Micro Amp Head thoughts . . . .

[Toppscore]

NON-Tube Amp post


Anybody have experience with the following "MICRO" amp heads?

* Fender Rumble 150 150w Bass Micro Amp w/headphone
* Carvin BX250 250w Bass Micro Amp w/headphone
* Crate Powerblock 150w Guitar Micro Amp w/headphone
* Gallien Kruger MB200 200w Bass Micro Amp w/headphone
* TC Electronic BH250 Bass Micro Amp w/headphone

They all fit my budget, size, weight, output wattage, and most important,
they have headphone circuitry that mutes speakers or allows for silent guitar
practice. Also, they all will drive my Fender 115 1x15 Eminence cabinet.

I will play electric guitar through these micro bass amps, but mostly
want their headphone features and ability to power large speaker cabs.

The only reason I have low interest towards the Crate Powerblock is they've
been out of production for many years. The other four micro amps are still
in production, I believe, for about the same price.

What do you know, have experienced or think about these micro amp heads?

Thanks ahead of time.

[sliberty]

Crate Powerblock - discontinued long ago, price has gone up on the used market, sounds like crap unless you set it clean and use a great amp modeling style pedal. Convenient. Not super powerful clean, but good enough.

[Leo_Gnardo]

mostly
want their headphone features and ability to power large speaker cabs.

What sliberty said. The Crate is a popular backup amp amongst my customers. It's an item that was "too good to be true" so what happened? Of course, they stopped making it. BOOO!

Yes a tone-shaping preamp/pedal would be an excellent addition. I've used the Tech21 Acoustic DI with excellent results. Besides V,T,B controls it has a semi parametric mid which makes it a powerful tone shaper. Plus a built-in FX loop. What more could anybody want? Oh yeah, a balanced DI out as well as unbal to go to your amp. Heckuva pedal.

Can drive big cabs? ANY amp can drive big cabs. One of my customers used to use his 40W Fender Bassman to drive not one but FOUR Altec A-7 PA bass cabs. Very efficient, those - they make the most of each watt. He needed his own van to move his rig.

[Structo]

I thought that a lot of Powerblocks had problems so they were discontinued.

[Toppscore]

Crate Powerblock - discontinued long ago, price has gone up on the used market, sounds like crap unless you set it clean and use a great amp modeling style pedal. Convenient. Not super powerful clean, but good enough.

Good. Being out of production
and not the quality of the Bass amps,
I will go with something new.
Thanks.

[Toppscore]

Yes a tone-shaping preamp/pedal would be an excellent addition. I've used the Tech21 Acoustic DI with excellent results. Besides V,T,B controls it has a semi parametric mid which makes it a powerful tone shaper. Plus a built-in FX loop. What more could anybody want? Oh yeah, a balanced DI out as well as unbal to go to your amp. Heckuva pedal.

Hi! Not looking for a preamp/pedal/stomp-box.
Seeking a "micro amp-head" that has 150w to 250w
that will drive speaker cabinets for live play
and . . . . .
has that headphone circuitry for silent guitar practice.

I'm knocking out the Crate 150 Powerblock from contention.
That leaves the following four with desired specs:
* Fender Rumble 150 150w Bass Micro Amp w/headphone
* Carvin BX250 250w Bass Micro Amp w/headphone
* Gallien Kruger MB200 200w Bass Micro Amp w/headphone
* TC Electronic BH250 Bass Micro Amp w/headphone

any have experience with the above four MICRO Amp heads?

[rhardman]

http://traynoramps.com/guitar/horses/product/dh25h/

25W can make your ears bleed with an efficient cab.

[Toppscore]

http://traynoramps.com/guitar/horses/product/dh25h/
25W can make your ears bleed with an efficient cab.

Thanks, RHardMan. A lot of pluses as I read about this little amp.
It has been out a couple of years. Have you tried it?

Headphones work without a speaker load, which is great. A different type
of "micro" layout than Crate Powerblock ~ more tone features. The Traynor
is on of a very few "Micro Amp Heads" designed for electric guitars = very cool
~ as the other micro amp heads being investigated are bass oriented.


But . . . . . uses a 24v wall wort power adapter which is tooooo bad.
I'm wondering how easy/difficult it is to change control and volume settings
while the tiny amp is on the floor??? Try adjusting any of the control functions
when in the middle of a guitar riff ~ gotta be very athletic - haha!
The DH25H control knobs seem a bit small.

What do you think?

[Structo]

Well you don't have to put it on the floor.

That is a pretty full featured stomp amp.

[rhardman]

Well you don't have to put it on the floor.

That is a pretty full featured stomp amp.

I use a roll around computer desk for my rig.

[Reeltarded]

Just what exactly are you looking for all the fucking time? It's always some impossible fucking thing that can't be made with the physical properties in this dimension.

Seriously. Pot or perscriptions?

[randalp3000]

A rep brought in the Traynor pedal amp and I wasn't really digging it. Didn't seem to have any balls and wasn't very loud. Quite surprising for a Traynor product.

I have one of these in stock and it's pretty loud at 1.5lbs. I think it's class D power. http://traynoramps.com/bass/small_block/product/sb200h/ I could plug a guitar into it and check it out if you want.

I've also played with a bass player who used a TC and the effects made it kinda blatty sounding and didn't cut well.

[vibratoking]

It's always a mountain out of a mole hill...seriously, you need to get on TGP with this moving target shit...wait, TGP doesn't deserve this either. Some people only know what they don't like. That path is so GD shallow.

[rhardman]

Just what exactly are you looking for all the fucking time? It's always some impossible fucking thing that can't be made with the physical properties in this dimension.

Seriously. Pot or perscriptions?

WTF? ever hear of being civil? And actually helping someone out?
That high school crap…belongs on high school property.

[ER]

Ampeg Micro-VR,

My bass player uses one and I'm impressed by that thing every time. records well with the DI out too.