TC Electronic BH250 250-watt Compact Bass Head Reviews

I have a reoccuring gig (1 @ month) at a Casino of which I only wanted to make only one trip for load in/out. So, I decided to invest in one of the Bass Micro Amps currently available under $ for that particular gig as well as having access to a tiny 'back-up' amp that takes up minimal space. The topography of most micro amps seemed about the same, but the BH250 offers a built-in tuner and the ability to switch between TWO (2) downloadable special effects (TONE PRINT). So not only have I reduced the size/weight of the amp head I will need for the gig, but I can eliminate the need for my FX pedalboard as well.

The amp performance at the Casino gig went as well as, if not better, than I had hoped for. Since the PA system was only ceiling speakers (no FOH or subs), I had to push the Master Volume to about an '8' setting to get the 'feel' that Im used to at this gig. The speaker (Ampeg SVT-12HE @ 8 Ohms) and amp held up just fine. No overheating issues, no blown speaker. I had to frequently adjust tone controls for certain songs, but that's just to be expected as I was discovering the subtleties of the DYNAMIC TONE CONTOURING FILTER SECTION.

The second gig was a more traditional PA set-up with on-stage monitors. But because I had room for my FX pedalboard, I didn't use any of the TONE PRINT effects. I had my master volume down to about '6' most of the time. My instrument is a Fender J-Bass w/ passive PU's and Hipshot 'D-Tuner'.

Overall, the volume and tone of the BH250 seem to be very acceptable for most any gig. Nor did I experience any AC 60Hz noise/hum when using the DI output. The special features are a real treat as well. If you're a gigging musician, be sure to get the remote footswitch and TRS cable. With it you can select either or both special effects (factory default is a DRIVE and a CHORUS) and MUTE (for silent tuning). This may not ever become my main 'go-to amp' for every gig, but as a backup spare amp or when size/weight matters it fits the price point and will not dissapoint in performance.

Couldn't be happier. All the power necessary to amp my Acme speakers with a built in tuner, tone print versatility, XLR output and it only weights 4 lbs. An A+ from Sweetwater!

I'm still getting used to this little beast. I'm currently running it through a 2-10 Ampeg cabinet where we practice. I haven't tried it yet in a venue or will I even try. It's just nice waking into the studio with this little guy instead of hauling in my 1-15 Ampeg combo.

I own 2 of these little monsters. I use them with a variety of speaker cabinets including the power hungry Acme Low B-1. I play with an 18 piece high decibel big band they produce plenty of clean sound. I love the handy tuner, aux input, mute control, XLR output and tone print versatility. It works great with my upright bass too.I really couldn't imagine wanting anything more!

I now love bass equipment of the highest order. Truly forward thinking equipment. Reasonable size and weight without compromise. I have this amp connected to a BC208. It's loud and sounds awesome. My sales engineer perfectly help me getting a no baloney quality sound very reasonably priced. I like the rig so much my guitar equipment is just sitting there since I have the bass rig.

I guess that would be to say that I bought another. I had a single BH250 driving a pair of Ampeg SVT210VA cabinets. When it came time to move a little more air, instead of starting from scratch, I bought another BH250 and another pair of SVT210VA cabinets and ran them in parallel. Got compliments on how clean it was. Another thing I liked about the rig is that I can run two separate Tone Print models with the amps. One has a bit of tube saturation model and the other has the octaver running just a tad. Fattens up the sound nicely.

Needed a backup/potential replacement amp in a hurry as my other class D amp was growing increasingly unreliable. A friend had the BAM 200, and I was intrigued by the TonePrint function, so bought the BH250. This exceeded all expecatations. Warm Low, Barky/Grindy Mids, and a sparkling top end. Simplicity itself in three bands, then slap in the TonePrint effects (my go-to is a straight ahead Spectra Comp, but the chorus, phaser, and overdrives are great as well) and it's a perfect little gig rig paired with my Markbass 2x10. With the master at 1/2 way amd IEMs it can handle pretty much anything. Priced right, built well, and simple to use - everything you want in a portable amp.

This Head is IMPRESSIVE !!! Love The Tone Print
Function. I'm new to Bass Head and amps, just got an Orange 400 Watt Cab!!! Volume at half up , it ROCKS !!

