Ashdown Electric Blue 15-180 Bass Combo Amplifier (180 Watts, 1x15 in.)
Balanced DI output. FX loop. Sub-harmonic generator.
Overall User Ratings (based on 51 ratings)
Submitted July 4, 2004 by a customer from hotmail.com
"Best in its class, easily"
Verified Purchaser
zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.
I was playing through my dad's old Gallien-Krueger GMT 300B head and a homemade 15" cab before I got this, and I don't think I could have found a better deal on a "first" amp (although I've been playing bass for almost four years). It just goes to show that you don't have to buy an amp from a well-known brand like Fender or SWR to get good quality. If it was stolen I would definitely buy another one. With 180 watts RMS and its extention cab out I can't see myself needing more power anytime in the near future, and if I did I could always just mic it or plug it straight into the PA. Someday if all goes well I'll probably end up getting a higher-end tube amp like an Ampeg SVT or Ashdown ABM, but until then the Electric Blue will do just fine.
Sound
Very clean sound, with some good EQing and use of the bright and deep switches you can get it to fit just about any style of music you want. I have the lows, mids, and highs down a little and the low- and high-mids up, and it gives it a killer growl when I play with a pick. I use a cheap Japanese Fender P-J bass and I can get it to sound like a $1000 Stingray through this amp (well maybe not quite, but almost). The only thing that keeps me from giving this a 10 is that the sub-harmonic generator makes things a little muddy if used with lower notes. It also distorts somewhat and gets some noticeable noise at very high volumes, but chances are you won't have to push it that hard anyway.
Features
For the price, the amount and quality of features is amazing. Seperate in and out volume amplification knobs, LED meter showing if you're about to overdrive the preamp, high and low impedance ins, very effective 5-band EQ, "deep" and "bright" switches (which boost the extreme lows and highs respectively), subharmonic generator with level control, effects loop, XLR direct out, tuner out, along with a plug in back for an extra cab.... The amp even has a dual-speed cooling fan.
Quality
The carpet covering seems durable enough, along with the front grill. It would probably take a lot of abuse to take this amp out of commission. The only thing I have some doubts about is the top handle, it's just a hard rubber strip (like most combos in this price range) and it will probably last for a while, but handles on the sides would have been better. The knobs are also a little loose, which just means that your settings might get messed up a little while you're moving it, but nothing major.
Value
I looked at a number of other low-end 15" combos -- Gallien-Krueger, Fender, SWR, Ibanez -- and the Electric Blue is not only cheaper and has almost double the power, but it even sounds at least as good or better in my opinion.
The Wow Factor
This was actually the first reason I noticed this amp. The blue amp head and speaker are cooler than heck, much more so than your normal black cabinet/black speaker motif. Plus it's British, 'nuff said.
Musical Style:
anything from light indie rock to melodic hardcore, and some worship music
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Submitted December 19, 2004 by a customer from aol.com
"A must buy with its strong power and sound for the money."
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zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.
5 to 6 years. I campared it to the Crate bass combo & the Fender Rumble 100. The Ashdown Electric Blue out performed these two units.
Sound
The Ashdown Electric Blue 15-180 Bass Combo Ampllifier produces a variety of sounds. It gives the heavy bass sound of more expensive amps along with the contemporary tones. The unit competes well with other notable bass amps.
Features
The external speaker jack is a very nice extra. Many comparable systems lacked this feature. The 5 band EQ with the deep and bright are nice additions to this unit.
Quality
The amp is solidly built. The unit is heavy but expected with such sturdy construction.
Manufacturer Support
Not at this time.
The Wow Factor
The blue speaker and front panel adds serious visual appeal to the amp. It gets noticed.
Musical Background:
former active musician now hobbyist
Musical Style:
clasic rock & jazz
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Submitted May 30, 2005 by a customer from comcast.net
"I'm not trying to sell you this product. Nor do I work for Ashdown. Nor am I lying about the awesome sound. This is just an awe"
Verified Purchaser
zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.
Awesome sound, great price, lasting quality, cool features, knowledgable support, huge speaker, not too heavy, insanely loud (but doesn't lose sound quality when playing quietly), sturdy construction...need I say more?
