tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

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Funkfingers

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Thinking about down-sizing my Marshall Dynamic Bass System (DBS) rig to something more managable. One candidate is the tc electronic RH450.

Having watched numerous tc product demonstration videos, I find myself wondering what exactly are the differences between the regular RH450 amp/combo models and the Staccato '51 (Rocco signature) versions?

Is it just the default compression, "Tube Tone" and EQ centre frequency settings?
Are there any significant component or software differences?
Is it possible to recreate the Rocco default parameter values in the regular RH450?

In short, is there really anything to justify the higher price? (Especially if one is not hung up on copying another musician's exact tone.)
 
Re: tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

Thank you. The EQ comparison statistics posted in that online review answer my question. Everything except the extra Treble frequency range (up to 10000k!) can be achieved with the regular RH450.

The amp looks as if it would handle anything from wood/passive/flatwounds to the GRP/EMGs of my Chapman Stick. I can even imagine exploiting the Aux In sockets to add pedal overdrive to the Woofer pickup of a Yamaha Attitude bass. :evil grin:

The only remaining question is whether to buy head or combo? :naughty:
 
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Re: tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

I would go for the head. It's easy to install and you can use whatever cab is around.
Something I'm wonder myself... Can you run the head without a cab being connected, just using the DI out?
 
Re: tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

crguti said:
I would go for the head.
Click to expand...

I just did. A shop in the UK had a customer return, "as new" Staccato '51 at 20% discount.

crguti said:
It's easy to install and you can use whatever cab is around.
Click to expand...

I decided against the combo model because, if I were happy to gig with just 2x10 + piezo horn, I could take the top two thirds of my Marshall DBS stack.

crguti said:
Something I'm wonder myself... Can you run the head without a cab being connected, just using the DI out?
Click to expand...

The man in the tc electronic product overview videos, he say, "yes."
 
Re: tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

crguti said:
^ :yourock:
Click to expand...

[In W. C. Fields voice:] You're too kind.

[In own voice:] Why do I get this feeling that you are somehow associated with tc electronic? ;)
 
Re: tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

hehe.. I don't work for them, but I support the 'local' tech.

Looking forward to read your review of the Staccato '51.
 
Re: tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

crguti said:
Looking forward to read your review of the Staccato '51.
Click to expand...

Good news - It should arrive later today.
Bad news - I only have Marshall DBS 7210, 7115 and 7410 cabs through which to test it.
Worse news - I can only try one cab at a time.

The tc electronic cabs use a clever interconnection system. Hence, their amp head only needs one Combi (TRS/Speakon) loudspeaker socket. The Marshall DBS amp head has two loudspeaker sockets because each Marshall cab only gets a single input.
 
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Re: tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

Oh, the joys of Internet shopping.

The tc electronic retailer from whom I ordered is a nationwide chain. Apparently, the three items - head, footswitch and gigbag - are being sent from three different locations on three different days. :banghead:

Anybody out there gagging for a remote footswitch review? Thought not! :biglaugh:
 
Re: tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

It's arrived! First impressions are as follows;

Through Marshall 7210 - Clear, detailed, lacking in ultimate room shaking low end.
Through Marshall 7115 - Full, warm, deep, lacking in high end detail (cab has no HF horn)
Through Marshall 7410 - All of the above EXCEPT it is slightly lacking in the very deepest frequencies.
Through Marshall 1912 - Not bad for a guitar driver. Obviously quieter through 8 Ohms than through 4 Ohms. Plenty of mids. Light at the high and low ends. (It's a guitar loudspeaker, FFS!) Gives the impression that a 1x12" + horn bass cabinet might be acceptable.

All comparisons made using a self-assembled Alder/Maple Signature Custom J-Bass with Bartolini 8S/9JL PJ passive pickups. Passive VVT controls.

As mentioned earlier, the single loudspeaker output jack makes it impossible for me to test more than one cabinet at a time. I strongly suspect that a combination of 1x15, 2x10 + HF horn will do the job. Unfortunately, tc electronic does not offer anything remotely like this.

If anyone is interested, I shall post a fuller description later. First, I need to try a few more instruments and see which loudspeakers best serve them.
 
Re: tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

As you will have gathered, I currently have a tc electronic Staccato '51 amp head, a Marshall DBS 7400 amp head and three different Marshall DBS loudspeaker cabinets under my roof. I also have a Yamaha Attitude Custom bass guitar with the Billy Sheehan stereo output wiring layout. You can probably guess what happened next!

Holy sheet, Batman. Imagine the best rock Precision Bass tone ever plus Andy Fraser or Jack Bruce's Gibson EB sub bass rip/fart tone all at the same time. IMO, Sheehan should be known as Mr. Scary not Paul Gilbert. I was thinking of changing to a bigger car to transport my bass rig. Now, it looks as if I am going to need a Transit van.
 
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Re: tc electronic RH450 vs Staccato '51

UPDATE

Ended up choosing the tc electronic RS210 cabinet. Used vertically, it sounds fine on its own. Adding my Marshall 7115 cabinet firms up the low end but not by as much as I had expected.

One other observation. While I was waiting for the RS210 to be delivered, I tried the Marshall 7210 stood on its edge on the floor rather than horizontally as part of a stack. this did seem to improve the apparent low frequency response.
 
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