Count Bassie

[quote name='Wil' post='866829' date='Jun 14 2010, 05:55 AM']I once owned a Behringer cab with metal cones which fractured and seperated from the edge of the driver after two rehearsals. Now, I know Behringer are a far cry from Hartke in the quality stakes, but it's make me think twice about metal cones.[/quote] Another testimonial for Behringer bass cabs. Don't think about the metal cones- just because one maker does a crap job doesn't mean it's crap.

[quote name='dan670844' post='865400' date='Jun 12 2010, 12:48 PM']No worries man anytime, if you ever get stuck for parts for Trace gear give me a PM. There's repair company over here called Electro music services, run by too crazy old dudes and a couple of dogs! they have rooms full of boxes and boxes of old parts. They can normally get anything, if they can find it![/quote] Dont be surprised to hear from me Dan, thanks for the offer.

[quote name='dan670844' post='865334' date='Jun 12 2010, 11:43 AM']I think the Mark IV and V are pretty boutique, and were made before they made it really big and starting mass producing them. Amps are always the best when the companies are small to medium and the people within have a passion about what they do, it then always turns to s@@T when they start thinking about money! but the reality is maybe they couldn't afford the parts! I think Mark and Dan Gooday at Ashdown have realized this and they are pulling back and starting to make stuff in house again. Their new valve ended / driven stuff is top.[/quote] I agree- same thing happens in everything it seems. [quote name='dan670844' post='865334' date='Jun 12 2010, 11:43 AM']What do think about that noob on the other thread by the way? ......... Dave College! he hasn't realized yet that the laws of physics etc doesn't apply in bars......... its a parallel universe![/quote] I don't recall the thread- not because ther are so many, but I've been sort of living a pretty nutty schedule the last few weeks I mean 12 years (got young'uns, wierd work schedules, psychotic or personally-disordered band-mates, 'friends', etc)! But I'll say this much anyway, and I think it applies: Science- on paper- and the reality of chaos... they're often pretty irreconcilable! I stay away from math- I think that your ears, which hear in a subjective manner, don't pay attention to numbers. That's why we have terms like "throw" and "bloom". It's what seems to happen, so you might as well go ahead and speak in those terms. It's our reality. Knowing stuff is empowering, but you don't want to let that get in your way, if you get me. Dude I really appreciate the info you threw down. Thanks again. Witterth, I've been told over the phone by my tech that the UV light issue is probably not the ballast, but a simple grounding problem. I'm looking forward to bringing the thing into his shop, I think he'll be pretty gassed to see this old box, and note the 'vintage' of it.

Wow, thanks for the nice info there Dan! I do now recall seeing the "Soundwave" label inside the chassis/sleeve, when I took the UV light assembly off to clean it up a bit, do a little snooping. I do think I'll have my local amp tech have a look-see into it, maybe he can fix 'er up. He's done work on other Trace stuff for me and always did a nice job. In fact (quick derail here) yesterday I picked up my AH250SMX from him, and learned that the FX loop isn't an insert-type, but works more like an Aux Send: The fx signal is mixed with the preamp signal at the fx loop Send jack, rather than the preamp signal sending itself into the effect. The amount of effect mixed into the preamp (dry) signal is determined by the [b]Send Level[/b] knob on the back panel. Pretty interesting. Also, the Effects Volume knob on the front (of the 250SMX anyway) does pretty much nothing. You just leave it dimed. Okay, cool stuff to know. And no wonder the amp seems to work without any glitches at all (except for the light). Many thanks for all the info and interest. [quote name='Conan' post='865179' date='Jun 12 2010, 08:28 AM']Interesting! I bought my old AH250 brand new in 1986 - which mark would that be? Just out of interest, as I no longer have it! It was exactly like the one in the pix above, except that the front lower panel only had the illuminated "AH250" logo, not the "Trace Elliot" one...[/quote] Trace Elliot seem to have made lots of unpublished, minor adjustments to their gear over the years, almost as if the shole compnay was sort of a big, marketed experiment. That's not a bad thing, just saying that I've noticed quite a few 'odball' details from edition to edition, even within the same model name/number. What's the back panel look like? Same as mine there?