Sound
We all by Ashdown amps for sound. The 'electric blue 180' delivers the warmest tone that I've heard on any amp, and it truly stands out from other bass amps with its lound, clean, soft tone.
Features
Many of today's amps come with built in effects. Ashdowns don't, but the effects on most amps sound artificial and boring anyway, so I don't really care. This ashdown is loaded with features, though, such as multiple imputs and effect/tuner imputs, an easy to use but powerful 5-band EQ, and in/out switches for bright and deep.
Quality
Tough as nails. I have had no problems with my amp so far, and over the past 6 months that I've owned it, I've noticed no diminishment in sound quality or max. volume. The bulky buttons and switches don't fall off, the carpet cover is completely in tact, and I've taken it all around Illinois without it falling apart or breaking.
Value
I bought this amp for it's dollar-to-watts ratio, and it's better than any other amp I've found. Totally worth it, this amp packs serious punch in a cheap package.
The Wow Factor
blue amp + awesome sound + fifteen inch speaker with blue accents + really cool head with cool buttons + smooth carpet covering + British flair = really really sexy amp
Musical Background:
Active vocals/bass at club gigs and parties.
Musical Style:
Indie pop, dream pop, leftfield techno, garage rock revival
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Submitted June 29, 2005 by a customer from hotmail.com
"Best amp in it's class... Suppurb tone! Sexy blue speaker"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I have already moved up to bigger more powerful gear to play out bigger events.. mostly because my guitar player bought a Boogie.. I could keep up with his Marshal 100 watt but the Boogie drowned me out... but I would never sell it... I use it at home and when I go goof so I dont have to lug big stuff.
Sound
Great brittish tone.. Sub harmonics set it apart from other amps in it's class. Parametric sweep on EQ is fantastic stuff you find in more expensive units. Best amp sound for dollars paid by far. I play an active bass and have a tube preamp and tube compressor on the effects loop. It pushes it a little too far and the speaker with fart and chirp if i turn it up too loud, but I usually dont need that much volume. Also fades a little on my five string's low B my 4 string passive bass rocks this amp nicely
Features
The sub harmonics totally rock... The give you that gutsy tone your after in bass.
Quality
This amp is solid and well built.. the amp itself it near indistructable.. the cabinet is made of real plywood and not that particle crap... the only thing I would change is the speaker... the blue one is sexy but doesn't handle the power the amp can put out.
Value
this is a fantastic amp for small gigs... practice.. I have actually blow out lights in my house with this amp because it shakes the roof.
Manufacturer Support
zzounds is great... you can call and actuall people will answer... Ashdown is cool too everyone I've ever talked to knew what they were talking about...
The Wow Factor
This thing is hot... chicks like the blue.. they come up to me and go I like that blue thing.. and I say then you'll like my purple thing even better... LOL.. jk... The 15 is nice.. people can respect a 15' speaker... It say.. I mean business!
Musical Background:
Pro
Musical Style:
Heavy Latin Jazz Metal fusion
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Submitted December 26, 2006 by a customer from gmail.com
"best amp ever"
im going to buy an ashdown external cab to blow everyone back farther than the combo amp does by its self
Sound
this is the best amp ive ever played on sound great and is loud the only problem is if you play hard you cant turn the input up past 1/4 or it will sound distorted. also its 180 watts rms and a 300 watt peak but the speaker is only 150 watts idk if thats rms or peak
Features
the sub hurmonics are cool but if u notice its a bout 1/2 a second befor they kick in but if you r playing you cant notice
Ease of Use
its so easy to find your sound and it sounds great on any type of bass
Quality
the is th ebest amp made ever it can take a beating. i dont think this would ever break but the onlything im worried about iss blowing the 150watt speaker it comes wiht
Value
this is the most watt at the price exept banger i think and they suck and ashdown makes some of the best amps ever so its worth it
Manufacturer Support
i haavnt needed support
The Wow Factor
its cool mean sleak and sex
Musical Background:
im a hobbyist of 3 years and now im in a band about to record
Musical Style:
blues,rock n roll. hevey metal
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Submitted January 18, 2007 by a customer from hotmail.com
"Ashdown tone, ashdown quality, ashdown looks, what more can you ask for?"
