Hey Im Matt Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Anybody have any thoughts on the Ashdown MAG 300H? Anybody use it, play it, heard it, hate it? I have read good reviews and consider getting it so any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey Im Matt Posted October 28, 2004 Author Share Posted October 28, 2004 I forgot to ask one other question. I have heard that the Ashdown provides the British sound. What is that sound exactly? I am not sure if I want that or not. Could someone fill me in as to what that is? Thanks, Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Originally posted by Hey I'm Matt: I have heard that the Ashdown provides the British sound. What is that sound exactly?It's a myth perpetuated by guitarists. The 'Ashdown sound' is a good one - somewhere between Ampeg vintage growl and Eden clear fatness IMO. The MAG range seems to come pretty close to the much more expensive ABM range in sound, at a more accessible price point. Alex Barefaced Ltd - ultra lightweight, high ouput, toneful bass cabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxofunk Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Hey, I'm another Matt! Alex, thanks for giving us a bit of definition on that sound... Ashdown is starting to pop up all over the mail-order world but still (in my area anyway) doesn't have a lot of presence in stores. The MAG series is a very tempting price point. It's interesting that they offer the same head in a rack mount and vintage style version. - Matt W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey Im Matt Posted October 28, 2004 Author Share Posted October 28, 2004 I totally agree with you Matt. I live in an area with 2 main music stores which are both pretty small and have little in their bass inventory, and therefore won't be able to give the Ashdown a test drive. I have heard lots of good things about them though. Avatar is offering a deal that if you buy one of their cabs, they will give you a deal on an Ashdown ($585 for the ABM 300 EVO II!). That is still out of my price range, but they also offer it on the MAG H (which is currently out of stock). I think that it is pretty cool that they offer the same amp in a rack and head version. Anyways, I think I've narrowed it down to either the Ashdown MAG 300 or the Behringer BX3000T since they are both in the same price range and offer about the same power, but I think I'm leaning more towards the Ashdown. Any more thoughts? Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moot Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Hey I'm another Matt. I agree that Ashdown is becoming prevelent online but not in stores. I recently went to San Francisco and happened by Guitar Center to continue my never ending quest for the perfect practice combo. No Ashdown present (even though I knew it going in) but I did play a beautiful Soundgear Mahogany 505 with Bart soapbars thru a SWR Workingmans 10 and I believe I found my practice cube! Warm, punchy and reasonably loud. It was about the 5th one I tried. I could go on about how I was the only guy in the store and the 3 Ampegs I cranked up and the Mesa stack that made me mess my pants but . . . Still want to play thru Ashdowns Perfect 10 before I commit though. "He is to music what Stevie Wonder is to photography." getz76 I have nothing nice to say so . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I'm not a Matt. But, I have an observation. H-I-A-Matt, if you are not sure if its the "sound you want," you should give it a spin first. If you cannot find one locally, either (1) ask a dealer to bring one in so you can try it or (2) order from an online house with a reasonable return policy. (1) can sometimes be a problem, especially if your local dealer doesn't want to be helpful or if you have the patience of a crack addict. (2) will give you the worse case scenario of being out on shipping. However, if you tried it out locally, you would be out for transportation, right? Not even, but still a factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisOfDoom Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Ahh, I love my BassNW. I'm not Matt, I'm Chris. Anyways, I played some Ashdown amps at everyones favorite store ever. To my ears, I had trouble getting a good sharp sound to it, but it had an increibly fat tone, and it was pretty growly to. They didn't do much for me, but I could see how many people would like the sound. -Chris Hobo Libido on MySpace Bipolar Express on MySpace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Bear Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I agree with Chris. They have some Ashdown where I teach. They are very good sounding amps. But they are no Trace Elliot. Very warm. In fact so warm, I have a friend who's Eden 410XLT couldn't take it and had to go back and buy an Ashdown cab. If you look at the artist roster of those who play it, you'll notice a pattern in styles of players. It is a good amp though. Just not for me. Mike Bear Artisan-Vocals/Bass Instructor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxofunk Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Originally posted by getz76: ...if you are not sure if its the "sound you want," you should