end sounds boxy or nasally to me. Almost artificial is the only way I can describe it. The taste knob helps to clean it up but the low end bothers me still even after cutting it significantly. What am I missing here? Anyone have experience with these? Please help, thanks!
     
  2. May 31, 2019 #2
    rigorous bass

    rigorous bass Supporting Member

    Mar 12, 2012
    Stale is the best way I can describe it I guess?
     
  3. May 31, 2019 #3
    mmbongo

    mmbongo I have too many basses. Supporting Member

    Aug 5, 2009
    Upstate, South Carolina
    Maybe try a different cab, like a 2x15. Seems I remember that cab having a more modern voice.
     
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  4. May 31, 2019 #4
    rigorous bass

    rigorous bass Supporting Member

    Mar 12, 2012
    Ok thanks. Actually I think it’s the head I’m more concerned with. I just can’t seem to dial it in like other heads.
     
  5. May 31, 2019 #5
    Wasnex

    Wasnex

    Dec 25, 2011
    Something to keep in mind, amp/cab pairings can make a huge difference, and IMHO the cab usually makes more of a difference than the head. The exception is when the head has a really strong baked in tone. Pretty sure the Puma is relatively lightly voiced.

    One possible issue is you may be looking for more of a traditional or vintage sound. I believe the Puma and Tecamp cabs are more in the HiFi realm.

    One potential source of concern, per the manual the LO control works down at 30Hz. Much of the boost is probably below the band pass of your speaker, so a bit of an odd choice IMHO. In order to get a fat bass sound you probably need a bit of boost somewhere between 60 and 120Hz. The Lo Mid control is centered at 250Hz, so not a lot of help here...as you mentioned the Taste control should help some.

    If you play an active bass, try dipping the low control slightly; then compensate by boosting the bass control on your instrument a little. This is not ideal if you are sending a DI signal to FOH, but it may be necessary for you to get a good sound given the limitations of the amp's tone controls. Explanation, my personal preference as an audio tech is to work with a flat, unprocessed bass signal if possible. But you do what you have to do to make things work.
     
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  6. May 31, 2019 #6
    bass12

    bass12 Have You Met Grace Jones?

    Jun 8, 2008
    Montreal, Canada
    I sometimes use a Puma 900 with a Bergantino AE400. I consider that a very hi-fi/modern sounding combo. I really like the sound of the Puma through the Berg 410 but I haven't played it through anything else so I don't know how the cabinet might affect the sound of that particular amp. I would describe the sound of the Puma through the Berg as thick and punchy - with plenty of low end and good low end definition. But the sound is very smooth and refined. It's not "grindy" (not with my basses at least - and I'm playing very modern sounding active basses) and does not sound tube-like at all to my ears. So perhaps it is the pairing of the amp with your cabinet (or bass) but it could just as easily be that you are after a more tube-oriented sound that is outside the scope of the Puma. I would guess that my other amp (Aguilar TH500) would be more to your liking.
     
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  7. Jun 2, 2019 #7
    rigorous bass

    rigorous bass Supporting Member

    Mar 12, 2012
    Hey there Wasnex. I actually tried it with three different cabs(Tecamp L410, Ampeg SVT 410 HE and GK Neo 810). It for sure sounded a little duller with the Ampeg and a little meatier with the GK. I am using a US Deluxe Jazz 5 for my current gigging situation as it fits best and I was originally attracted to the Tecamp because of the high fidelity video samples and weight convenience. Even though I don’t use much slapping on the gig, I always felt that if a rig sounded good slapping it would sound good with other styles because it cuts through. I could be wrong though as I know many player cut mids and boost highs/lows for that. I’ve tried many heads, mainly hybrid type and class D amps such as Markbass, Carvin, Ampeg, exc. The only multi tube head I’ve ever owned was an Aguilar DB 750 which was great but heavy to lug 5 nights a week or so. I was just surprised with the Puma because the review on a bass magazine claimed it was tone galore right out of the box. I rehearse it yesterday at a loud volume and the sound improved as I was a able to tweek it at a higher volume but I’m still not completely sold on it. I know everyone’s ear is different and maybe it will just take me some time to get used to it. But bottom line, I wasn’t blown away as I thought I would. Thank you for your input!!
     
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  8. Jun 2, 2019 #8
    rigorous bass

    rigorous bass Supporting Member

    Mar 12, 2012
    Bass12, my previous reply was meant for you as well. Thanks for your input!
     
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