The only thing I'm thinking about upgrading now is my bass!
Allright, you caught me, I do want an EXT. cab to go with this sucker But I wont trade this thing until it's absolutley necesarry.
Sound
Ohh waht can I say. oh, yes. ASHDOWN PEOPLE.
This brand is reckognized for one thing: TONE. and their lower end products (unlike many other brands ones) are faithful to this reputation. Far better sound than a Behringer, and just slightly more expensive. I love the sound from this thing, It's extremeley well balanced, Sharp highs, thump'n mids and booming lows, all the way. This thing sounds so good even without EQ'ing that I only use the EQ for a slight bass boost.
Features
Well, not many fancy incorporated effects, so what? most amps with built in effects suck.
The sub harmonic is great, but you have to understand one thing, when you are setting the Sub harmonic's knob you'r actually setting the volume of the effect, not the degree of Octaves.
high boost, low boost, 5 band EQ, XLR out, Efect's loop, EXTENSION CAB CAPABILITY PEOPLE!
The only thing I wish this thing had extra is making the Sub-Harmonics foot switchable.
Ease of Use
You dont even need to EQ this thing to sound good. No fancy knobs, no nothing. if you cant use this thing you might aswell give up playing bass right ahead.
Quality
I havn't had a single issue with it in the 1.5Year+ I'v had it.
Value
Not 10 simply put becouse I am still to try a Perfect amp.
Manufacturer Support
Sometimes it takes ashdown a while to answer inquiries in time, but you wont have to wait over a week for anything. At least I havn't, and I'v bothered them, ALOT with random questions about may of their items.
The Wow Factor
C'm on people, this thing looks amazing. the VU meter is stylish, as is the brand's logo, and the Blue speaker just looks amazing.
Musical Background:
Active Musician
Musical Style:
Alternative, Soft rock, Prog rock, Jazz, etc.
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Submitted December 14, 2011 by a customer from gmail.com
"great price, great amp, awesome sound and control!!!!!!!!!"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
if lost or stolen i would buy another, i love this amp!!!!!
Sound
i have used many different bass amps through the years from Hartke to Peavey and everything in between.It has its own sound and a tone and clarity and sustain that is unmatched in anything in its price range.plenty of power for gigging in local clubs but you do need to run it through the board when playing large or outdoor gigs.the sound and sound controls are phenomenal.i also like having the 2 inputs for active and passive basses as i use both when playing out and can have them both hooked up and only have to change basses.
Features
the eq works amazing and with the bass and treble boost buttons you can really get the sounds you need. i do wish they offered a foot switch though, my favorite thing overall is the weight, my back loves this one.
Ease of Use
super simple to use
Quality
very well made and designed,the large cooling fan is a big plus in my book.
Value
if you can find a better amp for the money ,i want to know about it.
Manufacturer Support
by best i mean i have never had to use it. what more can you say?
The Wow Factor
this amp just looks cool. very well done and the uv meter is cool too.
Musical Background:
45 years
Musical Style:
progressive country
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Submitted July 18, 2005 by a customer from hotmail.com
"the (SEX() electric blue (the master)"
good sound and perfect for small gigs (pubs)ect
good build quality
use ful features
looks good easy to use and exelent value
Sound
the sound is very versitile but it isnt clear enough at higher volumes
Features
it doesnt have unesearry extras i really like the octave divider it is a good extra
Quality
this product is sturdy and has corner protectors and rough carpet sides and a strong kick-proof grill on the front protecting the speaker
Value
this is such good value you wont find another amp of this quality for the price
The Wow Factor
the blue speaker is quite eyecatching
Musical Background:
in band, grade 5, hobby
Musical Style:
nu metal ,rock, punck, funk
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Submitted June 8, 2006 by markdodson'hotmail.com
"BUY NOW!"
