Behringer BX600

Solid State, 60W into 8 Ohms, one channel
Master Volume, Bass, Low Mid, High Mid, Treble controls
'Shape' filter control.
CD in/out
Line Out
Preamp in/out (also works as effect loop)
12" speaker
Headphone jack

I use it with a defretted Squier P-Bass Special with P & J pickups, and a SX SJMB-62, fretted, with J pickups.
I play widely varied styles from Blues to rock to jazz, and I can dial up a pretty nice tone for any of these.
I don't notice any noise in the amp itself, unless the treble control is maxed out, then there's a little 'hiss'. I find, though, that there's a tendency to be peaky in the upper mids, but I think that's really a characteristic of 12" speakers in general, which is why they're more often chosen as guitar speakers. If I dial the upper-mid control back, I can keep that under control easily enough.
I took out the speaker to make sure it was the proper 100W unit (it is), and noticed that there was no acoustical damping material in the speaker chamber at all (not good!). So I put some fiberglass in, and right away noticed deeper, smoother bass and far less harsh highs. The frequency response seemed to smooth out considerably after that.
The output of this amp is way more than I expected from a 60W unit. It's really quite loud; certainly enough for a light jazz gig, or in an intimate coffeehouse-type venue. And the Line Out, of course, is there for when the amp's output might not be quite enough for the situation, and you can run a line out to the mixer. And it's definitely enough for garage jamming unless, of course, the guitarist brought his 'stadium-stack' along. For bedroom practicing, it can dial down to a very soft level and still sound full & fat, with a little EQ'ing. Playing at very low volume settings, the very lows & highs seem to diminish, so you have to compensate with the EQ controls. But that's pretty much a characteristic of almost all amps.
Behringer's "Shape" control, I'm just not all that fond of. If they included an 'intensity' or 'amount' control along with the filter-notch control (such as you find in an analog synthesizer's filter section), it would be so much more useful. The Shape control's effect on the tone is way too pronounced for my taste. If the amount of the Shape filter's effect could be dialed-back a bit, I'd use it a lot more (or, actually, at all).

I got this amp used, and it looks like it's been around the block a few times (dings, Tolex peeled back in places, dusty/dirty, missing a couple of the plastic cabinet corners). It seems to work perfectly, though, so I have to assume that it's held up thru a few good knocks. I really haven't had it long enough to answer the question of its dependability, though.

Behringer isn't the greatest when it comes to answering emailed questions & such, but they do eventually get back to you. I haven't had to deal with them on a broken-down product, though, and I have a couple of them.

Overall, I'd rate this as a top-drawer practice amp, and a quite adequate small-gig amp. I like it enough that if something happened to it, I'd probably want to get another one. What I love about it is its solid loudness per wattage. About the only thing I really didn't like about it is the fact that no acoustical damping material was installed at the factory in the speaker chamber. This is essential, in my view. I didn't make any comparisons, as I swapped a bass guitar for it thru Craigslist. I needed something smaller than my Behringer BX4210A combo, that I could carry around more easily and use when I don't need the power of the larger amp. It will fill that bill nicely for me. I only wish they'd used some damping in the speaker chamber, because this amp sounds way, WAY better since I installed some myself.

Solid state, 60 watts RMS. 12" woofer at 8 ohms, paper cone, decent quality.
Inputs: 2, Passive and Active
EQ: 4, Bass, Low Mid, High Mid, and High.
Shape control, switchable
RCA-style Tape In
Preamp out, 1/4"
Power amp in, 1/4"
Headphone jack, 1/4"
Line out, 1/4"

Recent model, 2007-2008. Bought as a refurb through MusiciansFriend.com. Marketed as a "practice amp" but it could really use casters and/or side handles, as this is one heavy mother. I've toted this thing around to many a practice session and a few smaller venues and it's a lot heavier than what I define as a "practice amp."

I find the tape inputs relavtively useless, as this is a bass amp - thus its sonic range is limited; it's not like you could plug in a music CD and play along with it, although that's the intent. I will confess that I have never even tried to use the inputs. I tend to practice with my computer's nicer sound system cranked up, and adjust the levels on the amp. I've never come close to maxing the amp out, because by the time you add the rest of a band into the mix playing through individual amps, your ears are at risk of damage. No joke here; and make no mistake - there's plenty of power for a wide range of applications.

