I own a GK MB500 and a TC RH450.
The MB500 has a boatload of grunt. I've never pulled a tone from it that I liked much without using the boost, but the boost is pretty usable. The contour setting is really effective, particularly if you're in a hurry. Having said which, I mostly use mine as a sort of quasi power amp, with an amp modeling unit upstream and on the non boost channel. It really has bookoo spheroids, a really tough, go-hard little bit of kit, if kinda under-featured. Out of my Hartke 3500, RH450 and MB500, the MB+Modelling unit is my rig of choice.
The TC ...... Well it's output rating has been documented in excruciating detail across a number of forums. I must admit, when I first heard mine, my initial reaction was along the lines of "if this is 450 watts I'll eat my shoe", and this was before I knew about all the output wattage drama. Having said which, I didn't need a lot of grunt at the time I bought it, and it served my requirement at the time. For tone I really like it a lot, way better than the GK. I love the features on the TC, the tuner works great, the storable presets are super handy, and I think, for what it is, the compressor works really well. Overall I really like it, but I've definitely had situations where it struggled for grunt.
For build quality both amps are very good, perhaps I'd give the nod to the TC, although I have no complaints with the GK by any stretch.
If I were buying another Class D tomorrow I think I would get the MB Fusion and try to live without my Modelling unit.
For context, I play mostly blues, blues-rock and some soft jazz, using either a P or a J. For rehearsal the amps drive a GK 112, for gigs a TC RS212, or rarely, both.
Mike
The MB500 has a boatload of grunt. I've never pulled a tone from it that I liked much without using the boost, but the boost is pretty usable. The contour setting is really effective, particularly if you're in a hurry. Having said which, I mostly use mine as a sort of quasi power amp, with an amp modeling unit upstream and on the non boost channel. It really has bookoo spheroids, a really tough, go-hard little bit of kit, if kinda under-featured. Out of my Hartke 3500, RH450 and MB500, the MB+Modelling unit is my rig of choice.
The TC ...... Well it's output rating has been documented in excruciating detail across a number of forums. I must admit, when I first heard mine, my initial reaction was along the lines of "if this is 450 watts I'll eat my shoe", and this was before I knew about all the output wattage drama. Having said which, I didn't need a lot of grunt at the time I bought it, and it served my requirement at the time. For tone I really like it a lot, way better than the GK. I love the features on the TC, the tuner works great, the storable presets are super handy, and I think, for what it is, the compressor works really well. Overall I really like it, but I've definitely had situations where it struggled for grunt.
For build quality both amps are very good, perhaps I'd give the nod to the TC, although I have no complaints with the GK by any stretch.
If I were buying another Class D tomorrow I think I would get the MB Fusion and try to live without my Modelling unit.
For context, I play mostly blues, blues-rock and some soft jazz, using either a P or a J. For rehearsal the amps drive a GK 112, for gigs a TC RS212, or rarely, both.
Mike
