TC Electronics Classic 450 Amp Head

[Lozz196]

Quick review of the above.

450 watts at 4 ohms, one speakon speaker out, tuner out, Tubetone (tm) control, onboard Spectracomp (tm) compressor. Gain, bass, low-mid, high-mid & treble, volume and gain. Mute facility for tuning etc.

I like an old-school tone, and have previously gone down the Marshall route with bass amps, however I`ve finally had to accept that in some areas I need to compromise on the weight of my gear. I did have an Orange Terror, and it was a great amp, but it was a bit too full-on for me, as I can be a bit heavy handed with my playing, so wanted something with a bit more finesse. I saw this amp being advertised (by Clarky), looked into TCE, then arranged a swap.

The Classic gives me that old-school tone that I was after, but it can also do a lot more besides. It is incredibly powerful. Hooked up to my two Ampeg cabs (SVTs 210AV & 410HE) the max I could put the amp on was 3.5, and even then I was way too loud for the rest of the band, however the sound wasn`t distorting, it retained the tone that was set.

The Classic may be small, but it doesn`t compromise on either the quality of the sound, or the amount of volume available. All in all, it is a great amp, and is lighter than your weeks shopping, easily carried in one hand. You can get various bags for these, and realistically, you can fit yr amp, all your leads, and a tuner in the one bag. Sling it over your shoulder, bass in one hand, leaving the other hand free to move a lightweight cab about. Bass playing is being made much easier thanks to gear like this.

Edited January 6, 2011 by Lozz196

[Paultrader]

Did a first gig with my new TC Electronic Classic 450 amp last night, coupled with an RS 210 cab. I have also bought the RS 212 cab but didn't take it because this was a small gig. Quite a lot to shell out but its my first new gear for thirteen years, and I gig regularly, so I felt I deserved the indulgence.

I have used a Trace Elliot 300 watt 15" combo for years, coupled with a Trace 2 x 10 cab. The Trace sound was awesome, and it was loud, but it was all so heavy that it was just getting me down. The TC Electronic gear is beautifully light.

Coupled with my Fender Jazz, the whole outfit looks gorgeous. Obviously, being a first try out I had to spend some time getting the sound I wanted, which for this band is a deep thump coupled with a strong treble to cut through. The amp is very easy to manage; it hasn't got too many controls. I found the four tone settings responsive and simple to play around with. I tend to get the sound I want and leave it at that, and the controls on this amp are fine for this approach.

Initially, the response felt very different to the Trace sound, but it didn't take long to get used to it. This rig is incredibly loud for its size, and has plenty of grunt. The deep tones are strong and clean, but the Tubetone control adds that classic sixties bass sound if you want it. Initially I added some compression, but I found I preferred it shut down completely. The sound overall is warm, rich, and seems to accentuate sustain. There is a very good balance across the frequency range.

This set up has a powerful, warm tone and I love it. I really can't believe how much volume is produced by such a small, light rig. I can definitely recommend it.

Can't wait for the next opportunity to play live, and a gig with my soul band next month when I can add the RS 212 and really shift some air!

Paul

[JapanAxe]

[b]TC Electronic Classic 450 head + Barefaced Compact cab[/b]

I previously left a 'micro review' in the heads and cabs discussion forum, and promised a full review when I'd gigged the Classic, so here it is...

The gig was a dep job with a 6-piece country band, with drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel, and up to 4 people singing at once (including me). Material ranged from old trad country to modern country-rock. I took my CIJ Fender Precision and MIJ Squier Jazz. I had set up the Classic at home with bass flat, lo mid +1, hi mid flat, treble +1, spectracomp 4, tubetone 3. The room was a large hall (300 capacity seated if used that way) with a 4ft high stage. Based on the PA guy listening from the floor I set the master to 4.5. I also turned the tubetone down to 2. The bass didn't go through the PA.

I played the P for the first set. A couple of numbers in, it was apparent that the bottom end was booming (the stage was probably the culprit) so I turned the bass control down one notch. I can only describe the resulting sound as perfect! I could hear every note clearly, and they stayed full and fat up to the 12th fret, which was as high as I needed to go.

I broke out the J for the second set, and that's when I really started to smile. I have never heard that bass sound so good. There was no lack of dynamics, even though the head was filling a large room through a single 8-ohm cab. I realised I probably didn't [i]need[/i] the Barefaced Midget I have on order, but I can't wait to hear how it sounds with the Classic, both on its own and with the Compact .

For me the Classic and Compact are a winning combination. It's easy to get a great sound from the Classic, and the Compact lets you hear exactly what you are playing. The only downside is that there is nowhere to hide, and I can't get away with murder by putting out a muddy rumble in the bottom end of the mix!

Edited November 11, 2012 by JapanAxe