Features
No accessories include with this Ashdown unlike with a fender. but comes with 2 inputs for a guitar or 2 to choose from, about 3 or 4 outputs to other amps and a DI for PAing and recording. i got the ne "face lift" ELECTRIC BLUE EB 15-180 Combo which has a new revised grill and proper backlit VU as on the Ashdown MAG series which Ashdown are creating now which i wanted but wasnt sure if i was getting cos i got it off the internet (not this site) so there are as many features as i need and wanted.
Quality
This is a quality produce. its proper solid, carpet covering (that picks up the bits cos its new), rubber corners, big buttons, big speaker and watts. Made by Ashdown which is a known make of amplification.
HOWEVER this produce is HEAVY, heavier than the specifications which says its only 18.6kgs... rubbish, mine wieghs around 25kgs so its a struggle for me gettting it up the stairs.
Value
only amp combo i found in this price range wth similar spec is Behringer Ultrabass BX1800,(15" 1800watts was
Musical Background:
Hobbyist
Musical Style:
Christian
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Submitted August 12, 2004 by a customer from intuitiveinc.com
"No greater bang for the buck."
I don't believe I'll be in the market for another bass amp for many moons to come. When I outgrow the performance of this thing, I'll be having to dig DEEP into my pocket book. However, I don't think that will happen for many, many years.
Sound
This amp provides a full, rich sound. The bass boost will blow you out of the water. We've found it blends well (strong and yet not overpowering) with the other instruments, which use Line 6 and Fender amps.
Features
The amp is pretty basic in its features. I know some other amps in this price range come with a foot pedal for effects that this one lacks. However, instead it comes with more power and cleaner sound.
Quality
The amp is solidly built and will probably be around long after I'm gone. It has held up well to use and looks no worse for the wear. I saw one review before I purchased this amp that said the amp could withstand a bomb blast. The guy was telling the truth.
Value
Nothing else in this price range compares when it comes to quality or bang for buck. When you do your research and find something that is a "no-name" product in the US but that seems like a good bet to take a risk on, it is very satisfying to find out that it exceeds your expectations. I'd recommend this amp in a heartbeat.
Manufacturer Support
I had a question and went to the Ashdown webpage to contact their service department. They responded within 24 hours and provided excellent trouble-shooting ideas. I found them to be very personable and interested in satisfying the customer. Even my wife was impressed by the way they responded (and that's a miracle!).
The Wow Factor
I think the sex-appeal of this product comes from its uniqueness and performance. When other musicians walk up to see what is behind the sound you're generating, you know you've got something.
Musical Style:
Christian Rock
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Submitted February 15, 2005 by a customer from yahoo.com
"This thing owns!!"
This is a great product i play in a band with my friends and this amp is perfect for the job its easy to transport and it packs quite a punch.
Sound
great bright sound good distortion too.
Features
this thing has a bunch of inputs...im not sure what they all do but its pretty useful i can plug in 5 guitars on it.
Quality
this is a very sturdy and durable product and it hasn't failed me yet.
Value
i got this at a local music store for about $320 its worth every penny and is better priced than hartkes and other brands of lesser quality.
Manufacturer Support
none
The Wow Factor
this is sick its got a chrome grill protecting its massive sexy blue speaker adn its got a nice shape and overall look to it.
Musical Background:
In a punk/ grunge band
Musical Style:
punk, alternative, emo
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Submitted April 10, 2008
"THE WORST AMP EVER!!!!!"
I want my refund
Sound
no it stands for itself
Features
hard to find and controls
Ease of Use
nobs were hard to turn and input was not the right size
Quality
there was alot of excess plastic and litte chip on it
Value
i got better uses of my money
Manufacturer Support
no support was offered
The Wow Factor
it makes me vommit
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Submitted February 18, 2005
"nice amp"
great sound great look great effects wut more could u want
Sound
it sounded great i like how it got nice and loud
Features
it had a lot of awsome features i wish it had a destortion chanle and i wish it was a tilt back amp but ill compermise for this thing
Quality
seemed stable
Value
what u get is what u pay for i payed very little and got alot back
The Wow Factor
liked the blue type theme blue speaker blue head
Musical Background:
hobbyist
Musical Style:
punk all the way
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