Loudest, meanest.... light rack-mount bass amps

stormzsystem · December 28, 2011, 12:15:45 PM

So both my bassist and I are for various reasons at a situation in our lives when we need to get amps that are way lighter and more portable.

We figured the thing to try and do was find the rack-mount (and so I guess solid state) amp that could offer us the largest pair of balls within the category. Anything come to mind? Any suggestions?

If we were swimming in money, it looks like the Ampeg SVT-8PRO would be the winner. However, I can't imagine either of us being able to put much more than 500 bucks into this right now. SVT-7PRO seems to bring the price down to $800, which makes me think a $500 deal is not unheard of.

But if we're trying to get affordable, Ampeg is probably not the smartest place to look.

What do you guys think?

(I play guitar, but often through a bass amp too)

zachoff · December 28, 2011, 12:22:11 PM

Orange Terror Bass is pretty rad.
Genz Benz Shuttle 6 and Shuttle 9 are good.

Really though. Volume comes from your speakers moreso than your amp. The more speakers you have, the more volume you'll get. Look for neo cabinets if you want lightweight cabs... Or build your own w/ 1/2" wood. There are plans for good/lightweight cabs at talkbass.com. Search for 'fearful' if you want to go that route.

moose23 · December 28, 2011, 12:31:10 PM

Class D power amp and something from the Tech21 Character series would be my choice/recommendation.

justinhedrick · December 28, 2011, 12:33:27 PM

Quote from: moose23 on December 28, 2011, 12:31:10 PM
Class D power amp and something from the Tech21 Character series would be my choice/recommendation.

i agree with this. althought it might be more than the $500 price tag.

moose23 · December 28, 2011, 12:39:14 PM

Quote from: justinhedrick on December 28, 2011, 12:33:27 PM
Quote from: moose23 on December 28, 2011, 12:31:10 PM
Class D power amp and something from the Tech21 Character series would be my choice/recommendation.

i agree with this. althought it might be more than the $500 price tag.

Hopefully Hemi can point us in the direction of affordable power amps. Car stereo stuff looks much cheaper than instrument specific stuff but I wouldn't know much of the names/brands.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=class+d+power+amp&_sacat=See-All-Categories

zachoff · December 28, 2011, 01:08:12 PM

500W through a 410 will be as loud as 250W through an 810.
500W through a 210 will be as loud as 250W through a 410.

...and so on.

Speakers matter way more for volume than watts. Peavey DPC amps are sorta tough to find but can be had for next to nothing.

bass sic · December 28, 2011, 01:27:41 PM

My buddy just mothballed his 4 pro for the 7 pro. Light as hell and something close to 1000 watts. He digs it alot. Last time he played he was buried in the mix because of the venue so I couldn't really evaluate it.

Hemisaurus · December 28, 2011, 02:01:21 PM

Quote from: moose23 on December 28, 2011, 12:31:10 PM
Class D power amp and something from the Tech21 Character series would be my choice/recommendation.

What moose said, it's a lot easier to get lightweight power amps, and a pedal sized preamp, like a Sansamp, MXR or Behringer BDI.

The QSC GX series are nice and light the GX5 will do 700W into 4 ohms twice (once per channel) and is $400, the GX3 will do 425W into 4 ohms twice for $300, neither of these amps can be bridged though. So you will need a cab per channel, or just use one channel.

Peavey have the IPR 1600 for $350 and IPR 3000 for $450 which are 530 into 4 per channel (800 into 2 ohm per channel) and 840W into 4 (1500W into 2) respectively

Behringer have the Nuke range for $200 you get the 1000 which is 300W into 4 (500W into 2), $300 gets you the 3000 which is 840W into 4 (1500W into 2) per channel.

The great thing about power amps, is they have 2 channels, you can bi-amp, you can use both channels to drive different cabs, you can use one channel to run monitors, or a drum wedge or a subwoofer. Heck you and your guitarist could share an amp and use one channel each, and take it in turns to carry the 15lb amp or 8lb or whatever one you choose.

As to the preamp, the Behringer BDI is bog standard, but plastic a copy of the standard Sansamp DI but it's $40 vs $200, MXR do the Blowtorch and the Bass DI, Sansamp do the standard Sansamp and the characters, Ashdown do pedal preamps I think, as do those swedish guys EBR? Loads of choice.

moose23 · December 28, 2011, 03:09:34 PM

MXR Bass DI doesn't have enough juice for a power amp although that's not really a problem with the really high powered power amps. Presume it's the same deal with the blowtorch.

zachoff · December 28, 2011, 03:12:06 PM

Plus the Blowtorch kinda sounds like butt, but I've never tried it with a pre. Always just as a disto pedal.

Hemisaurus · December 28, 2011, 03:16:01 PM

I've used an OD-250 or a $15 EQ pedal on occasion, and a rackmount multifx that was line level in and out. I admit never used the MXR gumph, but the $40 Behringer works just dandy. An EH LPB-1 would probably do the trick, or a Mole.

Anything that can bump the signal up 20dB.

jibberish · December 29, 2011, 12:54:57 AM

the SS amps that feature switching or magnetic power supplies have dispensed with the massive transformer stuff and are therefor lighter. some guy named carver started all that in the early 80's.

MichaelZodiac · December 29, 2011, 04:41:40 PM

@ Hemi or any peeps in the know, that Peavey IPR-1600 is going for 250 euros at Thomann, could be my option in getting some decent sound & volume. I'd need a preamp of some sort, I was thinking about one from the Tech21 Character Series but they don't have DI, so I would get a DI pedal as well? I've read some stories about not being able to connect multiple cabs??

Mr. Foxen · December 29, 2011, 05:28:52 PM

Peavey IPR and Tech21 VT bass, maybe the deluxe for DI would be the way I'd suggest. Or one of the rack Sansamps. I ahve a Trace V-type pre for genuine valve goodness, but I use the VT more.

The thing about watts into cabs relies on the cab having unlimited power handling, and they don't they fart out at way less power than they quote as RMS.

Hemisaurus · December 29, 2011, 05:34:49 PM

Perhaps it refers to the fact there is only one speaker output per channel. But as long as you cab has a loop thru, you can hook up another cab, or use both channels (not bridged just running in tandem) and hook one cab to channel 1 and one to channel 2, whatever suits.

I've said it before, anything that brings the signal up 20dB, like a boost, or an OD will do the job. Don' t know the character pedals enough to know if they do the job, I'd imagine so, if my $23 fuzz pedal can do it. There's no need for a pedal with an XLR out, they aren't guaranteed to be line level either, it just needs to bump up the instrument signal enough.

Mr. Foxen · December 29, 2011, 06:45:55 PM

The Tech21 pedals have the juice to run a power amp, not enough to run some old valve slaves though. The newer Sansamps have a line/instrument switch, but some of the older ones don't. The thing to look at is input sensitivity on a power amp. Anything less than 1v or thereabouts should be happy with a hot pedal, stuff that needs more than 1v might struggle.