Which Amp head would you buy?

[pepj]

My list is Epifani 901ul (1000/2ohms version) or
HPForte.
I want high power and 2 ohms if poss.
Mainly for backup and possible stage Amp running multiple cabs down to 2ohms.

I'd prefer a valve in the pre amp section but would look at the above amps without it.
I'm not fussed on the simulated valve sounds I've tried though.

 

[Mark_70]

So many great options out there. My choice would be Aguilar ToneHammer. Simple to use; very few - but effective - controls. Sounds wonderful to my ears.
I have a TH350 and DB751 (which wouldn't fit your budget but is a beast of an amp) - I'm set for any situation.

Regards
Mark

 

[soundsupport1]

I would add Eden to your list.
Very well spec'd, surprisingly affordable too. Worth a look.

Peace,
SoundSupport

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Fender Bassman 500 hybrid.

 

[JohnnyBottom]

I have the D800+ and the Quilter BB800 too! Pretty different amps but both excellent in their own way. The D800+ is my main amp.

I was referring to the Subway plus preamp, which is just the preamp from the d800+. I used to have the amp and missed it after selling so got the preamp that satisfies that void.

 

[Loring]

Tried quilter, mesa subway 800+ and the genzler Magellan- all great. Subway and quilter were darker voiced, Magellan was the easiest to dial in.

Berg is a great choice also but Magellan is great sounding at almost any setting and the two contours are highly musical.

Should add - bought the genzler and I’ve been very happy gigging with it for the last few years.

 

[deff]

Has anyone asked and has it been answered, what kind of music do you play and what sound are you going for? I mean people can make recommendations all day, but if they don't know you then they're just saying what they like.

 

[3bc]

Between all the 500+ watt options like the genzler megellan, Mesa subway, quilter block, darkglass, orange options, and pretty much any other bass amp that can be had for under $1000, which would you go with and why? Sound? Weight? Aesthetic? Any that I’m missing that should be considered?

I chose Genzler over Bergantino and Mesa about 5 years ago when playing them all side by side. Genzler is about as close as it gets to playing a bass through a nice d/i box into a nice set of studio monitors. What goes in comes right back out. Bergantino is a similar story with just a smidgen of its own character/personality added. Mesa is certainly more colored, but can also be pretty transparent.

I got tired of that sound after a while, and recently picked up an Aguilar tone hammer which has the ability to be very clean (maybe not quite as transparent as Genzler), but offers a more old school, warm, "tubey" kind of sound which was my personal new flavor of the month and still is. Feature wise it is a much more spartan amp, from a versatility perspective it feels a little more versatile since it does the clean and warm things equally well.

Mesa is a great sound for most people, a low mid sound that feels to me like a call back to the old school rock and roll bass sound. Can't go wrong if that's your thing.

It's really just about what you play and what sound you're after. You can't go wrong with products from any of these brands.

 

[jastacey]

Well ... I'll say lurk around the classifieds and you can get some deals under $1000, I always do that and the latest purchase, ( 18 months ago ) was the Mesa Boogie Subway 800+, it took me about 8 gigs to really dial in my tone, and what I like about it, is the low & high mids adjust-ability, it's pretty quick, in getting your tone, not to mention the HPF, the voicing is pretty intuitive, just turn till you like what you hear, another amp you can get under $1000 used, is the Fender Bassman 800, the amp has 2 channels, the basic/classic Fender tone stack, and a more modern tone stack, the Fender only has one band of midrange adjustment, yes you can get a good tone out of it, and there both 800 watt RMS units, although the Fender Bassman 800, will NOT do a 2 ohm load .... the amp I'm use now is the Mesa Subway 800+

 

[andy67]

For £279, wouldn't look past the Bugera Veyron BV1001T

Bugera | Product | BV1001T

 

[SJan3]

They're all different in their characteristics. None is better, it's what gets the tone you want that counts. And there's only one way to find what suits you best... try them. They can all get clean, some of them can get dirty, some of them are more defined in the mids, some are softer, almost tubey. My pick for all-round ability to do it all is the Genzler Magellan. Having said that, I've only had the GK, Quilter and Genzler.

+1 on the Genzler. Nice amp!

 

[Thumpin6string]

I haven't found a modern amp that I like other than maybe a Markbass. My preference would be an Eden WT550 or a Thunderfunk. I currently have 2 A.M.P.s (Thunderfunk's grandfather) and a Thunderfunk.

 

[NeonVomit]

So many options out there.

I have a Mesa Subway D-800 and a Darkglass MT500v2. Mesa is solid, classic timeless - Darkglass is modern, versatile and smaller. Both are amazing and can do pretty much anything.

 

[bassdude51]

I don't play out live but for home use and getting a much better than decent sound, I like the MarkBass LMIII (although I have the LMII). Plus, the LM is so easy to use and in seconds, I can get and make nearly all the tonal sounds. (Thank god the days of the graphic eq controls are dead!) (Even though I don't play out live, my set-up is capable to do so.)

Now, I'd love to try out the Mesa WD800 and also their TT800 (don't really need 2 channels). And, I'd love to try out nearly any and all high quality heads out on the market.

But all in all, I've been more than happy with the LittleMark 500. (I used to own a Mesa 400+ which I never liked and replaced it with the LittleMark II.)

 

[BOOG]

Between all the 500+ watt options like the genzler megellan, Mesa subway, quilter block, darkglass, orange options, and pretty much any other bass amp that can be had for under $1000, which would you go with and why? Sound? Weight? Aesthetic? Any that I’m missing that should be considered?

Three brands I believe are worth the money spent not just because of aesthetic value…
This is what I use because, reliability of operation and customer service and overall quality and functionality are proven.

 

[bikeplate]

Used Bergantino Blamp or Forte

 

[duderasta]

I bought a Genzler Magellan 800 It was the genzler cabs that sold me. I might well have gone Mesa also, they were really all I was looking at.

 

[kcducttaper]

With all that in mind I have bought the Markbass Little Mark Vintage head and really like it. Sweet modern tone.

I've got the MB Vintage D2 and Mesa WD800 and definitely prefer the Mesa for $150 more no question. The Mesa has a MUCH bigger tube (full sized in the Mesa vs ~1/2 stick of chapstick sized in the Vintage) and MUCH more EQ options on the Mesa. Only reason I bought the Vintage D2 was because it was on a pretty hefty sale.

 

[kesslari]

I went with the Mesa WD-800, as they are tried and true. You just can't go wrong.

Plus the things that Mesa has over most others:
Made in USA.
Best Warranty.
Best service.

I did too.
Same reasons but even more importantly, that SOUND.

 

[HolmeBass]

I was referring to the Subway plus preamp, which is just the preamp from the d800+. I used to have the amp and missed it after selling so got the preamp that satisfies that void.

So you run the pre-amp into the line-in combo jack on the BB800? I need to try that with my Qstrip.