The amp has plenty of balls for small to midsized spaces and can capably compete with the drums and guitars in a rehearsal room or small club, although gigging out with it might be pushing it. While gigging I prefer to use it as a preamp, running the amp out to the board or miking it to get the tone I like and letting the house speakers do most of the work. With the shape and four EQ knobs, the amp is extremely flexible, allowing me to dial in the tone I want with several different instruments.

The headphone jack is a blessing for my family, and the sound through a pair of Sony studio monitors is good. As with all headphones, the extreme low end leaves something to be desired - bass requires big speakers, after all - but the tone is nice and comes through well.

My main bass is a Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Signature, which in itself has a wide variety of tones. It uses vintage-style passive pickups and therefore I play through the passive input on the amp. The shape control is really sweet on this unit; I prefer it on and around the 10 o'clock position. With a combination of tone control tweaks, I get a really punchy sound that cuts through very nicely. I can get sounds ranging from a drummer of mine once called "being punched in the face with a wet sock" all the way to twangy/jangly and everywhere in between. I have been able to successfully emulate my preferred sound that I normally get through a Sansamp preamplifier, completely unnecessary with this unit.

I play mostly driving rock that goes from classic to pop-punk. The amp is very quiet and I rarely hear hum coming from the unit - when I do, it's always been the pickups on whatever bass is jacked in. There's extremely low distortion, probably due to the "Dynamizer" technology in the preamp, which Behringer claims limits excessive peaks in the input signal. I'd have to give them high marks on this count. It's pretty hard to overdrive this amp and get it to fuzz, if that's your thing - but it's definitely possible. The enclosure is vented and provides a lot of output. Because of this, you're more likely to blow the cone out than to get distortion. Sealed cabs are better for that kind of thing.

The cabinet is extremely solid, made of MDF with a standard black covering. I mentioned before that it could really use side handles and/or casters, as the weight (20kg, about 45 pounds) can break your back with the single top handle. That said, the handle itself seems to be anchored well and has held up through a lot of toting.

I encountered an obnoxious buzzing sound a few months back that seemed to be from a resonant frequency. The speaker wasn't blown, and tweaking the EQ got rid of it for the most part. I have not gotten far enough into the unit to figure out where that's coming from, although it's definitely in the amp section somewhere. I suspect something came loose during transit and buzzes when I'm really cranking it out. Behringer does not offer any diagrams on how to remove the amp from the cabinet and I have not yet been able to figure out how to remove the amp thus far. Being mechanically inclined, that put me off because I really don't like the idea of taking it in for service, but that may end up happening.

Outside of this issue, which may be related to its refurb status, the amp has been solidly reliable and consistent. There are no weird peaks or valleys in the controls, although the volume control tends to dip off the low end response at low - and by low I mean around 1 out of ten - levels. Since this is where most folks would typically play, I find that a non-issue.

I've not had the opportunity to deal with Behringer's support, and their website is in the middle somewhere. I'd really like to find a service diagram but they probably save that for their authorized dealers, which I expect.

I've been playing professionally for about 15 years and bought this with the intent of using it for rehearsals and practice at home, but I've gigged with it a few times because I found I really liked the tone. I've played through many a Hartke over the years with a variety of cabinets and with the exception of heart-stopping, brain-damaging volume levels, this amp gets it done. I'd definitely consider a direct replacement if this unit ever got stolen or damaged. The price to value ratio is excellent and it's built like a Sherman tank. I'd really like lo-z ins and outs, but in this price range maybe that's asking too much. The stock ins and outs provide a lot of flexibility and make this a great unit for recording, rehearsal and small gigs.

The range of tone is surprisingly capable for such an inexpensive unit and has been very satisfying across a range of styles. The BX600 works better in enclosed spaces and falls a bit short on outdoor venues, which should not be surprising. If you expect more out of a 60 watt amp, get real!