The 3 Knob EQ, will provide many rich Tones.
The WT, I'd awesome , I bought a metal foam case
It stores neatly in case with all my wires. Between it
And my 400 WATT ORANGE CRUSH CAB, & my
5 STRING IBANEZ, portability is totally ROCKS !!!

Well built great Head.... GO BUY ONE !!!!

Sweet Water your awesome !!!

Great little amp gets that classic tone from the tubewarmth n comp tone print originally bought it for a back up amp quickly became my main amp done couple small outside shows plenty enough power for my needs playing a squier pj gk 210 and seismic 115 classic rock keeps up with two guitars drums no problems longevity can't say at this time but well satisfied

I just got this today and tried it out. Incredible! Plenty of power and pairs excellent with the 1x12 Aguilar GS112. I was SHOCKED how well the cab produced the low B with this cabinet and amp. My "outdoor" rig is a GK Fusin 550 and a SWR 4x12. Yeah, it sounds good but it"s horrible to move! For the kind of work I do and with PA support this new fly setup is plenty to work with. Not only that but it"s good sounding. Maybe better than the GK. What I really like is the fact I can carry my entire rig in two hands now. Shove the amp in the bass case and roll. Tone print is cool. Especially being able to change with your phone!! Once you understand how it works it is simple.

I"m in love with it. I"ll update you guys later on it.

I love this little but powerful bass amp head. You can't beat the price for this little power house.
Kurt, my engineer, gave me a couple options and I picked this one and I'm glad I did. You can't beat the Tone Print feature, don't need pedals and the on board Tuner even for 5 & 6 string bass. I can carry this in my gig bag It's not capable of a huge room by itself (big room yes) unless you mike it or go into a board. Sounds great too. I would definitely recommend this little jewel. I've had all kinds of equipment due to playing for 58 years and still rocking. This is not my only head.

My original BH250 was destroyed in a house fire and was maybe at the most 3 months old. The output of this little thing is incredible and I'm also a fan of the TonePrint effects. Would highly recommend it.

small , compact , good value , enough watts to do almost any gig with pa support ... i bought it and im currently using it with either 1 x12 bass cab or sometimes ibused 2 ... either way u will be satisfied , u will get a tight sound with 1 cab , and when 2 are plugged in u get crazy loud !!! like i said either way , with 1 cab for tightness or 2 for loudness u cant go wrong ... the eq section is great and tone print is a plus !!! tunner , aux input and headphone capabilities for practice ... want more ??? price is really good , don't wait get it now !!!

I needed a small head for smaller gigs, practice and woodshedding. I seen this little class D head and thought I'd give it a whirl. I own several TC electronics pedals and have loved the functionality and quality. This is no different. I paired it with a 1x15 cab modeled after the Orange 1x15 (homemade). Nice smooth low end and plenty of power for smaller gigs. This gets over the drummer nicely without having to dime it. Because the lows are clean and crisp it cuts through the mix really well.

This little guy looks good, sounds good and you don't need a truss to carry it in.

I play bass and keys through this for 3 days now and can't belive how clean and powerful it is. The toneprint is verry handy. Sweetwater is the best hands down.

Just played my BBNE 2 with my new TC BH 250 on GK speakers. My sound guy and fellow musicians were very happy with it, it was clean no unwanted noise they said. 250 vs 400 watt and the TC 250 sounded very full and loud and overall better than GK in a room of 300 people. I am so glad I got this very portable head as my 1st purchase.

I have had this amp for awhile as a practice amp, and after some studio work, I fell in love with the tone print feature. I gigged with this amp last night at a pretty good sized venue powering a Kustom DE410 and DE 115. I only had the vol. at about 11:00 and had plenty of power to cut through. I had used an Ampeg 400w in the past, and the TCE seems to have a better sound and just as much power. The tone print feature is great if you like to be a little stealth with your effects. I play with a distortion pedal (odb3) and paired with an octaver print, I can really get nasty. Overall, I am very satisfied with the BH250, and especially the great service from Sweetwater. Having a rep that knows his stuff that I can access anytime is great

I got this amp head because I have had good luck with TC Electronic. It sounds awesome for such a small package. I can now carry my bass head in a laptop case. I am literally thrilled to have this. Buy one if your bass head sounds lifeless. The toneprint feature can be an asset as well.

