Trace Elliot

I played Trace Elliot amps since the early 90's and I own a few amps like the RAH600SMX, AH-300, Hexa Valve and now the V-Type V8. Next to the Trace Elliot amps I own Ampeg SVT-CL, Hiwatt DR103, DR201, Weber MyWatt 400 and Marshall 3530, so I have something to compare. With all amps I use the Ampeg SVT-810. But there is no comparison. The V8 is a class on itself. It looks good, it feels good and it sounds monstrous. Bright highs, great mids and very solid and beefy lows. Even when it is switched to half power (200W) it has plenty power to fill any stage completely. The amp is quite rare, only aprox. 50-60 pieces were made and it is a rare occasion when a V8 is for sale. If you want one, be patient, keep looking and prepare for the worst... You might never find one. I always struggle to get the right sound from my amps. I use different versions Fender Precision. But with all amps mentioned above, it always takes a few minutes to find the right sound and balance. Not with the V8. All pots at 12:00 and turn up the gain and volume. After that: no need to touch it. I found the V8 two years ago and traveled 700km to pick it up the next day. It was in mint condition and after a short clean-up it looks brand new. But there's also bad news about the V8. It has a design flaw in the fuse holders on the PCB. The soldering and fuse holder are not capable of handling the large filament current without heating up strongly and leaving a burned PCB and molten plastic behind. After some investigation, I noticed that TE changed production and placed the fuse holders off the PCB, somewhere else in the chassis. I did the same with my V8 and rewired the fuse holders. Apart from this design flaw, the V8 is built with great quality. Powder coated chassis, neatly built interior (but not as great as a vintage Hiwatt) and good quality components. Nice gadget is the EM84 tube. This snake-eye indicator works as a power-output indicator and is visible on the right side through front plate. In dark conditions, this is a nice feature next to the wide glow of the 15 (!) valves. I transport the V8 in a custom made flight case. Because of its sheer depth and misalignment between the holes in the cab and feet on the V8, I made a ply-wood adapter covered with foam to fit on top of the SVT-810 cab to prevent it from falling off/leaning back. The adapter has rubber feet which fit in the SVT-810 holes. The adapter has holes in which the rubber feet of the V8 fit. Verdict Best amp ever. Buy one if you can find it and if you can afford it. However, it's not cheap and there are only a few V8's around. Estimated price? Hard to tell. Be prepared for a EUR 2.000,- to EUR 3.000,- price tag. Check my V-Type V8 Facebook page for more details: https://www.facebook.com/Trace-Elliot-V-Type-V8-1615664865344974/

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(Originally written by Samu15/translated from Audiofanzine FR) 100-watt hybrid amp (mosfet preamp stage with one ECC83 tube). Connections: only one input, mono FX loop, two speaker outputs (both are used for the two Celestion G12T75 speakers), two footswitch connectors (channel 2/3 and reverb/boost, only one dual footswitch provided). Settings: volume control and 3-band EQ in the clean channel, gain 1 and 2, and volume controls plus 3-band EQ in the lead channel, reverb, volume and boost. Good-quality components except for the jacks, if used intensively. The amp is quite heavy and the only top handle doesn't make transport any easier. UTILIZATION Simple configuration with passive EQ settings. The overall output volume is easy to manage with the master and the boost. The lack of a numbered scale around the controls makes memorizing the settings harder. The user's manual is very short but not really necessary. The footswitch provided is a bit too small. SOUNDS The clean channel sounds quite dry. Don't expect to get a fender-like, crystal-clear sound. It sounds rather British with a strong character. It's very nice for blues and rock. With the volume knob at three quarters of the way you start to get some crunch, but the master level allows you to do it without getting deaf. The lead channel is THE main asset of this amp. The sound is extremely dynamic, the dual switchable gain stages and the volume control allow you to switch between slight overdrive and heavy distortion. The distortion is not made for heavy metal but rather for a fat 70's sound. I love it and this channel alone is worth the amp. OVERALL OPINION I've been using for almost 10 years. I love its very dynamic lead channel. The clean channel is not so good and it could sound nicer. I tested a Fender Roc Pro, which had a better clean sound but its distortion sound was too dry. I also tried out a Marshall Valvestate, which had a less natural sound. The value for money is good if you buy it new and excellent if you buy it secondhand.