Features are pretty good wide variety of sounds

It sounds ok except on lowend. When you turn up the volume with the bass up it sounds like you are using a guitar amp. The 12 inch speaker sucks.

It has been dropped kicked over and still looks new.

The speaker was the wrong one and it took 5 phone calls and 3 months delivery time to get the new one.

If it got stolen it would give me an excuse to buy a better one no more 12 inch speakers for me. When I played with a drummer I could have it cranked and I could barely hear it.

It can get pretty loud, its pretty heavy

At first when I bought the amp it sounded fine, mainly because it was my first amp. But the quality of the sound really detereorated after a year of having it. The sound is way too flat, it has no distinction.

I can rely on it to not sound good. When im playing with my friends i borrow theirs instead. A few times when i played with it I couldnt hear myself over my friends with their 30-watt amps.

I would not suggest this for any bass player looking for a quality bass amp. I guess it would be good for someone making a step up from the begginer 10-watt, but the 30 watt would probably be better. I would not buy another Behringer ever.

Just like the others here. Enough for lots of different sounds

Nice punch. I play slap a lot and this thing produces nice clean sounds for that. Buzzes and distorts on higher volumes (see Customer support part for reason)

I've had it only two weeks but it feels very robust

One review here mentioned that some of the BX600's had a wrong speaker inside (50W). Well, funny enough, mine has a 70W speaker! I emailed Behringer about it but the guy who answered was not interested at all about this problem. I have written them a new email and I hope they will send the 100W speaker that it should have like it says in the BX600 spec sheet.

been playing 22 years I use a Rickenbacker 4003 and a hand made 51' precision bass copy. Bought this amp based on these reviews.

I have been using this as a practice amp for about 6 months now, and it does the job really well. The shape knob makes the amp a bit more flexible, and using that along with the 4-band EQ means that you can get most tones you need. Other standard features like passive and active inputs, RCA in, line-out etc.

One thing I don't like is that if any of the EQ bands are hiked to far, the amp gets pretty noisy.

Good output as a practice amp, and could probably be used for smaller gigs. As mentioned earlier, the tones available from this amp are pretty varied. The amp can be noisy at times, which only gets amplified at high volumes. Not bad for the price, but not brilliant.

I've never had a problem with this amp at all. Six months on, it performs as well as it did the day I bought it. I know a lot of people blast Behringer in terms of quality, but I don't believe any of it. Just try to test the actual unit you are going to buy before you buy it to make sure you don't get a lemon.

Never had to use their support, so I can't say.

Great piece of gear for the price point. I probably wouldn't replace it if I got lost, but then again, I'm itching for an excuse to upgrade my practice rig :) . Definately a worthwhile purchase.

I have an early BX600, i bought a few months after they were introduced into the US. The amp has a good about of features for such a cheap amp. The eq is great and the little shape knob works great as a shortcut. For the price it you get alot to work with.

I use a fender geddy lee jazz bass. The sound of this amp is very distinct and different from alot of the other equipment that is out there, in my opinion. Out of the box the amp lacks the tightness, punch and growl on low notes you find in most of today's products. If this is the tone you really need to nail, you might consider a compressor(or a more expensive amp). It is capable of handling a wide range of styles with good accuracy. What i've found useful about this amp, even after i've moved on to better equipment, is that it provides a great gentle, mellow, smooth tone with you just can't get with alot of gear. Because of the tuned cabinet, you can get notes to linger for a little while creating a very pleasing effect not unlike a very short reverb. Great for vintage rock, jazz, blues, etc.

Before i upgraded to an ampeg half stack, i put this thing through the mill. It really isn't suitable for gigging per se, but if you're just starting out and its your first amp at least this thing gets really loud. I used it several times a week in rehearsal and for lame shows for almost 2 years continuously when i started out, keeping the volume up all the way the whole time. It was able to take alot of abuse, especially for the price and never failed once. Some of the tolex got pretty messed up.. but that was my fault. I've read that some of these have a misrated speaker, but i never had that problem. It will break up and give you some awful sounding distortion if you turn it up and supply too much gain (i had this problem when using a compressor)

never dealt with behringer.

