Traynor SB500H Bass Head - Any Thoughts?

[MountainMikeCS]

Has anyone any experience with this bass head? I'm looking to pair it with my GK Neo 210 cab as a small room and rehearsal rig. I play electric bass and upright bass, all sorts of music bust mostly rock. My larger rig - for medium to large gigs - is a GK RB700-ii head with a GK Neo 212 cab. This bass head would also serve as a backup head to the GK RB700pii.
From the few vids I found of this amp it sounds solid.
Does anyone own one of has anyone used one? What do you think?
Thanks all!
MNike

 

[michael_t]

I've owned the SB500H for the last two years and it's been a good reliable workhorse. Not a lot of frills, but the simple 4-band EQ is effective and I like the blend of warmth and clarity with a fairly neutral character.

I currently have it hooked up to my GK Neo IV 212 at my church, which works great as a stage monitor. I also own the GK Legacy 800 and the Mesa Subway D350, and the SB500H fits nicely in between.

I'm a very happy owner of Traynor SB112 and SB106 combo amps as well. And yes, I'm based in Canada.

 

[MountainMikeCS]

I've owned the SB500H for the last two years and it's been a good reliable workhorse. Not a lot of frills, but the simple 4-band EQ is effective and I like the blend of warmth and clarity with a fairly neutral character.

I currently have it hooked up to my GK Neo IV 212 at my church, which works great as a stage monitor. I also own the GK Legacy 800 and the Mesa Subway D350, and the SB500H fits nicely in between.

I'm a very happy owner of Traynor SB112 and SB106 combo amps as well. And yes, I'm based in Canada.

Thanks for the quick reply. I've heard good things online - I have played Hartke and GK in the past - I still have a Hartke HA4000 head - but I want something else that sounds a little more old-school - nice clear bass sound. The used Traynor SB500H looks like a good value.

 

[michael_t]

I want something else that sounds a little more old-school - nice clear bass sound.

This is exactly what I like about it.

 

[Riff Ranger]

I'm a very happy owner of Traynor SB112 and SB106 combo amps as well. And yes, I'm based in Canada.

I have an SB500H, an SB112, and am eligible for Canadian citizenship

I agree with @michael_t ‘s assessment and will add that the 4-band EQ will feel familiar to GK users.

 

[corndog]

I have been using the SB500 for 3-4 years. Dragged it to dozens of gigs and practices. It’s been a solid amp. No frills but effective controls. I recommend.

 

[Daniel B5]

I have been using the SB500 for 3-4 years. Dragged it to dozens of gigs and practices. It’s been a solid amp. No frills but effective controls. I recommend.

And it's nice and light so the dragging is minimal! It's a great workhorse amp.

 

[lomo]

Super reliable....sounds great...no muss no fuss...everything you need and nothing you don't. One of the best deals out there, new or used.

 

[Mrmatt1972]

I’ve had that one and its little brother. Neutral is a good description of its tone really it just makes it sound like your bass and you have a little bit of EQ for the room. For me that’s good. I like that.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I am using the SB112 quite a bit these days (and have been for the past several years) and it has been steady and reliable. It's clean sounding and is a bit glassy on the highs (not necessarily a bad thing). I don't particularly like the DI - it is a bit noisy, so I use a pedal for that function.

I would say that it looks and feels a bit less sturdy than my Genzler (Magellan) and Genz-Benz (Shuttle 3.0) heads, but I have not had any problems with it. So provided it doesn't take any significant blows, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[michael_t]

I am using the SB112 quite a bit these days (and have been for the past several years) and it has been steady and reliable. It's clean sounding and is a bit glassy on the highs (not necessarily a bad thing). I don't particularly like the DI - it is a bit noisy, so I use a pedal for that function.

I use my SB112 strictly as a stage monitor and never use the XLR out on it. I own several preamp-DI's and always use one to send the signal to the FOH and run the uneffected signal (parallel out) to the amp. I don't find the XLR out on it particularly useful as it's post-EQ only and the gain knob controls levels for both FOH and stage without a master volume knob.

The XLR out on the SB500H works great. It's has pre/post-EQ switch and gain and master knobs for separate level controls between FOH and stage. I've run it post-EQ to FOH off and on, and it always gets the job done.

 

[Gervais Cote]

I own/owned the followings and witnessed this :


GK 400RB II : very punchy, powerful mids, too much hum and hiss, got rid of it.

Mesa Subway D350 : sweet sounding, built to last forever but a boomy and undefined bass, got rid of it.

Hartke LH 500 : sweet and powerful sound, deep and articulate bass, very addictive sound, by far my favorite. The only downside is its weight but I added a side handle to it and it’s fine for me. Definitely a keeper and now my main amp for shows.

Traynor SB 200H : practice and backup amp, same as the SB 500H but less headroom and power and doesn’t have the deep bass of the 500.

Traynor SB 500H : this amp is almost perfect for me. Very articulate and deep bass, lots of headroom, really voiced for rock IMO, dead silent, lightweight and super reliable. The only downside is that it doesn’t sound as sweet as my Hartke LH 500 but OTHO, it’s rather neutral/transparent. Definitely not a tube sounding amp. Very difficult to beat for the price.


My two cabs are GK Neo IV 112 that I consider being well balanced sound wise and very capable for their size.

 

[Thumpin6string]

I had a SB500H and thought it was just meh, but then again, I think all class D heads sound meh. Your taste may vary.

 

[michael_t]

I had a SB500H and thought it was just meh, but then again, I think all class D heads sound meh. Your taste may vary.

When I want to add some "character" to my SB500H, I run one of my preamp-DI's effected signal into the fx return on it. Works really well that way.

 

[Gervais Cote]

When I want to add some "character" to my SB500H, I run one of my preamp-DI's effected signal into the fx return on it. Works really well that way.

Same here : when I want my SB 500H to sound "sweeter", I use my Night Owl single tube preamp to give it a tube flavor :

Edison Preamp | nightowlindustries

Compact, All-Tube EF86 Preamp

www.nightowl.industries

 

[T Bassman]

I love these little amps. Echoing others here, it has a great form factor, a tone void of baked in characteristics like many similar offerings, and they work surprisingly well for upright bass too.

I found the headroom was all I needed for small/medium rooms as well. Plays nice with a variety of cabs as well.

 

[PeaveyPlayer]

I've owned the SB500H for the last two years and it's been a good reliable workhorse. Not a lot of frills, but the simple 4-band EQ is effective and I like the blend of warmth and clarity with a fairly neutral character.

I currently have it hooked up to my GK Neo IV 212 at my church, which works great as a stage monitor. I also own the GK Legacy 800 and the Mesa Subway D350, and the SB500H fits nicely in between.

I'm a very happy owner of Traynor SB112 and SB106 combo amps as well. And yes, I'm based in Canada.

lol we have similar tastes! I also use two GK Neo 2X12 IVs


But I use a GK mb fusion 500

 

[PeaveyPlayer]

As far as the traynor goes I hear it’s a copy of the GK mb series but a bit more neutral

 

[Gervais Cote]

As far as the traynor goes I hear it’s a copy of the GK mb series but a bit more neutral

Very true.

 

[GrapeBass]

As far as the traynor goes I hear it’s a copy of the GK mb series but a bit more neutral

Nope. Not sure where you'd hear that, I was there and, if anything, was derived from previous Traynor/Yorkville bass combos. The tone stack is not typical either. Unfortunately, the designer had passed away a few years ago.