I know Ron of Bongripper has been using the Darkglass stuff lately both amp and cabs. Sounds really great to my ears.

Clone the power section of a 400RB. Like down to the PCB traces. No need to get crazy.

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Wed Mar 16, 2022 9:33 am Alright, so it sounds like we need to start working on the PRF solid state design. Probably need a good power amp to base it on. A while ago I messed with trying to make my own TS-15 power amp, because it's super simple, but I never got very far. Should revisit.

TS into RB400 would be fun - I'm putting my first solid state product into production this year, didn't design the whole thing but worked on preamp circuits, would love to help if I can!

I've got a rusty box I'm running into my 400rB - sounds good, but I keep falling back on a keeley mod rat I've had forever. I think it's the 'Mighty Mouse' mod where it just has a crazy amount of volume, and I'm sure the caps have been changed because it doesn't sound the same as a regular rat on bass - but it's my favorite bass pre-amp atmo.

TylerDeadPine wrote: Thu Mar 17, 2022 12:14 pm

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Wed Mar 16, 2022 9:33 am Alright, so it sounds like we need to start working on the PRF solid state design. Probably need a good power amp to base it on. A while ago I messed with trying to make my own TS-15 power amp, because it's super simple, but I never got very far. Should revisit.

TS into RB400 would be fun - I'm putting my first solid state product into production this year, didn't design the whole thing but worked on preamp circuits, would love to help if I can!

I've got a rusty box I'm running into my 400rB - sounds good, but I keep falling back on a keeley mod rat I've had forever. I think it's the 'Mighty Mouse' mod where it just has a crazy amount of volume, and I'm sure the caps have been changed because it doesn't sound the same as a regular rat on bass - but it's my favorite bass pre-amp atmo.

Am I the only one that thinks the 400 is a little under powered (especially with an 8-ohm cabinet!)? I remember mine liking to overheat and shut down at band levels. Never had the same issue with the 800.

tommy wrote: Thu Mar 17, 2022 1:12 pm Am I the only one that thinks the 400 is a little under powered (especially with an 8-ohm cabinet!)?

Wasn't a problem for the couple of dozen shows I did in bands with that format for bass (mostly thru a Eminence Delta Pro 15a speaker). Maybe you were running them on super low preamp gain?

They are ungodly loud through Mesa Diesel 2x15s but those are 4ohm of course.

penningtron wrote: Thu Mar 17, 2022 1:31 pm

tommy wrote: Thu Mar 17, 2022 1:12 pm Am I the only one that thinks the 400 is a little under powered (especially with an 8-ohm cabinet!)?

Wasn't a problem for the couple of dozen shows I did in bands with that format for bass (mostly thru a Eminence Delta Pro 15a speaker). Maybe you were running them on super low preamp gain?

They are ungodly loud through Mesa Diesel 2x15s but those are 4ohm of course.

Yeah, perhaps. It's been awhile. But I ran the EQ pretty flat (all noonish) with a touch of boost with the preamp set to be pretty clean with a P-bass. Master was dimed or close. The 4x10 I had at the time might not have been super efficient.

tommy wrote: Thu Mar 17, 2022 1:12 pm

TylerDeadPine wrote: Thu Mar 17, 2022 12:14 pm

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Wed Mar 16, 2022 9:33 am Alright, so it sounds like we need to start working on the PRF solid state design. Probably need a good power amp to base it on. A while ago I messed with trying to make my own TS-15 power amp, because it's super simple, but I never got very far. Should revisit.

TS into RB400 would be fun - I'm putting my first solid state product into production this year, didn't design the whole thing but worked on preamp circuits, would love to help if I can!

I've got a rusty box I'm running into my 400rB - sounds good, but I keep falling back on a keeley mod rat I've had forever. I think it's the 'Mighty Mouse' mod where it just has a crazy amount of volume, and I'm sure the caps have been changed because it doesn't sound the same as a regular rat on bass - but it's my favorite bass pre-amp atmo.

Am I the only one that thinks the 400 is a little under powered (especially with an 8-ohm cabinet!)? I remember mine liking to overheat and shut down at band levels. Never had the same issue with the 800.

My trick with bass amps is to turn the bass knob down a little. Just enough to cut out some of the useless subs - the stuff that’s just finger noise and resonances. The lowest fundamental if you’re using a low B is 31hz, and some people can’t even hear that. No use in spending power to get down to 20.

I find that frees up a lot of power when using 400RBs and vintage amps.

biscuitdough wrote: Thu Mar 17, 2022 1:53 pm
My trick with bass amps is to turn the bass knob down a little. Just enough to cut out some of the useless subs - the stuff that’s just finger noise and resonances. The lowest fundamental if you’re using a low B is 31hz, and some people can’t even hear that. No use in spending power to get down to 20.

Not only can it not be heard but even many well-regarded bass cabs cannot reproduce it with the intended speakers anyway (looking at you TL-606)

I've used the same 400RB for nearly 20 years into 8 ohm cabs w/ no issues whatsoever. Always had TONS of volume when I had it going through a Workingman 4x10, even when playing w/ loud ass drummers and two 100 watt half-stacks. Same w/ a TL606 w/ an 8 ohm speaker.

I actually have preferred how the Rusty Box circuit sounds going into the effects return of the 400RB over a power amp. Just something about that had more, uhg, "warmth" or whatever.

For reference, I always have the boost knob at noon, never lower never higher, and never used the footswitch to engage the boost circuit.

I never had a 400RB overheat either, and mine were backline for a few PRF events. Good point about rolling off the bass, I would always do that too. Mine were from the the second run of production - you can tell as they have an IEC cable slot - and the only repair I've ever needed to do was to swap out a couple of board-mounted jacks for panel-mounted ones.

Among many more deluxe options I've been playing baritone through FM yard barf's Acoustic 1x15 combo at practice, and it's just spanky as hell. I think it's a model 126?