Aguilar set to debut Tone Hammer 500 lightweight bass amp at Winter NAMM 2011
(Dave Molter | Posted 2011-01-03)
Ask any bassist: lightweight is the new heavy. And Aguilar Amplification celebrated the new year by announcing the birth of a 4-pound, 500 watt bass head called the Tone Hammer 5000.
Small and light enough to fit in the accessory pocket of most bass gigbags, the Tone Hammer 500 features the legendary “Aguilar sound” in a small, lightweight design that's perfect for players who want a heavy sound without being weighed down by gear.
Expected to be on display at Winter NAMM 2011 in Anaheim, the new amp uses the same preamp found in Aguilar’s Tone Hammer D.I./preamp pedal, with bass, treble and sweepable midrange controls. For added punch, the amp's Drive control uses Aquilar's AGS circuit to add a sweet distortion and EQ.
Specifications
Power Output: 500 watts into 4 ohms, 250 watts into 8 ohms
Preamp Section: Solid State
Power Section: Class D
Transformer: Switching mode power supply (SMPS)
EQ Section:
Bass: +/- 17 dB @ 40 Hz
Mid Level: +/- 16 dB
Mid Frequency: 180 Hz – 1 kHz
Treble: +/- 14 dB @ 4 kHz
Drive Control: Fully adjustable, featuring Aguilar’s proprietary AGS(adaptive gain shaping) circuit.
Effects Loop: Series operation. Adds 6 dB of additional gain, making it useful for a broad range of effects units.
Inputs: One 1/4" input jack, compatible with all active and passive basses
Speaker Outputs: Two Neutrik Speakon speaker outputs
Balanced Output: XLR balanced output with pre/post EQ and ground lift switch
Tuner output
Cooling: Two high quality whisper fans with thermal speed control
Dimensions: 10.75”W X 8.5”D X 2.75”H
Warranty: Three year limited
The Tone Hammer 500 is expected to begin begin shipping in March, 2011, with a street price of $699.00.
About Aguilar
As a busy New York session bassist, David Boonshoft recorded in many high-end studios throughout the 90’s. After deciding what features he liked and didn’t like about various pieces of gear, Boonshoft decided to commission talented NYC engineer, Alex Aguilar, to work with him on building a high quality preamp for his own personal use. Since the preamp was so useful Boonshoft and Aguilar decided to put it into production as the DB 680 and in 1995, Aguilar Amplification was born.
From information on the Aguilar website: www.aguilaramps.com.
