Behringer BX3000T Head

what can i say about this that hasnt already been said..
ive found this head to be reasonably versatile. i currently playing in a tech/death band (www.myspace.com/forgottengrace) and have had a few niggles with it, which ill go into later. ive played this head in other bands and found i can get decent tones for pretty much anything i want to play. the ultrabass is pretty lame, good for high register stuff, but not so much for low end. its never let me down on the power side however.. which is one thing in its favour

i play 2 main basses, an ibanez soundgear 745 (p/p soapbar) and a warwick corvette $$ NT.
the head suits my main band quite well, but ive never been 100% happy with the tones ive got from it.
it can also be quite noisey at practices and at gigs, usually when i stand too close to it.
at practices, its been pretty good, playing through a behringer 4x12, occasionally a peavey 4x10 w/horn, and more recently a warwick 6x10 w/horn. the behringer cab sounded weak.. very little bass even with the settings adjusted. wierd high frequency pops and no character to the tone.. the peavey was much the same story, if a little better.. through the warwick cab, much improved

this head has NEVER let me down. on a couple of occasions turning it on at a venue has caused the main power to trip shutting everything on stage off, but ive put that down to bad wiring on the venues part, or their sound guy overloading extension cables

ive toured this head and gigged regularly and its held up to numerous punishings in the back of vans/cars etc while travelling an its showing no signs of wear particularly

ive never had to deal with behringer

ive been playing 8 years and this is my 1st head, i picked it up cheap because i was desperate for something to play bigger shows with, at the time i had very little cash and had to sell a cracking SWR combo to fund a head and cab. im looking into getting a new head, probably warwick or maybe markbass.
if this were stolen id be pretty narked, but i doubt id get another. if i did, it would be purely for touring back-up
i love that its a workhorse, and its sturdy, but its heavier than pretty much anything ive come across, and lacks a lot of character and tonal versatility

I have only had this head a few weeks, so I can't comment about the reliability. I am very pleased with the overall features - the VU meter is a useful feature, as I have different bases with different output levels, and the meter helps to "balance" the preamp and power amp stages. Power? Plenty of power for me, with an appropriate choice of cabinet. I can keep up with a 50 watt marshall plexi - anything more is not needed by me. I have read other reviews saying the "ultrabass" feature is useless, or doesn,t work on the lower two strings, but my experience is that it works fine if you have cabinets that are capable of producing these low tones.

My preferred bass is the same one I have been using for 39 years - a '69 jazz bass. I own alot of gear, and so for me it is not difficult to try out this head with different cabinets, etc. to see its capabilities. I find that this head sounds great with my Ampeg B-410 HLE. This cabinet can deliver the lows that this head is capable of producing. I also use it with a 4x12 Marshall or Avatar and this cab. gives the punch I like. I get a nice, full bottom-but-glassy with a high-end ring that I have always preferred, but find at times hard to get. The amp is not noisy if the preamp is not pushed excessively, but can be driven into distortion is desired. Overall, I am pleasantly surprised.

Can't say yet but seems well built. I have only owned for a few months. If things change I will re-report.

Have not tried, however in the past I needed a board upgrade from Behringer and although it took awhile I did get it.

I currently own my Fender Jazz, an Epiphone Explorer bass, a marshall plexi 50, a Sunn 200s, an Acoustic 150b, a Randall 300b, two marshall 4x12 cabs, an avatar 4x12, a KMD 4x12, a Marshall AVT20, etc...
For the price paid this was a steal, and assuming average reliability (and it seems ruggedly built) I would buy another.
I did buy the footswitch and with the Ampeg cabinet this is a winner, as I can get some great effects with both the Ultrabass and the Shape filters - almost like having more channels, which is the only thing it lacks.
Basically, I am getting the type of tone I want, and it has been great for 70's rock and progressive blues. For this price paid (used) - buy two!! Where can you get a decent powered, full featured amp for $129?

the onle features on this amp i have to have on are the bright and the shape. with out these it sounds lifeless and dull.

i think the sound quality has a lot to do with the bass your using. i went from a yamaha to an ibanez and there was a huge difference. i play tecnical death metal so i need the balls and high ends. this amp has no balls.

iv never had a problem with it. it allways does the job well (depending on the p.a at the venue.

never needed to get it fixed

good for now. good for a begginer but theres always room to upgrade.

See other reviews. The Ultrabass and Shape options do not transfigure the poor basic sound of this amp.

