Small Block Lightweight Bass Amplifier Heads (SB200H, SB500H)

We're already big fans of the Traynor Small Block amps - the 10" and 12" combos have become best-sellers, due to their light weight, great sound, and reasonable price. As you may have read on our site, the gear we sell has to pass the "Mark Test" - meaning, if we wouldn't use it ourselves, we won't sell it. It takes an amp with particular character and the right technical specifications to reproduce the acoustic sound of an upright bass. And the Traynor SB110 and SB112 Combos have the goods.

Now Traynor brings us the new "head only" versions of the Small Block (SB) series combos. If you've already got some gear, now you can get the same transparent sound with a speaker cabinet you love. The heads, like the combos, are ultra-compact and lightweight. So it's hardly going to break your back. And even though it's made in North America (Canada!), the price of either head isn't going to break the bank, either.

SB200H

With 200 watts of clean power, Passive and active inputs, four band eq plus an expander*, a Speakon output along with an XLR D.I.(with ground lift), mute switch, headphone and tuner outputs, you've got all the pro features. And Traynor's got a 2-year no-nonsense, "even if you break it" warranty. So you're in good hands.

Features:

• Ultra Compact and Lightweight Design
• All-Metal Chassis
• Versatile 4-band EQ with Additional Low Frequency Expander
• Passive and Active Inputs
• Selectable Pre / Post XLR DI Output
• Auxiliary Input & Headphone Output for Private Practice
• Convenient Speakon™ - ¼-inch Combi-jack Speaker Output
• Made in Canada

Specifications:

• Power at min. impedance (Watts): 200 watts
• Minimum Impedance (Ohms): 4
• Burst Power - 2 cycle: 250 watts
• Inputs Passive: 0 dB, Active -6 dB
• Controls: Gain, Bass, Low Mid, High Mid, Treble, Low Expander
• Additional Inputs: ¼-inch Aux Input
• Line Out (type / configuration): Balanced Pre/Post Line Out w/ Ground Lift Switch
• Line Out Sensitivity (Vrms): 1 Vrms
• LED Indicators: Blue - Power / Red - Protect/Mute
• Protection: Clip, Thermal, Overcurrent
• External speaker output / location: Speakon / ¼-inch Combi-Jack
• Other Features: Aux Input /Headphone Out /Mute /Tuner Out
• Dimensions (DWH, inches): 7.5 x 8 x 1.75
• Dimensions (DWH, cm): 19.1 x 20.35 x 4.5
• Weight (lbs / kg): 1.5 / 0.68

SB500H

This slightly larger model bumps the power up to 500w, and has the extended feature set of the SB112 combo; a little bigger, a couple of pounds heavier, yes - but it can put out more power and has a bit more of the features that folks find handy; the headphone and tuner outputs move to the front panel, there's a limiter and a clip light for better monitoring and control of overloads, and the separate gain and volume knobs provide more control over gain structure. And still, the 2-year no-nonsense, "even if you break it" warranty. Rock on!

Features:

• Ultra Compact and Lightweight Design
• All-Metal Chassis
• Separate Input Gain and Master Volume Controls
• Versatile 4-band EQ with Additional Low Frequency Expander
• Passive and Active Inputs with Clip Light
• Switchable Limiter
• Selectable Pre / Post XLR DI Output with Ground Lift
• Front Panel Mute Button
• Front Panel Headphone and Tuner Out Jacks
• Rear Mounted In-Line Effects Loop
• Auxiliary Input & Headphone Output for Private Practice
• Speakon™ - Speaker Outputs
• Made in Canada

Specifications:

• Power at min. impedance (Watts): 500 watts
• Minimum Impedance (Ohms): 4
• Burst Power - 2 cycle: 600 watts
• Inputs Passive: 0 dB, Active -6 dB
• Controls: Gain, Bass, Low Mid, High Mid, Treble, Low Expander, Master Volume
• Inline Effects Loop: ¼-inch Send and Return (rear)
• Line Out (type / configuration): Balanced Pre/Post Line Out w/ Ground Lift Switch
• Line Out Sensitivity (Vrms): 1 Vrms
• LED Indicators: Blue - Power / Red - Protect/Mute
• Protection: Clip, Thermal, Overcurrent
• External speaker output / location: Speakon (x2)
• Other Features: Headphone Out /Mute /Tuner Out
• Dimensions (DWH, inches): 9.5 x 12 x 2.5
• Dimensions (DWH, cm): 22 x 30 x 6.5
• Weight (lbs / kg): 4.0 / 1.8

* OUR TIP concerning the "Low Expander"

• For best sound with the upright bass, turn the "Low Expander" control OFF. As in, all the way to the left (not at the midpoint.) This control "shapes the tone of the bass by extending the low frequency and reducing the mid frequencies (around 400 Hz)." That creates an unnatural "scooped" sound with exaggerated bass response - and while that can sound cool for electric bass guitar, it detracts from the neutral tone character that better serves the sound of an upright.