danhkr

Really it was a response to someone who said you'd have to bin a solid state amp when it goes wrong. That isn't true and I simply pointed out that the majority of decent (I didn't say handmade, boutique or top-end) valve amps are made similarly. It seems alot of people think that by spending £1500 on an amp they're getting some kind of indistructable bomb-proof piece of kit. My point was, thats not always the case.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1340368662' post='1703426'] [b]Those all aren't very well made amps.[/b] Again, just because they are overpriced and heavily marketed, doesn't make them valid examples. Mcdonalds sell a lot more burgers than anywhere else, doesn't mean they are hold up examples of restaurant eating. [/quote] That's kinda my point

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1340305796' post='1702719'] Handwired ones aren't necessarily any more money, none of mine were even half that. Just because people pay too much for not very well made things, doesn't invalidate the existence of the well made ones. [/quote] Never said it did, just they are few and far between and not as 'commercially' accessible. Really I was talking about the more mainstream brands that most recognise as 'high-end' valve gear (eg Ampeg, Orange, Ashdown etc). The majority of what they produce isn't really made much better than their equivalent solid-state variants. Thats not to say one is better than the other or none of them are good amps, just that reliability and repair-ability are similar. Its a myth that buying (for eg) a new Orange valve head is getting you an indestructible 'tank' like amp, just as it's equally a myth that buying a SS Ashdown means you'll need to bin it first time it goes wrong.

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1336974300' post='1653298'] This is the same forum where people like to spout off about guitarists who don't want to be parted from their Marshall half-stacks, right? Am I the only one here to sense a touch of irony? [/quote] Hmmm, different beasts though aren't they. A 40w 1x12 valve guitar combo is easily loud enough for the majority of gigs, whereas a bass head and cab of similar spec just wouldn't compete. [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1337024844' post='1654304'] However in those situations, I`ve always found that having the big-fridge rigs have enabled me to hear myself better than having the smaller rigs. [/quote] I think that's the key for me. My 8x10 sounds great, it's better than the 4x10 I had before it, and for whatever reason, better than when I've used two 4x10's, BUT the big thing is how much better I can hear my amp when I haven't just got speakers shooting the sound into my legs. Lifting up smaller cabs has never really worked for me, as everything I've tried has sounded so much better on the floor. Having said that, big cabs are not particularly practical and if my band didn't have a van for it to live in, I'm pretty certain I'd make do with something smaller.

Not totally convinced with the 100w idea. I'd have to hear one obviously but I think there's a reason why no one else really does one. I'm sure it could handle most small venues, but would many people take that chance when it [i]might[/i] struggle and is more expensive than a 200w Orange, a 300w Ashdown or Ampeg or a 400w Marshall? Not sure re-valve costs would be lower either if you do have to run it high.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1339095162' post='1683647'] Don't know of anyone handwiring SS amps on turrets motivated mostly by pride in their work, so the difference shows in the upper end. [/quote] Yes but how many are? When your average pcb-based valve head is anything from £1200 upwards, that's already above and beyond most people's upper end.

I've tried a couple and they really roar at gig volume. As has been said if you like that sound then great, but there's a reason the majority of modern valve bass amps are 300w+

[quote name='umph' timestamp='1325677481' post='1485893'] if your solidstate amp goes wrong you have to bin it! much worse in my eyes [/quote] Not strictly true. If a solidstate amp is made to a half decent standard, it is perfectly repairable in the right hands. In actual fact apart from the valves, there's very little difference in the components/build quality between the majority of decent modern solidstate amps and the majority of decent modern valve amps.

To be fair if gigs are smallish and you can DI into the PA then the combo would probably do, but an 8ohm 2x10 or 1x15 extension would run the combo at the full 575w or whatever it is and give you a lot more headroom. You could always decide on taking the extension depending on the size of the gig.

[quote name='Deep Thought' timestamp='1335473778' post='1631946'] I think everybody's just skint. Some real bargains kicking around lately that haven't sold yet 'cos nobody's got any disposable. I really fancy an ABM head but it ain't happening right now. [/quote] You know where to come if you change your mind Seriously though, I don't think much is moving at the mo. There's been some excellent bargains on here the last few months that don't seem to have sold. As others have said, disposable income is rare these days.

Ashdown have discontinued ABM combos, but perhaps they still have some available. Either way, I guess you should get a bit of a deal on the price. As for how they sound, I'm a big fan of ABM, tonally it's great stuff but for me you don't get the volume from the combos that perhaps you should for the price. Depending on what you're using it for, you may well find you need to add an extension cab to it, which I guess is possibly why Ashdown are going with just ABM heads from now on which I'd personally recommend* [size=1]*Nothing to do with the fact I'm selling one [/size]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1335530682' post='1632718'] Well, increased complexity can mean less reliability although the PC I'm using for this post contains hundreds of millions of transistors. I reckon reliability is more to do with the design approach rather than the design itself. For example, if a transistor is required to handle 10A then an over-specified part that is actually rated to handle 20A is likely to last longer. A crude example, but you get the idea. Using a car engine analogy again, It's quite possible to get 1000bhp from a 1500cc engine (as F1 used to allow) but it's going to be more reliable churning out 90bhp in a family car. [/quote] Aye, although I wouldn't fancy my PC going through the transportation, heat, and speaker vibrations that my bass amp does. I guess the rule of thumb for any amplifier is try not to push it too hard however it's made.

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1335512976' post='1632300'] With the risk of being shot down in flames I'd say no difference in sound. At least not in relation to the class of the amp and with the proviso that you don't overload it. The design, construction and quality control do differ between designs and manufacturers, as ever. A lot in any difference in sound will be down to the adequacy or otherwise of the power supply. For example the designer of the Peavey IPR1600 has confirmed that it won't deliver its full power into 2ohms for more than a fraction of a second. Not everyone is so honest so don't think I'm being critical of Peavey, actually I went out and bought one of these for my PA and I'm delighted with it. AB amps almost always have under spec supplies anyway, always have had. Class AB amps are generally made from bog standard components and are well known territory for most competent engineers and repair men. Even the bargain basement stuff is generally well made and reliable. Class D and H usually have more exotic components in places and replacement parts might be more difficult to source especially in ten years time when the technology has moved on again. Switch mode power supplies are pretty well worked out technology now as they are almost universal for mobile phones and computers. Nonetheless they are intrinsically more difficult to repair than good old fashioned power supplies. Long term the new technology should be much more reliable though. It's all a bit like modern cars, better cheaper, more reliable but buggers to work on when they do break down. [/quote] Good post, but do you think switch mode supplies [i]are[/i] more reliable? I'm not so sure they're as robust as a 'good' old-fashioned transformer, and in the case of stuff like Mark Bass, maybe cheaper for the manufacturer, but certainly not the consumer.

Can't believe they've set a reserve!