As you become comfortable with your pedalboard and are eager to expand it further, the next step should be finding an amp that suits you and your sound.
Your goal is to find an amplifier with ample power and sound that takes up minimal space – and there are many available to you.
Power
The Yamaha 3200 amp is an impressive beast of an amplifier. Easily driving a standard 410 speaker cabinet without issue or clipping issues, its smooth operation features subtle warmth and big body while maintaining great midrange clarity making this an excellent choice for bassists looking to pick out notes while staying in time with drummers.
This bass amp offers both clean and drive channels for creating distortion, plus built-in digital amp modeling to help find your ideal tone and give you plenty of options when adapting it for different situations.
While most bass amplifiers are versatile, there are some subtle distinctions among various brands and models in terms of tone. Each brand boasts their own “house sound”, easily identifiable when listening to samples in different settings and music genres. Some bass amps tend to produce more distortion while others focus more heavily on midrange frequencies; additionally some models may be lighter or heavier, making transport and setup simpler than others.
Wattage should also be an important consideration when shopping for a bass amp, depending on its use in bands and the genres played; four-piece metal bands require more power than, say, singer-songwriter or piano trio groups. Finally, consider your budget. Some bass amplifiers may cost more than others but with careful research you should find an affordable amplifier to meet your needs.
An effective bass amplifier should be combined with high-quality speakers to maximize its potential. Without proper speakers, your amp may sound bright or harsh; therefore it is wise to incorporate an EQ pedal in the signal chain in order to adjust the tone of your bass guitar.
Tone
One of the key elements to consider when selecting a bass amp is its tone. If you prefer clean sounds, search for an amp with an excellent EQ that can deliver sufficient gain; otherwise look for one with reverb and other effects to add distortion-heavy tones. Some amps even feature compression/noise gates built-in which help achieve more consistent dynamic range in their tone output.
As there are so many tonal choices out there, it is essential that you know exactly what tone you desire before beginning shopping for amps. A great way to do this is by visiting a music store and trying out various amps with your bass guitar – reading reviews online or watching YouTube videos of people playing through each amp will allow you to better gauge their benefits and drawbacks to help narrow down which amp best meets your needs.
Many Yamaha bass amps feature a three-band equalizer to help shape their sound, while more advanced models offer parametric equalization for even more control of your tone and volume levels. Parametric equalization can be especially helpful in loud environments where it provides further adjustments that give more of the control needed for perfect tone creation.
The Yamaha A-S801 integrated amplifier is an example of classic audio updated for modern listening environments. It has a robust amplifier section, with honest ratings that can drive various speaker configurations. Furthermore, its built-in high-resolution USB-B DAC allows it to connect directly with computers for streaming music in high fidelity.
This model has two 3-inch drivers and can handle approximately 100 watts, offering two channels with volume treble, mid and bass controls as well as three knob parametric equalization for each channel. There’s even a reverb and phaser effect! Ideal for anyone seeking an affordable yet powerful practice amp to put into their arsenal.
Controls
A bass amp’s controls can determine its tone. Most models offer volume knob, gain or “gain control”, and one or more rotary equalizer controls (EQs). Professional-grade models may feature additional options like mid-frequency and high-frequency rotary knobs; more expensive amps may even come equipped with bright/dark switches to change overall brightness levels of their amplifier’s tone.
Some bass amps offer built-in audio compressors or limiters that reduce sudden peaks in bass signal to protect speakers and improve quality of sound. Some models feature an on/off switch and knob to regulate compression amount while others offer ratio and threshold controls to fine-tune compression settings depending on different situations.
Many bass amps also include a reverb control that determines how much reverb will be added to their output, so bassists can match it to their style and speaker’s response. Some amps even come equipped with switches enabling bassists to toggle between mono and stereo output as well as pre/post EQ circuitry activation of their reverb.
More advanced basses may feature a DI output jack that sends their amplifier’s audio signal directly to a mixing board or PA system. Amps with these types of jacks generally include features like ground lift switches to prevent hum, level control knobs for digital signal output, and switches that control whether their internal preamplifier/EQ is sending signal pre- or post-EQ settings to send to mixer/PA system.
If you want a bass amp that will enable you to develop your own distinctive style, visit as many local music stores and studios as possible and play through as many rigs as possible with your bass through each. Make note of how various controls affect tone; particularly EQ controls. Decide which rigs fit best with your playing style while being easy for use on stage or studio recording sessions.
Design
As with most bassists, when selecting an amplifier the primary consideration should be how much functionality it offers them – from being able to switch between two distinct tones to having built-in compressors or USB-B digital sections providing high resolution DAC playback directly from an external audio player such as PCs or Macs.
At its core, practice and combo amps may feature only a few switches and knobs – including an on/off switch, bass/treble control knobs, master volume knobs, as well as possibly additional tone controls or another volume control known as “preamp/gain control”, with settings ranging from flat to heavily enhanced or colored sounds. Mid-to-high priced amplifiers may include additional tone controls or gain controls which have many settings to customize their sound from flat to very boosted or colored – making these amplifiers suitable for multiple settings in-depth.
Yamaha’s A-S801 100 Watt/Ch amp offers honest power ratings of 100W/ch, boasting ample heat dissipation through large heat sinks and featuring four output devices per channel to source more current for higher power levels, along with an E-Core transformer to supply reserve power reserves. It provides big warm clean sounds perfect for jazz/funk styles as well as rock/grunge musical genres.
A-S801’s modular design makes it a standout, as the power amp module connects via large heatsink and can be removed for repairs or upgrades if needed. This allows bassists to upgrade either just their power amp or preamp without replacing an entire rig.
Yamaha bass amps feature powerful parametric equalization circuitry that is capable of creating any tone imaginable, from subtle to extreme. Unfortunately, however, novice bassists may find its complex controls confusing or difficult to use.
Most amps include some form of onboard audio compression to protect speakers during loud playing and save the power amplifier from overheating. A typical compressor typically features ratio and threshold controls that enable bassists to set how much compression should be applied; its threshold can also be altered in response to changes in input level changes.