Small "Hifi" amp head recommendations sought!

[andyhaines]

Thanks @Hellzero, yes the seller has already been kind enough to answer a bunch of questions from me!

[Phil Starr]

Hi again Andy, Just catching up to see if you've found 'your' amp yet and no I don't think you are being picky, you have identified your particular needs and are homing in on the best compromise. I think there may be a stumbling block though. The problem with micro amps in particular is heat. Class D amps are efficient but 200W is a lot of power and a lot of electricity still ends up as waste heat. Without a big case and lots of aluminium fins you really need forced air flow through the amp and you can't really lose the fan. I think this creates a problem if you want something to fit in a gig bag. You might need to be looking at amps with the quietest fan or one that only switches in when the amp starts to get too hot.

[Downunderwonder]

Any amp with fan can go in a muffler box. Conduction into the box out of the warmed air, radiates to the outside to lose the heat before it gets too hot inside.

[lemmywinks]

Try a Genz Shuttle if you see one on the used market, I played through the 10" combo and it was super clear (a little too much for me at the time!) and more than loud enough. Highs were crisp and the lows were fat but tight.

 

 

The head detaches from the combos so this might be worth checking out if you're near Herts:

 

There's also the more powerful/larger combo here:

 

 

 

Also worth trying a Markbass F1 or F500 if you see a used one, very neutral sounding and built to last.

[andyhaines]

1 hour ago, Phil Starr said:

Hi again Andy, Just catching up to see if you've found 'your' amp yet and no I don't think you are being picky, you have identified your particular needs and are homing in on the best compromise. I think there may be a stumbling block though. The problem with micro amps in particular is heat. Class D amps are efficient but 200W is a lot of power and a lot of electricity still ends up as waste heat. Without a big case and lots of aluminium fins you really need forced air flow through the amp and you can't really lose the fan. I think this creates a problem if you want something to fit in a gig bag. You might need to be looking at amps with the quietest fan or one that only switches in when the amp starts to get too hot.

Thanks for the thoughts Phil and @Downunderwonder-  I'm currently in limbo whilst I wait for G4Music to issue my refund from the D400, so I'm taking the time to let the various pros and cons bubble away. At the moment I'm leaning towards the Eich T300 or 500. I totally get your concerns about lack of proper cooling, and if I was gigging every weekend pushing the amp hard for hours on end I would certainly see the need for fan cooling. But my day-day real world situation is that the amp will spend most of the time running at a very low output - in the few weeks I was using the PJB D400 I never had the master above 8 O'clock. When I'm teaching online the master is at zero and I DI into my RME audio interface which feeds my headphones/Zoom etc. During that time the D400 was only just warm to the touch.

However I'd be very interested to hear if anyone's fanless class D amp has had overheating problems in a similar usage situation.

[Stub Mandrel]

The more I understand your situation, the more I think a good di for the teaching. Even a Behringer BDI21 with the drie turned down will give you a vlear, noiseless sound with the option for basic tone shaping. And dirt cheap so you don't affect your budget for a main amp which then won't need to be utterly silent.

 

As you want a transparent sound maybe even going straight into a Focusrite Scarlett?

 

[Hellzero]

I didn't like the world acclaimed Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 as I bought one thinking it would replace my old Steinberg UR-RT2 with the Neve transformers, but was really disappointed with more latency and a delirious use of the CPU of my MSI gamer PC (I'm absolutely not a gamer, but I always buy these, because of their built quality and overall better components, efficient cooling system and sustainability).

 

But it's the system I would use in your situation @andyhaines, a good DI or, better, a good soundcard.

 

If you still want a class D amp head with a small form factor and a fan allowing you to be reassured about its longevity, go for the GR Bass One 800 as I've already explained why it is the best option.

 

In the Studio Mode, the amp is fanless until it reaches a certain temperature point and, then, it will start the fan by itself and cool the head efficiently and rapidly (just like a gamer PC, funnily).

 

Furthermore, there are options you almost only find on this amp, like the Pure Mode, which is a true bypass of the EQ.

 

I've been using a GR Bass Combo 800 (the same as the head, but even less ventilated by definition) for low level rehearsal with a bass duet at home and after around 2 hours in Studio Mode, the fan started itself and the chassis was between lukewarm and hot at that moment.

 

Just like you, I've been searching the perfect silent amplification and this GR Bass One 800 ticked all the box.

 

If you're afraid of the brand because it's Italian (with all the clichés associated), rest assured that it's a totally reliable society and that, when you email them, they answer very quickly.

 

Furthermore, Gianfranco Rizzi (GR), the owner, is a bass player too. 😉

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Hellzero
Missing word

[BassAdder60]

If I’m right doesn’t a DI from an amp with a fan not pick up any fan noise ?

 

So I would not limit yourself and get something with a decent bit of power such as 500w class D head from Eich, MarkBass, Genzler etc etc 

[Hellzero]

4 minutes ago, BassAdder60 said:

If I’m right doesn’t a DI from an amp with a fan not pick up any fan noise ?

Indeed, but a microphone used to talk during @andyhaines sessions will, hence his totally understandable quest for a fanless amp. 😉

[BassAdder60]

14 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

Indeed, but a microphone used to talk during @andyhaines sessions will, hence his totally understandable quest for a fanless amp. 😉

Oh yes of course unless you isolate the amp but I guess he has considered that simple solution. 

[crazycloud]

On 01/09/2025 at 18:51, Beedster said:

which is more old style than modern transparent

WTH does that mean?

 

Transparent to me means clean with no particularly definable sonic signature of it's own with the EQ flat.

 

Harley Benton Block 800B. Very clean especially if used as just the (ICEpower 700AS) power section.

[pete.young]

46 minutes ago, crazycloud said:

WTH does that mean?

 

Transparent to me means clean with no particularly definable sonic signature of it's own with the EQ flat.

 

Harley Benton Block 800B. Very clean especially if used as just the (ICEpower 700AS) power section.

Beedster didn't say that. I did. Get your attribution right before you start slagging people off.

[andyhaines]

@Stub Mandrel thanks, yes actually I’m already using a DI/audio interface for teaching using my headway acoustic 2 channel preamp/DI which feeds into my RME Babyface audio interface (which, like all the RME stuff is high quality kit). You could argue then, why the worry about a fanless amp if my teaching needs are already covered - but ideally I’d prefer to use a dedicated bass preamp rather than the Headway (which nevertheless is my reference DI box, it’s so quiet).

 

@Hellzero good advice - what’s making me pause for thought here is that the GR One 800 is at the upper end of my budget and is hugely over watted for what I’m likely to use (as would the PJB BP800) But definitely going on the considered list.

 

There’s a few online demos I’ve found that has at least given me some sense of the sonic character of the Eich, Genzler and GR One. They all sound very much in the same ball park, with their respective EQ sections and contour options adding some differences - although this is less of an consideration for me as I have the EQ2 programmable pedal which gives me full control over 10 bands, Q widths etc. From my limited point of view I would say that the Eich sounds a shade warmer with the other two just a little more sterile.