| Author | Message | ||
| oggydoggy
Intermediate Member Username: oggydoggy Post Number: 168 Registered: 3-2003 |
Currently running my F1-X and Wt-1205, but am interested in a component system. What tube power amps do you guys like? I know many of us use Qsc, Crown, solid state stuff, but any suggestions on Tube power?? Thanks, -Ed | ||
| fc_spoiler
Senior Member Username: fc_spoiler Post Number: 656 Registered: 5-2006 |
I use a Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400 Stereo, lots of power and lots of tone.  | ||
| jet_powers
Advanced Member Username: jet_powers Post Number: 345 Registered: 2-2003 |
I like the spare "tube" of "inspiration"! JP | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 5637 Registered: 5-2002 |
Tube of inspiration sold separately. | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 1200 Registered: 10-2003 |
I have a pair of ~45 year old Bogen 200-watt mono amps that sound absolutely wonderful (when my back feels up to dragging them along, that is). I think 20 years ago my brother paid something like $35 for the rack they were in, and the amps were free. They came out of a de-commissioned IBM plant. The old Bogen and DuKane tube amps can be found at school corporation auctions and such if you're vigilant. The DuKane's are wonderful also. The most prevalent model for school PA systems is a 50-watt tube unit that really screams as a guitar amp. John edited to add a linky to the sweet metric-tonne of tone: http://scarysharkface.smugmug.com/photos/184253618-L.jpg (Message edited by 811952 on November 07, 2007) (Message edited by davehouck on November 07, 2007) | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 893 Registered: 2-2005 |
In keeping with the theme I guess you could say the Bogen's are a tube of perspiration. | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 1203 Registered: 10-2003 |
"In keeping with the theme I guess you could say the Bogen's are a tube of perspiration." If you put it that way, they're 8 output tubes of perspiration apiece! :P | ||
| edwin
Advanced Member Username: edwin Post Number: 292 Registered: 5-2002 |
McIntosh 3500! 350 watts of super clean power in a nice convenient 135lb package! Edwin | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 1341 Registered: 10-2003 |
That thing's gotta sound awesome! I'd hate to have to move it though... ;) | ||
| thomas
New Username: thomas Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2008 |
Yea my previous amp was a Mesa 400+ that i moded to use 12 6550's so yea. But now ive got my aggie DB750 | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 6377 Registered: 5-2002 |
Hi Thomas; welcome to the board! | ||
| danny_bryant
Member Username: danny_bryant Post Number: 57 Registered: 9-2007 |
Look at the new Mesa Boogie Fathom head. I have said it on a previous thread but it is the best sounding head I have heard in a long time. Loud as hell and tone for days. 1100 bucks and simple to use. This is the only head I use to gig now. 350 watts at 8 ohms, 600 at 4 ohms. I love this head and I cant stop singing its praises. | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Intermediate Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 130 Registered: 5-2007 |
Peavey (yes Peavey) has a great sounding Tube Amp under a grand and made in the USA | ||
| tomhug
Junior Username: tomhug Post Number: 19 Registered: 7-2008 |
Vann-Di, any more specifics (model # or URL) on the Peavey you suggest? I checked out their site and didn't see any tube power amps. FWIW, a Peavey Mark IV was my go-to Bass amp for 8 years (as an impoverished HS/College student). I probably have more music production hours against Peavey amps than any of the higher-end stuff I acquired later. | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Advanced Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 205 Registered: 5-2007 |
Here you are: http://www.peavey.com/news/article.cfm/action/view/id/233/20072707.cfm (Message edited by FunkyJazzJunky on September 23, 2008) (Message edited by FunkyJazzJunky on September 23, 2008) | ||
| edwin
Advanced Member Username: edwin Post Number: 360 Registered: 5-2002 |
Here's the one I'd want: http://tinyurl.com/5su4am Way beyond my means though. Starting around mid 1972 Phil Lesh used 4 of these beasts! Edwin | ||
| lmiwa
Member Username: lmiwa Post Number: 79 Registered: 2-2008 |
But Edwin, you'd be getting a PAIR of them for ONLY $32,500.00! You should just jump right on that Buy It Now  | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 3353 Registered: 7-2004 |
Edwin: You might still be able to find a good sub-prime mortgage on the pair of Macs! Bill, tgo | ||
| edwin
Advanced Member Username: edwin Post Number: 362 Registered: 5-2002 |
Loch and Bill are for some reason trying to ruin my back and my marriage. What gives????? :-) Edwin | ||
| lmiwa
Member Username: lmiwa Post Number: 84 Registered: 2-2008 |
nah... just "urging you on to greater artistic endeavors" | ||
| dannobasso
Senior Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 895 Registered: 3-2004 |
Having blown out my back in summer 07 and then being in a car accident the following November and through diet and exercise shed 45+ pounds, I am a huge fan of lightweight gear. I just bought an Epifani UL 902C head. Dual 900 watt amps @ 4 ohms each. Great sound, 14 pounds. Nuff said. If you have a crew to set up your gear, use whatever heavy gear you like. I don't think Phil lugged his gear but I could be mistaken. I'm not married so I don't have that as a variable in GAS issues. Love your spouses, your backs and your bass playing activities. | ||
| wideload
Intermediate Member Username: wideload Post Number: 130 Registered: 6-2003 |
Danno- Your rig may be light, but your playing is heavy! Be careful out there. Larry | ||
| mario_farufyno
Junior Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 24 Registered: 9-2008 |
