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NAD - Peavey MiniMAX™ 500 Watt Bass Amplifier Head *Review*

discreet

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in Amps and Cabs

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grandad Proficient

grandad

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At present I'm using a TCE BG250-208 chosen for size, weight and convenience. The sound is pretty good for a 2 x 8.

However, I now have GAS for what appears to be the perfect rig for me in that I imagine it to also have the heft that my previous Peavey head into an Ampeg 115 had. So, should I have the steel grill or the cloth?
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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[quote name='grandad' timestamp='1464204832' post='3057603']
I now have GAS for what appears to be the perfect rig for me in that I imagine it to also have the heft that my previous Peavey head into an Ampeg 115 had. So, should I have the steel grill or the cloth?
[/quote]

The cloth grille is lighter... however, maybe you should wait until I've gigged this rig and written my review? I'd hate for you to go ahead and buy something only to be disappointed. I'm 90% sure it will be good, but y'know... just sayin'. :)

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grandad Proficient

grandad

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[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1464244202' post='3057788']
Buying this rig is downsizing...
[/quote]

Yes but as I'm no longer gigging with the covers band I must sell the remainder of my PA gear before I buy anything. Got to de-clutter.

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[quote name='grandad' timestamp='1464270601' post='3058078']
I must sell the remainder of my PA gear before I buy anything.
[/quote]

That's good - I will have gigged the rig well before then and will have posted my thoughts about it. Not that you should ever base any purchasing decision on what I think, of course. I'm a well-known loony. :D

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Paul S Grand Master

Paul S

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1464271672' post='3058091']
That's good - I will have gigged the rig well before then and will have posted my thoughts about it. Not that you should ever base any purchasing decision on what I think, of course. I'm a well-known loony. :D
[/quote]

+1

:)

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Paul S Grand Master

Paul S

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I feel I should qualify that. You write reviews that are just too damned sexy and it is just too damned easy for a weak-willed, GAS-fuelled and naturally curious kind of chap to be seduced. Just stop it.

:)

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1464277445' post='3058159']
You write reviews that are just too damned sexy and it is just too damned easy for a weak-willed, GAS-fuelled and naturally curious kind of chap to be seduced. Just stop it.
[/quote]

Don't worry Paul, I'll make this one very boring for you. ;)

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1464282573' post='3058200']
Fffttfft! No sound-clips
[/quote]

Not this time, buddy! A sound clip of an amp is subject to so many parameters, by the time it gets to your ears it's going to be pretty meaningless. Besides if past attempts are anything to go by, you'll just say that you can't hear the bass... :P

Edit: Mind you, having looked at some of the YouTube stuff, it could hardly be much worse. :blink:

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3below Mentor

3below

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[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1464288955' post='3058255']
Tfhhft! How many permutations can there be of a P Bass with flats?
[/quote]

Given how many have been made (and we all know they are different, never mind copies, tributes etc) x the range of flats available I suspect the answer is somewhat large :)

No immediate answer on Google about how many Fender P basses have been made in total.

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Guest bassman7755

Guest bassman7755

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[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1464167446' post='3057032']
everyone uses pedal tuners for gigs don't they?
[/quote]

Not me, I hate having to use outboard pedals so a built in tuner and compressor are mandatory amp features as far as I'm concerned.

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[b]Post-Gig Review:[/b][list]
[*]500 Watts RMS @ 4 ohms/300W RMS @ 8 ohms
[*]DDT™ speaker protection
[*]Pre-gain control with TransTube® gain boost
[*]3-band EQ with Punch, Mid-shift and Bright controls
[*]Psychoacoustic low end bass enhancement
[*]Built-in direct output with ground lift and pre/post switch
[*]1/8" aux input
[*]1/8" phones output
[*]Chromatic tuner with speaker and DI mute
[*]Two twist-lock/combo 1/4" outputs
[*]Built-in effects loop
[*]Active and Passive inputs
[*]Dimensions: 10.75" width x 3.25" height x 6.625" depth
[*]Weight: 5.6 lbs (2.5kg)
[*]Padded amp bag included
[*]Price paid: £295 from Thomann
[/list]
Full specifications: [url="https://assets.peavey.com/literature/manuals/118756_31051.pdf"]https://assets.peave...18756_31051.pdf[/url]








I want to post my personal impressions of this amp, so haven't listed the function of every single control and button and haven't listed all the available features. Please check out the online PDF manual for full specifications and technical stuff: [url="https://assets.peavey.com/literature/manuals/118756_31051.pdf"]https://assets.peave...18756_31051.pdf[/url] ...now read on:

I did two gigs over the weekend and I know there are one or two people waiting to hear if the Peavey MiniMax can do what the classic heavy-duty late 80s/early 90s TNT 1X15 combos do so well, which is basically - heft and great tone, in a reliable and bullet-proof package. I use a TNT in our rehearsal room (a damp shed) and always get a really great sound from it.

With this in mind and being nothing if not conscientious in my efforts to bring BC members the Full Monty, I bought a Peavey TNT 160 from the Bay for £100, picked it up Saturday morning and gigged it that night. It had been stored unused in a glazed porch for fifteen years, being alternately frozen and cooked and providing an ideal habitat for the local insect community. A quick wipe-over with a damp cloth and it worked first time when I fired it up. You have to admire that kind of quality and longevity.

The TNT was much as expected. Easy to use, easy and obvious controls, easy to get a good on-stage sound, easy to project that sound to the back of the room. Difficult to move around. The 160 weighs 77lbs (35kg), certainly more than heavy enough to cause serious injury to a clumsy oaf. I shifted it with a sack truck, but even so getting it in and out of the car on my own took a little thought and care. But it can be done, and I'm sure it would get easier if I decided to use it on a regular basis. But I'd rather not. :)

Sunday night's gig was far less traumatic for the back and arms, as I had taken my newly-acquired Peavey MiniMax and Barefaced One10 cab, plus a Diamond Bass Compressor BCP-1 (of which more in a separate review). Total weight: around 12kg all-in, including Stagg amp stand and all cables and leads. An easy one-hand carry, then. But the question is, does the MiniMax do that thing that the TNT combos do? The answer is 'yes' - and then some.