[quote name='dan670844' post='864335' date='Jun 11 2010, 09:04 AM']Alright All the suggestions advice is pretty good stuff so far . But what no one has mentioned is where the little 150 watter was at the gig? If it was in a corner of a room, it will make a very big difference to the largeness of the sound. If the amp was on a false floor etc it will also make a big difference. Another point is how high was this combo? if it was off the deck on a solid surface it will also make a big difference. Bass is a funny if you can get your little amp to be in a corner of a room it will sound so much bigger and be much louder. It makes a such a big difference. Another point is the fact that with a big stack the bass power is developed much further out from the amp. It might sound weedy and thin and not very loud/ muddy/ terrible close up but ten foot out plus and you might be popping people's ribs. D[/quote] Pretty good point- location in relation to ears! I was hearing a band once at a bar in Miami (Churchill's Hedeaway, if any of you "blokes" have spent any time in Miami)- Charlie Picket and the MC3. The bass player (Marco Petit, gone now, sorry) was playing his old Precision through an SWR Bassic 350 / Goliath II cab. Loud and clear, it was the most beautiful wooly sound I'd ever heard. The stage was about 4' off the floor and from a sitting position it was coming right at my head and chest. And it was perfect for the band. Wow. The way you percieve sound as a player and from out front are quite different. And... what you dial into your rig on your own and what it sounds like in the band mix-very different. What can come off as 'ugly' solo'd might really be perfect in the band. I'd consider that adding a lot of low-bass boost can bury your band in murk, and takes more power from your amp to produce. Also, the bass guitar isn't really a "fundamental bass" instrument by nature- it's really producing mids and harmonics, mostly. So rather than trying to produce lows, you want to discover what feels and sounds good in the band's mix. And now I'm going off, I'll stop... But, don't spend any more money- spend some time. Here's a link with some basics that seems solid: [url="http://bassguitarrocks.com/bass-amp-eq-for-beginners"]http://bassguitarrocks.com/bass-amp-eq-for-beginners[/url] Here's an interesting eq experience from an electric/upright doubler: [url="http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2008/Mar/Bass_EQ_Basics.aspx"]http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issu..._EQ_Basics.aspx[/url]

Efficiency of cabs is a biggie. A combo tends to be designed for itself, and can be a real efficient rig even if it's not that 'powerful'. Also it might be how you're using your eq... lots of dialed in lows-boost does your presence and 'oomph factor' no much good at all (but you didn't say anything about that, I realize... just sayin'). You want low-mids for that oomphie thing! Maybe you need new cabs? The problem may not be the head at all- cabs are a huge factor, I'd say generally more than the amp head itself. Lots of modern cab/speaker offerings out there, and a few oldies are good as well. First thing I'd do though is look at your eq...

I'm going to write to British Audio Service next. I am hopeful that someone with first-hand knowledge of this will look in though... at least now there are two of us!

Years ago I had an older Guild/Hartke 410 with a rumpled cone. I ran a Trace 200SM through it, and it was a beautiful thing. Had a Rickie 4003s for a while going in, and I had plenty of lows and highs; thing cut through a loud rowdy band just right. I've heard lots of 'nice-looking' rigs that sounded silly live- usually due to someone's perception, a poor FOH, or sucky room. Hartke is solid gear.

Bump.. any Trace experts handy? Here's a photo of the amp in question: And the back panel: To reiterate, the head sounds 'darker', less 'lively' than my AH250SMX or the AMP BH-420 on-hand. Any thoughts?

[quote name='tayste_2000' post='863453' date='Jun 10 2010, 11:36 AM']Surely the AMP is the better head with basically being a Thunderfunk[/quote] Dunno. The Trace head just does something in the way of balance (or something) to the sound that I like. It's punchy, contained but pretty powerful- just sits in the mix in a pleasant way.

Well here's the rub on the whole deal: I was trying to trade my AMP BH-420 for a Trace Elliot Series-6 AH350. Deal ended up not going down... Meanwhile I had flirted with the 610, but the kid who has it wants my AMP BH-20 in trade. Now, I have 2 other heads, both Trace. One is the venerable 250SMX, the other is the slightly less venerable GP-11 MK IV, also an AH250. The MK IV is in need of servicing, but it works (UV light makes it noisy). I already have the Peavey, but have thought seriously about the Ampeg 610 since it came into the crosshairs. That's it. I'm not sure it's worth giving up the BH-420 for, when I hae a nice cab that just needs to be loaded with better speakers (Scorpions in there now, not going to work for me). I'd still like to find a Series-6 head to swap with an AMP enthusiast. But that's another thread... anyway that's the whole story now.

[quote name='tayste_2000' post='860914' date='Jun 8 2010, 07:53 AM']Are you getting the AMP or getting rid?[/quote] I've been offering the AMP as swap-fodder for a Trace Series-6, an AH300 or so.

Well this has turned out to be a fun thread! Lots of different answers... So far it appears I'm keeping the Peavey, and going with an original plan of trading an AMP BH-420 for a Trace head (Series-6 AH 350). I'll be off to download WinISD to model some drivers, we'll see how cheap I can get out of this. All remarks taken with credence and grains of salt! Thanks much, all! I'll update when the final resutls are in.

I think it's a good deal heftier than that for output. Also I don't mind too much, as I'm not using a very high-powered head anyway. I'm after a quality of sound more than sheer power. I think one of the things that made the Ampeg 'fridge work was the comparatively low output of those 10s it used. The overall effect was very happening. And the SVT head, although we're talking 'tube-watts', was only 300 "actual watts" (another discussion I guess!)- light-duty by present standards. Okay, I'm derailing my own thread now...

