Which Should I Go For, Traynor DB300H or DB400H?

[Ronny49]

I spoke with a Traynor tech in Canada and he said there isn't much difference in volume between their 300 and 400 watt heads. Then why make a 300 and a 400?? I don't get it.

I will say feature-wise, there is a bit of a difference between the two heads.

Has anyone here had experience with both these heads and if so, can you please share with me the difference in sound and volume along with what you might like about one or the other?

I need an amp that with provide me the loudness for up to 500 seat clubs. I was told by one user that the DB300H will provide me with this and if I need more power, can add a second power amp to the head.

Will be tremendously appreciated!

Traynor DB400H: http://traynoramps.com/products.asp?type=5&cat=40&id=389

Traynor DB300H: http://traynoramps.com/products.asp?type=5&cat=40&id=421

 

[Jim Campbell]

I spoke with a Traynor tech in Canada and he said there isn't much difference in volume between their 300 and 400 watt heads. Then why make a 300 and a 400?? I don't get it.

I will say feature-wise, there is a bit of a difference between the two heads.

Has anyone here had experience with both these heads and if so, can you please share with me the difference in sound and volume along with what you might like about one or the other?

I need an amp that with provide me the loudness for up to 500 seat clubs. I was told by one user that the DB300H will provide me with this and if I need more power, can add a second power amp to the head.

Will be tremendously appreciated!

Traynor DB400H: http://traynoramps.com/products.asp?type=5&cat=40&id=389

Traynor DB300H: http://traynoramps.com/products.asp?type=5&cat=40&id=421

probably a headroom thang....to double volume you need 10 x the power....easy for doubling a ten watter,but a tad different if you start with a 100 watt amp......for club that size is there no pa support....900 bucks will buy you the big traynor tube amp,in the box with a warranty.....

 

[RickenBoogie]

The thing about volume, is all about speakers. Get whichever amp has the features you like best, but don't skimp out on speaker cabs. They provide not only the "loud", but also, a large part of your tone.

 

[Rat Blitz]

Go for the DB400H. It's much better amp .... Better EQ and the Hybrid Tube / Solid-State Preamp Design is a great feature and worth the price diff. If you are playing 500 seat clubs and don't know how good the PA is going to be I would strongly suggest the DB800H.
I often see them used for very good price. It's one heck of a amp.
Cheers

 

[bobbybigmac]

Why worry about filling up the room ?
Leave that to the FOH tech. You should worry about hearing yourself on stage first.
Believe me if your moving a ton of air off the stage, you'll be buried so low in the mix that nothing you do will sound good. I love my Hartke LH500 and my GK 4x10 cab. Made me happy because a 4x10 is killer loud up close on stage and doesn't throw a lot of bass out front. LH500 is a warm 500 watts.

 

[Ronny49]

probably a headroom thang....to double volume you need 10 x the power....easy for doubling a ten watter,but a tad different if you start with a 100 watt amp......for club that size is there no pa support....900 bucks will buy you the big traynor tube amp,in the box with a warranty.....

I love tubes, but the older I get, the less weight I want to carry around! But I am NOT into the micro/Class D amps as I have had 5 of them and all had problems!

The SS 300 is only 15 pounds. The 400 is around 27 pounds.
I'm ok with this weight, but not into heavier than that.

The thing about volume, is all about speakers. Get whichever amp has the features you like best, but don't skimp out on speaker cabs. They provide not only the "loud", but also, a large part of your tone.

I own new Avatar 410 and 212 cabs. I love them! I like the 400 best features-wise, though their tech said I should go for the 300.

Go for the DB400H. It's much better amp .... Better EQ and the Hybrid Tube / Solid-State Preamp Design is a great feature and worth the price diff. If you are playing 500 seat clubs and don't know how good the PA is going to be I would strongly suggest the DB800H.
I often see them used for very good price. It's one heck of a amp.
Cheers

If you can tell me where to get a 400 used, I will appreciate it! I have been watching ebay and nothing has appeared in the last two months. I need a new amp now! My second Ampeg SVT 7 Pro fried on me and I am DONE with class D amps!

Why worry about filling up the room ?
Leave that to the FOH tech. You should worry about hearing yourself on stage first.
Believe me if your moving a ton of air off the stage, you'll be buried so low in the mix that nothing you do will sound good. I love my Hartke LH500 and my GK 4x10 cab. Made me happy because a 4x10 is killer loud up close on stage and doesn't throw a lot of bass out front. LH500 is a warm 500 watts.

Sometimes here in AZ, there are clubs that do not allow miking through the PA sys. Crazy, but these clubs are smaller than the 500 I stated above. 500 is generally the higher side we play. We have played 1000 seater ballroom shows too.

