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Which 500w micro head is loudest?

mowburger

mowburger

Nov 4, 2010
556
18
Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. USA
www.facebook.com
#1
I will be in the market for a 500w@4ohm micro head.
I was wondering if people with experience with any of these amps could chime in and tell me if any kinda made you go "WOW thats a loud lil amp!" or which are louder compared to the others, I guess with relativly flat settings? I play w/minimal gain and EQ if that helps.

The amps I'm looking at are...

Aguilar TH 500
Ampeg PF500
Gallien-Krueger MB500
Gallien-Krueger MB Fusion (500)
Markbass F1
Markbass Little Mark Rocker 500
Eden WT550
Carvin BX500
Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0 (Let's put it in by default)

Before anyone starts flaming, I know volume is subjective, all kinds of things affect it. I would just like some opinions of people that have played/own these amps. Maybe a lil overall tone description/differances? I played a Gallien-Krueger RB700II and felt it had a more angular/square kinda edge on the note and really let me "bite" into a dense mix, otoh my Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal thru a poweramp sounds IMO more smooth and almost has a "woody" clarity. Thays kinda the way I describe tones?!?:hmm:

Any comparisons are welcome. thx.
 
#2
With all due respect, output should be the least of your concerns. They are all "500ish" watts and will have similar levels of output. To choose one based on this marginal increase would very likely sacrifice the tone you would have preferred from another.

What are you looking for in terms of tone? What genre of music are you playing?

Are you looking for a little growl? The GK or Ampeg might be the best choice. Are you looking for clean, smooth tones? The Markbass or Aguilar may be better for you.

Personally, I have owned the GK MB500 and own the Ampeg PF-500 because I like a little dirt in my sound. They are both great heads and I don't know that I noticed one being "louder" than the other... some may perceive that the GK is louder because the Ampeg doesn't get loud until you turn the volume past noon. But that would be a case of people judging with their eyes and not their ears. In the end, I kept the PF-500 because I think it sounds better.

If you're looking for more volume, I would increase speaker efficiency or cone area before I bought a head based solely on output.

However, for the sake of answering your question, I imagine most here would consider the Genz Benz to be the "loudest" head out of what you've listed.
 
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#3
I have played all the following through my 8ohm fEARful 12/6. TH500, PF-500,GK MB Fusion and the Shuttle 6. The Shuttle to me seem lacking a little in the lows when really pushed. The other 3 seemed pretty close volume wise, just different flavors of tone. I thought all sounded really good.
 
#5
Schpector said:
What are you looking for in terms of tone? What genre of music are you playing?
Click to expand...

I like a clean tone, with lotsa headroom(I dont finger my bass hard) The Aguilar TH pedal I have is cool. I dont usually like "Drive or Contour knobs" I play uptempo rock/punk/metal all kinds of covers too. I am using a 3-way cab now and like it.


Schpector said:
Are you looking for a little growl? The GK or Ampeg might be the best choice. Are you looking for clean, smooth tones? The Markbass or Aguilar may be better for you.
Click to expand...
This is helpful, I was kinda thinking that way.

Schpector said:
If you're looking for more volume, I would increase speaker efficiency or cone area before I bought a head based solely on output.
Click to expand...
+1 Yeah I know, just wondering which of these if any had guys thinking "Man does this thing have **llz!"

Schpector said:
However, for the sake of answering your question, I imagine most here would consider the Genz Benz to be the "loudest" head out of what you've listed.
Click to expand...
This is kinda helpful too thank you.
 
#6
cableguy said:
I have played all the following through my 8ohm fEARful 12/6. TH500, PF-500,GK MB Fusion and the Shuttle 6. The Shuttle to me seem lacking a little in the lows when really pushed. The other 3 seemed pretty close volume wise, just different flavors of tone. I thought all sounded really good.
Click to expand...
That helps, thanx. Could you maybe try to describe in generalty the differances at least between something like the MB fusion and the Aguilar as far as tone?
 
