Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Marc, I think you meant my memory hangs by a thread.

Sounds good to me, you get the first one & I'll wait right here!

Jeff, I like how you think!

I am happy to announce that I just got an Ampeg SVP CL preamp, with which, when I can afford it, I will be using most likely some type of Crown amp to power my leviathan Ampeg 215. When I get it all together I can finally send my SVT-350 down the Ebay highway and my battered, ragged wreck of a 68 Sunn 215 can finally be put out of its misery. I'm excited, can't you tell??

Since you brought up Crown power amps Robert, Im thinking of getting one to power my Sansamp. Anyone have any favorites?

I have 13 5 string basses ... 6 are Rickenbacker ... 3 ampeg heads ... 3 2x10 cabs with eminence speakers, 2 2x15 cabs with carvin speakers, and 1 1x18 cabinet, and an old line6 bass pod ...

Scott, I'd love to hear from someone with experience w/ Crown and other power amps, too, as they're so different than dealing w/ regular mono amps.

Robert, I have a Crown power amp that we use to power the mains for our PA. I believe it is 500 watts RMS on each side. I'd have to check on it after work but I think it is a Crown. I've threatened to use it to power my bass rig at times, but it has always been used for PA. What particularly did you want to know?

Anyone have any experience with a QSC RMX 1450?

Seems about right power and price wise.

http://www.qscaudio.com/products/amps/rmx/rmx.htm

Last band project I was in I played my 60s 450s (6 and 12) through a silverface Princeton on 10, live with a Big Muff, studio with an off the shelf compressor.

No personal experience but only heard good about the QSC amp line.

I have a QSC RMX 2450. I run it in bridged mono mode into an 8 ohm cabinet, so I'd get 1200 watts out of it. My Basson cab is rated at 1000 watts in 8 ohms and they recommend a power amp of at least 750 watts. I'm very happy with it. I no longer have any trouble hearing myself at band practice.

Thanks guys,,this kind of input makes life alot easier.

Erik, do you run a compressor with the 2450?

Erik, you should have typed it

"I no longer have any trouble hearing........... myself at band practice."

1200W into eight 10" speakers!!

Gene- I'm just trying to figure out what would be the best power amp to use with my Ampeg SVPCL preamp and Ampeg 215 Classic cab and was thinking of going w/ a Crown. However, I have no experience with power amps at all, only heads and cabs, so I'm trying to get recommendations from people.

Erik- I was recommended to go with a QSC and checked out their helper feature on the site that tells you what they recommend for amps given the wattage and ohm rating of the cabinet. Their top recommendation was the PLX 3102 which is 1000 watts per channel @ 4 ohms. Only my cab is 400 watts RMS.

If anyone knows the answer to this: I've been told all kinds of different stuff about power amps. One: your amp should be slightly under your cabinet's rating. Two: you amp should be evenly matched wattage-wise to your cab (400 watt head, 400 watt cab). Three: Your amp should be slightly more than your cab's wattage. Four: your amp should be twice as powerful as your cab.

I always just used combo amps until I got the setup I have now, which is my first stack and it's half homemade. I never needed a big stack until now.

I'm going with a higher powered amp. (at least 1000 watts). This way you can play conservitivly through a single, smaller cab, and have plenty of headroom. A good high powered amp will make a mediocre cab sound huge.

Then down the road, if the occasion calls for it, I'll have plenty of power for a good 8-10" cab or multiple cabs.

Scott- That is exactly what I've been thinking.