give it a spin first. If you cannot find one locally, either (1) ask a dealer to bring one in so you can try it or (2) order from an online house with a reasonable return policy.1) Yep. My band-mate & guit player has a little shop (more lesson studio than shop) and has talked to an Ashdown distributor. IIRC they have a minmum order of something like 2-4 pieces of gear. However - they may be reluctant to order unless they know you will keep it. I seriously considered helping him out and ordering a MAG210 cab and the MAG 300 head - but decided that I wasn't willing to be a guinea pig. 2) American Musical offers 45 days... ought to be enough. - Matt W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I really don't know how smaller mom-and-pop shops stay in business carrying readily available gear (non-boutique). I don't know how the boutique shops stay in business, either, for that matter. AMS is actually Victor's House of Music in Paramus, NJ, if I recall correctly. They are generally good people there, and I've had some good experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 My Confirmation name is Matt, so I feel OK about posting here. Ashdown may not be in your local store because they had a distributor change (in the US). I met lots of the distributor people at BP Live, and they seem like a positive bunch who know their product. I'm betting the next year you'll see lots of Ashdown coming to your town. Try www.ashdownamps.com and look up your area on the dealer page. Somehow all these Matts are making me want to vacuum out my car.... Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxofunk Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Getz - I do know fur sure that AMS is in NJ, I ordered a guitar case from them once and paid the minimal shipping fee. I received it 10 days later and there was pack mule hair caught in the packing tape and a sticker "I survived Nigara Falls in a Barrell." Tom - If you'd said that to me in grade school you would be reading the label on your underwear right now! http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:QofgP16suTYJ:capefeare.com/wedgie.gif (Is this #1000 yet? I tried to make it a good one.) - Matt W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey Im Matt Posted October 28, 2004 Author Share Posted October 28, 2004 So what does the sub harmoinzer do on the Ashdown? And should I match the ohms of the amp and cab (4 ohms to 4 ohms) or go with the mismatch (4 ohms in amp to 8 ohms in cab)? I know you lose wattage by doing the latter, but are there any benefits? Should I not get a strictly 4 ohm cab? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helge Lund Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Hi. I'm Helge! A strange name in US maybe, but not here in Norway! I've got an Ashdown ABM 500 EVO2 for a year now, and I'm very happy with the sound I get from this amp! I run it through an Eden 210XLT (plus sometimes an 15" ext.cab), and I can turn it into almost any type of sound I'd like! From the clear SWR'ish to the more growly Ampeg'ish. As I have understood it, this is also a MAG feature! So, a more versatile amp have never been made, I believe! Go for it! Helge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Head with Wings Posted October 29, 2004 Share Posted October 29, 2004 I have a MAG 300H. I'm very pleased with it. Lots of nice tones, very powerfull and punchy, clear tone at high volumes, if needed. I use it with a MAG 115 Deep cab and a MAG 410T Deep cab. The subharmonizer doubles your tone an octave below. Very good price/quality ratio. Production is in China, that explains the low price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
continuous Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 I am considering getting the 300 and am trying to figure out the ohms setup. I see both of your cabinets are 8 ohms... is that what is recommended? I have a 15 inch bass cab (200 watts/8ohms)and was thinking I'd get the Mag 300H and and the same 410 that you have which is 8 ohms. Any thoughts. Thanks oh ya.. cool painting/portrait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rui Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 Ive played through the Mag300 head and I used to own a Mag600 head. My personal opinion on these is that they are OK, but thats it. The old Mag gear used to sound fantastic. The newer Mag gear however is not a patch on the ABM range IMHO. If I were you I would try quite a few amps and go from there. GK, Warwick, Hartke all do models in a similar price range to the Mag300. As for cabs, it depends what you want to do in the future really, and the amount of air you want moved. Basically the advantage of getting an 8ohm cab is that you can always add another 8ohm cab so u have 2 cabs. This gives a total of 4ohms so u get the full power being supplied to the speakers. You wont be able to connect a second cab if the first one you get is 4 ohms. (putting aside series wiring and all those other things). But I strongly recommend you to try out various different amps before deciding on the Ashdown. Also pay good attention to the cabs aswell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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