Ashdown or Ampeg?

[Duncbass]

Thinking of updating my gear and getting Ashdown 2x10 Neo Bass Cabinet along with an RM420, for usual pub rock. Tempted by this or Ampeg offering, is it worth the extra? Or am I on a winner with both? Anyone got any opinions?

[BruceBass3901]

I've got the ABM 210 NEO and it is a great cab. I've got a thread about it if you want a more in depth review

[Merton]

And I have the RM800 which is a fabulous amp. The 420 is the same with a less powerful power section but will probably be plenty for pubs

[Lw.]

ive never been able to get a tone i like out of an ashdown amp so i know which id go for but it depends what you are after i guess, im sure theyre fine though once you spend a bit more time with them. the cabs i have found more usable.

[bassix]

I bought the 420, adored the sound against A LOT of other amps in the shop so bought it online for a ridiculously good price. Took to it to band practice at 8 ohm and it just couldn't cut it so it went back.

[Duncbass]

[quote name='bassix' timestamp='1444377311' post='2882634']
I bought the 420, adored the sound against A LOT of other amps in the shop so bought it online for a ridiculously good price. Took to it to band practice at 8 ohm and it just couldn't cut it so it went back.
[/quote]Thanks for the info - out of interest, what did you end up with? Did you try the ABM 500 Evo at all? I was thinking of one of these too.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='bassix' timestamp='1444377311' post='2882634']
I bought the 420, adored the sound against A LOT of other amps in the shop so bought it online for a ridiculously good price. Took to it to band practice at 8 ohm and it just couldn't cut it so it went back.
[/quote]

Out of interest, what speaker(s) did you put the 420 through?

[bassix]

If memory serves it went through a 300w 410, it just about kept up but that meant maxing the volume and pushing the input more than I would have liked.

I didn't try the abm evo, I was thinking class D at the time, at the moment without bass head, if I had the money I wouldn't hesitate to get the rm800.

Edited October 9, 2015 by bassix

[Merton]

The RM800 has power in bucket loads, it's insane.

The input stage can be pushed harder than you think (assuming no crazy EQ/sub/comp settings) so I wonder if the 420 just wasn't being driven hard enough at the front end?

[0175westwood29]

[quote name='bassix' timestamp='1444380468' post='2882670']
If memory serves it went through a 300w 410, it just about kept up but that meant maxing the volume and pushing the input more than I would have liked.


I didn't try the abm evo, I was thinking class D at the time, at the moment without bass head, if I had the money I wouldn't hesitate to get the rm800.
[/quote]

At 8ohms I can maybe see why it was struggling maybe if you got a couple of 210's I think you'd be fine get the load to 4ohms

[bassix]

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1444385600' post='2882740']
The RM800 has power in bucket loads, it's insane.

The input stage can be pushed harder than you think (assuming no crazy EQ/sub/comp settings) so I wonder if the 420 just wasn't being driven hard enough at the front end?
[/quote]

The chap at the shop said that you could but I was having it a 3 O'Clock to make it heard which felt too much to me.

[quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1444388828' post='2882794']
At 8ohms I can maybe see why it was struggling maybe if you got a couple of 210's I think you'd be fine get the load to 4ohms
[/quote]

The problem with it is the gigs I play I generally bring a head and plug into someone else's cab, the thought that it wouldn't be sufficient based on someone else's cab was too much for me. I'm sure at 4 Ohm it'd be fine but I couldn't guarantee I'd be getting that.

[bassix]

If anyone is interested this is where I bought it, over £100 cheaper than the next best.

http://www.musik-produktiv.co.uk/ashdown-rootmaster-420.html

[jazzyvee]

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1444375531' post='2882604']
ive never been able to get a tone i like out of an ashdown amp so i know which id go for but it depends what you are after i guess, im sure theyre fine though once you spend a bit more time with them. the cabs i have found more usable.
[/quote]

+1

[Duncbass]

[quote name='bassix' timestamp='1444391481' post='2882823']
If anyone is interested this is where I bought it, over £100 cheaper than the next best.

