Classic tube warmth meets digital functionality in this IR-equipped 30-watt bass head
(Image credit: Ashdown Engineering)
Ashdown Engineering has teamed up with Two Notes for a modern update on its Little Bastard bass amp head, the LB-30 2.N. The 30-watt head complements its all-tube preamp and power amp with Two Notes’ Torpedo technology, offering players flexible routing options and the choice of six pre-loaded emulated cabinets from a rotary dial.
Adequately powered for small gigs, and plenty when sending your signal direct to the desk, LB-30 2.N has a ECC81, ECC82, and a pair of ECC83 tubes in the preamp, and a quartet of EL84 power tubes.
The front panel has dual inputs for active or passive bass guitars, an effects loop, and controls for Gain Trim, Volume, Treble, Hi Mid, Lo Mid, and Bass, with the six-way emulation pre-set dial accompanied by an Output Volume knob and clipping LED.
Around the back of the amp you will find 4-ohm and 8-ohm speaker outputs, a 1/4” headphones output, USB connection, Torpedo emulated output with ground lift, MIDI I/O, a line in for the the Torpedo feature and direct DI output with DI link button.
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(Image credit: Ashdown Engineering)
(Image credit: Ashdown Engineering)
If the tones and aesthetic – complete with Ashdown’s signature VU meter – are old-school, the Two Notes Torpedo tech and abundance of outputs makes the LB-30 2.N very much a 21st-century design.
When playing live, you can send the signal straight to the mixing desk, or send one output to the desk while driving one or a pair of speaker cabinets. And it is similarly useful for recording, allowing you to send the signal direct to your DAW, or for reamping.
You can perform deep edits of your IR cabinets via USB, while the MIDI connections allow you to control the amp and your effects via footswitch (sold separately).
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The amp ships with Two Notes DynIR (Dynamic Impulse Response) virtual cabinet emulations of Ashdown’s ABM-810H-EVO IV, ABM-410H-EVO IV, ABM-210H-EVO IV, ABM-115-EVO IV, RM-212-EVO II and CL-310 DH cabinets.
Mic options include the Neumann U47, Royer 121 Ribbon, AKG D112, Shure SM57, Sennheiser 421, Aston Element, Audix D6 and Electrovoice RE20 micro.
The Little Bastard LB-30 2.N is available now, priced $1,799 / £1,399. See Ashdown Engineering for more details.
Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to publications including Guitar World, MusicRadar and Total Guitar. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.
