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Whether you're performing live or recording in the studio, the right bass amp head can significantly impact your sound. But, with amp heads offering more customization options than combos, it's much harder to find the right one for your rig. In this post, we’ll explore the top 5 best bass guitar amp heads of 2024, each with unique features, tone, and pricing. So, keep on reading if you want to bring your bass lines to life!
⚫ 800 watts of power at 4 ohms
⚫ Compact and lightweight design
⚫ Foot switchable overdrive effect (foot switch included)
The Gallien-Krueger Legacy 800 bass head is truly one-of-a-kind. It’s a powerful yet compact amp designed for bassists from all walks of life. It delivers clear and strong sound to suit different venues, with 800 watts of pure power.
This amp features a four-band active EQ to adjust the bass, midrange, and treble frequencies to your liking. Moreover, the foot-switchable overdrive option adds a warm distortion effect to your bass sound.
On top of that, you’ll also find additional switches to further contour your tones, such as Bump, Edge, Presence, and Contour. Additionally, this amp head has a balanced DI output as well as an effects loop, Aux, and headphone output for extra convenience.
This bass head is the favorite on our list.
⚫ 500 watts of power for ample headroom and volume
⚫ Pad switch to adjust input sensitivity
⚫ Hybrid tube with Class D technology
Don’t let the 500 watts of power fool you. The Orange Terror bass amp head packs a serious punch for you to rock the stage. With its classic Orange style, this amp is durable and ready for whatever you throw at it. Plus, it’s easy to handle and transport, weighing only 10 lbs.
This amp head offers great tone control with its 3-band active EQ. Moreover, enhancements like the Clean and Pad switches work excellently for active basses.
Not only that, but the Orange Terror also includes post-EQ and post-saturation XLR balanced outputs. This allows you to connect directly to an audio interface or mixing board.
Orange has some of the best amp tones in the industry for both bass and guitar.
⚫ 2000 watts of power for a strong volume
⚫ Lightweight Class-D amplifier design
⚫ Compressor with Dynamizer Technology
Now, for serious bass amplification, there’s the Bugera Veyron M BV1001M, with its 2000 watts of power. This amp is designed to deliver serious bass performance in any setting while still keeping the weight down.
Driven by MOSFET technology, this amp head ensures efficient power delivery with a hint of warmth to your tones. So, it doesn’t give out the feeling of being loud and obnoxious, but rather beautiful.
Plus, the foot-switchable effects loop adds versatility to your sound setup. This makes it a great choice for both live and studio settings.
If you want power, then this is the amp you'll want to get off our list.
⚫ 700 watts of power in an ultra-compact device
⚫ Comprehensive EQ section
⚫ Send and return for inserting effects pedals
Designed for bassists who want top-notch performance, the Aguilar AG 700 certainly delivers. With its elegant design and user-friendly controls, it sure is a solid candidate on our list.
This amazing amp head is packed with everything you need for versatile tone shaping. It features a four-band EQ section as well as “Bright” and “Deep” switches for added boost and great dynamics.
Despite all those qualities, the Aguilar AG 700 only weighs 4.9 lbs. This makes it an ideal choice for bassists who value simplicity and effectiveness at the same time.
This amp is tried and true. You can't go wrong with this option.
⚫ Compact and lightweight
⚫ 250 watts of power
⚫ TonePrint technology with a wet/dry knob
The TC Electronic BH250 sounds just as awesome as it looks. Despite its small size (just over 4 lbs), this fully functional bass amp head has a few tricks up its sleeve. So, a low price doesn’t necessarily mean low quality.
What sets this device apart from the competition is its TonePrint technology. It lets you customize the sound with a wide variety of cool bass effect presets.
Plus, it offers different connectivity options and a balanced XLR direct output, making it perfect for just about anywhere you like to play.
This amp is for all our readers who are on a budget and still want great tone.
We don’t recommend playing a bass guitar through a standard guitar amp head. That’s because such amp heads aren’t designed to handle the low frequencies of bass guitars. So, doing so might result in distorted sound or even damage the amplifier.
Principally, a separate amp head offers more flexibility for pairing with different cabinets. On the other hand, a combo amp is a more compact and self-contained solution.
Tube amps are widely considered better than solid-state amps for the dynamic range, responsiveness, and tonal richness they offer. Contrarily, solid-state amps typically have more features and are lower maintenance.
The ideal wattage for a bass amp head depends on your playing style, venue size, and desired volume. For practice and small gigs, 200 watts are sufficient. As for larger venues, they may require a bass head of 500 watts or more.
A 100-watt bass guitar amp head can produce around 100–120 dB of sound output when measured at one meter away. This is equivalent to the sound level of a rock concert or a loud car horn.
Looking for a bass amp combo instead of a head? Check out our top 5 picks for the best bass amps of 2024 for both stage and studio.
That’s it for today’s list of the best bass guitar amp heads. Among the top contenders, the Gallien-Krueger Legacy 800 is our best overall choice. Following that, there’s the Orange Terror, with its outstanding power and tone. Lastly, for our budget-friendly pick, you can always count on the TC Electronic BH250. It offers superb value without having to compromise on quality.
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