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Ashdown RM 800 or TC BH800 or something in the £400-£500 bracket. Now NAD


lowhand_mike
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soo... my mag 300 failed during our gig on saturday, the Di still worked (fortunately as it was going through FOH) but the output was almost completely silent so it going to the amp tech but i've had it a while and its faired well so time for something new and an upgrade to boot.

My initial thoughts were for the Ashdown Rootmaster RM 800, mertons review had alot to do with that and i like the ashdown sound that i got from my mag 300. I was pretty much decided then made the fatal error of 'just' having a look at other amps in the same price range which brought up the TC BH800. Slightly less tone controls but has the toneprint function which seems good though only having 1 patch on at a time is a little limited, sounds pretty good from the clips ive heard.
theres also the portaflex Ampeg 800 which again is similar in on board controls though i have no experience of ampeg sounds.

it will be going into my ashdown mag 4x10 (8ohm)

so was i right to start with or should i stray from the ashdown path? and are there any other options i havent thought of yet?

thanks in advance

Edited by lowhand_mike
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If you like the Ashdown sound it makes sense to stick with it and go for the RM. There are a couple of AMB500s on here at present, which I believe are a step up form the MAG Series, so may b worth having a look there. That way you`ll have an ABM with the MAG, once repaired, as backup.

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Yup, I'd agree with Lozz and suggest a secondhand ABM from hereabouts. I wouldn't get carried away by the 'half price' thing, either - that's pretty much the going price everywhere...

The LMIIIs are more sterile and kinda clinical (although warm) than the Ashdown sound you're used to - when I had mine I had a preamp pedal in front of it 100% of the time, which is why I moved it on in the end. There's plenty of debate on here about the differences between power stage classes and the difference in 'heft' (or lack of difference), and the ABM/MAG and the RM/LMIII are very different beasts in that respect.

Try before you buy, (especially new) if you possibly can...

Edited by Muzz
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[quote name='lowhand_mike' timestamp='1454077456' post='2966209']
i was under the impression the RM800 had the ashdown sound.

should also mention that we play classic rock covers so the amp should fit to that.
[/quote]

The Rootmaster has the Ashdown tone, no doubt about that. I had one for a while and found the driven sound very similar to my old ABM500. A bit less heft maybe. And, The Rootmaster is supposedly the updated MAG anyway, IIRC, so you should be on familiar ground.

Moving to TC will be quite a change.

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  • 1 month later...

Tried out the RM amp today (think the RM800) at the London Bass Guitar Show. Was hooked up to an ABM610 cab. Totally awesome, I`m trying very hard to make myself realise that even 30 odd KG for that 610 is too much for me, but that set-up was amazing. If I had a van I could leave the cab in all the time I`d buy it in an instant. And forget the "woolly" comments about the Ashdown sound, I like a driven JJ/Bruce Foxton/Duff McKagan sound and the RM/ABM combinatuon dealt out as much of that as I wanted.

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They only had a Classic Line or RM610 there - red grille cloth or white speaker cones? Either way, glad you like the RM head! I've been singing its praises since I got one of the first RM800s last year, cracking head :)

Ooh, and if I was still in the market for a "big" cab that Classic Line 610 would have been mine, it was only £650!

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Hmmm, def not red grill but didn`t notice white speaker cones. It was the cab that had an ABM600 on top of it, and on top of that was the RM800. Was priced at £469. Whatever it was it was a great cab - the solidity of the sound coming out of it just pushed into me whilst I was sitting down playing. And have to agree with the praise re the RM, now if only there was a matching preamp/DI pedal in that range................

Edited by Lozz196
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The Bass Lounge have a Ashdown ABM400 combo for £499 brand new , they are selling Ashdown stuff at trade for what ever reason . Anyway you could get that & take the head out , get a rack case from Ashdown & sell the speakers . The Head is normally £695 & is excellent ,

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[quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1457859454' post='3002308']
The Bass Lounge have a Ashdown ABM400 combo for £499 brand new , they are selling Ashdown stuff at trade for what ever reason . Anyway you could get that & take the head out , get a rack case from Ashdown & sell the speakers . The Head is normally £695 & is excellent ,
[/quote]

Or buy my full fat ABM combo in the for sale section for 300 notes. Same dimensions as the Neo and looks brand new.

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Sounds very positive if it was a RM 610t cab that you was playing through Lozz? I've searched and searched and there is nothing regarding user reviews/comments on this cab ?? I'm very interested in this as my Ampeg 6x10 is slightly to big for my motor( hence the sale)........the rootmaster 610 is perfect size(and price).

Sorry to derail the thread

Edited by danbowskill
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well i pulled the trigger on the RM 800 about a month ago but didnt get to try it out till sunday just gone, bought the FS2 footswitch as well so i could switch the drive and sub.
Played it through my Mag 410 and my god, what a sound. never got this kind of thickness from my Mag 300 EVOII. the drive at low levels gave a nice solidity to my sound and push it up a bit and switch it in and out during songs is awesome. The sub seems to work better than on my mag too though a little bit more subtle. Head room for days even running it at 8ohm only had the volume at 12 o'clock but backed it down to 11 as it was just too loud :lol:
My band mates all commented on the sound and how big it sounded and how much it vibrated the stage. Was considering buying a 2x10 to go with the 4x10 but not sure i really need to. Got mine for a bargin price as the evos had just come out too. Got a gig this weekend with it so i'll comment again after that.

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[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1458042630' post='3004106']
Excellent, glad you like :) All your comments are exactly the same as my experiences which is nice!
[/quote]

you are partly to blame why i have it merton :lol:
was a little cautious of it being class D and not having that 'heft' but it had more than the Mag300. Very very impressed, made my ibby sing B)

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[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1457817691' post='3002124']
Pester the chaps, they might cave in ;)

I think it was the RM cab, it was set up near the front of their stand with a chrome ABM and the RM on top of it :)
[/quote]
[quote name='danbowskill' timestamp='1457901421' post='3002895']
Sounds very positive if it was a RM 610t cab that you was playing through Lozz? I've searched and searched and there is nothing regarding user reviews/comments on this cab ?? I'm very interested in this as my Ampeg 6x10 is slightly to big for my motor( hence the sale)........the rootmaster 610 is perfect size(and price).

Sorry to derail the thread
[/quote]

Well Merton is our resident Ashdown expert and he says it was so I`m going with that. It was a very good combination, that amp/cab - I can`t cart about 610s anymore, which irritates me greatly as from my little use of this rig I loved it. In comparison I tried out the Aguilar Tonehammer (which I currently use) with the new Aguilar SL410 and wasn`t that fussed about it. Just kept thinking how much I preferred the Ashdown rig.

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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1458059292' post='3004275']


In comparison I tried out the Aguilar Tonehammer (which I currently use) with the new Aguilar SL410 and wasn`t that fussed about it. Just kept thinking how much I preferred the Ashdown rig.
[/quote]

Wow praise indeed :)

I'm not sure I'm the resident Ashdown expert, just a sad little man who happens to love their amps and spend too much time talking to them about millions of different cab and amp options and ending up with something completely different :D

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