For the record, here's how to get a TNT-type sound from a MiniMax: Clown Buttons OFF. Gain: 9 o'clock. Bass: 2 o'clock. Middle: 10 o'clock. Treble: 10 o'clock. Wind up the volume. [i]Et Violin![/i] But the MiniMax/One10 combo sounds better overall than the TNT - the bass is tighter and more focussed (I'm expecting more low-end as the driver breaks-in), mids are punchier and the top-end has more presence. Better onstage sound too, especially angled at 45 degrees on a stand. I'm sure the TNT could be improved by pointing it at your ears, but try getting it up high or finding a stand that would be safe to use...

The Mini/One10 rig sounded great in the mix and one may well wonder where this big bass sound comes from. The rig looks like it would just about serve as a monitor, but the bass was the only instrument (apart from the kick drum and percussion) that was not going through the PA - and the rig acquitted itself well in a large bar/restaurant with the Gain at 9 o'clock and the Master at 10 o'clock. Lots of headroom, plenty of volume. Even knowing what I now know, I keep thinking I should budget for a second One10, but that would really be gilding the lily, or over-egging the pudding. Or something.

So no competition then, IMHO - apart from the outlay. TNT = around £100 used, which really is the bargain of the century, IF you don't mind coping with the considerable weight, that is. I do mind, so I paid a further £570 for the privilege of better tone and a rig that can be carried for quite some distance with one hand. If you really had to walk far with it you could fit it into a regular shopping trolley, I'm sure. Whether or not you think the extra investment is worth it is entirely subjective of course.

I should probably qualify the above and say I was using a Lakland P Bass strung with La Bella 760FS flats and currently favour a clean but muscular, well-defined fingerstyle thump that blends nicely with a kick drum. If you use a different bass with different strings and a different cab and/or use a pick, you would no doubt get a different result. YMMV. :)

So should you buy a MiniMax? Peavey have a reputation for reliability and great tone and as far as that goes it's a good, powerful amp. I can imagine it getting loud with two 8ohm cabs. As for reliability, ask me again in fifteen years. It's easy to use, easy to get a good sound with and easy to carry. The on-board tuner is the icing on the cake and means you can dispense with your floor tuner pedal or fiddly, not-always-accurate clip-on headstock tuner. Given that you [i]always [/i]need to check your tuning when you plug into an amp, I don't know why an on-board tuner isn't found on every single new bass amp as standard.

I bought mine from Thomann for less than £300, which is a revolutionary price for a 300W @ 8ohms / 500W @ 4ohms Class-D amp. And if it turns out to be as reliable as Peavey's legacy equipment, then the MiniMax will be a real winner. But don't take my word for it - buy one from Thomann and if you don't like it, take advantage of their 30-day money-back no-questions-asked return policy. But if you keep it, you have the reassurance of Thomann's own 3-year warranty. I'd say if you like Peavey gear in general then I think you'd like this. The only issue is reliability and only time will answer that question.

Also bear in mind I haven't used the MiniMax with a bass strung with rounds; I don't ever use onboard disto circuits, but am assuming if that's what you're into, you probably already have a good tone-shaper or preamp; and I haven't used the amp through two cabs, or any cab other than the Barefaced One10. The MiniMax is not a 'pure' amp and it will colour the sound of your bass somewhat; and the One10 will colour it a bit more. Personally I really like the combination of the two colours, it works very well for me and my band. Whether it would would work very well for you and YOUR band is for you to decide. :)

[b]PROS[/b]
Light and loud
Sounds good
Built like a tank
Easy to use
Extensive EQ options
Looks great - retro vibe
On-board tuner
Good gigging amp
Protective idiot cover for voltage selector
Useful padded bag included
Very competitively priced in its category

[b]CONS[/b]
Fan is LOUD and always on
Speaker out sockets aren't Speakon, but generic 'twist-lock' sockets (combo 6.3mm jack sockets)
Gain needs to be fairly low (8-9 o'clock-ish) to get truly clean sounds
Tone-shaping buttons could be seen as a gimmick; I would prefer micro-switches to see which are on or off at a glance
Chicken heads look good but feel a bit cheap; I would prefer nicely-weighted, rubberised rotary controls
Only time will tell if the legendary Peavey reliability is built-in
A decent on-board optical compressor would be great, but would no doubt increase price
'Big' for a Class-D amp. Ha! :)




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CamdenRob Mentor

CamdenRob

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What a great review... Real world experience counts for so much when evaluating gear.

After considering a pair of One10s for a while it was your review that pushed me over the edge and I got a pair ordered up... I now have them and they are fantastic :)

Great work and another great contribution to BC.

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1464624358' post='3060914']
After considering a pair of One10s for a while it was your review that pushed me over the edge and I got a pair ordered up... I now have them and they are fantastic :)
[/quote]

You've no idea how much of a relief it is to know that! :happy:
New Cab Day thread incoming??

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[quote name='skychaserhigh' timestamp='1464625912' post='3060936']
What are clown buttons by the way ?
[/quote]

TT Boost - Punch - Mid Shift - Bright - Psycho-Acoustics Technology

See manual for an explanation of their function. I'm not saying they're not useful - just not that useful for me. ATM.
[url="https://assets.peavey.com/literature/manuals/118756_31051.pdf"]https://assets.peave...18756_31051.pdf[/url]

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