[url="http://www.musik-produktiv.co.uk/ashdown-rootmaster-420.html"]http://www.musik-pro...master-420.html[/url]
[/quote] Thanks for the nudge re the site!!

[Ashdown Engineering]

[quote name='bassix' timestamp='1444391293' post='2882819']
The chap at the shop said that you could but I was having it a 3 O'Clock to make it heard which felt too much to me.



The problem with it is the gigs I play I generally bring a head and plug into someone else's cab, the thought that it wouldn't be sufficient based on someone else's cab was too much for me. I'm sure at 4 Ohm it'd be fine but I couldn't guarantee I'd be getting that.
[/quote]

Hi Bassix,

Bit of confusion here it appears so I thought I should try to help. So firstly to clarify - 'pushing the input volume more than i would have liked' can you expand a little more on this? What was it causing the worry about turning the input volume up? A bit more info on the input gain on the Rootmaster.... If you ever played or saw the old MAG amps they had Passive and an Active inputs so as such unless you had a freakily high output bass or very low output bass most users would have the input level around halfway, However the Rootmaster is very different as there is a single input jack as opposed to the passive/active inputs on the old MAG. Therefore this means that the single input control on the RM has to cover the entire spectrum of what was covered by the pair of inputs on the old MAG. Therefore the input gain is designed so that if you are using an ultra low output bass, take a vintage P bass for example you will need the input gain almost all the way up! If you are using a monster 24v active bass the input gain will be set right down low almost off, then the vast majoity of regular out basses will most likely sit between halfway and 3/4. This is how the amp is designed and you should have been able to hear the front end clipping if you were driving it too hard and if you were lacking volume I would hazard a guess you weren't. The RM amps can run with the input all the way up all day long with no problem but you should hear and see on the VU if the input was too high.

Hope this helps.

[Merton]

[quote name='Ashdown Engineering' timestamp='1444426279' post='2883267']


Hi Bassix,

Bit of confusion here it appears so I thought I should try to help. So firstly to clarify - 'pushing the input volume more than i would have liked' can you expand a little more on this? What was it causing the worry about turning the input volume up? A bit more info on the input gain on the Rootmaster.... If you ever played or saw the old MAG amps they had Passive and an Active inputs so as such unless you had a freakily high output bass or very low output bass most users would have the input level around halfway, However the Rootmaster is very different as there is a single input jack as opposed to the passive/active inputs on the old MAG. Therefore this means that the single input control on the RM has to cover the entire spectrum of what was covered by the pair of inputs on the old MAG. Therefore the input gain is designed so that if you are using an ultra low output bass, take a vintage P bass for example you will need the input gain almost all the way up! If you are using a monster 24v active bass the input gain will be set right down low almost off, then the vast majoity of regular out basses will most likely sit between halfway and 3/4. This is how the amp is designed and you should have been able to hear the front end clipping if you were driving it too hard and if you were lacking volume I would hazard a guess you weren't. The RM amps can run with the input all the way up all day long with no problem but you should hear and see on the VU if the input was too high.

Hope this helps.
[/quote]

That's basically what I was trying to say, only done properly

[BluRay]

I use ABM NEO 210s - they're fantastic cabs. One is probably enough for most situations, but two is killer. I use them either with an ABM 500 or CTM 100 heads (both in the context of a loud gigging band) and no problems with volume or tone. They run very loud indeed with the abm head. My intial write up here http://basschat.co.uk/topic/225578-ncd-ashdown-abm-neo

[bassix]

[quote name='Ashdown Engineering' timestamp='1444426279' post='2883267']
Hi Bassix,

