where it has now become a mini-jack input. The other controls remain the same, with the RH750 retaining the shift mode functions, mute, tuner, TubeTone feature and three memory presets of its predecessor. Those eye-catching red LED indicator rings are, of course, present and correct, meaning that there are certainly no points lost in the appearances category; the RH750 looks fantastic and, as we know from experience, is often a real talking point at gigs.

FeaturesThe RH750 has essentially the same feature set as the RH450 but with some useful additions. The four tone controls – bass, lo-mid, hi-mid and treble – remain the same and as before are sweepable parametric bands, meaning that the centre frequency of each EQ band can be adjusted to taste. The only difference between the RH750 and its predecessor is that the default frequency on the bass and treble controls has been changed from 280 to

200 Hz (bass) and 1600 to 4000 Hz (treble). As before, these frequency centres are adjusted by turning the appropriate control while in shift mode. (For the uninitiated, the shift button activates a ‘second layer’ of features for each digital control.)The most obvious new addition, however, is the SpectraComp/TweeterTone control. While SpectraComp used to be a secondary feature of the gain knob (accessed via shift mode), it now has its own dedicated control. Although it was never a particular hardship to make adjustments to compression settings on the RH450, we did find it more user-friendly to have this control so readily accessible. Its addition has also allowed the TweeterTone feature to be added to its shift

TC ElectronicRH750 It’s been just over three years since TC Electronic released their game-changing class-D bass amplifier, the RH450. Time to meet the newest addition.

The launch of the sleek and stylish, yet powerful and versatile RH450 back in 2007 attracted a host

of big-name endorsees such as Steve Bailey, Janek Gwizdala, Chris Minh Doky and, most recently, Level 42 bassist Mark King. It also spawned two further additions to the range, the Classic 450 and the Staccato ’51, the latter of which was styled and EQ’d to Tower of Power bassist Rocco Prestia’s specifications. The Danish company has now added the RH750 (as debuted by Mark King at the London Bass Guitar Show) to its range – a more powerful update of the RH450, with a few added bonuses along the way. This update is physically almost identical to its predecessor but is finished in black rather than dark grey. The only other noticeable difference is the addition of an extra control added to the front face: a SpectraComp/TweeterTone rotary control. This has forced the previously front-mounted ¼” headphone socket to the rear of the unit,

52 Bass GuITaR MaGazInE

mode. The SpectraComp remains unchanged on this new amplifier and as before uses a spectral or multi-band approach to compression, essentially compressing each of the low-, mid- and high-frequency bands individually rather than as one. The benefit here is a more ‘musical’ use of compression which is smoother and has less effect on the natural dynamics in your playing. Turning the digital control indicates the amount of compression applied to the signal, while Auto Make-Up Gain automatically compensates for any drop in volume. When used in shift mode, the SpectraComp knob allows adjustment of the TweeterTone feature. This new addition is designed to be used in place of the tweeter control that is

“The most obvious new addition is the SpectraComp/TweeterTone control. While SpectraComp used to be a secondary feature of the gain knob (accessed via shift mode), it now has its own dedicated control.”

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TC ELECTRONIC RH750 PRICE: £849

Bass GuITaR MaGazInE 53

BGM RATING

BGM RATING OUT OF FIVE

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONTC ELECTRONIC RH750PRICE: £849Built in: DenmarkControls: Bass, lo-mid, hi-mid, treble, TweeterTone, SpectraComp, 3 x programmable presets, TubeTonePower: 750 W (1200 W peak)Dimensions: 275(d) x 290(w) x 66(h) mm/10.8” x 11.4” x 2.6”Weight: 4 kg (8.8 lb)

WHAT WE THINKPlus: A great update of an already great bass ampli� er. The added headroom will only be required by some users, but the TweeterTone feature is a worthy addition. We love the ease with which user presets can be made and altered. Minus: NoneOverall: A solid addition to the range, which will appeal to a broad audience.

