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What Power Amp is in your Rack Rig??

joegeezer

joegeezer

Mar 9, 2005
1,946
11
Northern Wisconsin
Disclosures
Avatar Club#12 Eden Club Lucky# 13--USA Peavey Club#37 Carvin Club#5
#1
What power amp are you running, for your bass rig? Why did you choose it, and how do you like it? Just trying to get opinions and ideas for all of us to see and use. Post a pic, if you can. If your using just an amp head, this won't require any answers, but may give you future ideas.
 
#2
I run a CROWN MACROTECH 2402 into a pair of EA VL210 8 ohm cabinets. It sounds really good, but is pretty heavy to carry around. I bought it thinking I might conceivably be able to repair it if it ever blew up, compared to K2's and other switching types that can be hard to fix. But it hasn't broken down. Wish I could say the same for my old-man back.
 
#3
I own a Carvin DCM 1540L and a QSC PLX2 2502. Both sound the same to me, but the Carvin is lighter and has fewer features. The QSC's high pass filter is amazing and way underrated.

The Carvin was my choice; I knew I had outboard stuff to make up for the features and the weight was great. The power is excellent @ 8 ohms also. Good warranty. Super price.

The QSC I got in a trade with a rack, for my spare preamp, so it was just an opportunity thing to get a backup rig. But I'm super happy with it; will keep it until I can find something with the same features but less weight possibly. Although, it is quite light. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend the PLX2 series.

I've also owned a PLX 3002, which I did not like quite as well as the PLX2 - lots of juice, but the features were not as friendly and it was amazingly deep.
 
#4
For a while I had been running a SoundTech 802 power amp in a portable 2 space rack. Sounded decent enough but, unfortunately the ST802 didn't have the headroom I needed so I started hunting for a new power amp.

Spent much time looking and found a new (and discounted) Eden WT1250. I run it bridge mono at 1250W. It sounds big, full and wonderful. The 'tone balance' knob is a great feature. When moving from room to room I can make a quick adjustment to dial in the tone without messing with the EQ on my pre. The amp also runs very cool with the fan rarely turning on.

amp_a1.jpg
 
#5
What? - Crest CA6
Why? - because I had an issue with my WT600 Eden's output, I think it's just a solder connection on the banana jack, so the Eden is being used as a pre only, and already owned the CA6 for pa / monitor duties
How do I like it? - Let's just say that the (Eden's pre and) Crest CA6 will most likely be used in all future gigs

Wonderful combination of tone and power.
 
#6
Stewart World Tour 1.6 run into a single SWR Goliath Sr. 6x10 with a SWR Grand Prix as front end. Purchased because I wanted something different than my old SM900 power amp section (which I wasn't too keen on and it only got worse after it blew up before a show) and wanted to get away from the SVT IV Pro I was using in the interim.

Love the Stewie. My power amp quest is done. Preamp might change one day far down the road though.
 
#8
I am running a BBE BMax into a QSC GX3. I was looking for cheap, light weight and at least 300 watts. The GX3 puts out 500 watt into 2, 8 omh cabs in one channel. Weights 27 pounds and cost $299. The whole rack weights about 35 pounds. I can carry the rack in one hand and one Avatar 2x10 in the other. The only thing I'd change is I should have got the GX5 for $100 more. No problem with the GX3, you just can never have too much power.

I think I need to clean my camera lens or learn to focus better.

QSC%20and%20BBE%20LG.jpg

Bass%20Amp.jpg
 
#10
Glad you started this thread, as an antidote to "The Only Good Bass Rig is a Lightweight Class-D Head" movement - although I have both the Genz Shuttle 6.0 and 9.0 - I believe the best bass rig is a great preamp/power amp setup.

Currently, have both the mighty Alembic F-1X and the classic Yamaha PB-1 preamps, and the still-excellent Carvin DCM-600.

Past power amps were QSC 1400, Carver M-2.0T and Carvin DCM-1500.

MV
 
#11
QSC PLX1804

I use an SWR M2 preamp and they match well. The QSC's main sell, to me, was the weight. I bought it without trying it first, but compared notes with a few PA guys who unanimously respect the brand. I really do like the sound. You can "sort of" see my rack in my video clip (see my sig). It's just like Red Planet's rig ... except in Australian voltages ... so his photos can also suffice.

It's worth mentioning that the QSC PLX1804 is a fairly shallow amp too, so you could fit it in a shallower rack than some amps. Its fan is always on, fairly quietly, and has been used as a hand warmer on more than one cold winter gig. The amp itself has never gotten hot. I run both sides at 4 ohms, but I definitely don't use all 1800 watts.
 
#12
Yamaha P7000S which goes with my Demeter HBP-1. Cabinet is an SWR Goliath SR or in the house which is where it sinfully spends the most time it gets used with my Goliath JR. II. The big room at church has an Aviom system so my Redhead sees all the love these days when I need an amp.

I got a great price on the Yamaha that is why I bought it. It works well has decent specs and is dead quiet when at idle.

IMG_3453.gif
 
#13
The yamahas are very nice and severely underrated, but do not play super well with less juicy preamps (e.g., it was not great with my GK 2001 RBP - good, but not great). The Demeter puts out a super hot signal however and I wouldn't hesitate.

The yammies are very light, have a good high pass, and are super cheap for the watts.
 
#16
Epifani-AlembicII.jpg


Stewart World 2.1

At the time of purchase it was one of your lighter options that also had gobs of power. It was also bought by the reputation it had for great sound quality via an old Bass Player magazine power amp shootout. It replaced a first generation Mackie power amp that was pretty much garbage, IMO.
 
#19
I don't have pics yet, but I'm running the QSC PLX1804. I was using a Carvin DCM2000. It was great but after two years the forty pounds was wearing on me. After lots of research I decided to switch to the PLX1804. I haven't gigged with it yet, but it sounds good at practice.
 
#20
I use a Crown XLS 402 with a Yamaha PB1. This goes into a Genz Benz neox 212. It really does sound good and the Crowns can be bought for a reasonable price(200.00 - 300.00).

I would like something lighter but since most of my work right now reqiures that I go straight to FOH (no stage rig) I'll hold off.
 

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