I've been playing for 6 years now, and i own an ampeg half stack for actual work. If this were stolen or lost, i probably wouldn't replace it because im cheap and have a reliable better quality amp. As i stated earlier, i really like some of the tones that this thing can produce, it was a pleasant suprise for what it cost.

Basically if you're looking for a solid first amp this is a great option. You get an amp that can handle alot of styles reasonably, can take a good amount of abuse and most importantly doesn't cost a whole lot. If you're just starting out, maybe the most important thing is that this amp will be loud enough to cover you for rehearsal and light gigs (provided you don't have 2 guitarists with full marshall stacks or some other guitar bullshit like that..) and the tone is good enough to work in almost any beginning situation (who really cares about tone anyway its fucking bass)

-Built in May 05
-Great amp with huge power for 60 watts
-U can get amazing amounts of different sounds through the shape feature!
-Tape In is a really good feature i thought because u can listen to mp3 player and cd player etc. But u can't use any of the dials on the amp
-I use the amp for performing and rehearing (shake the china)
-No built in effects though - but u get wat u pay for!

I use a Monterey MSB-1 and the amp sound awsome with it. there isn't any distortion at high volumes - sounds good all the way
It has 2 entries Passive & Active - i cant really tell the difference between them though.

Reckon i could depend on it all the time - takes a few seconds to get some sound but thats pretty much normal.

Never had to deal with them

i only own a little Silvertone 10watt amp and this was my first big spend - regret nothing.
i love everything about it - but again its a shame no built in effects.
i wish it was a bit lighter but its really solid which is also reasuring because it doesn't feel as though it will fall apart after a few knocks
it aint to big either!
Great amp - recomend it to anyone

Made in '03. Fairly versitile. I've played funk, country, reggae, hip hop, blues, and rock with it, and it seems to cover all the 'bases' well. Single channel, no effects loop (dang it), good headphone jack, but don't record from it, I always got background noise. Powerful enough for practice, and good on stage if used with a direct box, or mic'ed.

I use a Yamaha bass, and it sounds good with it. It suits my various musical styles well enough.

Here's where it sucks. I've been through 2 of these amps now, and will never buy it again. The first one got a 12 inch crack in the tolex from doing nothing but sitting in a nice, shaded, cool room with one smaller lightweight amp sitting on top of it. I traded it in under warranty for the second one. Now this one just recently blew it's amplifier from pretty normal use. It's no longer under warranty, so I'm up a creek.

I never dealt with Behringer myself. The salesman at my local shop was great though (thanks Al).

I've played for nearly 10 years, and owned 2 or 3 bass amps. The last one I owned was a SWR Workingman's 15. That was a great amp. It was powerful, clear, and packed with features. It was also 4 times as expensive as the bx600, so I guess you get what you pay for.

I'll never buy this amp again, and though I'm tempted by the price of the bx1200, I don't think I'll buy another Behringer bass amp.

Bought it new in December, 2004. Nice set of features for what it is. It is, as the other reviewer said, very loud for a 60 watt combo amp. Nice 12" woofer installed. I bought it for a practice/church amp, and I have to say that it's about 5 pounds heavier than it probably should be for that purpose. Nice set of features for the price, and nice tone with the "shape" feature. You can not run an extension cab (it's a 60 watt amp). It does have a direct line out (post EQ) that works well for the PA input; however, be advised that the signal is not completely noise free.

Sound is actually great for its category. The 4 band-EQ or Shape function can dial in a number of tones easily. It's loud for it's size. It costs 150 dollars. What more do you want?

It's been reliable for me, but I'm giving it an 8 because five times, for no reason, the volume level has "dropped" inexplicably for me. It's always been rectified by turning the amp off and then back on, but it's puzzling nonetheless.

I have no idea.

Good practice/small venue combo amp. I've been playing for 20 years (out), and if you want to use this in a church setting, I'd advise either using it as your stage monitor (and put your sound through the PA). Where this would REALLY shine would be in small clubs at a jazz/blues gig with a guitar/bass/drum trap set trio. That would ROCK!