CONTACT DETAILSTC ElectronicTel: 0800 9178926Web: www.tcelectronic.com

found on the rear (or side) of most bass cabinets. According to the manual, ‘TweeterTone is a far more intuitive and much better way of adjusting the high-frequency content. By using TweeterTone, you do not simply turn the tweeter up and down in level – you also get a much more musical and pleasant HF adjustment. And instead of having to fumble around on the back of the cabinet, you can simply use the TweeterTone knob right there on the front panel.’ It sounds good to us and we found it to be an eff ective feature. Th e good news is that TweeterTone adjustments are stored as part of the memory presets, meaning diff erent levels can be added for diff erent patches. As on the earlier models, the RH750 features a TubeTone control which emulates the entire preamp and power amp sections of a valve amplifi er. As these are located before and after the tone controls respectively, TC claim that this off ers a more ‘realistic and fl exible recreation of the actual tube sound and response’. Using this feature certainly adds undeniable warmth to the tone and it can also be used to add varying levels of dirt/grind if needed. In shift mode the TubeTone control operates as a preset level control, allowing you to adjust the level of the currently selected memory program. As before, this is a very useful feature and allows for louder preset patches that come in useful for solos or slap breaks. Th e rear panel of the RH750

is almost identical to the RH450 and contains an auto-sensing switch mode power supply that will accept any mains voltage from 100 to 240 volts – a handy feature for those who travel abroad with their amp. Th ere is also a Speakon/jack speaker connection, Remote In (for the optional footswitch), Digital Out (for high-quality connection to DAW applications such as Pro Tools or Logic), Aux In (for MP3 players), Insert Pre/Amp I/O (can be used as an eff ects loop or to link two amplifi ers together) and a balanced DI with a Pre/Post switch – this switch is also used for the Digital Out connection. Th e only new addition is the headphone socket, which has moved from the front panel and is now a ⅛” mini-jack connector. As before, the headphone amplifi er also plays back any audio connected to the Aux In connection, meaning that you can easily jam along with your favourite songs.

SoundsWith the EQ controls set fl at, the RH750 off ers a transparent tone – a very faithful reproduction of the natural sound of your instrument, something we found tremendously appealing. As Mark King commented while talking about the unit at the London Bass Guitar Show, ‘I don’t use any EQ because I like the sound of my basses and I just want that amplifi ed nice and clear.’ Th e RH750 is versatile enough to cater for the range

of tones we desired, and with minimal work we quickly set up presets for straight-ahead fi ngerstyle playing, with a high-mid boost to help cut through, a sizzling slap tone which utilised the TweeterTone control and a healthy dose of compression, and a third preset that was EQ’d and compressed specifi cally to work well with a set of eff ects pedals. Switching between the presets with the footswitch (available separately) was seamless – indeed, when using the programmable presets the footswitch is very handy, allowing for quick changes as well as a great mutable tuner facility. Obviously, one of the main benefi ts of the RH750 is the added oomph of the 750 watts (1200 W peak). Th e RH750 can be connected to up to three of TC Electronic’s RS cabs (we tested it with two RS210 cabs) or any other cab combination with a 4 ohm load. While we suspect the RH450 would remain more than adequate for most users, it’s good to know that the extra headroom is available in this model for those that need it.

ConclusionTh e RH750 is beyond doubt a worthy addition to the impressive TC Electronic range. Wisely, they haven’t tinkered with the design too much – it has certainly proven itself popular over the last three years – and have merely added usable features such as the TweeterTone, and improved

the overall user experience by giving the SpectraComp its own dedicated control. Unless you simply have to have the TweeterTone and the extra headroom, there’s not quite enough to encourage existing RH450 users to upgrade, but we suspect that this update of the popular model is aimed more at those bassists who haven’t yet taken the plunge, or have been holding out for a more powerful model. At £849 RRP the RH750 is not signifi cantly more expensive than the RH450, and although this is clearly a high-end piece of equipment, we believe it is priced sensibly. Th e RH750 began shipping shortly before this issue went to press, so they should begin cropping up in local music shops as you read this. We would highly recommend a test drive.

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