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Combo amp as head for cabinet?


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I was wondering if I can use a combo amp as a preamp into a bass cabinet. Nothing really concrete online as to if I can or cannot or how to do it. I'm stuck between buying another combo amp or buying a head and cabinet (which is honestly what I'm leaning towards) but they are more expensive. I have an Ampeg ba 108 combo amp and I was wondering if it would work with a base cab? Can I just plug it in and run it? Or is that now how it works? Am I better off just buying a an amp head? 

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There is no speaker out or extension so no you can't just plug it into another cabinet. You could take the line out and plug it into another combo or head/cab setup, but really what would be the point - A BA 108 is a bedroom practice amp at best.

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Not with that particular combo, but there are certainly combos out there that effectively have a standard head in a cabinet with a speaker enclosure and you can see the lead from one of the speaker cable sockets disappearing elsewhere into the box, for example on this old Markbass combo:

 

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2 hours ago, nilorius said:

If it has a power signal output - do it, but i can't understand what benefit you are willing to get. What cab are You thinking to connect?

Not sure just yet! I know my amp is just a practice amp and I've gotten good enough to where I need something better but not sure what to get. I was looking at a peavey 410 tvx that I saw used online and thought that would be a decent-ish start without breaking the bank but it's just a cab. Heads are more expensive and I was just trying to see if I needed to get one. I have a marshall code 100 but that's for guitar and I'd hate to damage it using it for bass. 

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5 minutes ago, Cheeto726 said:

Not sure just yet! I know my amp is just a practice amp and I've gotten good enough to where I need something better but not sure what to get. I was looking at a peavey 410 tvx that I saw used online and thought that would be a decent-ish start without breaking the bank but it's just a cab. Heads are more expensive and I was just trying to see if I needed to get one. I have a marshall code 100 but that's for guitar and I'd hate to damage it using it for bass. 

If You will go on that Peavey 4x10 You will definetly need to buy a normal bass head, too.

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Ah, I see. The 410TVX is a decent sounding cab, which are cheap because they are heavy. You will need a separate head for it.

 

You might be better to hold on for a used combo - the Fender Rumble range for example, there are plenty about in sizes from 40W up to 500W, any of which would be an improvement on your Ampeg.

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2 minutes ago, Cheeto726 said:

Not sure just yet! I know my amp is just a practice amp and I've gotten good enough to where I need something better but not sure what to get. I was looking at a peavey 410 tvx that I saw used online and thought that would be a decent-ish start without breaking the bank but it's just a cab. Heads are more expensive and I was just trying to see if I needed to get one. I have a marshall code 100 but that's for guitar and I'd hate to damage it using it for bass. 

I assume you're looking at playing with others including a drummer? For that, and assuming your drummer has an acoustic kit, I think you need an amp rated at at least 200W to give you some headroom; you might get by with 100W but it probably won't sound good if you have to push it and that could damage the speakers. If you like Ampeg the Rocket Bass 115 would be worth a look, or the Fender Rumble 200, Trace Elliot Elf combo, Ashdown Studio 210, etc. Most of these will give you about 130W with no extension cabinet, which would be good for rehearsals, but could be expanded to 200W or more with another cabinet when you're ready to gig.

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39 minutes ago, asingardenof said:

I assume you're looking at playing with others including a drummer? For that, and assuming your drummer has an acoustic kit, I think you need an amp rated at at least 200W to give you some headroom; you might get by with 100W but it probably won't sound good if you have to push it and that could damage the speakers. If you like Ampeg the Rocket Bass 115 would be worth a look, or the Fender Rumble 200, Trace Elliot Elf combo, Ashdown Studio 210, etc. Most of these will give you about 130W with no extension cabinet, which would be good for rehearsals, but could be expanded to 200W or more with another cabinet when you're ready to gig.

Yes I am and eventually (hopefully) do a gig or 2. Still ways away though. And I will definitely look into these!! 

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50 minutes ago, nilorius said:

If You will go on that Peavey 4x10 You will definetly need to buy a normal bass head, too.

What kind of bass head would you recommend? I consider myself in the early stages of being an intermediate player. I'd like something that wouldn't break the bank as well. 

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11 minutes ago, Cheeto726 said:

What kind of bass head would you recommend? I consider myself in the early stages of being an intermediate player. I'd like something that wouldn't break the bank as well. 

Not overpaying, could look on some used tc electronic, hartke or orange heads, depending how much would you want to spend and what power do you want to get out from your peavey cab.

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38 minutes ago, Cheeto726 said:

What kind of bass head would you recommend? I consider myself in the early stages of being an intermediate player. I'd like something that wouldn't break the bank as well. 

Older Peavey bass amp heads often come up for sale quite reasonably and would go well with the Peavey 410

speaker cabinet. Look at something around 200 watts + and you won’t go far wrong. 

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26 minutes ago, barkin said:

I'm not in the market for an amp head, but if I were, I'd be all over the Ashdown Mag400 in the for sale section. 

Good call, although the OP is situated in Georgia USA so I thought Peavey heads may be more easily

available there. 

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