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hand-made, hand-selected music products
TecAmp Puma 1000 Bass Amp Review
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Bass Gear Magazine Quick Look
TecAmp Puma 1000 Bass Amp
by Tom Bowlus
The Company Line
The name TecAmp may seem new, but Thomas Eich has been in the bass amplification business for over twenty years. You may have heard of his company by its prior name – Tech Systems. Thomas has been an innovator on multiple levels, and claims to be the first manufacturer to offer bass enclosures featuring neodymium-based drivers. He has also dialed up some intriguing combinations of classic tube designs and modern, switching-mode power supplies and class-D output stages.
The Puma series (comprised of the single-channel 350 and 500, plus the 2-channel 1000) are the most compact heads offered by TecAmp. The front panel features a single ¼” input (with a –10dB pad). Immediately to the right is the compressor, which features selectable attack time (long/short), and variable compression level. Above this is the input Gain control (with clip indicator) and the Taste control. This single-knob global tone control goes from “Dry” to “Rich.” Set in the middle, it has no effect. If you crank it counter-clockwise, it filters out some of the ultra-low frequencies and emphasizes the midrange. Turned to the right, it softens the high end. The active four-band EQ offers control for Lo, set at 70Hz (+/- 15dB), LoMid, set at 250Hz (+/- 12dB), HiMid, set at 800Hz (+/- 12dB), and Hi, set at 5kHz (+/- 15dB). Below this, and straddling either side of the glowing blue TecAmp logo, are the Bass Boost and Hi Boost, which offer + 12dB boost at 30Hz and 10kHz, respectively.
On the right-hand side of the front panel, we have the Master gain control, followed by the Mute button and the DI, with its pre/post EQ switch. Below this is the Line/Effects Mix control, for the serial effects loop, the input jack for the footswitch (mute), and the power switch.
Moving to the back panel, the Pumas does feature a voltage selector switch (for 230v or 115v), as well as three Speakon output jacks for Channel A, Channel B, and Bridged Mono mode. Channels A and B feature independent volume controls (which is a great feature, especially if you are driving mismatched cabs). Another use for Channel B involves the “Sub” switch. Engaging this switch kicks in a lowpass filter, set at 200Hz, as well as a +12dB boost. This can drive the Pleasure Board, a 31.5” by 31.5” by 4” platform (with multiple drivers mounted inside) which the bass player can stand upon. Driving a smaller cab with Channel A, and a Pleasure Board with Channel B, you get the “feel” one gets from an earth-shaking rig, but without causing grief with the other musicians onstage.
Both Channel A and B are rated for 500 watts into a 4-ohm load. In bridged mode, these amps combine to allow for up to 1,000 watts to be driven into an 8-ohm load. Rounding out the rear panel features are the effects loop send and return, a line out, and a tuner out.
First Impressions
Though amps of this size and form factor are becoming more common, the Puma 1000 does have a unique vibe to it. The bright blue logo and the top-mounted fan give it a unique look. The switches are metal and sturdy, and each has a reassuring click to indicate that it has engaged. The knobs have a nice feel to them, though I do wish for a bit more positive feedback resistance, as they seem to turn a tad too easily. The overall layout of the controls is straightforward, and it’s quite easy to get up to speed as far as knob-tweaking goes.
Upon firing up the Puma, my first impression was that it sounded very smooth and rich, but with a touch of nasal congestion to the low mids. My gut reaction was to back off on the LoMid a tad, and that definitely did the trick. Setting this control to about 11 o’clock (and leaving all the other controls at “noon”) proved to be my favorite setting. Please note, I play mostly fingerstyle, and predominantly over the neck pickup. I could definitely see other players preferring a somewhat different EQ configuration.
The 1,000-watt rating into an 8-ohm load seems a bit odd, at first. Most large, powerful “single-cab solution” boxes are rated at 4-ohms, so on the one hand, you’d like to see these 1,000 watts aimed at a 4-ohm enclosure. Fortunately, 500 watts is nothing to sneeze at, and you have two 500-watt amplifiers at your disposal. Still, I couldn’t resist trying the bridged mode into a single 8-ohm S210. It really brought that little cab to life! Granted, care must be taken with that much power on tap. But used within reason, that S210 really seemed to perform well with the Puma 1000 in bridged mono mode.
Closer Look
I played the Puma through one or two S210s, as well as a number of enclosures from other makers. I tested with a variety of instruments, and in every scenario, I was treated to truly top-tier performance. With that minor tweak to the LoMids, the general tone was very smooth and rich, with great detail and articulation, but never, ever sounding thin or wimpy. From this baseline tone, you can tweak the Puma in almost any direction you'd want. The 4-band EQ is relatively powerful, but each control can be swept across a broad range but still offer usable adjustments. The Bass and Hi Boosts do just what you'd expect, though the head itself has no lack of low end or high end, even with these switches disengaged. The Taste control is not only a quick-and-dirty adjustment; it may be the only tweak you need to adjust to a given room (or instrument). Working together, these tone controls give you the flexibility to cover a lot of tonal options.
The built-in compressor is worth mentioning. While not 100% sonically transparent, it is certainly effective without being too obvious. Like the rest of the amp's presentation, "smooth" is the first word that comes to mind. TecAmp claims that their compressor design allows for changes in dynamic performance without changes in the signal level. My listening tests seem consistent with this claim.
In some brief A/B comparisons, I found the Puma 1000 to be more smooth than the Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0, though not as aggressive. The Puma leaned towards the more full and rich side, and the Shuttle was more bright. With the LoMids cut a bit on the Puma, and the Lo Boost on the Shuttle engaged, though, the two were certainly marching to the same drummer. Compared to a Markbass LMII, the TecAmp was a bit more refined, and more quiet, while the LMII seemed a tad more punchy and stout. The Puma seemed to go a bit deeper. Again, there were a number of similarities between the two.
Lasting Impression
At the end of the day, this head made my list of all-time favorites. Lightweight and compact form factor aside, the tone and features of the TecAmp Puma 1000 definitely impress. My personal tone quest involves gear that is both full, yet still very clear. I desire a full-range tone, but I also want good tonal balance throughout that range. While I want a fairly accurate representation of what I am feeding an amp, I don't necessarily want a dry, clinical presentation. Across the board, the Puma delivers. I am sure that this head is not the end-all, be-all for everyone, but it does a number of things very well, and if my tonal goals are close to yours, you should definitely give a Puma a listen.
Manufacturer: TecAmp
Made in: Germany
Preamp Type: Solid State
Output Section: Solid State (Class-D)
Rated Output Power: 2x500 watts into 4 ohms, or 1x1,000 watts into 8 ohms
Inputs: one ¼” input jack, effects return, footswitch/mute
Outputs: effects send, DI, tuner out, line out, three Speakon speaker output (Ch. A, Ch. B, and Bridged Mode)
EQ: 4-band active EQ; bass boost and hi boost; “Taste” control
DI: electronically balanced, pre/post switch
Other Features: compressor, line/effect mix control, -10 dB pad, mute, individual volume control for Channels A # B, “Sub” option for Ch. B; serial effects loop
Dimensions: (whd) 10.6” x 3.6” x 10”
Weight: 6.2 lbs
Warranty: 2 years
Price: List $2,150. Street $1,795.
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