Thunderfunk Amp club!

[Altitude]

I took my TF550-B to rehearsal last night, it was the first time I'd played it in an ensemble situation.

Observations, with my perspective comparing the TF to the Markbass F1 I used to have at the studio as well as the Genz-Benz Shuttle 9.0 I'm gigging with now. I was playing my Valenti J5, which has an ash body, maple board, Nordstrand NJ5 pickups and a Sadowsky preamp:

The TF sounds big. At flat, it has a much fatter low end and isn't nearly as assertive in the midrange. I tweaked it a little and couldn't get the midrange to sing much. With the very versatile midrange EQ the TF has, I'm sure it's just a matter of finding the right settings.

Plenty of power. I'd like to think that the micro amps have technology to match the old school on power reserve, but honestly I thought the TF had a more headroom for transients (slaps and pops) than either the Shuttle or the F1.

The TF runs hotter. By the end of a 2 hour rehearsal, the faceplate was very warm to the touch, while the Shuttle stays cool over the course of a three set night. I didn't look to see whether I had the TF's fan on - that could make the difference although that is a pretty loud fan.

The Valenti is a pretty bright and assertive active J bass. Next rehearsal I will take my Skjold 6 string and/or my Skjold Lion's Pride 5, both of which are passive and have very different tones than the Valenti. It will be interesting in particular to see what the TF does with the Lion's Pride, which has a warm, smooth, midrangey tone that sits way back on the slap like a Fodera.

So far I like the Thunderfunk a lot. The guys in the band loved the tone and got a kick out of the name. I'm not sure it's going to unseat the Shuttle in my gig bag, though, mainly because of the Shuttle's awesome portability and super punchy midrange. But I will take it out a few times this summer to see how it fares, and I have a sense it will make a better preamp than the Shuttle does for DI situations - it might send the FOH a tone they are more accustomed to hearing.

So far so good.

 

[abassman84]

I think the DI is my favorite part of the amp. It just sounds so good.

 

[Jam119]

I'm totally in... best amp I've ever owned hands down...

 

[dmrogers]

The TF sounds big. At flat, it has a much fatter low end and isn't nearly as assertive in the midrange. I tweaked it a little and couldn't get the midrange to sing much. With the very versatile midrange EQ the TF has, I'm sure it's just a matter of finding the right settings.

The TF runs hotter. By the end of a 2 hour rehearsal, the faceplate was very warm to the touch, while the Shuttle stays cool over the course of a three set night. I didn't look to see whether I had the TF's fan on - that could make the difference although that is a pretty loud fan.

So far so good.

You are right, the Thunderfunk is a solid amp. I would suggest more tweaking on the EQ. If you do some searching, I think even in this thread, you will see some good suggestion/settings.

As far as the heat, that has been discussed a good deal, and the chassis, it is an active part of the heatsink, so it does get hot. However, neither of my fans are loud, maybe the bearing in your is getting dried out a little.

I hope your TF gives you many years of good service and thanks for sharing the review!

 

[Kael]

I've played a 4 hour gig in direct sunlight outside in 107 degree heat here in OK before. No problems. Not my favorite thing to do, for the amp or me, but I've done it without issues arising. What really helps is keeping the amp on during breaks. This keeps the fan working constantly and cools down the head.

As for the mids, I've never had an issue dialing in extra mids with my 'funk. More than adequate EQ there. Make sure you are turning the enhance knob all the way down. Flat on that sucker is not at noon.

 

[MuthaFunk]

I'm a long time Eden WT -400 plus user with 4 ohm 410xlt cab. How are the Thunderfunk amps voiced compared to my Eden? I saw on YouTube Dave Funk said it's like Eden and SWR but being a long time SWR fan as well (Baby Blue, Big Ben, Goliath JR II) I don't find the two brands have a whole lot in common. It's left me with a ? on what to expect of these amps.

It wouldn't be easy for me to test one out and they're not cheap to just blindly order one on a whim. Can you owners offer any comparisons or thoughts that might make this decision to pursue ownership of my own ThunderFunk clearer?

 

[KJung]

I'm a long time Eden WT -400 plus user with 4 ohm 410xlt cab. How are the Thunderfunk amps voiced compared to my Eden? I saw on YouTube Dave Funk said it's like Eden and SWR but being a long time SWR fan as well (Baby Blue, Big Ben, Goliath JR II) I don't find the two brands have a whole lot in common. It's left me with a ? on what to expect of these amps.

