Product: Trace Elliot 122HSMX 210 Combo
Price Paid: 1200 (DM (1/2 Euro)) used
Submitted
03/02/2005
at
01:33pm
by
Anonymous
Features
:
8
Amp was build in '97.
Features: -Active and passive instruments input
-Preamp-tube with level-control
-12 band eq with level control (footswitchable)
-Pre-shape knob (2 styles, also footswitchable)
-Input gain control with leds
-Low- and highband compressor
-Sound-control from low over flat to high
-Solid-state poweramp with 300 Watts RMS
-2x10" Celestion Speakers
-High Frequenzy Horn
-2 1/4" Line outputs with 4 ohms load
-D.I.-XLR output
-Tuner slave output
-1/4" Footswitch Input
-Effects loop(mono send+levelcontrol, stereo return 1/4")
-Ground lift switch
The amp is versatile for ALL styles unless you use a extra cabinet for the low end (just like 15"s or 18"s). Rating is 8 because the 2x10" speaker don't support the low end and i wish the horn would be adjustable.
Sound Quality
:
10
I'm a hobby musician playing hard rock, metal and a little funk. The amp's sound suits these styles in every way, unless you know how to operate the eq and compressor (the pre-shape knob as well). According to that the footswitch is very useful.I play Ibanez EDC705 5-String, Boss LMB-3, GE-7, SYB-3, ODB-3, CE-2B and PSM-5. Also I use this amp with a trace 2x15" Cabinet with 500 watt handling at 8 ohms. There is wether a big "hissss", noise nor. My bandmates in the practising room always tell me to reduce the volume and i tell them to go home. This hasn't been always that way ;). At high volume the amp is still clear and crispy with a lot of punch. When you turn the pre-shape on, it blows your mind and ears. This is MY amp.
Reliability
:
10
The amp is under sensible use as reliable as can be. Never had problems with it until a jerk from another band in the practising room blown it away. Personally, I never turn the gain and volume knobs over 12 o'clock (loud as hell), so I don't know what the fool made with it. From that point, I always remove the fuse after playing, so the amp is almost "save". The Store fixed it, and it worked over 4 years as well until know (and i hope it continues). I woldn't use a backup at gigs, because there is no money, I'm a college-student, :)
Rating is 10, because a friend of mine is using a comparable trace combo with 4x10" and also 300 watts RMS for over 10 years without any accidents.
Customer Support
:
1
Trace's bass amps are dead. The Guys at Gibson are fools to discontinue the bass line. According to that, rating would be zzzzero if there was a zero.
Overall Rating
:
8
I'm playing bass for about 8 years and i played Fender Bassmann with ampeg 8x10" cabinet and Dynacord amp (don't remember the type) with noname 1x15" cabinet. I owned some noname basses. I have to say that this is the best setup for me but i have to say that i'm not looking for a vintage-sound in every way, just as other people do, but it is possible to get a warm growl out of it. This amp is true to your playing style, from picking to fingering to slapping. If you play not that good, the amp will let you know with no doubt. But if you are in-time (for me the "mean thing"), the amp rocks like you sold your soul to satan. If it would break down with no hope to maintain, i would see if i could get a trace bass head with equal features (there are a lot of used heads available at ebay), perhaps with a little more power. Rating is 8, because trace bass amps are official no more. This is a call to Gibson: produce trace bass amps, again!
Product: Trace Elliot 122HSMX 210 Combo
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted
07/04/2004
at
03:10pm
by
Anonymous
Features
:
10
Made in 1998. Purchased for a bargain #935 with a 1048h cabinet due to discontinuation! list for these two at the time was about #1750!
Features:
Active/ passive input
Variable Valve/solid state preamp (1x12AX7)
12 band graphic eq+ 2 pre-shapes
High/ Low compression
Sound Management control (excellent feature!!)
300w rms into a 4 ohm load.
All the usual DI out and tuner facilities.
I rarely use the eq. Never use the pre-shapes. I use just a touch of low compression to spare my poor old drivers some stress.
It's a bit over-specced for my needs. I know exactly how to use it, but I like it flat, and just tweak the sound management control as it's more intuitive. Has 2x10" drivers and a horn tweeter.
Sound Quality
:
8
It has been used with my assortment of basses (Variously having 4,5 or 6 strings, bolt-on necks, Thru-necks, Active, Passive, Single coils, Humbuckers) and has done what it ought to.
The amp section takes a little signal, looks at it, and makes an accurate large amplitude copy which is used to drive some cones . No noise. No gremlins in the sound. Have used the unit for recording via DI out. Flawless. The engineer had never heard anything so quiet yet open sounding. The speaker section can't really produce any lower than open "E". To get more lf extension, a 1x15 / 1x18 extension cabinet will be needed.
In summary, rates a 6 through its own speakers due to limited power handling/ extension, but a big fat 10 for cleanliness when DI'd in either a live or studio environment. 8 seems fair overall.
Reliability
:
10
Bad bit- Kept blowing fuses. Trace had re-specced the transformer and it drew too much current at switch-on for fast-blow fuses. Phoned Trace. They advised a change to slow-blow fuses of the same rating, and I haven't blown one in 5 and a half years.
First AX7 went microphonic on me. Not Traces fault. The replacement has lasted 5 years and is still going.
The good bit- I recently decided that I was tired of the unit as a combo and stripped it out, warmed up my JIGSAW and CUT THE THING IN TWO. I built a sleeve for the head, tidyed up what is now a compact 2x10 cabinet and routed a terminal block into it. BINGO! Even better, and still going strong. I've been using the head's power stage driven by an Ampeg SVP-PRO pre-amp, as this gives a gutsy overdriven sound. The Ampeg gave up mid gig. It's 3 years younger than the Trace and keeps muting itself (and other problems) What saved the day (and the gig)? The Trace I cut in half a week earlier!
Teething troubles notwithstanding, I'd give it a Spinal-Tap "11" if I could.
Customer Support
:
10
Haven't dealt with them since the fuse business. They were very helpful then.
Overall Rating
:
10
This unit has been cut into two pieces by myself and still keeps plugging away, putting American exotica to shame...
Now I've sussed out how it all goes together, that 2x10 cab is going to get modified, doubtless yielding yet better performance.
Why, oh why did Trace go out of business when they made gear with this degree of flexibility and reliability?