 

[Ronny49]

Here is also a video of the DB300 demo:

 

[62bass]

The little 300 is a very nice amp. It has a completely different eq arrangement than the 400. When you set the controls to flat it is flat. Loads of power. Lightweight and that Traynor reliability and warranty. I fooled around with one in the store through various speaker arrangements for a couple hours and was impressed.

I'd go for the 300 myself on sound alone but the light weight is a real bonus.

The 400 is a very good amp too. I've used one a number of times on gigs when it was supplied as a backline bass amp by the company doing the sound. It has plenty of power and lots of eq options. Solid as a block of granite.

You can't go wrong with either.

 

[MIJ-VI]

OP are you going to use headphones with your amp at all?

If so, the DB300H has a headphone out. The DB400H does not.

 

[MIJ-VI]

I love tubes, but the older I get, the less weight I want to carry around! But I am NOT into the micro/Class D amps as I have had 5 of them and all had problems!

The SS 300 is only 15 pounds. The 400 is around 27 pounds.
I'm ok with this weight, but not into heavier than that.



I own new Avatar 410 and 212 cabs. I love them! I like the 400 best features-wise, though their tech said I should go for the 300.



If you can tell me where to get a 400 used, I will appreciate it! I have been watching ebay and nothing has appeared in the last two months. I need a new amp now! My second Ampeg SVT 7 Pro fried on me and I am DONE with class D amps!



Sometimes here in AZ, there are clubs that do not allow miking through the PA sys. Crazy, but these clubs are smaller than the 500 I stated above. 500 is generally the higher side we play. We have played 1000 seater ballroom shows too.

Could you please describe the problems you've experienced with each of the micros you've used, and the circumstances you were using them under?

Thanks

*subscribed*

 

[bassgeezer56]

I own both of these amps in combos, an XS400C and the Dynabass DB300T. The 400 has a warmer tone with the tube front end and the 300 is a little grittier but has neo drivers which probably contribute a certain characteristic of their own.
I usually pair the combos up with a Kroth 115, or the Traynor 210. Both amps have plenty of reserve to fire either cab nicely. Really like the variable speed fan cooling in the 300, rarely any heat build up, unlike the 400 when the band is cookin'. I usually use an external fan to keep the 400 cool, nothin' like trippin' a thermal mid stroke eh!
I picked up the 300, (45lbs) only because of the weight of the 400 (85lbs). Really sucks at 2 AM. Both amps are surely worthy of a spot in any bass junky's stable!

 

[billfitzmaurice]

I spoke with a Traynor tech in Canada and he said there isn't much difference in volume between their 300 and 400 watt heads. Then why make a 300 and a 400??

Because most players don't know that the difference between 300 and 400 watts is imperceptible.

 

[Ronny49]

Could you please describe the problems you've experienced with each of the micros you've used, and the circumstances you were using them under?

Thanks

*subscribed*

I don't really want to get into that too deeply as it would be off topic. But I will say briefly, that I owned 2 new MB LMT's and both fried on me with little use in under 30 days each. Same goes for 2 Ampeg SVT 7 Pro's and one GK started breaking up and distorting prior to the return policy. So I ended up returning all and no more Class D's! I don't trust them! Let me say one more thing... I went into Guitar Center to try out a new bass over the holiday weekend and I asked the guy to plug me into the cleanest amp he had and so he plugs me into an SVT 7 Pro and the light turned on, but no sound. He tried different cords and played around with it for a bit and then he said he had one more and broke it out and hooked it up and the power light wouldn't even turn on!!

Nuff said.

 

[Ronny49]

I'm thinking of going with the DB300H as it sounds nice, though I do want a tubey sound too. So I am looking at adding a pedal to the mix.
Here it is... what do you think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360293817906&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[MIJ-VI]

I don't really want to get into that too deeply as it would be off topic. But I will say briefly, that I owned 2 new MB LMT's and both fried on me with little use in under 30 days each. Same goes for 2 Ampeg SVT 7 Pro's and one GK started breaking up and distorting prior to the return policy. So I ended up returning all and no more Class D's! I don't trust them! Let me say one more thing... I went into Guitar Center to try out a new bass over the holiday weekend and I asked the guy to plug me into the cleanest amp he had and so he plugs me into an SVT 7 Pro and the light turned on, but no sound. He tried different cords and played around with it for a bit and then he said he had one more and broke it out and hooked it up and the power light wouldn't even turn on!!

Nuff said.

I now better understand why you're pursuing a different rig route.

Re the the stereo tube pedal you linked to: it seems that electro-harmonix offers a number of tube pedal options...
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397844

EDIT:

EHX LPB 2ube opinions
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=543812

The Official SansAmp VT-Bass Owners Club!
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397844

 

[Ronny49]

I now better understand why you're pursuing a different rig route.