It wouldn't be easy for me to test one out and they're not cheap to just blindly order one on a whim. Can you owners offer any comparisons or thoughts that might make this decision to pursue ownership of my own ThunderFunk clearer?

I gigged a WT400 for many years back in the day, and also used a TF550b as my primary gigging head for a couple of years. I recently spent a bit of time with the TF750A.

Great heads. Quite different from the Eden tone. The best way to describe it is that it takes all the 'rough edges' off the tone. It is an unusual combination of 'clean but very warm', and has a bit of attenuation built in both way down low (more on the 550B than the 750a, which is bigger sounding) and especially up top. That bit of upper mid grit and treble sparkle that, to me, gives the Eden its character is not in the Thunderfunk. That can be a plus or a minus, depending on your tone goals.

If you are familiar with the Markbass LMII/III, you can get pretty close to the Thunderfunk tone with that amp by dialing back the low end (40hz wide Q on the LMII/III) to about 11 o'clock, and engage the VLE (lo pass filter that filters out upper treble) at about 10 o'clock. So, that gives you the kind of 'tight, warm, organic' tone of the Thunderfunk IMO and IME.

Out of the box, the closest voicing to the TF that I've found is the TC RH450 (the RH750 is probably more apples to apples with the current TF750A or I guess the 800 or whatever that is coming out). However, the TF has more 'note separation' than the RH..... a nice, quick, 'roundness' to the note attack down low (like the Markbass LMII/III), versus the more process, compressed 'tube emulation' sort of feel of the TC.

The TF preamp is very powerful, and many like the Timbre control, which totally revoices the amp with a single knob (from extremely mid present to dub-like fat). The enhance control is MUCH more usable and musical than the Eden.

If you are looking for a more modern, more powerful amp (than your WT400) that has that brightness and that bit of character and grind up top that I hear in the Edens, many Eden users switched to the Genz Shuttle line of amps when Eden kind of crumbled as a company. The Shuttle Max line (very lightweight, but not micro size) would probably be the closest 'direct replacement' for your WT400... similar EQ, and a nice FET/Tube dual pre design. The Shuttle9 or the Shuttle Max 9.2 with the Genz Neox212 would probably make you feel somewhat at home.

All good stuff, including the WT400, which still IMO competes very well with current amp offerings, even given that it is a 20+ year old design.

IMO and IME!

 

[Bassist30]

Thunderfunk. I own both the 550B and the 750A. Been using them for so long. I would say I have not stayed with any other amp this long. Its a nice feeling not wanting another amp.

 

[Hollow Man]

I just got back to Thunderfunk after selling my old one to try a bunch of the micro stuff, and this time, I'm back for good. No other amp captures the tone in my head straight out of the box like the TF750 does. I played it last night with my Nordy 70's Jazz and an AudioKinesis Thunderchild 12, and it was absolutely perfect.

 

[MuthaFunk]

Wow. Thanks for the detailed response KJung. You've given me a lot to think about. I have to look into the Genz dealers in my area and give them a listen. The TF still sounds attractive to me so I'll keep an eye out for one to preview. I just missed a used one at my local shop about 6 months ago when I bought my Mesa Walkabout Scout. I didn't even test it out and now I'm regretting that.

 

[RickC]

After about 7 years of gigging with nothing but a TFB420 (and loving every minute of it), I succumbed to curiosity and boredom and picked up an LMIII. After about a year or so, I started to bring the TFB back into the line-up.

First impression was wow - I forgot how much I loved and missed that Tfunk tone. Thick and warm and chewy, at least compared to the LMIII. I had every intention of putting the LMIII out to pasture, but...

I seem to have gotten spoiled by how "fast" the LMIII feels. The response feels quicker; noticably quicker than the Thunderfunk. It's like drive a Ferrari vs driving a truck.

So these days I'm bouncing between the two. I've got a Tfunk/Epifani rig and an LMIII/Bag End rig. Each matchup seems ideal, and has it's own particular strengths. Vive la difference!

/rick

 

[KJung]

After about 7 years of gigging with nothing but a TFB420 (and loving every minute of it), I succumbed to curiosity and boredom and picked up an LMIII. After about a year or so, I started to bring the TFB back into the line-up.

First impression was wow - I forgot how much I loved and missed that Tfunk tone. Thick and warm and chewy, at least compared to the LMIII. I had every intention of putting the LMIII out to pasture, but...

I seem to have gotten spoiled by how "fast" the LMIII feels. The response feels quicker; noticably quicker than the Thunderfunk. It's like drive a Ferrari vs driving a truck.

