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What's wrong with the Tone Hammer 500?

#63
I think one reason a lot-ta folks sell there TH500 is the tone controls are very interactive and it is not a plug & play amp "per say" ... but if you spend time with it and read all the info posted by others about what combination of settings with certain setting & cabinets you can get to where you want pretty quickly ... that is the fast track in finding a tone that one can like/live with .... it is an amp that doesn't deliver instant gratification ... but with time and effort you'll be rewarded with good tone and not another revision # ..... IMHO
 
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#64
My take is that there's not a single amp made by any manufacturer that will give a tone that every player wants/needs. If you desire a very bright top end tone, I'm guessing you may not like the TH500. I find it's top end to be somewhat relaxed.

For me, the tone of the TH500 is perfection as far as solid state heads are concerned. I second the recommendation that Aguilar puts out a rackmount version of the Tonehammer's eq section. I like it so much, I asked my kids for the Tonehammer Pedal for Christmas to use with my Demeter/Crest CA9 +2 Mesa Powerhouse 212's (complete overkill) setup for loud gigs/outdoor shows.

I currently use my TH500 through 2 Aguilar GS112's. A really nice sounding, easy to transport setup IMO. It gets surprisingly loud, but if I require big stage volume, I prefer to use ny Demeter/Crest rig..

The TH500 is the first Aguilar amp I've owned. I was amplification GAS free untilI got it. Now i want a DB751.

IMO the TH500 is at least worth checking out!
 
#65
jastacey said:
I think one reason a lot-ta folks sell there TH500 is the tone controls are very interactive and it is not a plug & play amp "per say" ... but if you spend time with it and read all the info posted by others about what combination of settings with certain setting & cabinets you can get to where you want pretty quickly ... that is the fast track in finding a tone that one can like/live with .... it is an amp that doesn't deliver instant gratification ... but with time and effort you'll be rewarded with good tone and not another revision # ..... IMHO
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more. There's a bit of a learning curve with it's eq. I'm still finding great tones!
 
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#67
R&B said:
Darn, you guys are stoking GAS. I'm very happy with my Eden WT-550. But it is a bit of a lead sled...and my favorite cabs are Aggie DB112NTs... Hmm.
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#70
As it has been said above, it's not a plug and play amp if you consider the parametric control of the mids, and the way the gain and drive interact. It is also rather on the vintage side imho (you cannot get pristine highs to dig a modern sound). And I thought that it lacked something on the low end side (maybe thickness or harmonic content), especially when I compared it with a genz streamliner. I don't say it is a bad head, but it didn't fit to my specific needs.
 
#72
I tried out a whole slew of amps about a year and a half ago....picked up the TH500 and haven't even thought about another amp..After every gig,its just a treat to lift it off my speaker cabs with one hand,and stow it away in a laptop bag..I've never had any issues with under powering,and it generally sits in the mix nicely..Sounds great with passive basses.

My only guess why people are flipping them is because there is so much product available ..some guys have to try it all out.
 
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#73
I am completely afraid to let go of my TH500. I would love to be rocking an SVT-CL/810 Ampeg rig, but I keep reading/hearing about how the TH500 and DB210 setup that I have can get "close" (relative term, I know) to tube-like status. There are so many factors to tone that this is something, when I distance myself from the reality of the situation, that the tone in my head will likely never be matched in reality. As such, I'm more than happy to putz with compressors, pre-amps/pedals to get close to where I would like to be. Plus my band thinks my tone kicks ass as it is... :)
 
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#75
Jastacey is right on the money about the TH500. You have to spend some time with it to identify the tone settings that work best for you.

I'm a tube guy and bought mine as a backup amp - replacing an Aguilar AG500SC about which I had no complaints. That said, there have been occasions when I haven't felt like hauling around the DB359 and used the TH500 as my main amp for a gig. The TH sounded great with a Sunn 115BH (JBL E-140) and most recently an Aguilar GS410. I don't use it with my Aguilar DB285JC, though, because the tubes just sound better to me at lower volume.
 
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#76
I just listed and sold my TH500. It was an awesome amp through both my ampeg 410HE and 2 DB112NTs. Had it for a year and loved the tone. Had an Ampeg PF 800 and a trace elliot head during that time and the aguilar always pleased me the most. Only sold it because I got a killer deal on an orange bt1000h and can only keep one. I know if I end up wanting the aguilar back I can sell the orange and buy a used th500. It was a flavor of the week that I never wanted to get rid of and hate doing now. I like trying new gear.
 

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