Solid-state 130W amp 7-band graphic equalizer 1 DI output Compressor 1 15" Celestion speaker plugged via jack into the head, which has only one 4-Ohm jack output. 1 switchable jack input for active/passive basses UTILIZATION I bought this amp without user's manual, so I can't say anything in that respect. The amp is relatively easy to use, the hardest part was using the graphic EQ. The effect of the EQ can be increased or reduced with a pot. The amp also features gain and output volume controls, as well as other options, like the compressor. The interface is simple but it allows you to do lots of things! I really like it! SOUNDS As soon as I heard it, I fell in love ─ I simply love brilliant/twangy sounds. You can get a very round and deep sound with this amp but, if you ask me, it's a waste! I love to play funky lines despite the fact that I play in a stoner band and this amp is absolutely incredible for twangy sounds and slap. I'm able to have a deep sound that is brilliant and twangy. I also play with an EBS compressor before, which really takes sound into another dimension (in terms of depth/clarity) Short note: I took out the head to use it as a standalone head with a 4x10" Ashdown cabinet. The 15" speaker sounded too round, in my opinion, but that's a matter of taste. I nevertheless played a lot of concerts with the 15" as combo and it sounded pretty well. I also play with an X-tortion for guitar (it's a real power horse but I ought to get an MXR El Grande Bass Fuzz to complete my gear) and it works fine, but I think the compressor behind it improves lots of things. OVERALL OPINION I've had this amp for quite some time now and I have recently modified the setup by removing the head, but I don't regret my purchase in the slightest. This amp is really worth it if you love to slap and play the strings hard! Furthermore, it's very sturdy! I have taken it with me quite a bit without flight case. The grille is intact and the housing is in excellent condition (only the corners and handles are a bit run-down) with a bit of rust and cracks, but my combo is 15 or 20 years old and it is still really sturdy. It was made in the UK, but I don't know if it is still manufactured and if the more recent versions are as good in terms of manufacturing/finish/sturdiness. To wrap it up, it's very, very good gear. You can go for it with your eyes closed if you find it secondhand, because the prices of new Trace Elliot gear are pretty high.

USE It's very easy to dial in, you only need to plug in, adjust 2-3 things and you've got it sounding! SOUND I play mainly metal. With a good guitar, it's amazing. The clean sound is wonderful and super warm. The drive is very Brit rock and blues. It's super well-defined. The boost channel adds gain to the drive channel and it's incredibly good!! You can also reboost the gain!!! This amp head is perfect for all kinds of rock and blues. For metal and similar sounds, I recommend you to add a 7-band EQ via the effects loop. You will be under the impression of having changed amps, the sound is ten times better and much more shapeable. I used it 3 years with an Ibanez equipped with Rio Grande. I never used effects!!! (except for the Boss EQ). Sound is precise, very round and unforgiving with wrong notes. OVERALL OPINION I used it for 3 years to play rock, blues, jazz, and metal, and it never disappointed me!!! The proof is that I became a fan of Trace Elliot amp heads (even if they are not manufactured anymore) and ended up finding and buying the all-tube version (Speed twin H100). I used to play Marshall hybrid amps (Valvestate 8080 and 2000), which are good amps, but there's simply no comparison!!! The sound is really impressive for a hybrid amp head!! Even more so considering its like a collector's item!! I would certainly buy it again if I was faced with the choice!!

This is a compressor for bass. While I haven't always felt the need for a compressor, I've noticed that dynamics were pretty lacking with my current bass rig and decided to try this out. It is a compressor that works on both low and high end compression, thus giving you more freedom in tone and dynamics. It's an analog pedal, isn't rackable, and can't be edited on a computer. It has 1/4" input and output as well as a 9V adapter. UTILIZATION Using this effect is pretty easy. There are 4 knobs (input, low compression, high compression, and output). Low and High Compression will add more compression to the low end and high end, respectively. The input gain can be controlled with the left knob, and output with the left. It's pretty basic overall, it's just that for me I had to decide whether I wanted a more compressed low end and a freer high end or vice versa. Eventually I found something I liked though. SOUND QUALITY I like to use this with my Jazz bass, as well as my P-bass. With the jazz bass, it's better to compress more of the overall signal, where as the P-bass requires more low end compression than high end. Either way, the effects are great. It's perfect for songs that need to remain consistent dynamically, even if the parts don't demand that from the instrument. Basically, a high riff can come out the same as a low end thump volume-wise, or you could just make sure that you don't get too quiet at one point. It's a really smooth compressor because it doesn't squash too much, and it saves tone really well. OVERALL OPINION I've seen more and more bass pedals that will adjust the high and low frequencies seperately, and I'm finding that I really prefer those types of bass pedals as they can prevent the signal from getting too muddy. This one is a good example of that. It helps you retain power and tone without being too loud, and can help balance a band's live sound out too. It's not too expensive so I'd try it out if I were you and I found one.

