New head required - my bass, but louder

[alexa3020]

Question. How are people measuring whether an amp is coloured or not? Are you using your ears and comparing against a DI signal, or are you looking at response plots?

[Soledad]

Excellent response @Hellzero - I think you have listed almost all the heads I was considering. The Vanderkleys are hard to find and serious money here in UK, tbh I was thinking up to a grand (£ of course) and I think the Vanderkleys are well above that and used ones are rare as... If they are as good as the cabs they will be supergood (love the 210s a lot!).

I think I'm going to try a GROne; Agi AG 700 and an Eich 900 - for a start.

Thanks for input👍

 

[Soledad]

2 hours ago, alexa3020 said:

Question. How are people measuring whether an amp is coloured or not? Are you using your ears and comparing against a DI signal, or are you looking at response plots?

Very fair question. I used the word uncoloured quite casually. I know what my P/J sounds like DI into good desk and back through studio monitors or good phones, so for me that's the reference. I also know how it sounds into my PJB Briefcase at low levels (the only levels you get with a Briefcase!) and I reckon that is very close to the actual bass's sound.
But I accept that all amps are somewhat coloured, cabs are too. But I think some have a pronouned 'sound' and you either want that sound or not.

I think I'll know it when I hear it, and it'll likely be one of those amps that a majority think of as 'neutral', quite clean maybe... pick a word!!

[wateroftyne]

2 hours ago, alexa3020 said:

Question. How are people measuring whether an amp is coloured or not? Are you using your ears and comparing against a DI signal, or are you looking at response plots?

Response plot in the case of the Handbox R-400.

[Hellzero]

7 hours ago, alexa3020 said:

Question. How are people measuring whether an amp is coloured or not? Are you using your ears and comparing against a DI signal, or are you looking at response plots?

Both techniques for me.

[tauzero]

On 26/04/2025 at 17:02, Soledad said:

If anyone has experience with Eich (T 900 maybe) I'd be keen to hear opinions.

 

I've been using its predecessor, the Tecamp Puma 900, for many years. Very happy with it. And it has options for colouring the tone or just leaving it uncoloured.

[BassAdder60]

I was a T900 user and it’s true they are very uncoloured and loud 

 

They can offer warm and woolly too using one control to vary the amp sound 

 

I too used one with a Vanderkley cab and it was a superb pairing and best I had used . 

[tubbybloke68]

On 26/04/2025 at 17:02, Soledad said:

Sorry Dan Dare, you did elaborate so ignore that. My experiences as a listener to MB heads has been punchy, cuts through very well, listener fatigue after 3 songs - loads of low mids make it cut very well, but tedious to listen to. But there are many other variables so it may not just be the head.

 

And btw, the Warwick has been a quick fix after my GB Streamliner was nicked recently. But I will be keeping it as backup - way better than price or size suggest.

 

If anyone has experience with Eich (T 900 maybe) I'd be keen to hear opinions.

My main amp for a good few years has been the Tecamp puma 900, forerunner of the eich t900. I tried loads before I settled on it.It can be all whatever you want it to be, very versatile and easy to use. Some have said it’s sterile, but by simply using the’taste’ function it is anything but. Quick, punchy and loud.would definitely try the eich 900. I think they are virtually the same. Form factor tiny aswell. Good luck with your search x 

Edited April 29 by tubbybloke68

[msb]

The original Bergantino Forte that had the variable compressor rather than the drive , simple clean hifi power. With some serious slam.

[JapanAxe]

On 28/04/2025 at 09:53, alexa3020 said:

Question. How are people measuring whether an amp is coloured or not? Are you using your ears and comparing against a DI signal, or are you looking at response plots?

I once compared the DI output of my MarkBass Nano 300 with the bass signal that I was feeding into it, by recording both to my DAW and listening back to them. With the EQ set to ‘flat’ I couldn’t discern any difference. I don’t think the Class D power amp would impart any coloration, which would leave the speaker cab(s) as the main source of tonal colour.

[JapanAxe]

On 27/04/2025 at 12:34, joel406 said:

No, they're not. In fact, the smaller the venue the more the need for IEMs. Amps muddy the sound in small venues. I've had sound techs tell me they had to take me out of the mix all together. And I was just running a 212. ONE! 212. Amps are fun. I get that. But if you want quality sound at an event. No. They are a liability. And your overall sound suffers. 

