daveparker123

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1367956754' post='2071646'] I'm currently using an Ashdown EB-180 combo, it's not good, it's not good enough anymore, I used to love it sounded great, it's now about 4 years old I think! The sound is fairly crappy, each week it seems to jump from wooly to a much honkier tone, I don't hate it by no means, just want to move it on and get a new amp, I'd consider a better Ashdown, there has to be a reason that their valve amps retail at near on £2k! [/quote] Try an ABM 500. You could pick a used one up on ebay for around £300. I don't think you'd regret it.

Comical attempts at marketing?

http://www.guitarmagazine.co.uk/features/the-only-way-is-essex-the-ashdown-story/ Says here they don't pay out for artist endorsements.

Thanks for constructive feedback people. As far as I'm aware though, Ashdown don't offer artist endorsements.

[size=4]Why do there seem to be so many Ashdown haters on here? I own an ABM 500 EVO head and ABM cab and find the tone awesome, so do the rest of my band, audiences and sound engineers at venues I've played. It gives me a great, powerful bottom end, bone crushing tone, blendable overdrive and great flexibility.[/size] [size=4]If Ashdown gear was 'wooly' 'marmite like' 'average' or 'disappointing' as I've read on here, why would bassists like Nate Mendel, John Entwhistle, Mark King, James Johnston, Adam Clayton, Pino Palladino and Guy Pratt buy it themselves to use on stage? I've read lots of disrespectful comments also in these forums calling the company 'Crashdown' and many other silly names by people who can only base their judgements on using battered MAG series amps rented from rehearsal rooms.[/size] [size=4]Ashdown are a British company who make great equipment. They also have awesome after sales service. Call or email them and you'll be able to speak to someone who built or designed your amp, if not the owner of the company himself.[/size] [size=4]That's my two penneth worth about the maker of my gear! Obviously people will disagree but please make sure your criticism is based on worthwhile evidence. I rented an Orange AD 200 B from a rehearsal studio once but had to swap it for a 60 watt combo halfway through the session. sh*t amp? No, just unloved, never serviced or realved and probably battered for thousands of hours every year.[/size] [size=4]Thanks for reading, Dave.[/size]

It'll be very good mate. Awesome bottom end and a great tone. Look at Ashdown's site for a list of uses that buy their own gear from Ashdown. Great company too, you can call or email them and have a response from either the owner or the guy that built your amp.

Gorra be an 810!

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1338243091' post='1671634'] No. It's an opinion as clearly stated. [/quote] OK, so if I write IMO or IME after everything I write, it makes it ok then? What he has written is misguided and probably based on very little experience. That's the problem with this site. People could be listening to the advice of people who have sh*t gear and think they sound good.

Do an A/B test with an all valve amp and a hybrid with a valve in the preamp and you'll see the massive difference. Come on guys. I know solid state amps are cheaper, lighter and cost less to mantain but please don't tell me they sound better! Perhaps some people are trying to convince themselves.

[quote name='BB3000S' timestamp='1338241586' post='1671602'] Preamp - yes tubes are definitely a good thing. Power amp - not so much a necessity. IMO, YMMV and so on. [/quote] Rubbish!

There's a lot of people on here who don't like all valve bass amps. In my opinion they piss all over everything else out there. Try an Ampeg Classic or SVT 2 Pro and you shouldn't need anything else ever. How do I know? I sold one cos I got sick of the weight and size of it, scoured the earth trying to find something that came close, failed and bought another one. Never again! IMO an all valve amp gives you something that all other amps try (unsuccesfully) to imitate. Sorry to all the valve haters!

My guitarist has an Orange Rocker 30 and this light thing you're talking about always indicates a faulty tube. Not sure if this is true of the ad200 but it sure could be. Perhaps one is unseated. Did you buy it new? Could've happened in transit.

SVT 2 Pro and 810 and a new house!

I use an Ashdown Mag at the rehearsal studios and it sounds great. Get a 500 though as the 300 needs to be cranked. I've read some great reviews for the Ampeg SVT 7 Pro too but haven't tried one myself. When you say 'valve' I take it you mean a valve in the preamp rather than all valve. All valve would be a lot more expensive.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1336983870' post='1653396'] The OP says "The bigger the better in his experience", which brings out the usual "what I say is best" response from the "tone Nazis". Let the guy have his opinion. It’s right for him, "in his experience" size does matter. Whoa, somebody has a different opinion! Deal with it. [/quote] Cheers man!

The problem seems to be IMO, many (not all) of the people who are favouring combos over bigger rigs keep talking about volume. I could buy a 100 watt combo and crank it to 10 but it would still sound feable, and sh*t!

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1336948721' post='1653213'] In 45 years of playing I have never come across a small cabinet or combo that has the sound quality, punch, low end and dispersion of an 8x10 or two or a stack or two of 4x12s and I believe that there was a debate on here not so long ago about getting an 8x10 in a Corsa. An 8x10 also has the same or smaller footprint than a combo or small cab so no problem on small stages. As far as upsetting the sound guy, I'd rather not be miked or D.I.ed and have a decent sound out front instead of the bassy mush that sound guys seem to think you should have. When the sound engineer went up to John Entwhistle and apologized that the bass was a bit trebley that night, John replied in his gruff voice, 'It's meant to be trebley'. [/quote] Here here. Perhaps I'm not just a selfish ******************** after all Phil!

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1336939650' post='1653066'] That's the point, only a totally selfish ************* would go onto anything smaller than a stadium gig with anything like this. I've mixed with 2x100W marshall full stacks for guitar and you simply couldn't hear the vocals as the guitar sound was louder at the mic than the singers voice even when they were touching the thing with their lips. Two 8x10s flat out create exactly the same problem. It is almost impossible to get a band sounding good when their on stage sound is much over 100dB and you are talking about pushing it up to maybe 110dB with peaks of 130dB+! You simply won't stop everything bleeding through the mic's. Your audiologist won't thank you either, these sort of sound levels will create permanent hearing loss instantly and the hearing loss will be progressive with continued exposure. I'm sure it is a wonderful, adrenaline filled experience and it will sound good as long as your ears hold out but you are buying it at the expense of your audience, the rest of the band and your own long term health. [/quote] I wasn't talking about having them 'flat out' though was I. It was about moving air, not turning them all up to 11.

F*ck knows what ohmage the head would run at though?

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1336936629' post='1653011'] You'll need a bigger car. [/quote] I bet that would sound awesome though!

[quote name='Jack' timestamp='1336934648' post='1652974'] We'd all love a big rig. I'll take a Millennia Media Origin, Lab Gruppen Power amps and two NV610s please. In the real world I have a small car, smaller stage and after a long day at work and a longer gig extremely small biceps. Smaller the better. [/quote] haha........... Point taken!!!!!