Connected to a matching BB410 cabinet, it is simply awful. Whatever is plugged in (JB Mex, PB USA, Rickenbacker, MM..) the basic sound is poor and farts out in the bass at moderate volumes.

A simple old Fender BXR 100 sounds much better and louder without farting out.

One of the inputs kicked the bucket once. Too bad the whole thing didn't go up in smoke.

Unfortunately, it was repaired.

I play regular small / medium gigs on various amps ranging from Ampeg SVR 300 to Fender BXR. I'm not too picky about my sound but that Behringer set-up is just too awful. I had to play it twice, and the second time I really wished something would cancel the gig.
That thing basically is a small Peavey TNT 50 dressed up as a Trace-Elliot.

This amp is at best a beginner's amp. I got it because I was in college and dirt poor. The ultrabass is a joke and sounds terribly. It didn't take much to push this head to its absolute limit before it would distort. The best feature is the old school VU meter but it really didn't help much.

This amp has the ability to bring about decent sounds but they are amateur at best. It can provide punch, growl, and decent highs. However, the mids weren't that spectacular and it wouldn't take much before I was driving it to its limits. I added an eq into the mix and still wasn't quite satisfied with the sound. Whatever you do, don't try to get a good sound out of the ultra bass option.

I never had a problem with this amp. Everytime it was ready to go when I was. However, I would only consider using it as a back up amp if my amp weren't working.

N/A

I've been playing bass for about 7 years. Right now I'm playing through a Ampeg SVT-4 pro w/ a GK 4x10 cab. Naturally, there is no comparison between this head and that. However, I doubt I would ever go back to this amp after playing my ampeg - who would?

Bought new June 2004. I do not use the sub harmonic thing though perhaps someday I will find a place for it. Basically an easy to use amp head. EQ and a few buttons and dials to tailor your sound.

I play rock, jazz and fusion. I push Avatar 1X15H and 2X10 Delta 8 ohm cabs or for smaller gigs, just the 2X10. It is easy to get a good workable tone out of this amp. I mostly set the EQ rather flat and DI out to backline. The sound guys like it. Good solid bass tone. Can get loud enough to get the place shakin".

Hasn't let me down. Plug it in and play. No problems.

Never dealt with customer service.

Works and sounds as good as any amp I have owned in the past - Peavey, Carvin, Pre amp;power amp, and Supro. I have been playing bass since '73. I think the sub harmonic thing is a waste of effort. I believe it is just a marketing ploy for inexperienced players looking to buy "features". I have used this head for almost two years now and just keeps on rockin". I have dropped it and banged it around a bit but that hasn't stopped it or slowed it down.

if you have read the other reviews i don't need to in to them again.

i use a fender precision (an early mex so the same as the u.s. ones).
the main thing about this amp is the style i play with my band is, er well, i'll put like this. we have a rock drummer, country guitarist and myself as blues/rock player. this amp has all the sounds you need to cover these styles. i use with the behringer 2x10 cab which realy bring's this amp into it's own. i did have a 1x15 but was to big to lug about and didn't sound so good.
i have the gain at 10 o'clock the ultra at 2 o'clock thebass at 2 the rest at 2, 10, 10, 2, the shape flat out and the output at 2 o'clock. i use the ultra for playing in E this gives a deeper more rounded sound not a whimpy thin can't hear it over the guitar type thing.
all i can say is take sometime to get the sound you want then when you gig all you have to do is a slight turn to suit the room.

have had on probs as yet.

haven't needed any yet.

i can't see myself needing anything else at the moment and if you need more vol there's always the d.i. out

The BX3000T is so simple to use. Bass, low mid, mid, hig mid and high rotary tone controls, and a great shape function (sweepable cut) help you get your sound quickly and easily. The sub bass thingy adds loads of balls to the sound and should be used judiciously as loud it can reaaly push your speakers.
Switchable eq would be good as I often leave the 5 controls flat and let the shape do the work, although that's kind of nitpicking.

I mostly use the amp with a 79 musicman stingray and a and a fender jazz delux 5-string, both of which sound good, although the sound starts to break up when pushed too hard. I've run it through a varity of combinations of cabs, sounds fantastic through SWR gear, nice through my trace 1X15 and 4X10. I bought it with a Behringer 2X10 which sounds fairly lame, so if your considering buying this amp which is great value for the money, I'd recommend looking elsewhere for the speakers.
I've used it for all sorts of gigs, from rock covers to avant garde jazz, in venues ranging from local clubs to the largest aircraft hanger in europe. With the behringer speakers it doesn't realy cut it in the larger venues.
All in all though, very good punchy sounds that are audible over the loudest of drummers.