Bit of confusion here it appears so I thought I should try to help. So firstly to clarify - 'pushing the input volume more than i would have liked' can you expand a little more on this? What was it causing the worry about turning the input volume up? A bit more info on the input gain on the Rootmaster.... If you ever played or saw the old MAG amps they had Passive and an Active inputs so as such unless you had a freakily high output bass or very low output bass most users would have the input level around halfway, However the Rootmaster is very different as there is a single input jack as opposed to the passive/active inputs on the old MAG. Therefore this means that the single input control on the RM has to cover the entire spectrum of what was covered by the pair of inputs on the old MAG. Therefore the input gain is designed so that if you are using an ultra low output bass, take a vintage P bass for example you will need the input gain almost all the way up! If you are using a monster 24v active bass the input gain will be set right down low almost off, then the vast majoity of regular out basses will most likely sit between halfway and 3/4. This is how the amp is designed and you should have been able to hear the front end clipping if you were driving it too hard and if you were lacking volume I would hazard a guess you weren't. The RM amps can run with the input all the way up all day long with no problem but you should hear and see on the VU if the input was too high.

Hope this helps.
[/quote]

Thanks for the information, when I tried in the shop the staff said that it could be pushed more than other gear at the input to maybe 1-2 O'Clock which I duly did at practice. I had the volume maxed and the input at 3 O'Clock with the "Shape" button unpressed to get heard against a guitarist and drummer.

Admittedly this was at 8 Ohm so I wasn't getting full welly from the amp but I thought (perhaps incorrectly) pushing it any further would be unwise for the long-term health of the amp. Perhaps this is an educational issue but to be fair I like to have headroom to move into if required and there wasn't that at 8ohm.

[JPJ]

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1444375531' post='2882604']
ive never been able to get a tone i like out of an ashdown amp so i know which id go for but it depends what you are after i guess, im sure theyre fine though once you spend a bit more time with them. the cabs i have found more usable.
[/quote]

I've always had this problem too until the other night in a local rehearsal space. The rig was an ABM 500 into the Ashdown 1x10, 1x15 (sort of SWR Triad type) cab. Rolled off a bit of the bass, fiddled about with the sliders and bingo, useable tone in bucket loads with nice little bit of bite from the valve too. Eye opener as I've never been able to get that before.

[Russ]

Ashdown.

The EQ voicing is nicer and more usable, there's bucketloads of tones on offer with the pre-shape, the drive control and the octaver, plus there's far fewer horror stories about their reliability. I had my old SVT-7 head die on me during the first song on a gig a few weeks back, and it's been replaced with a RM-800 (partly thanks to Merton's review on here ). Loving it so far. Great tone, and LOUD though my Barefaced Big Twin.

[Merton]

[quote name='Russ' timestamp='1444753376' post='2885634']
(Snip) and it's been replaced with a RM-800 (partly thanks to Merton's review on here ). Loving it so far. Great tone, and LOUD though my Barefaced Big Twin.
[/quote]

Ah awesome, glad you like it

[Duncbass]

Thanks for all the advice - looks like I'll be checking out Ashdown!!!

[Kevin Dean]

I have the ABM1000 & two 2 x Neo cabs sound wise alone it's just fantastic , very light , & looks dead cool ....get one !
I 've had a Ampeg 8x10 & SVT & for me it was very heavy , It didn't have the very useful effects the Ashdown has , & build quality was poor .

[discreet]

Ashdown or Ampeg? How about both - I'm running an ABM 575 Evo with the EQ switched out and a VT Bass in front. Rich, harmonic tube-like tone and slam for days, all through a Schroeder 21012L. Hummana-hummana-hummana. Eureka!

Edited October 18, 2015 by discreet

[Lo-E]

While I've liked the Ashdown heads I've heard, I can't say I've ever been all that crazy about their cabinets.

Before you write me off as overtly biased, I'll gladly admit that I'm not that familiar with their entire product range and that there are a fair amount of recent Ampeg cabs I've disliked as well.

Having said all that, I recently played through a friend's SVT-210AV and was completely floored by how good it sounded and how loud it was capable of getting for a moderately priced 210.

I know that Ampeg gear is a fair bit more expensive on your side of the pond, but I urge you to give one a listen if you can. I did not have high expectations, but I was completely impressed.