Ashdown MAG 300H Head

After a lot of boring research on the net I went into my local music shop knowing exactly what I wanted, an Ashdown Mag 300 H head and 4x10" cab. 'No probs' they said but a month later it still not had arrived. In the end I bought it from the net, saved over £100 on the rrp. Ashdown are notoriously slow at providing gear, but blimmy, it was well worth the wait. This gear rocks!

The head is easy to use and it is obvious what each knob does. It takes no time at all to get a great sound, then using the switches it is possible to create a different sound, using the bass or treble bottons, that are just as good as the first! The cab gives a great clear sound and doesn'e break your back. Also the glowing voltmeter looks very sexy on stage.

The quality is obviously not as good as the ABM range, but it is still very solidly made. For some reason I can not fathom the fx loop is on the front, which does make it look a bit messy. But I am nit picking now.

The build quality is very high. You feel you could throw the gear around for years and it would still be working. My gear is fairly new, but no complaints so far

I spent a long time reading reviews of gear and I am very pleased with my final descision. This amp does not disappoint! For a first amp for the semi pro player it is affordable, portable and best of all the sound quality is worth far more than you would pay for it. If in doubt, buy it!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Head amp transistors low
Power 300 W RMS
2 inputs for active or passive bass
Equalizer low / medium / high
Compressor
Sub-harmonics effects, bright, deep
In the output for exterior effect
XLR DI output
Line Out / tuner
2 HP Output Jack 6.35

USE

Easy and intuitive to use, the manual is very basic but not fawn all REALLY necessary.
Very simple Rglages, one feels immediately the effect on the sound, you quickly get what you want.

SONORITS

I use it with a bass fiddle Epiphone Viola and a pregnant Ashdown MAG 410T Deep. The sound is clean and well be that bass style. It is clear, prcis nothing wrong on this side-l.

The deep effects, sub-harmonics are bright and a little gadget I think the equalizer and compressor are much more useful.

Just a BMOL for between passive: the prampli does not have enough gain to a passive bass, even putting the knob of fact I just came - 7 dB as background on the bass.

Little background noise, even with maximum gain, what we hear most is the fan !!!
Ashdown could have a silent fan on this amp, did a bit messy. That said, we do not hear it playing, thankfully!

I intend to add a prampli tube for more gain and a warmer sound, genre pedal EBS Valve Drive. I will update my review after testing.

NOTICE GLOBAL

I just got it, so I did not test thoroughly.
I did not have a bass amp before, I plugged me directly on my sound, so this is the best forcment.

I like the power, sound neat, easy rglages. The VU meter has the mouth!
I do not like the insufficient gain between passive and noise of the fan, I would not 9 without these defects.

Compared what we find on the market qualitprix the report is very good. To get better, I think we should put much more expensive.
For low active, it is perfect. For a passive bass, prvoir external prampli.

I got less than 600 with the enclosure MAG 410T Deep, so no regrets, I would do this choice.

300W transistor.
Jack on the back for the speakers,
DI on the front (poor quality) and an effects loop,
Vu-meter (poor quality yet)
A sub-harmonic (useless because no footswitch to activate)
A sharp boost, low boost.

Note: Knobs and electronic components of questionable quality ...

UTILIZATION

Mid-bass treble, mid, treble (at least I assume, because according to the inscriptions is a bit "démerde yourself"), medium (same as for the other knob: relatively simple Eq (5 band) intermediate), a bass. I had no manual, bought used. '
The sound you get is remarkable for the price of the amp (note I weigh my words do not expect something famous ... why it takes in).
We have already seen more reactive as eq but we've seen worse.
After his side should not be too much to ask but I will come on in the next section.

SOUNDS

It suits my style of music is very typical large garage rock, this is a relatively versatile amplifier. The trouble is that his level if you have something specific in mind though this is not necessarily easy to transcribe the amp, say it is not a very defined sound. For example (and this is where my main problem results) I never managed to have a nice midrange, too slamming into the sound is too low. Not always easy to unravel the mix also generally (and this is not a setting error) or I actually eaten by the presence scratch side, or I crush a little. Finally I fixed the problem in my own way since I bought the bass big muff (and it is almost always on) I can find a balanced place in the group (the mids are magnified with the pedal and are more usable). I find the sound a little soft at the answer.

Note: I play a Squier Vintage Modified Pbass (bass not too expensive but good quality)

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a short time does not need much power before however I know this amp still good to have played for a long time on the combo version of this amp. I've had the opportunity to test different amp different brand like Fender, Ampeg, Hartke, Markbass (not yet had the opportunity to test and Orange Trace Elliot) version transistor or hybrid depending on the model. Good for a cheap Chinese crap (when you can not afford, we can not afford, unfortunately that's how my good sir!) Was still something right and despite the fact that I have a lot "broken" product it's still one amp (apart from the VU meter that is down) I was never released except for a fuse has blown a shot but it happens and it does not cost much to change .
I bought used '(very good occas' elsewhere: the full stack for a "pittance"). With the budget I had, I had a choice between that or an Ampeg combo. Power or sound quality ... and finally I still wonder if I did not make a ball. I finally with the experience I metterais more money aside and buy a real amp.

Transistor amplifier
307 W into 4 ohms
A passive input and active, an effects loop, a tuner.
gain, volume, a treble, a medium + a contour, a low contour +
A deep (for potato), a bright (for shine) and a sub harmonic (to snore very serious .... Motown)

UTILIZATION

Configuration simplissime
My sound I got it direct: Powerful, good as I like medium large
What manual?? not need .....

SOUNDS

For me it's going in a rock style, garage, stoner ... (but also the fact that slap)
Mex Deluxe Jazz Bass 5-string Cort electro acoustic and
The sound is old school typed ampeg, big fat midrange and treble with the bright crystalline.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for two months
What I like most is the style of "old", the least that the knobs a little cheap
(We just not have it at that price!)
I tested six line: bland, Hartke: pan, ampeg: off-budget, Galen: very good but high-end
Q / P hard to beat ..... € 585 for the two bodies with the 2X10 cabinet on the net
A test on stage, but initially I do it again this election easily.