I have an Ampeg SVT, but I'm convinced that solid state amps are more suitable to use with such "modern sounding" Bass. By modern I mean bright sounding and faster attack, that may be hidden by the typical tube sound (to me they sound rounder and almost compressed). | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 2018 Registered: 6-2002 |
Mario - perhaps an SVT doesn't sound terribly bright with a fast attack, but that doesn't say anything about other tube amps. I'd also look at the 8x10 speaker enclosure that's usually parked underneath. | ||
| mario_farufyno
Junior Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 26 Registered: 9-2008 |
You're right Adrian, I should have tried other options before making such statement. To be honest, I didn't have much chances to try many diferent tube amps (and my SVT-III isn't really an all tube amp - in fact, its power section is FET driven)... But I must say I'm not deep into harsh sounding rigs (altough I really dig fast response amps). A friend recomended me to try this Epifani Head to match my Epifani UL-210 cab (but it isn't a tube amp). Have anybody tried the Aguillar power amp? | ||
| 57basstra
Senior Member Username: 57basstra Post Number: 788 Registered: 4-2005 |
Ampeg | ||
| blackelan
Junior Username: blackelan Post Number: 46 Registered: 7-2007 |
I know this is a older thread but I figure I will respond anyways. I have a Strategy 400 for my guitars but I never thought to try it for bass... I have a Ampeg SVT-II Pro that is supposed to do everything a Ampeg SVT head can do plus more. I never had a chance to compare side by side but my SVT II Pro is pretty much all I need with my ADA MB1 preamp. | ||
| jos
Junior Username: jos Post Number: 19 Registered: 4-2009 |
If you like to have a great tube sound and want to sound “modern” or like earlier mentioned have an “fast attack” I suggest you try out Mesa/Boogie Strategy power amp (12 tubes) together with Alembic F-1X that is just an killer tube sound a great combination, the best I have experienced so far. Everybody in my band loves it too. I did play with a Mesa/Boogie 400+ but did not like it too much I did not feel the presence (fast attack) but with Strategy and F-1X whoooow! Ampeg SVT tube amps are great too for certain kind of music like Rock or Blues but Mesa and F-1X just works for almost everything! The only thing is that it’s really heavy so I do not use it that much anymore but for certain gigs and when it’s something really special and there is a need for raw power then I use it…………..just killer stuff!! Nowadays I do use several different amps depending on the situation… but I just happened to read this about tube amps here so I thought I share some of my experiences. J-O-S | ||
| mario_farufyno
Intermediate Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 129 Registered: 9-2008 |
Great Tip | ||
| dnburgess
Senior Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 633 Registered: 1-2003 |
My favourite tube power amp is the Demeter VTHF-300M http://www.demeteramps.com/products/poweramplifiers/index.html Its not small or light - but if I could afford it I'd have two for my home stereo. | ||
| garth4664
Junior Username: garth4664 Post Number: 41 Registered: 10-2008 |
I have an old Mesa Bass 400 with a pair of 15 inch cabinets that was my dad's rig - he's still gigging but is too old to lug this gear around anymore. The old 400 is great, has half the number of tubes of the 400+ and gets a tone that I have never been able to find with anything else. I love technical innovation, but have to say nothing beats the way tubes sound when they are being pushed hard and to my ears these lightweight powerful amps with clever switching power supplies don't come close. Perhaps we can start a petition to put big tube bass amps as permanent fixtures in every pub and venue around the world. A guy can dream right? | ||
| krystoof
Member Username: krystoof Post Number: 72 Registered: 1-2009 |
Hi, folks! I recently purchased a Aguilar rig, with the db680 ( tube preamp) and the db728 (tube power amp). Man, the sound is so huge, so rich, so.... beautiful! With my MK sig, they match perfectly, ad it's also a dream!.. | ||
| christov
New Username: christov Post Number: 9 Registered: 6-2005 |
I am an SWR junkie!! I currently use a small Basic Black combo for practice or very small gigs and my stage rig is the Megoliath 810 cabinet and the SM-1500 head. I love the transparent qualities that SWR allows me to produce. I LOVE tube amps as well, and my last tube amp was a Peavey Classic 400 which uses 8 6550 tubes in a push-pull configuration for a total of 400 watts over the 300 watt Ampeg SVT. Amps are a lot like choices of vehicles or tools. A mechanic can fix your car just as easily with Mac tools instead of Snap-On. | ||
| tmimichael
New Username: tmimichael Post Number: 7 Registered: 3-2010 |
There are a couple of options that I'm certainly curious about as well: Eden makes an all tube head, the WTB300V, and has anyone tried either of the 2 HIWATT tube bass heads? | ||
| jseitang
Advanced Member Username: jseitang Post Number: 310 Registered: 6-2002 |
yes i have. i had a 200 watt. ive played through the 400. they sound huge and the tone is clear.its a little stiff but i stlll think they are pretty awesome. when you crank those amps, thats when the real power tube tone comes into play (which i have always been a big fan of.) | ||
| redcloud
Intermediate Member Username: redcloud Post Number: 104 Registered: 5-2011 |
I have a Reeves Custom 400 and a Reeves 410. It is really something special. | ||
| benson_murrensun
Senior Member Username: benson_murrensun Post Number: 573 Registered: 5-2007 |
Yeah, they sound GREAT, but they are heavy and need more maintenance compared to solid state. Which is why I no longer have my SVT rig. | ||
| redcloud
Intermediate Member Username: redcloud Post Number: 105 Registered: 5-2011 |
Yeah. THe Reeves pretty much stays put in my music room, though; for SS I have a Thunderfunk TFB-800 B-2 through a Barefaced Big Twin-T which is pretty nice, low, and loud. A really special micro rig is my EA iAMP Micro 550 and EA M- Line Whizzy 112. |