It's hard to say as I've had it less than a year, but it's always worked despite being dropped, bashed etc.

n/a

If I lost it, even though it's pretty good I think I'd get something more powerful like an ampeg B4.

Here are my two cents...
Bought this in January2005, silent switching (ultrabass, shape), many useful features and no bells&whistles (unless you get tinitus, playing too loud without ear protection. AKA "MTS", for Marshall Tower Syndrom hee hee).

Behringer germany claims the amp is "2 ohms stabil" and can manage difficult boxes thanks to high damping factor.
I do agree, having put 8&4 ohms boxes together, never had a problem.

Nice to have a footswitch included, shame on the other manufacturers!
I rate it high, not only for the price but for the concept.

I play only 5strings fretless, and they naturally sounds more medium than their sisters.

The bxt doesn't match well with my fretlesses (one passive from washburn, and one active from what the hell), too much throaty mids, not enough clarity. Quite muddy in fact, no matter what with the eq.
It retains its character with any of the boxes I tried with it, be they 115, 212, 112, 110. Better check before buying if it matches your taste, or lack of, in the sound field.

I don't agree with other reviewers about the octaver, it is great. Depends on the box you use actually, size matters...
I use it when playing above 7th "fret", so it actually makes sense, and the sonic effect is terrific.

I do agree about the shape function, very useful and friendly to use.

No noise, but my boxes have no tweeters, so please do not involve the amp if annoying hum occurs.

I don't think the amp really delivers 300 watts, not at all. Stars limiting at half volume, after that flattens everything. With a 115+112 box(eminence 4ohm15, and eminence kappa12, no weak loudspeakers IMO) hooked I could barely compete with my guitarist 2x30 watters 2x10inchers, and not even a tube one!
No wonder Behringer makes now a 450 watts version of this.
My 200watt BXR Fender is louder, and clearer than this. But heavy as hell, it's a combo.
Bxt is quite heavy too, at least by today's (and my back's) standards.

My rating is not based on the price/perf ratio, but on the sound quality only.

Seems okay, no frills amp, well done.
I don't have had much problems with any of their products, just a tube mic preamp that didn't work when new.
No rating, I'll sell the thing very soon anyway

Fretless bassist since late eighties, I've seen and played much gear, never found anything that stunning actually. I'm lying, a full stack from trace elliott did impress me way much back in '96!

I like to play rock, funk, african ethno stuff, and as I'm aging I am looking for something light and easy to setup and carry around.
This bxt is not it, weighs more than expected and doesn't deliver tonewise.
No I won't buy it again, claimed power is not all, in fact a clear 100watter could easily drown this behringer.

I am looking for a light&powerful combo, unfortunately they are expensive (MarkBass, C-Tech). Or the latest Gallien backline 300watt head (5,9 kgs!) and some lightweiht cab (even home-made with neo speaker).
I will sell this bxt, I can't stand the muddiness it delivers with fretless basses.
Rating is for sound, power, price and clever features. I just didn't like it, you may like for all I know.

Bought it new January 2005 along with BB115 and BB210 cabinets. Use it in combinations - full rig for loud rocking covers - head and BB115 for quieter singer/songwriter and country gigs. Amp is extremely versatile and in nearly all situations I have all tonal controls flat at 12 o'clock. If any tonal variation is required the Shape control is the only one I have needed to adjust. I have no need to use the Ultrabass feature, but I wish it had a Mute button on the Tuner out. Previously used GK400RB head with one 15" and to me it hoses over the GK for sure.

I primarily use an active 1999 4-string Musicman Stingray, though also have a 90s model Steinberger Q4, and a 1973 Fender Precision. All instruments sound great through it and no tonal changes are required, even switching from Active input for MM and Steinberger to Passive input for the Fender. Found it to be very quiet, though the cooling fan is audible but only in a very quiet situation. Wouldn't use it for studio recording. Have used it for live onstage recording and it is brilliant. Great bottom end handled very well by the BB115 and to a lesser degree the BB210

Have used it constantly since purchased and have had no problems with it - appears to be very reliable. I transport my equipment myself in a carpeted station wagon and have no issues at all. No backup amp.

Never had to use

I paid AUD990 for the complete rig as described so I don't know how much the head was new at the time of purchase. All I know is that it is extrememly great value for your dollar, and now I want to get the same system again to run 2 rigs together and have found that I can get the 450watt latest model for AUD377 - Amazing! With the savings, I will be able to buy another bass!