There have been many great bass amps over the years to fill a variety of niches in the various genres of grooving. Any connoisseur of such amps will remember the late ’60s Ampeg B-15, the Marshall Super bass, the ’74 Ampeg SVT, or the Eden Traveler.
Many things came to mind when I first plugged the LowDown HD750 in, but it happened to be set on the R&B setting (B-15) and immediately it evoked visions of Mr. James Jamerson. Talk about hangin’ out in the land of the LOW END! That’s not to say that this amp is overbearing or too muddy in any way. Just like any classic Motown mix, it is incredibly easy to sit anywhere you need to sit in the mix, whether it be in a live setting or in the studio. A lot of that is due to the onboard optical compressor which is based on the classic Universal Audio LA-2A limiter. Faithful is one way to put it. When plugged into an Ampeg classic 15″ cabinet, there is no doubt that serious work went into reproducing serious, classic sound.
Motown and the old school is not the only thing this amp can do, however. Let’s say you’re into the exact opposite. I bet an Eden Traveler and ’70s bass synth would be quite pleasing to anyone interested in really cutting edge, high fidelity sound. Done. Two twists of a knob and you’re there.
Or let’s say your hardcore punk band needs something really nasty. How about a distorted SansAmp PSA-1 going into an SVT rig? Pretty sweet, huh? I bet it would be even sweeter with a crystal clear direct sound mixed in. Rage Against the Machine, anyone? Clearly this amp fits perfectly in even the most high end of studios.
Oh yeah, it’s built like a tank, has a cabinet simulated DI, a line out, a headphone jack, and the entire front of the amp turns into a tuner. Should I mention that it’s under $800?