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Ashdown ABM1000: long term experience?


gillento
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Has anyone a long term experience with the ABM1000?

I love the sound of my UK made ABM500 RC EVO3 and I love the dynamics of my mighty Aguilar db750.
I was wondering if the ABM1000 might be able to replace both amps.

What about the power amp dynamics/headroom?
Fan noise?

Any information is greatly appreciated!!!

Edited by gillento
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  • 2 months later...

[quote name='grenadilla' timestamp='1371207293' post='2111158']
I wonder if many people have even a "short term experience" with the ABM 1000. The bigger stores I check ( Musician's Friend ) haven't got them yet. There is still a mystery head listed. It has two valves, a ABM 500 power stage, and will cost about $830 if it arrives at the store. I might like one better than my MAG 600...
[/quote]

That "mystery head" is the Little Bastard 550. Basically, a Little bastard 30 pre-amp mated with the ABM500's power section. They have been around in the UK for a while (as in more than a year). I thought they only made 100, or something like that, so you may not ever get any over there. I haven't played one but they haven't exactly been hugely successful here in the UK.
BTW, this forum is not US-centric at all so you will potentially confuse a lot of folks unless you specify which "Birmingham" you live in (and I am making an educated guess that it may not be in Europe). The "real" Birmingham obviously being the one somewhere between Manchester and London.

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  • 3 months later...

I can't say that I have 'long term' experience as yet, but I picked up an ABM1000 about 3 weeks ago and whilst I've only rehearsed with it so far, I genuinely like it a lot and don't think it'll be going anywhere.

I've never even seen a DB750 so can't comment on that front, but having owned and sold an ABM500 evo3 a few years ago, I'm happy to report that in my opinion the ABM1000 blows it clean away; it's massively more powerful, feels more dynamically capable, sounds much tighter and more articulate, and has a classically warm (more so with the valve drive engaged) yet strident and clean basic tone with no 'wooly' character as so often gets levelled at Ashdowns. Personally I don't like and won't be using the compressor and the sub-harmonic generator, but if they were an integral part of your sound on the 500, they behave just the same on the 1000.

To answer a direct question, the fan is audible (as is the general hiss and hum of the amp through the speakers - it's not a silent runner) but nowhere near as much as on, say, a Hartke HA series.

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[quote name='Ed_S' timestamp='1380665830' post='2228834']
I can't say that I have 'long term' experience as yet, but I picked up an ABM1000 about 3 weeks ago and whilst I've only rehearsed with it so far, I genuinely like it a lot and don't think it'll be going anywhere.

I've never even seen a DB750 so can't comment on that front, but having owned and sold an ABM500 evo3 a few years ago, I'm happy to report that in my opinion the ABM1000 blows it clean away; it's massively more powerful, feels more dynamically capable, sounds much tighter and more articulate, and has a classically warm (more so with the valve drive engaged) yet strident and clean basic tone with no 'wooly' character as so often gets levelled at Ashdowns. Personally I don't like and won't be using the compressor and the sub-harmonic generator, but if they were an integral part of your sound on the 500, they behave just the same on the 1000.

To answer a direct question, the fan is audible (as is the general hiss and hum of the amp through the speakers - it's not a silent runner) but nowhere near as much as on, say, a Hartke HA series.
[/quote]

Hi, thanks for this info. Where did you get your ABM1000? Were you able to try one in store before buying? I don't seem to be able to find one anywhere to try out. Well, not down south anyway :)

Cheers

Geoff

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[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1380698890' post='2228959']
Hi, thanks for this info. Where did you get your ABM1000? Were you able to try one in store before buying? I don't seem to be able to find one anywhere to try out. Well, not down south anyway :)

Cheers

Geoff
[/quote]

Hey Geoff,

I picked mine up second hand (not that you'd know - it's not got a mark on it and still 'smells of new' if you know what I mean lol) from Richtone in Sheffield, so yeah, I had chance to try it out but obviously nowhere near the volume level it's capable of. It was the same when I bought the ABM500 in that I only got the basic flavour of the thing and sadly never realised that the volume I was getting in the shop wasn't far off its maximum capability. However, if I'm totally honest, I figured that it was worth a punt because at the price I was paying I could probably sell it on and get my money back if I found that I didn't take to it. As it stands, though, I'm just waiting to get it on top of my Super 12 and open the taps a bit!

As for where to try one, I really don't know - the only one I've ever seen in person is the one I bought!