I've purchased TC Electronic RH750 and the 1600 watt Blacksmith!! These two have amazing power and tone control!! I still wanted a smaller amp for quick and easy setups. So I purchased the little 250 watt! Man this little amp can really sound like a 400 watt amp, when used with the right speakers! It really had my 2-10 Ibanez Promethean sound like a 4-10 cab!!! It also ran my 2 TC RS 2-12 cabs really strong!! I play a lot of funk and smooth jazz music This little 250 watt really is the loudest 250 I've ever heard. The tones you can get are a big plus! The Tone Print I use the Spectracomp effect it adds more volume by evening you strings so the all play at the same volume! Buy this amp and you will use it a lot!!

I watched Uriah Duffy's video tutorial before I purchased this. Needed extreme portability.
Tones are superb and the power is pretty impressive.
I just throw it in my gig bag and go. Excellent product and reasonable price.

Sound and power in your pocket ...."Check it Out" for your self it is for the Bass Player. Oh and you cant beat the price.

I had heard of TC Electronics and this amp for a while but could not find it anywhere to try it out. Luckily I finally found the BG250 combo and liked what I heard out of a 115 speaker and knew that the BH250 would probably sound massive with either a 410 or 215 cab. Boy was I right! This amp is seriously massive sounding with a very clean tone and serious chest thump. The highs are very crystal clear and the lows are also highly articulate, no mud anywhere. I am playing this head out of a 4 ohm Gallien Krueger Neo 410 and a Crate BT215E cab loaded with Eminence Delta 15's. I’ve also tried it with a Hartke 210XL and 115XL, a Markbass Blackline 410, as well as an Eden EX410 and this little monster cuts through a band mix with ease. IMO it sounds great on all of them but sounds the best with the GK NEO 410. My guitarists play out of 2 Line 6 Bogners and one of them was ready to ditch his for a TC Electronic guitar amp, which to his disappointment does not exist. I have tried running my volume at about 12:00 but have been told to turn down because it is too loud, imagine that. This amps sound made me sell off my Acoustic B800H and buy a TC Electronic RH450 which is even more impressive and sounds just as loud as the Acoustic B800H, which is just as surprising. The RH450 is easily the best amp I have ever played out of, but if you cannot afford it like most people, the BH250 is definitely no slouch and I have no problem gigging that amp either. I am also a Markbass and Genz Benz fan as well, but have now become a full fledged TC Electronics fan. If you can try one out somewhere, do yourself a favor. Also try some Spectracomp on the toneprint. At about 9:00 it adds a more full round tone as well as more volume. I have never been a compression fan but the Spectracomp is really awesome. Classic Chorus and Tubetone are just as nice. I’ve used the Classic Chorus on an original and Tubetone for some Motorhead, Volbeat, Black Sabbath and RATM covers. Another great thing is that once you dial in your tone and or Toneprint, it does not change when increasing or decreasing the master volume. You can play a large outdoor event or small bar without having to change anything but the master volume. And for those who think they need more wattage, seriously who goes around slamming 800 watts on stage, that is what PA support is for and the DI on this thing is fabulous. I could go on and on but the best bet is for you to try it out on your own and come up with your own conclusion. I’m pretty sure you will come away with some serious amp craving.

Love it.Small, light and powerful. Tone print is amazing. So many sounds in this little engineering marvel .Buy this amp!!

For me it was a great surprise something so small and with such power. I connected the two bh250 Handmade cabinet (1x10) and (1X12) 8 ohms each. He speaks well, with drums and guitar and the power it has not been used even by 60%, we play songs like classic rock and reggae. I really enjoyed the practicality, lightweight, small and simple. I need to test more in another configurations to relate better. About TonePrints, I think they can be effectively used with the footswitch and I do not have this accessory.

With so many companies coming out with these compact heads now, I thought best to be patient and research,research,research!! After playing through a few, reading countless reviews,and process of elimination I finally.decided on the TC Electronics BH250.What a great sound this little mofo has. And the tonePrint is absolutely awesome. Once you download the app to your iphone there are tons of different pedal effects to choose from by the hottest bassists out there who custom designed each one.these are not fake sounding cheese effects, It comes out the same as having that exact pedal dialed in the way you like it. I added the effects that were most practical to me onto my favorites list and when I pull one up it takes mere seconds to send to the head. Easily done between songs!! So many things this little devil does and does well.. Go Get One!!!!! I paired with the tce 2x12 cab . All I need for volume and killer tone!!! TC Electronics are definitely winning over my loyalty

This is a great amp. It has plenty of power and great tone. I am a bass player and I need some light weight gear. This is great! I looked at the GK heads also, but this amp has a built in tuner that is very handy to have and the price is about the same.
I also play keyboards and I use it for my Roland keyboard and it sound really good.
This amp has the Toneprint downloads. You can download tones from your smart phone right into your bass pickups and then into the amp. It is very smart. It is built very strong.
Allot of thinking went into this amp.....