This is a solid state amp made by Trace Elliot. This is quite honestly the only amplifier, or product for that matter, that I've ever seen made by this company. They make some other stuff but I haven't seen it. I'd read some really good reviews online and decided to try it out. It has 40 watts of power. There are two channels. The second channel has a third channel option, basically a gain boost. There are EQs for both channels. The first channel has one volume knob, while the second has a gain, gain boost, and master volume controls. Both channels also enjoy a master reverb control as well as two master volume controls. There is one 1/4" input as well as an effects send/return which are also 1/4". There is also a footswitch option. UTILIZATION Using this amp is a piece of cake. It's easy to get a great sound out of it with almost any guitar. It's not noisy, as it's solid state, so that's a nice feature too. Switching between channels is tough without a footswitch, but with one, it's a piece of cake. Fortunately I have the official one, so I can actually kick in the boost controls which makes the distortion channel that much better. Being able to kick in a boost just for solos is a really great option. The EQs are also great for dialing in just the right tone. SOUNDS This sounds great for a solid state. Actually, this is a pretty great sounding amp in general. It's not as warm as a tube but it comes pretty close. Plus, it's almost completely noiseless and sounds great with pedals, though honestly, the distortion on it is pretty great too. It's a great buy for somebody who doesn't really like pedals and effects. If you just want to switch from clean, to dirty, to solo (aka really dirty), it's easy as cake and it sounds great. The gain channel tends to be a bit much for my taste, but overall i can't complain about it as it's got range. The extra boost doesn't color the sound too much, just enough to give solos a bit more grit and character. OVERALL OPINION I like the price, range, and tone of this amp a lot. While it doesn't have the rawness of my favorite tube amplifiers, I feel like it's got a lot of extra features that make up for it. I basically think that this is one of the best solid state amps I've ever played, and while I feel like it doesn't quite hold up to tubes the features and controls, as well as great tone, make it hold up nicely. These are hard to find nowadays (go figure), and they're worth picking up if you like this kind of sound and these types of amps.

Equipped with a 15-inch speaker, the gp7 is loud and proud. It is rated at 250 watts, but I am unsure of the true power, but it will get loud enough for whatever you need without distorting. It has a 7band graphic EQ which really sets it apart from most bass combos. This trace elliot delivers wonderful tone and accommodates both active and passive basses. UTILIZATION Obviously, the graphic EQ isnt as simple as a standard bass, mid, treble, mix, but the versatility is definitely worth learning how to manipulate it. It takes a bit more knowledge than a typical amp to get the best sound, but even a flat EQ on this amp sounds magnificent. SOUNDS Of course, an amp is just a vessel to carry a bass. No matter the bass, when plugged into this trace, it sounds amazing. I started out with an ibanez 200 series, which is pretty low end, and it sounded great. Upgrading to a music man sub x02 was a good idea. The trace and the music man go together like peas and carrots... if you're into that sort of thing. I often run a boss ds-1 through it. I get lazy and just plug up my 6-strings to it. Of course, they sound amazing. There really isnt any modeling or effects to the amp, which is standard on bass amps, but this thing is so smooth, it makes anyone sound 3 times better than they actually are.. given that they have some sort of rhythm. OVERALL OPINION After 8 years, this amp has not seen or needed any repair. I love the design of the amp,with the bold neon green and the hex head inputs. It is a bit heavy, but that just means it's sturdy, and durable. I wouldnt trade this amp for any other, to tell you the truth. Im not quite sure how much it was since I didnt buy it, but it is irreplaceable.

(Originally written by bobo68550/translated from Audiofanzine FR) 2 x 12" bass speaker cabinet 300 watts / 8 ohms I don't know the brand of the speaker, probably Trace Elliot Connections: 2 XLR 2 jacks Each connector type corresponds to an input and a link output to chain a second cabinet Unfortunately no Speakon... SOUNDS Both 12" speakers are an interesting compromise between a 4 x 10" and a 1 x 15" cabinet for a good low frequency response and a present high-end. Typical Trace Elliot sound. I like this sound although I never thought I would play a Trace Elliot cabinet... I miss some ultra low frequencies but it has no 15" or 18" speaker... In short, quite good. OVERALL OPINION I bought it secondhand a few months ago. It's very sturdy with big side handles. A bit too heavy... Fortunately I don't have to carry it every day! With a higher budget I would have bought a new Mesa Boogie but I'm not disappointed. I think I will add a 15" to get more low-end.