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[quote name='Salt on your Bass?' timestamp='1381212041' post='2235734']
Hey ed, I'd be interested in your thoughts on the ashdown once you've played it in anger too, particularly compared to the abm500- not a lot of info out there on these.
[/quote]

No probs - will be happy to feed back, though it may be a few weeks now before I get chance, thanks to our singer doing her wedding type things and then heading off on honeymoon! Typical.. just when I want to test my new amp. Fair comparison with the ABM-500 will be hard as I particularly disliked it and didn't keep it very long at all, but I did use it for a couple of gigs so will try my best. :)

So far, I've used it at three rehearsals through my 4ohm Markbass 104HR and even though we're a melodic metal band and rehearse at (maybe even above) gig volume, only needed to push 9 o'clock on the master volume. The power in itself is impressive, but it's nothing compared to the way it's controlled and what's kept in reserve for when you push into the red on the VU; it doesn't compress or break up, it just hits you with an even bigger clean transient kick in the backside. I normally use some compression, but with the control this amp affords, it seemed a shame.

Settings - just as it came back from last rehearsal:

Passive, Shape, Valve Drive, EQ, no Compression, no Sub-Harmonic

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Interesting comment on the fans. On my UK made ABM500 Evo3 they were pretty much inaudible, and there was absolutely no hiss or hum on the speaker output either. It was probably the quietest amp I've owned, except my LB30. Even my LB550 has a louder fan - although lets get this in context, it's not audible when playing even gently.

Not that it bothers me either way, just an observation really.

Anyway - any further thoughts or observations you may have will be very welcome, especially from a gig perspective.

Cheers

Geoff

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[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1381575612' post='2240787']
Interesting comment on the fans. On my UK made ABM500 Evo3 they were pretty much inaudible, and there was absolutely no hiss or hum on the speaker output either. It was probably the quietest amp I've owned, except my LB30. Even my LB550 has a louder fan - although lets get this in context, it's not audible when playing even gently.

Not that it bothers me either way, just an observation really.

Anyway - any further thoughts or observations you may have will be very welcome, especially from a gig perspective.

Cheers

Geoff
[/quote]

I think you're spot on - you wouldn't notice the fan over even gentle playing. I seem to recall there being two fans on the 500, whereas there's only one on the 1000 - maybe the one on its own has to spin a bit faster to get the same cooling, or just the cooling requirements are greater given the different components and airflow inside the chassis and the higher overall power rating? It isn't 'noisy' and it doesn't seem to get hot, so I'm assuming all's fine.

As for the hiss and hum, I suppose that might have more to do with my basses not having particularly 'hot' outputs (passive P and J basses) so the input gain on the preamp being up quite high to get the right movement on the VU.

Soon as I can take it out and turn the dial on the end to 'war' I'll be sure to pass comment!

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  • 2 months later...

Hello,
I also tested this and I like it, but I have a problem when I turn on and turn off the amp you hear a loud "bump" in the speakers, I can not figure out if it is mine that is faulty or is a feature of this head, someone one of you who has it could tell me if you have this problem?
Thank you.

Edited by placebo77
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Hi Placebo,

Don't worry about the 'bump' when turning on/off - mine does exactly the same thing. I'm sure that Ashdown would be happy to offer a final word on it if you emailed them, but I think it's just a 'feature' of the amp.

All the best,
Ed

Edited by Ed_S
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[quote name='Ed_S' timestamp='1381220811' post='2235833']

Settings - just as it came back from last rehearsal:

Passive, Shape, Valve Drive, EQ, no Compression, no Sub-Harmonic

[/quote]

That's exactly the same (within a notch on two sliders) as the EQ settings on my ABM 500 combo...does it share the same EQ but with a different power stage to the 500?

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[quote name='placebo77' timestamp='1388737578' post='2325353']
....I have changed to a abm 500 and has a lot more volume, clarity and punch ...
good music !

alex
[/quote]
wow????
this seems to contradict the obvious... or did I get this wrong?
the Abm 500 being louder and clearer????

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  • 1 year later...

I have the ABM 400 RH & with the NEO cabs I have to say it is the best rig I have ever used . My only regret is not getting the ABM1000 , just because . & I have no idea why they have stopped them ? I would love to A/B it to the new ABM600 .
At band rehearsal last night every member of the band stopped & said what a great tone I had .

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If you've got a spare grand burning a hole through your pocket it looks like there are still a few left in various shops waiting to be bought up. My only regret in owning one is that I have no real justification for the cost of (and nowhere to store) two of the ABM Neo 4x8 cabs, because I think a modular 1000W 8x8 stack would be a lot of fun.

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An 8x8 stack would make a mighty rig,indeed! I have played through the abm 1000, and thought it had much more [i]clean[/i] headroom vs the evo III I tried. If looking for breakup, it may not quite compress, or "hit the rails" like a gk 700rb power section, as it has [b]so[/b] much headroom. However, the valve drive can add some grit, growl, etc.

That said, I'd be curious to try out the new abm 600. Ashdown seems to have updated with some new eq points, plus a refined valve pre circuit. On Ashdown's facebook page there is a [i]very[/i] quick clip that compares the abm 500 with the new 600. Not sure if the amps were setup with similar eq/levels, but the new abm 600 sounds a bit more forward, present in comparison. Of course, always good to try in person :)

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