Very good I like tc electronic

How does the BH250 rock? Let me count the ways.

1. Tuner? Check, Leave the rack-tuner at home. Mute switch for the win.
2. EQ? Check. And with a versatile three band setup that cuts common problem frequencies or boosts others for extra grunt, bark & sparkle, leave the preamp at home.
3. XLR out? Check, with pre and post FX, leave the DI box at home.
4. Toneprint? Check. Leave the chorus pedal (and any number of effects) at home.
5. Power? Checkmate! Leave the 40-pound amp at home.

Four pounds and it replaces a small pedalboard and a heavy old amp; one of the better values out there right now. I'd consider buying a second one just so it could be stereo like my other rigs. That's the only downside that I can think of.

Wanting another one isn't much of a downside as it's plenty of volume for the rehearsal room. I'd definitely take two of these over a single 550 or 800 on a bigger stage just for the redundancy.

The plan was to augment it with the PA but it turned out to be unnecessary. If you play outdoor venues or run larger cabs, the big brothers would be better for you.

Half a star off because the price of the foot-switch is out of proportion.

I needed a small, simiple, versatile grab-and-go amp with great sound for practicing and small gigs. If you have a gig bag with a big pocket, this will fit right in your gig bag. This amp fits the bill perfectly for me. The mp3 input is great for practicing, and we also pump our iPOD through it for music in our house. I throw this in my gig bag with my cables, carry my light 2x10 cab, and I'm good to go. In and out of every gig in 1 easy trip!

The EQ section is simple and pretty idiot-proof. It's easy to dial in a great sound. The gain boost/pad switch is nice for active vs. passive pickups, and the mute switch is a good touch. I don't use the on board tuner too often (SNARK tuner or my ears usually do the trick, but it's nice to have the option. My soundman has commented on how good the amp sounds. The amp has a sturdy feel to it....more than most other amps in the micro bass amp category.

The toneprint is a nice feature, and I have enjoyed it a LOT. For gigs, I like a little compression with some tube warmth/grit. Some of the combined toneprints do a decent job on that front. It has been fun playing around with choruses, flangers, vibrato, compressors, octavers, etc. They all seem to work pretty well.

My only complaint, and the reason for 4.5 stars would be the lack of a separate gain control and a tube preamp. There's just a little something that a tube adds to the sound that would be nice on this amp. For value, you can't beat this little beast. It's certainly loud enough for anything I would need unless I'm playing in a stadium (which will never happen).

I first wanted to get one of the TC electronic combo amps when I first started doing gigs on bass guitar. I went with a Peavy instead. Now that I'm playing better venues, I needed to upgrade but I still wanted a small fingerprint. No heavy gear for me! So I chose this Bass head and it has more than lived up to my expectations. Mind you, I'm not playing stadiums, haha, but this has more than enough power to drive your rig. I've had nothing but compliments from everyone that has heard it and I haven't even used the tone print stuff yet! I'd highly recommend it!

I picked up the BH-250 paired w/the 2x12 KCab. Jim Watson,my sales guy, really helped w/ suggestions and of course,the Sweetwater service was on point.The BH-250 is very easy to jump into and I was beaming tone prints from the app from TC right away. In terms of sound and power,I played a gig with two guitars,drums,keyboards and two vocalists, and punched through just fine w/room for more. I suggest getting the foot pedal as it is really needed to get the most out of the tone print function. Simply put,I am very satisfied. Thanks Jim and Sweetwater!

This amp has a powerhouse of features in a gig bag size. The ability to download effects on-line and a built-in tuner makes this amp like a Swiss Army knife of portable bass amps.

I have not had a chance to play a show with this. At one time I had the combo version of this amp that was lost in a fire. I have had a chance to practice with it both in my barn and with my band. The amp has a clean, solid bass sound. The eq allows you to dial in some punch pretty easily. The mute switch is pretty conveniently placed. I used this with my band for practice, without a cab, using the xlr out, into the board, and with in-ear monitors. It sounded great that way as well.