This just a small box with a 12" speaker. Volume, Treble, Bass, Mid (with mid-shift button)and Master volume. I play jazz, R&B, Light rock, etc. I use a 5-string passive jazz bass mostly with this amp. I have a 500-watt Trace combo for gigs and this one is for lessons and small gigs. I bought this used from a music store for 150.00 and feel like that was a reasonable price for the quality. This amp has good tone and it is very typical Trace tone. Because of the small cab size, it is not going to get tremendous bass response and it doesn't have a built in compressor, but I still like the tone very much. I really only use this for practice and lessons but I think it would be loud enough for small gigs and rehearsals in a non volume intensive situation. If you try to use it in a loud band, of course you'll be dissapointed but that's not the amps fault. It could be a little lighter for my purposes. If it had a line out, it would be more useful. I think it is good build quality. Definitely more solid than some of the practice-level bass combos out there. It is a good amp to own for certain applications. It has good tone and is fairly loud. I happen to love the tone of Trace amps, so I like the tone of this one. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought this amp from Promenade Music in Morcambe, UK. it cost me £400, although it was priced £50 higher, the sales assistant was polite enough to offer a reduction. i bought it because of the reputation on Trace Elliot, and several of my friends had bought similar models and i liked the sound they got from them. for the price, you get an amazing sound. very clear, with so much room for modification. the tone controls really do give so much reach over the sound. they are also easy to understand and use, which ws important to me, as it was my first large amp. also, at 150 watts, it was all the volume i'd ever need. when compared to higher range amps, it just doesnt have the bite. it sounds like the economy amp it is when compared like that. although i think better than other amps of its level, it does suffer that defficiency in tone that a more expensive amp would have. also it is rather cumbersome, with only one handle on the top, it is awkward for one person to cary, but impossible for two. also it lack features such as a balanced output, a tuner out/built in tuner, a mute button, input indicator etc although it has been through a lot with me in my travels, it has only broken when used incorrectly, and after a repair, it hasnt reccured. actually, when i think about how hard it has been driven, and how many time ive dropped it, it must be hardwaring to still be working. the outer skin coould be tougher, as there are quite a few tears, but i can see the amp working for many years yet. as an economy amp, id say that this fits the bill well, although dont expect it to do anything spectacular. its a good workhorse amp, that will give a good clean sound, but dont expect much crunch, if that is what you're after. if needed, it will do well as a performance amp, but if i had the luxury, i'd keep it firmly in the practice room. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

i got this litle practice amp when looking for a portable amp that was good enough to record with. It was about £130 pounds from sound control in sheffield (england). i like its size its easy to take it anywhere really,(not all that heavy). It has a nice deep sound for such a small amp with a good bottom end.it doesnt look to bad either with its trace elliot carpet covering. unfortunatly the reason why i bought the amp was for recording but it has a hiss sound that is near impossible to rid off but saying that it is a fairly cheap amp.also the graphic eq (standard 3 band)suffers because of the hisssing the treble is not realistically usuable to a large extent because of the hissing.the worst thing on the amp by far and above thouhg is the pathetic usless mid range boost.personally im not to bothered about alot of mid on a bass amp cos it sound terrible but even if you do then youd be disapionted with this mid boost as it doesnt really boost as so much as it drains the sound of depth. the constuction is of good quality as you expect from trace elliot errr what else can i say on this. over all if your looking for a nice sound at a low price and a reliable quality product buy one but there are better deals out there for just alittle more. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The Trace Elliot 715 X is a top tier bass guitar combination amplifier. I've used this for recording electric bass guitar in the studio. Don't let the size fool you, this is a very power amplifier. It has 500 watts of power and a single 15" speaker. It's a solid state amplifier and also has a 1" horn in addition to the main speaker. The amp has all the routing options you could ask for, with 1/4" connections for input, line out, and a send and return loop. It also has an XLR output for taking a direct signal from the amp. UTILIZATION It's not too hard to use the Trace Elliot 715 X, but it has a ton of features and controls to be aware of. First of it has a seven band graphic EQ which sounds great, in addition to built in compression and gain control. It's definitely a self sufficient amplifier as you can get most of the sounds you're going to need right there. I don't think a manual is necessary, but it can't hurt to have it around if you've just bought this amp and want to know everything about it. SOUNDS The Trace Elliot 715 X is up there with some of the best bass amplifiers that I've ever recorded with. I honestly wasn't expecting it as I didn't know much about Trace Elliot and it doesn't exactly look like it's going to be an incredible amp. It's a lot smaller than most amps, but still packs an insane amount of power and can certainly get loud enough for recording or playing shows. The built in EQ and compression sounds fantastic and is a great bonus in addition to the great amp. OVERALL OPINION The Trace Elliot 715 X is definitely a professional's amplifier and seems to be popular amongst pro bassists. It's expensive, but not terrible when you think about what top end amps will run you. That said, for this price you could get an Ampeg with a lot more speakers and louder sound, but if you aren't playing loud rock music, this might be a better choice. If you're a bass player and you don't yet know about this amp or Trace Elliot, I'd highly recommend getting hip to it.