Genz Benz Streamliner 900 vs Shuttle 6.2

[dadagoboi]

Thanks to Pilgrim I  bought a Shuttle 6.2 on closeout.  I was happy with it until I watched a comparison video between it and a Streamliner 900.  Shuttle has 1 12AX7, Streamliner 3 and the tone circuit approach is different,  Streamliner is old school Baxendahl, Shuttle more modern with sweep parametric and shelving  with a footswitch for versatility.  Both were made in Taiwan, known for great quality.  3 year warranty.



Dimensions are close, Streamliner is an inch taller and longer but  a lot sexier looking.  Shuttle is all square edges and has almost a hobby box look.   Knobs on Streamliner are a little larger and easier to operate, and there are fewer lights.  Streamliner weighs 6+ lbs, Shuttle 4+

Backpanels are similar but Streamliner doesn't have a footswitch. Shuttle has Shelving switches and the footswitch is a nice option for those.


Streamliner uses allen heads to secure the top, Shuttle phillips heads.  The Embossed "GB" is a nice touch.


Shuttle bottom has 16 protruding Phillips head screws and glue on feet, the screws on the Streamliner are all recessed including the 4 feet.


Sides.  It's obvious a lot of thought was put into the Streamliner's looks.  It was the top of the Genz line and looks like a high end piece of stereo gear.


...and it seems to give a nod to Ampeg when it's powered up.


Yeah, but what's the difference in sound?  IMO bottom end is tighter with the Streamliner and it's easier to use.  Controls shown are where I set it for a pair of ThunderBuckers: bass cut, 600 mids boosted, treble flat.  That's connected to a '67 B-15 cabinet YMMV.

I paid $600 for the Streamliner, $400 for the Shuttle.  Worth the difference in sound quality, ergonomics and looks to me.  Plus more head room, gain and 50% more power.

For more on the Shuttle vs Streamliner tone differences check this at around 2.20

[Dave W]

Seems a shame that they're mothballing the brand.

[dadagoboi]

Seems a shame that they're mothballing the brand.

Sure is!  IMO the Streamliner and Shuttle beat the $*@& out of Ampeg's PF series and I can't imagine the SVT7 PRO being better than the Streamliner.  Building the stuff in Taiwan probably entered into the equation, it's definitely more expensive than China.

[slinkp]

Yeah it's really too bad.  The Streamliner looks cool.  I still think they really hit the ball out of the park with the preamp on the Shuttle 6.0. 

I've had a lot of amps over the past 30 years...  11 amps by my count (In order: Roland cube 60, Peavey TNT-130, Randall RB-125, GK 400RB, Eden WT-500, Eden WT-300, Thunderfunk 400-watt model (I forget the exact number), AI Clarus series 1, AI Focus series 1, AI Focus series 2, Genz-benz Shuttle 6.0).  I've had this one 5 years now and I have never been this happy with an amp.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Ampeg can trade on its name alone, and for the past decade, that's been about all it's been doing. The new V-4B seems to show some promise, but until I play through one, I'm not believing a word  I read about them- too many shill-boys out there. I've never had ahold of any of the GB lightweight heads, but their lightweight cabs are awesome, better sounding than their "traditional" ones. FMIC is in 'survival mode' and will be unless the economy makes some miraculous turnaround. They bought GB to shut them down, because however shitty, there will always be s/s Fender bass amps, and I'll almost guarantee that you'll see derated versions of GB amps badged with Fender nameplates sold alongside their new tube amps. The lightweight bass amp market is too big for Fender to just ignore completely.

[Pilgrim]

....I'll almost guarantee that you'll see derated versions of GB amps badged with Fender nameplates sold alongside their new tube amps. The lightweight bass amp market is too big for Fender to just ignore completely.

That has been my suspicion since I heard of the buyout.  Fender has a big hole in the product line, and it does make a lot of sense for them to add a line of lightweight amps. 

[dadagoboi]

That has been my suspicion since I heard of the buyout.  Fender has a big hole in the product line, and it does make a lot of sense for them to add a line of lightweight amps.

Then it might have been wise to keep the Genz designer from going to Mesa.  Wouldn't be surprised to see a hybrid from them very soon.

Demeter had big success with their hybrid at NAMM.  Dealer price is around $1k for 2-12AX7s, high quality manufactured in USA components and 800 watts in a nostalgic package.  If it sounds like my Demeter 201 pre it will be good but not as ballsy as the Streamliner.

 

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Then it might have been wise to keep the Genz designer from going to Mesa.

He made good amps, but was VERY active in spreading a lot of false tech info to help sell his product and was one of the ones on TB who made sure I couldn't keep asking the questions about them that I did.

[Pilgrim]

He made good amps, but was VERY active in spreading a lot of false tech info to help sell his product and was one of the ones on TB who made sure I couldn't keep asking the questions about them that I did.

Refresh my memory if you would...how did he do that?

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I would list some of the drawbacks of switching amps and he would use "ideal condition" arguments for switching amps while talking about real-world drawbacks of linear supply/output stage amps and utilized a lot of half-truths and operational conditions that either never happened at all or were so rare as to have no real practical weight of fact. My VERY respectful discussions with him are my last posts on TB, and I doubt that was any kind of coincidence.

[Pilgrim]

Interesting...thanks for the comments.