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Which Of These Amps?


dpaulb
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Hello everyone.

What are the difference in sound between Eden WT-300, G/K 400 RB III and IV,  SWR Studio 220, SM400S, Redface Bass 350 and, Trace Elliot SMC 715 and Series 6 AH200s? 

I am unable to try them before ordering one.

I mainly play country, classic rock and folk rock.

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I’ve not tried all of them, but the SWR amps have a ‘baked in’ mid scoop (aural exciter) that can’t be turned off, only minimised by turning the knob all the way down. It can be compensated for by using the eq though. 

In their defence they’re *really* versatile amps. The Studio 220 was my favourite, but was a little underpowered for the band’s I was playing in. I sold mine and bought an SM400. 

The Trace stuff is great, but again might need some PA support when in a full band on a large stage.

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I doubt anyone will have owned all of those so a comparison will be tricky, Eden and SWR more modern sounding, and the Trace stuff more old school? So for rock, go with the Trace, but TBH they'll all sound great, you're fingers and choice of bass, cab and strings will make as much of a difference to your sound as your amp.

 

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It is very common way of thinking that the sound comes from the amp, and the amp only. Yes, naturally it is one part of the mix. And an amp has nice bells and whistles. Knobs and switches.

The cab is just a simple looking heavy box. No adjustments. But it is the cab that translates that power to sound - and it has to do it well. A cheap cab sound can not be fixed with an expensive amp.

I think that this complicated looks of an amp is just - complicated. My amp (Soul II) has an EQ override that is usually on. Most of the time my amp is set to certain power level. Almost no need to adjust it. A simple amp front could be a gain, a vol and a power switch. And maybe that power switch could be omitted, too. If the base sound is good, I am after adequate power (300 W - 1 kW / 8 ohm) and that's it.

But the cab... My choice is a pair of 10" or 12" speakers in a well designed box. Enough of power, enough of air moving. Listen to a few alternatives and find your sound.

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Buying without trying is a recipe for disappointment. As Chris says, a lot of those are discontinued (I assume you've found them used via eBay, Craig's List or similar). For what you are playing, you probably need a more old school sound. Buying an older Trace when you're in the US might be tricky if you need repairs.; The GK is probably the safest choice - will do most things and you can get it repaired if need be.

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On 05/06/2019 at 03:58, chris_b said:

Why have you chosen this list?

It's a pretty disparate list of amps, most of which have been discontinued for a long, long time.

Because of their affordability and reliability.

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17 hours ago, dpaulb said:

Because of their affordability and reliability.

Buying a used amp is always a bit of a lottery, you don’t know who has used it, or how.

I have used the Eden, the GKs and the SWR Redhead. I’d go for the Eden out those on your list, because it sounds warm and articulate. I found the others more challenging to sit in the mix.

however, if I were you I’d get something modern. Like cars, bass amps’ performance has got a lot better over the years.

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