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='859807' date='Jun 7 2010, 08:09 AM']Both: Doom What speakers have you got lined up for the peavey? I think you Ampeg will have a far better resale, but it might not agree with valve amps so well if the speakers are 8 ohm each, you end up with a funny total.[/quote] I'm looking at a pair of Eminence 'Betas' for the Peavey 215D. The head I'm using is a Trace Elliot AH250SMX, with a Trace MK IV as backup, so it's SS for the power sections. If I had tubes I'd just be saving up for a Berg NV 610! Sealed cabs and tubes... that's the ticket right there. Anyway I'm leaning toward the Ampeg, as I'm believing that 10s would tend to greater dispersion and clarity. The 'peg will be a degree more portable though, I figure. The Peavey is a pig to move. Ears are open...

Not at all, thanks!

Just a light survey here. I have a Peavey 215D that I'm going to put new speakers into... but I've run into an Ampeg 610 and wonder what you guys think of 'em. I'll end up keeping just one, and am intrigued with the 610 and what I've "heard" about it. I'm thinking about tighter focus with depth, and abitlity to get some 'growl' from it, on a bigger stage. Opine, anyone?

Hey folks. I bought an AH250 GP11 a while back, it's a MK IV I'm pretty sure. Compared to an AMP BH-420, and a newer TE AH250SMX head, each played through an old Peavey 215D and then a pair of Bag End S15-D cabs, the MK IV sounds a little darker and more 'contained' than the other two heads. Is this just the inherent quality of the pre in the MK IV, or does it sound like the amp needs a servicing? The UV light makes noise when turned on as well, so it needs help anyway- just wondering if this sound issue is a maintenance thing. Thanks for your time.

So. Story's too long, suffice this: I need to give away an amp. I have a Trace Elliot AH250SMX GP12, and a Trace Elliot AH250MK IV GP11. I like the SMX, and I beieve it's a little louder than the Mk IV. But I suspect the earlier model to be a more solid unit. Also I just like older stuff. But I haven't taken the MK IV out on a gig, I will in a couple weeks... meanwhile I'm just looking for some conventional wisdom on the subject. So, which would you keep, and why?

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='845750' date='May 23 2010, 09:08 AM']This is correct. Beyond a certain volume it's far more sensible to rely on decent tri- or quad-amped PA systems, that someone else supplies for you. Mic the cab or make sure your DI sound is good.[/quote] +1 on the volume thing. My best discovery of late is that I don't need a huge rig- a mid-powered head is usually all I ever need- if I have efficient cabs. Having a good DI-out and a ground lift on the amp is a great idea. Anyway, get the Warwick!

You sort of have 2 basic choices, it appears: Portable and impressive, or impressive and intimidating... Which direction, without looking at any of the gear, are you most inclined to go? All this stuff is re-sellabel anyway, if you find you're not happy with it. You've got your hands, you've got the bass. I'd say speakers are the next most important part of your rig, then your amp. I have a Trace Elliot 250SMX head that I've sworn by, but it's off for a repair and I've been using my AMP BH-420 in its place (grudgingly at first). Given the opportunity (necessity) to prove it, I've found it's a great amp! Anyway, as long as I have my Bag End cabs, I'm in good shape no matter which head I use- within reason of course. My point: Don't settle just for what's around if you really don't have to! Get what suits you. And I'd say that even if you have to use a 'second-choice' head, get speakers you like. See paragraph above... How's that for throwing you a curve! Sorry...

[quote name='Mr Rabble' post='842074' date='May 19 2010, 09:07 AM']You're probably right about this X series, which i didn't even hear about before Anyway the original statement "[i]Mar 1999 Introduction of 12-band series (GP12X preamp)[/i]" is surely wrong, because the 12-band series was introduced in the very early nineties, with the SMX series[/quote] Well the SMX was all about the 12-band- among other features- right? So the 12-band existed before the "X" version... Maybe the statement should more accurately read, (original quote edited here) "[i]Mar 1999 Introduction of [b]GP12X 12-band preamp[/b][/i]" Might be beating this up a bit now...

[quote name='dlloyd' post='840492' date='May 18 2010, 03:16 AM']Mar 1999 Introduction of 12-band series (GP12X preamp)[/quote] I mistook this as well. The SMX with 12-band was already out, so I didn't notice the X wasn't SMX. All these 12-band X-thingies...

[quote name='Mr Rabble' post='840888' date='May 18 2010, 09:24 AM']The GP12SMX was introduced much earlier than 1999 I bought mine back in 1993[/quote] More like it. Now I think mine was more like '94, '95...

Thanks for the run-down. Still interested in more detail about the 80's editions. It seems to me that back in 1996 or so I was aware of the GP12 SMX. I had a 210 cab back then, and had been playing in a little post-psyechedelic band called Plan 9... I had the GP-7 preamp for a bit then, and had a brochure on the SM/SMX stuff.