JapanAxe Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 (edited) I bought this used from eBay for a jolly good price. Fired it up through my Compact after it arrived (Saturday) and was initially underwhelmed. Over the last year I have become used to my TC Classic 450, and its growly TubeTone™ sound is now my benchmark. I needed to crank the gain on the 900 to about 2 o'clock (with the gain switch in) to get the same growl. Later on I whipped the top cover off and checked the valves on my Orange Valve Tester. V1 was a JJ ECC83S and tested fine, but the V2 and V3 (both Ruby Tubes) failed! I replaced them with a couple of unbranded valves from my stock of spares, and plugged the amp into my Midget. With my Sandberrg Cali VM4 (strung with flats) in hand, I set about tweaking the tone. I also referred to [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/genz-streamliner-600-900-tone-control-primer-813663/"]this[/url] really useful Talkbass thread on the Streamliner preamp. With bass at 11 o'clock, mid at 2 o'clock (600Hz) and treble flat, I got a lovely full round tone. The single word that best describes it is 'authoritative' - the notes sound like they mean it! Even with some grit dialled in, the Streamliner is much more transparent than the Classic. I don't mean 'hi-fi squeaky clean'; rather, where the Classic imposes its character, the Streamliner lets you hear even subtle changes in tone and pickup blend. I will be giging this amp next Saturday, so I'll come back soon after with a fuller report. From another thread: [quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1380226677' post='2222645'] The Streamliner is a superb match for the Midget though as well. [/quote] Exactly! Edited October 7, 2013 by JapanAxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 I run a Streamliner into a Compact and I agree, it's not a very growly amp - more clean, but as you say punchy, deep and authoratative. I do run it with the gain switch on all the time, seems to lack something with it off, with the compact I tend to go bass at about 10-11 o'clock, mids about 2 o'clock at 2.5K (maybe 400Hz if open air, or if the room demands it) and treble about noon, maybe boosted a touch. I would love to give it a go through a cab with 12" drives and possibly a tweeter - mayber a Super 12T or one of the new Super Compacts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 I run the bass boosted on mine (mids and treble flat), but that's into my Schroeder, and works nicely with the low-mid bump of the cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 I have a Streamliner 900 arriving tomorrow (with luck) but it will be a month or so before I can really give it a try out at volume through my Vanderkley 2 x 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 I'm more tempted than a tempted thing to try and get hold of a streamliner while they're as cheap as they currently are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted October 7, 2013 Author Share Posted October 7, 2013 (edited) [quote name='andydye' timestamp='1381151426' post='2234970'] I'm more tempted than a tempted thing to try and get hold of a streamliner while they're as cheap as they currently are! [/quote] Believe it or not, I have not yet decided whether to keep this*, and will probably come to a decision after Saturday! If it's a 'no', watch the Marketplace... [size=2]*My plan is to buy and try a few different used heads and just keep the one(s) I like the best.[/size] Edited October 7, 2013 by JapanAxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1381152421' post='2234994'] Believe it or not, I have not yet decided whether to keep this*, and will probably come to a decision after Saturday! If it's a 'no', watch the Marketplace... [size=2]*My plan is to buy and try a few different used heads and just keep the one(s) I like the best.[/size] [/quote] try before/during you buy is the way forward matey! Buying to use at a gig-test is emminently sensible methinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Awesome things. I use mine with a pair of Berg HD112 cabs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebassman Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 (edited) [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1381152421' post='2234994' [size=2]*My plan is to buy and try a few different used heads and just keep the one(s) I like the best.[/size] [/quote] That's exactly what I did , great fun it was too. I bought a GB streamliner 600, an orange terror bass and a shuttlemax 9.2. I ended up keeping the shuttlemax, it sounds great with my setup. I then just sold what I didn't want on here, although I couldn't bring myself to part with the orange either, haha. Cheers Thebassman Edited October 7, 2013 by thebassman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Mine arrived yesterday, I'll not get to use it in anger until November but will report back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) What about using it in a good mood at home!? EDIT: mine didn't really click for me till I started to play along with some tracks. Edited October 9, 2013 by JapanAxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1381336848' post='2237840'] What about using it in a good mood at home!? [/quote] I tried it at home with the volume set as low as I could get it just to make sure it was working OK, sounded warm and bassy but I'll only have a real comparison against the other amps I've tried once I've used it with the band. Ummmm... it looks great, I like the fact you can see the valves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 Just tried my 5-er through it. This thing has much more range in both directions than the TC Classic. I got a nice tone with gain switch in, gain and volume at about noon, bass backed off slightly, mids boosted at 600Hz, treble flat. I say 'tone', I should say 'range of tones' - as I said in my first post, you get a very clear reflection of any changes in control settings on the bass itself. These settings gave a good string balance, which is always nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1381353226' post='2238120'] Just tried my 5-er through it. This thing has much more range in both directions than the TC Classic. I got a nice tone with gain switch in, gain and volume at about noon, bass backed off slightly, mids boosted at 600Hz, treble flat. I say 'tone', I should say 'range of tones' - as I said in my first post, you get a very clear reflection of any changes in control settings on the bass itself. These settings gave a good string balance, which is always nice. [/quote] Sounds to me as though sir is coming to appreciate his new amp yes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted October 10, 2013 Author Share Posted October 10, 2013 [quote name='andydye' timestamp='1381356079' post='2238153'] Sounds to me as though sir is coming to appreciate his new amp yes? [/quote] Yes indeed, but the proof of the pudding will be on Saturday - afternoon jam on fretless, evening gig on fretted 4! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1381336848' post='2237840'] What about using it in a good mood at home!? [/quote] That remark needs to be pinned somewhere. This novel concept has great promise! I'm telling ya! BTW, just ordered a 900 myself, and will try and report when I'm in a good mood. May take a while though. Edited October 13, 2013 by BassTractor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 (edited) Full review posted [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/171973-genz-benz-streamliner-900-stm-900/page__view__findpost__p__2242722"]here[/url]. Edited October 13, 2013 by JapanAxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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