#9
mowburger said:
I will be in the market for a 500w@4ohm micro head.
I was wondering if people with experience with any of these amps could chime in and tell me if any kinda made you go "WOW thats a loud lil amp!" or which are louder compared to the others, I guess with relativly flat settings? I play w/minimal gain and EQ if that helps.

The amps I'm looking at are...

Aguilar TH 500
Ampeg PF500
Gallien-Krueger MB500
Gallien-Krueger MB Fusion (500)
Markbass F1
Markbass Little Mark Rocker 500
Eden WT550
Carvin BX500
Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0 (Let's put it in by default)

Before anyone starts flaming, I know volume is subjective, all kinds of things affect it. I would just like some opinions of people that have played/own these amps. Maybe a lil overall tone description/differances? I played a Gallien-Krueger RB700II and felt it had a more angular/square kinda edge on the note and really let me "bite" into a dense mix, otoh my Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal thru a poweramp sounds IMO more smooth and almost has a "woody" clarity. Thays kinda the way I describe tones?!?:hmm:

Any comparisons are welcome. thx.
Click to expand...
A watt is a watt is a watt. Volume differences really only come into play through the voicing of the amp, which can easily be changed by turning knobs.

However, the tone descriptions, while a little little vague to some folks, actually make sense, as different amps do have different characteristics of sound. THAT is how you should be judging your amps, and loudness secondary. Besides, loudness is more about speaker air movement than wattage.
 
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#10
The WT550 isn't really a micro head - it's a great amp though - and if you want volume - it handles 2 ohm loads so you could add another 4 ohm cab - that's where there will be a difference in volume - and @ 750W.
 
#14
yah exactly "louder" is subjective.

But I think alot of those have been bench tested so you could compare.
But the "louder" amp would be the one that runs the most speakers
and 2ohm stable is a bigger concern.
Even if you dont need to run a 2ohm load. Just having a amp that is stable at 2ohms in general means the amp is designed to dissipate more heat. So the assumption would be if it can handle 2ohms then it should do 4ohms all day and night.

I think the Orange Tiny terror 500 watt deal or whatever thingy did 1000 watts peak or burst....
but then again it was known to fail alot....at only 4ohms.

another thing is I forget which ones but its something like 70% of the "500watt" market. All use the same power supply and amp made by a separate manufacture. Then only difference between models is the preamp which is made by the actual manufacture.

so any 2ohm stable amp...will not be using the same old thing.
it is a different design, the icepower modules i think they are called are only 4ohm stable.
 
#15
I've owned the

LMII
Shuttle 6
Shuttle MAX6
RH450
Gallien-Krueger MB500

To my ears the Gallien-Krueger MB500 is the loudest with the LMII/III a close second. The drawback of the LMIII is that it compresses quite noticeable when pushed hard at 8 ohms. The Gallien-Krueger MB500 does great at 8 ohms. If you want really loud at about the same weight look into the Gallien-Krueger MB800.
 
#16
Cool, thanx all for the replies.

I think I've narrowed down the field a lil. This will make the trying out process easier.

The finalists....

Gallien-Krueger MB Fusion 500
Genz Benz Streamliner 600
Markbass Little Mark III
[DEL]Markbass F1[/DEL]
Aguilar TH500
Carvin BX500
Eden WTX-500
*EDIT (Had to remove this due to budget, I have suddenly decided that $700 is my limit:rolleyes: )



Listened to a bunch of clips and read reviews and junk. I think these are the one I'll seek out to try. Helps to have a game plan in order. I have nothing against bringing my cab into GC to try a couple of these.

Didn't realize the Eden was 20+lbs! it's out.

Little mark tube, seems like I'm paying extra for something that is slightly warmer, it's out. Same with the "Rocker".

Played Shuttles plenty 6 & 9's just something about em. I don't really like em.

Like the clips of the Streamliner tho :)

Carvin looks good too tho.

At least I have a good list going. Thanx evry1!
 

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