Which amp heads have no baked-in EQ curve?

[darwin-bass]

I can name 2 that were actually flat with the tone controls at noon:

• Eden WT series
• Genz Benz Shuttle

I can name some that were not flat with the tone controls at noon:

• GK RB
• SWR
• Carvin ProBass 300
• Aguilar TH-350
• Fender Rumble

But what about today's offerings? Who is making a class D head that doesn't have a baked-in EQ curve?

• Genzler
• ???

 

[Geri O]

I can name 2 that were actually flat with the tone controls at noon:

• Eden WT series
• Genz Benz Shuttle

I can name some that were not flat with the tone controls at noon:

• GK RB
• SWR
• Carvin ProBass 300
• Aguilar TH-350
• Fender Rumble

But what about today's offerings? Who is making a class D head that doesn't have a baked-in EQ curve?

• Genzler
• ???

How are you determining what amps are "flat" and which amps are not?

 

[darwin-bass]

How are you determining what amps are "flat" and which amps are not?

In some instances I consulted with the manufacturer. In others I've measured it with an o-scope and freq generator.

Lately I've either played iPhone music through the amp, switching between Aux and Instrument in, adjusting the amp's EQ to get them to sound identical, or I've played pink noise through them and looked at the response with a spectrum analyzer, again comparing the Aux in with the Instrument in. All while having the amp drive a FRFR speaker.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

DOH!
I was sure the Tone Hammer was flat

 

[Redbrangus]

I don't worry about it too much. I'm aware of a few amps that have a 'baked-in' EQ curve, but it's typically a wide, mid 'scoop' that can be easily compensated for with a tweak of a knob or two. It's really not all that important to me which way the knobs are pointing if I can get a sound I'm looking for out of the device. Besides, I don't know of any speaker system that has anything approaching the flat response of a typical electronic device, and in the end, everything comes out of a speaker.

 

[darwin-bass]

DOH!
I was sure the Tone Hammer was flat

The TH I had gently rolled off the highs and the lows below about 80 hz. It had a very unique tone curve that really emphasized those ever-critical mids and sounded oh, so good.

In contrast the Genz Benz Shuttle was flat with the control at neutral. Deeper and brighter sounding than the Tone Hammer.

 

[darwin-bass]

I don't worry about it too much. I'm aware of a few amps that have a 'baked-in' EQ curve, but it's typically a wide, mid 'scoop' that can be easily compensated for with a tweak of a knob or two. It's really not all that important to me which way the knobs are pointing if I can get a sound I'm looking for out of the device. Besides, I don't know of any speaker system that has anything approaching the flat response of a typical electronic device, and in the end, everything comes out of a speaker.

Well, you assume I'm going to use this amp for bass

 

[Killed_by_Death]

The TH I had gently rolled off the highs and the lows below about 80 hz.

Ah yeah, I forgot that my TH350 sounded horrible with guitar, which is why I got rid of it.

 

[nightchef]

I don't worry about it too much. I'm aware of a few amps that have a 'baked-in' EQ curve, but it's typically a wide, mid 'scoop' that can be easily compensated for with a tweak of a knob or two.

Yeah, I suspect that a bass sound I would subjectively characterize as "flat" would probably actually measure something like this...

...and a truly flat sound would strike me as boxy and a wee bit cold.

 

[dkelley]

Most aren't flat because typically that's not what we're looking for. Amps are part of our tone.... so by default most have baked in eq. I know it's not always desirable and with some basses unneeded. But it's pretty much the norm. Same with loaded cabs and raw drivers.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I've played into the Effects Return on my Rumble & liked it. I'd prefer a flat response.

I do think the NEW default pre-amp in the Rumble Stage 800 is closer to flat than the V3 Rumble pre-amp.

 

[agedhorse]

ShuttleMax are also pretty flat, as are the Subway 800 and 800+ with the voice control fully CCW (not perfectly flat, but well within the flat range). The WD-800 is not what I would consider a flat amp by comparison, it's modestly voiced.

 

[dkelley]

My ampeg pf350 is waaay not flat. But using line in makes it perfectly flat... i use it that way for a pa amp sometimes at parties. Ive taken line out from it so my bass gets the eq that i bought this amp for in the first place, into my mixer out into the line in again, driving a relatively hi fi cab. Then i add mics to the mixer and backing tracks output... full system with my bass amp.

 

[Gizmot]

If you want flat response, consider buying a good quality pro power amp and a preamp or mixer. I'd try it before you buy it to make certain that's what you truly want.

 

[Andy Daventry]

What about Phil Jones. Aren't those flat?

 

[Downunderwonder]

Vintage Trace Elliot with the preshape off should be flat as a pancake.

 

[Wasnex]

Ampeg SVTs are relatively flat.

@Mark Reccord made the plots linked below. You can find relates posts by searching "SVT Frequency Plot" and limiting the search to his use name


SVT_CH1_FLAT

SVT_PWR_AMP

I believe if you were to change the vertical resolution on this plots, you would find a few dB of broadband boost centered around 400hz.

 

[Bassheart365]

The "flattest" amp for me is the amp that I do the least knob twisting on. I've owned many, many class D amps, and the "flattest" by far is my Bergantino Forte. Typically every tone knob is at noon. I very much dislike baked-in EQ. I want to hear my bass.

 

[monsterthompson]

What's the flattest amp for metal?

 

[dreamadream99]

Acoustic image are supposed to be. I've also heard AER aer as well.