 

Play what you want. But my ears haven't rung in 3 years. And spectators tell us we're the best sounding band they have ever heard. 

 

Amps are cool but ignorance will make you deaf.

 

I wouldn't set too much store by what audiences say, I've lost count of the number of times that punters come up at the end of a gig and say 'Best band we've ever had in here!'

[Hellzero]

10 hours ago, JapanAxe said:

 

I wouldn't set too much store by what audiences say, I've lost count of the number of times that punters come up at the end of a gig and say 'Best band we've ever had in here!'

Especially when the gig wasn't that great... Happened to us a few times.

[chris_b]

12 hours ago, JapanAxe said:

 

I wouldn't set too much store by what audiences say, I've lost count of the number of times that punters come up at the end of a gig and say 'Best band we've ever had in here!'

They're only "experts" in what they like.

 

We have people coming up and telling us we were great. That doesn't mean we were great, but that they liked the evenings entertainment.

 

We did our job.

Edited Sunday at 10:03 by chris_b

[Dan Dare]

On 04/05/2025 at 11:02, chris_b said:

They're only "experts" in what they like.

 

We have people coming up and telling us we were great. That doesn't mean we were great, but that they liked the evenings entertainment.

 

We did our job.

 

The reverse - people coming up and telling us we were crap - is also true. Doesn't mean we were, but that they didn't enjoy themselves (for myriad reasons - perhaps they just split up with the wife, got the sack, lost their shirt on the 3.30 at Towcester. Who knows?). We still did our job.

[Beedster]

On 28/04/2025 at 08:21, Hellzero said:

The PJB heads ……. their announced output power is really optimistic...

Perhaps the ratings are technically correct but in terms of volume and heft they certainly disappoint when compared to units rated at similar levels

[Stub Mandrel]

On 03/05/2025 at 22:50, JapanAxe said:

 

I wouldn't set too much store by what audiences say, I've lost count of the number of times that punters come up at the end of a gig and say 'Best band we've ever had in here!'

 

Theonly praise that really counts is from other musicians.

[JapanAxe]

2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Theonly praise that really counts is from other musicians.

Sad but true!

[Soledad]

So this is what happened. I read all the valued inputs here (apart from the one about all amps are dead🤣) and got a shortlist.

The list was Agi AG700; GR One; Eich T900. Planned a trip to Bass Gallery for a start, they have 2 of those so a fair start. But I had a look on Reverb just in case.
Just happened to find a mint Eich T 900 so I got it.
This way I own it a while (maybe longer) and really get to know it. If I find I have any doubts I sell it on at a small loss and try one of the others.
I think this makes fair sense - the effort of taking my bass up to Camden then compromising on a similar cab (they don't have any Vanderkeley 210s in) and make a hasty judgement in a shop... better than buying blind but not at all ideal. This way I get to use it for as long as it takes to be sure.

SO FAR: Bloody amazed!. Had it a week, done 2 rehearsals no gigs yet. I have not even touched the EQ yet, it's all set flat. I've had a play with the taste control (basically a tilt control) and like that a lot. Early impressions are it suits the cabs very well, it's really detailed and clean but in no way sterile.

Think I'll do a review of the rig soon, but very happy - how I think my PJ sounds, but louder.

Thanks to all for sharing knowledge and experience, it got me to here and I am very happy👍

Edited 8 hours ago by Soledad
typos

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, Soledad said:

yet. I have not even touched the EQ yet, it's all set flat. I've had a play with the taste control (basically a tilt control) and like that a lot. Early impressions are it suits the cabs very well, it's really detailed and clean but in no way sterile.

Think I'll do a review of the rig soon, but very happy - how I think my PJ sounds, but louder.

Which is what you were after - result!

[itu]

20 hours ago, Beedster said:

Perhaps the ratings are technically correct but in terms of volume and heft they certainly disappoint when compared to units rated at similar levels

W ≠ dB

 

Not every rating equals loudness. Frequency response should also be approximately the same. Otherwise comparison is about apples and Samsungs.

[BassAdder60]

That’s pretty much my old rig 

 

Amazing amp but be careful as it’s very light !

 

I stuck four larger rubber feet on the bottom of mine and it never moved 

 

It has a great tone from the off and is very loud too. A good match with VK cabs 👍

[msb]

Congratulations , from the sounds of things you just might have stumbled upon a keeper. I’ve always been curious about Eich , but they are rare over here.