GK or Carvin?

[Ultravibe]

I want a small combo with a 2x10 for practices, but something that I can bi-amp and bring my 15" cab along to gigs and such. Narrowed to two contenders:

 

Gallien-Krueger 700RB/210

Carvin RC210

 

They seem similar in features and stuff, but the GK will cost me about $300 more. I LIKE the way the GK sounds alot, but I'm a working boy and $300 is alot to me. Has anyone hear heard both and formed some definite opinions? I've heard good things about the Carvin, and I have a Carvin electric guitar that I am VERY happy with. But damn that mail order crap... I can't hear it first! (This was less of a problem with the guitar because I am not a guitar player.)

 

Also, checking out the specs on the GK online, it says something about 50 watts for the high and 225 for the low. Is it 50 watts for the horn and 225 for the 2 tens? What about hooking up my 15" cabinet? Do I then have 225 watts split between two tens and a 15? (I shoulda looked into this more when I was trying it out at Chuck Levin's, but was too damn childlike playing with all the fun knobs... Toys are cool.)

 

Thanks in advance for any advice, help, comments or even alternate suggestions.

 

Drew

[g.]

Do a Search on the bi-amp particulars for the G-K (GK? Gallien-Krueger?) stuff; a few of us covered this in detail awhile back in a very similar thread.

 

Actually I've talked about what a monster the Carvin 210 combo is here too. This beastie as a standalone really romps, and using it as the top of a biamp stack is simply mahvelous, dawlink ; }

[g.]

And it isn't like Carvin makes you keep it if you order it and then decide it's not for you. They are not some megaglomerate chain mail order that runs interference; they've been doing this kind of business forever - decades anyway... They gamble that their equipment performance and quality bang-for-buck will will satisfy so that their shipping department will not be swamped by incoming, or their books bleeding red.

 

So far, it seems to have worked out ; }

[Wickerman]

Personally, I'd go for the Carvin. It's loud, punchy but not thin and has great tone. With G-Ks I have to work it a lot of the time to get good tone, the Carvin gets tons of great, diverse tones without having to play around too much.

[bassaddik]

im being truthful here-

i play both- a gk1001rb/210 combo for work ( when i use an amp)

and a Carvin 210 combo in church - i like the GK better- having said that, im selling the GK combo because im piecing together a larger rig- but im a gk enrdorser, so im biased.