I have had this product for a short period of time and find it perfect for my needs. I only use it with headphones since I live in an apartment. It is fairly user friendly and responds well to adjustments. The only thing I have not tried is the preprogrammed moods / apps that I downloaded to my phone. That's because I don't know what they do or how to use them

I bought the TC Electronics BH250 from Sweet Water. It arrived in a timely fashion as all the orders I make with Sweet Water do. I had to figure out that the mute switch has to be flipped down. After I figured that out it worked quite good. I was quite pleased with the tone and power it has. The bass sounds the way it should (in fact better than I expected). I've not used the app as yet but basically this amp head makes the bass sound like a bass should. I recommend this product for bassist who are on a budget or needs to run directly into a PA system still sounding good and would rather not carryaround a two hundred pound bass amp in a truck.

Well I just played my first gig with this amp and I am really impressed, it sound really good. I love the fact that it has an onboard tuner and mute switch. The price is nice also. I have 2 gripes about this amp. One is the EQ. It is simple and effective, but I feel like it could be a tad better, maybe not be as sensitive. Next is the toneprint function. To me it is useless since I don't use pedals. Most of the sounds that come on the app do not sound very good to me. It will serve as a great backup amp for my usage.

Great piece. Small portable light. Even has a fan that comes on only as needed. Tone print is cool. Tuned is accurate. 3 band eq shapes quite a bit. Very pleased. Wish you could switch off the tuner. Ieds constantly blink while playing. Sort of cool and sort of distracting. Wish it had a 1/4" speaker out it only has the speakon out. But everything else is great at this price point. A big value.

For small gigs with my 2x10 Eden tilt back, it does the job.
Compact and clean sounding.
If you are looking for an amp for small venues, and less weight,
Go with it.

I've played a couple of small room gigs with this head and am very pleased with it. Plenty of power with just one 2 X 10 cab. I've also used it with two 2 X 10 cabs. I downloaded one of the "compressor" TonePrints and am very pleased with the punch this gives my Jazz Bass. I've got a lot of tweaking to do but right out of the box, this is a great compact amp.

Ok this is a tricky one, this amp have some good and some weird ones. Lets do the good ones first, Its well built, love the speakon connector and the size, small and light and good power specially at 4 ohms. Now the weird ones, The DYNAMIC TONE CONTOURING FILTER SECTION meaning the EQ is not your typical EQ. I felt like I have no control with this type of EQ, also it sounds like a lot of midrange on it, the low frequency its at 80hz and after 12 o'clock is at 100hz not easy to control and too much gain on those frequencies and no lower frequencies to make it sound like a bass amp. I have to use my Eden WTDI pedal to shape the sound the way I want it. Tone prints! well another one that I can't tweak based on a any particular song etc. it will be nice if people can adjust the tone prints on this bass amp the same way it can be done with other TC electronics pedals.

This amp is OK for a lightweight, class D amp. The marketing materials say that this amp plays well with combinations of cabinets....but with a minimum impedance of 4 ohms, you're pretty much stuck with a single 4 ohm cabinet, or a pair of 8 ohm cabinets....sorry, you can't combine your "daily" 4 ohm 4x10 with your "something extra" 8 ohm 1x15 or 2x10. So while this bass amp is OK, you can't believe the marketing. It's a one trick pony, nothing more. Don't pretend this is a flexible amp. It's not. You plug in to a bargain basement cab and it makes you loud.

My Bh250 caught fire after 30 days of owning on may 25th , contacted Amazon where I bought it from on day 34 , was told they won't cover it and that TC Electronics would have to take care of me …

Which they did NOT , I was told by Pedro Rodriguez a rep of TC Electronics through multiple emails that TC Electronic would not take care of me or do anything , and that Amazon who was the reseller is responsible

I went back and forth with mr Rodriguez over 10 emails with him just saying it's Amazons problem and they will take care of you , yet Amazon has sent me over 10 emails saying after 30 days they do NOT cover this , so now I'm stuck with a broken melted BH250 with no help from Amazon or TC

I will NEVER buy another TC product as long as I live !
Their customer service is non existent and they will not honor their product

I've been going back and forth with Amazon and tc since may may 28th

I'm stuck with a faulty bass amp head with no one honoring the warranty

YOU GUYS ARE THE WORST COMPANY