So these days I'm bouncing between the two. I've got a Tfunk/Epifani rig and an LMIII/Bag End rig. Each matchup seems ideal, and has it's own particular strengths. Vive la difference!

/rick

+1 There were quite a few of us who had the 'LMII/TF550b conundrum when the LMII was released. Seems like a 50/50 split regarding which one was preferred after the dust settled. I personally found I could mimic the TF tone much better with the LMII than I could the other way around with the TF550b. However, the 750A voicing is a bit more open. And, whereas the LMII outperformed the TF550b in open, uncompressed volume, of course, the TF750a reverses that relationship.

 

[T. Alan Smith]

As a LMII owner & long time fan of the TF, I'm switching from the LMII to the TF as soon as possible. There's just something about how the TF throws out a 3D image that the LM doesn't seem to do with...my ears. In fact, that's how I hear most of these mini heads. A buddy has a GB Shuttle & a GBE750. He hooked them up to Identical Neox 2x12" cabs and both of us noticed how much more 3D the 750 sounded.

 

[KJung]

As a LMII owner & long time fan of the TF, I'm switching from the LMII to the TF as soon as possible. There's just something about how the TF throws out a 3D image that the LM doesn't seem to do with...my ears. In fact, that's how I hear most of these mini heads. A buddy has a GB Shuttle & a GBE750. He hooked them up to Identical Neox 2x12" cabs and both of us noticed how much more 3D the 750 sounded.

I didn't feel that way with the TF550b, but in my recent trial on the 750, it is bigger sounding than both the LMII or the TF550b. Of course, it is bigger in every way... size, weight, price! Nice amp though.... I would be very happy playing the TF750A! Just a bit too big and pricey for the little bit more ooomph versus my F500 at this point, and tonally I can get quite close (based on a recent A/B at a GTG). Pure IMO there.

 

[T. Alan Smith]

I didn't feel that way with the TF550b, but in my recent trial on the 750, it is bigger sounding than both the LMII or the TF550b. Of course, it is bigger in every way... size, weight, price! Nice amp though.... I would be very happy playing the TF750A! Just a bit too big and pricey for the little bit more ooomph versus my F500 at this point, and tonally I can get quite close (based on a recent A/B at a GTG). Pure IMO there.

It's likely a mixture of grass always greener & hearing w/my eyes, but dammit, I'm more inspired playing thru the TF.

 

[KJung]

It's likely a mixture of grass always greener & hearing w/my eyes, but dammit, I'm more inspired playing thru the TF.

I know what you mean about 'hearing with your eyes'. That TF750A is a beautiful piece of work. Looks and feels very high end and solid. Cool light on the fans, high quality pots, solid case, rubber feet and handles well placed, etc., etc. And, of course, it sounds great. If it was $999, I'd probably take the plunge again, since some of the stuff that resulted in my moving on from my TF550B (a bit too much compression down low when pushed) seems to have been dealt with nicely with the 750A (and I guess now with the 800B or whatever the next generation is called).

Nice stuff if you have the scratch! I LOVED the Cabbage case I used with my 550B also. GREAT 'in-between' case. Much more protection than a bag, much lighter than a full bore road case. Pricey, but really nice. Not sure if those are still available for the newer amps.

 

[Altitude]

I'm struggling a little with my new-to-me TF550B.

I've been clipping in the input stage at much lower gain than I would expect. With my passive Skjold 5 string, I can't really get the gain higher than 9:30 or 10:00 before the tone seems to compress notably. This same bass does not cause any similar trouble with my other amps.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

[rosanne]

Nice stuff if you have the scratch! I LOVED the Cabbage case I used with my 550B also. GREAT 'in-between' case. Much more protection than a bag, much lighter than a full bore road case. Pricey, but really nice. Not sure if those are still available for the newer amps.

I need something to carry my 550B in. Looked up the Cabbage cases but they are too expensive for me. Does anyone have a bag that they use? Any ideas? (I emailed Dave about it a couple of times but he did not reply).

 

[dmrogers]

I need something to carry my 550B in. Looked up the Cabbage cases but they are too expensive for me. Does anyone have a bag that they use? Any ideas? (I emailed Dave about it a couple of times but he did not reply).

Yes, I have a couple of these:
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Both the 550B and 750A fit fine. I have enough room to wrap my heads in a nice, soft baby blanket and they fit nice and snug. They are padded and have a front compartment for the power cord and speakon cable.

 

[Hollow Man]

I use the Gator Rack Bags: Invalid Link Removed