Re the the stereo tube pedal you linked to: it seems that electro-harmonix offers a number of tube pedal options...
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397844

EDIT:

EHX LPB 2ube opinions
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=543812

The Official SansAmp VT-Bass Owners Club!
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397844

Thanks for your input! I'm not sure what to make of the lack of knowledge in that thread about the 2ube pedal. But I also checked out the MXR M80 and that one looks good w/o the tubes. I had a VT Bass pedal and didn't care for the sloppy distortion.

I'm not a fan of Tech21 stuff anymore. I thought I once liked their stuff, but learned with time and experience that I really am not a fan.

I am also looking into an SWR 550X which some say has a fat deep sound to it and there is also a mod that will make the amp bark more to cut through the band better.

But I really like the Traynor stuff. I like the DB400H, but it is heavier and too deep for the rack I have. The 300 would fit perfect. I could buy a new rack, but I love the rack bags! I have a Gator 2 space. The DB400H will not fit into any rack bag I know of.

I posed this question on one other board too and ...
People recommend the Hartke LH500, but I love SUB-bass and I don't believe the Hartke provides this feature.


EDIT:Well, I forgot that I put an offer in on a Traynor DB300H yesterday on ebay and today I got it! So there is my answer. I am going with the 300. It's a done deal. Now I just got to find the right pedal to fatten my sound up.

Thanks for everyone's help! =)

 

[MIJ-VI]

Thanks for your input! I'm not sure what to make of the lack of knowledge in that thread about the 2ube pedal. But I also checked out the MXR M80 and that one looks good w/o the tubes. I had a VT Bass pedal and didn't care for the sloppy distortion.

I'm not a fan of Tech21 stuff anymore. I thought I once liked their stuff, but learned with time and experience that I really am not a fan.

I am also looking into an SWR 550X which some say has a fat deep sound to it and there is also a mod that will make the amp bark more to cut through the band better.

But I really like the Traynor stuff. I like the DB400H, but it is heavier and too deep for the rack I have. The 300 would fit perfect. I could buy a new rack, but I love the rack bags! I have a Gator 2 space. The DB400H will not fit into any rack bag I know of.

I posed this question on one other board too and ...
People recommend the Hartke LH500, but I love SUB-bass and I don't believe the Hartke provides this feature.

I had a VT Bass for a while too. When cranked into heavy distortion the treble strings sounded.., um.., invigorating! But at that point the bass strings were porridge. A blend control would be an asset IMHO. (The Para Driver DI has one.)

DB300H Dimensions (DWH, inches): 12.5 x 15 x 3.75.

You may wish to contact T' re rack ears for the '300.

Sub-bass? Do you mean a low bass boost like the 4 string/5 string switch found on the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]?

Hartke LH500 (28 pages)
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=444683

 

[MIJ-VI]

EDIT:Well, I forgot that I put an offer in on a Traynor DB300H yesterday on ebay and today I got it! So there is my answer. I am going with the 300. It's a done deal. Now I just got to find the right pedal to fatten my sound up.

Thanks for everyone's help! =)

Good. Please keep us posted re your impressions of the DB300H. They don't get much press on TB.

 

[Ronny49]

I had a VT Bass for a while too. When cranked into heavy distortion the treble strings sounded.., um.., invigorating! But at that point the bass strings were porridge. A blend control would be an asset IMHO. (The Para Driver DI has one.)

DB300H Dimensions (DWH, inches): 12.5 x 15 x 3.75.

You may wish to contact T' re rack ears for the '300.

Sub-bass? Do you mean a low bass boost like the 4 string/5 string switch found on the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]?

Hartke LH500 (28 pages)
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=444683

Yah I know the measurements... I sat on the Traynor site for days day-dreaming and researching.
It will fit my Gator rack bag perfectly. I thought the rack ears for this head came with the unit?

Yah, I guess that low bass button on the GK is what I mean... but mostly on an Ampeg or a Mesa or a SWR.

When I play... I want my spectators not only to hear me, but to FEEL me!! I want to shake the earth they occupy!

 

[MIJ-VI]

Yah I know the measurements... I sat on the Traynor site for days day-dreaming and researching.
It will fit my Gator rack bag perfectly. I thought the rack ears for this head came with the unit?

Yah, I guess that low bass button on the GK is what I mean... but mostly on an Ampeg or a Mesa or a SWR.

When I play... I want my spectators not only to hear me, but to FEEL me!! I want to shake the earth they occupy!

I've posted a DB 300H rack ears enquiry:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9699612&postcount=1080

+1 on bass as a seismic event.

I guess you'll soon find out if your Avatar 410 and 212 cabs (they're both 8 Ω, correct?) + a DB 300H will shake it to your satisfaction.