sunn heads for bass

[space6oy]

anybody have one / had one? if so which & what'd you think?

[truth.hz]

Compared to modern bass amps, they're all under-powered. That being said, my 200s sounds great with bass. 2000s is even better but big $$ these days.

Swap them over to a SS rectum fryer, with bigger filter caps, then they can hang tone-wise with just about anything.

They're mostly all ultra-linear so they break up in a way you either love or hate.

[waltdogg]

loved the 70s solid state offerings. fucked with just about everything but a coliseum or any of the weird late 80s, early 90s stuff that fender may or may not have had a part in after hartzell died.

the low power tube heads dont really do it like truth.hz said, but a 2000s/1200s/350b would definitely do it. never had a chance to play any any tube sunn other than an early 70s model t i used to have and hated the ever loving fuck out of.

[Seedy]

I have used the Beta bass head and Concert bass head and love them both. I've used the Concert for about 10 years now (although currently on the fritz) which has been great because I swap back and forth from bass to guitar. They take pedals extremely well. I've never used any of the Sunn tube stuff but their solid-states made me realize that solid-state can sound amazing.

[Kacey Y]

I've had a silver face Concert Bass, a black face Coliseum Bass and a Beta Bass. They all sound great tone wise, especially if you love dirty bass tone. They are definitely under powered through traditional bass cabs, maybe just loud enough if you're not playing very loud, in a small venue, through a big cab and don't mind the dirt maxed out. The Coliseum Bass through my Ampeg 810 cranked up full was just loud enough to compete with a 100W tube amp through a half stack in the past, but compared to a bass amp like a GK 800RB (which is rated very high, but much less when pushed hard) it was decidedly quiet.

I will say, if you have a more modern (even if vintage voiced) super cab, any of them are probably plenty loud. I played the Beta Bass through a Greenboy Dually and it was much louder than I had ever heard that amp before. Loud enough to compete with a tube full stack that was at high volume, but again, with lots of dirt.

If you do like the tone of almost any Sunn solid state bass amp though, most of them have a preamp out jack. So you can run them into a much louder power amp if you like.

[lordgalvar]

I have a Sunn Sorado (different name 200b) with a 6x10 and it is good. I like it much better on bass than on guitar. Functionally think the controls are great and work like they should (not a huge jump between volume knob positions like my beta lead or the Sovtek did). The bass and treble controls work well enough as do the boost switches.

It is dark and not a modern sound at all...kind of garage rock and leaning toward mids (but that could be my bright basses like univox and an old jazz bass). It sounds louder than my beta lead (maybe because of speakers). I honestly think it could keep up with a lot of amps desire being under powered...but I don't do a lot of rumbly sub bass stuff. It also seems louder to me than my friend's old Gk solid state bass amp (don't remember if it was 200 or 400 watt, again, could have been speakers).

Dudes I got it from said they preferred it on synth or keys more than anything...i think they may be right.

It works great and sounds good. Would I seek it out after having it for a while if I needed another? I don't know. I like it a lot, but it is just kind of a loud slightly dark amp.

It rumbles my house pretty easy with the 6x10 and has vibrated things off shelves.

[Wes Mantooth]

I've got a Sorado as well. Running it in to a 1x15 and 4x10 I could have used a bit more volume but it sounds god damn good. I think I'll have to part with mine though

[space6oy]

(but that could be my bright basses like univox and an old jazz bass)

i'd love to see that univox...