NAMM 2015: B-Social desktop amp heading to a bassist's living room near you

NAMM 2015: Ashdown's B-Social is just the latest in a slew of what we might term lifestyle amps; deceptively noisy units designed to slot seamlessly into your living room without scaring the cat.

As you can see, the B-Social clearly looks the part, and offers bluetooth connectivity and a transmitter for cable-free practice and general music playback.

It also plays nicely with amp and effect sim software via the 'App-Tek' socket and boasts a built-in USB audio interface. Perhaps best of all for casual entertainment use, the amp allows a second bass player of guitarist to plug in and play.

For more info read on or head over to the Ashdown Engineering website.

PRESS RELEASE: B-Social brings Ashdown sound quality and innovative connectivity and collaboration features to the desktop in a compact, powerful 75W stereo amp that looks great in the bedroom, lounge, or home studio.

"After speaking with hundreds of our bass players around the world, the desire for a home practice amp that sounds great and looks just as good was apparent," says Ashdown's Mark Gooday. "With B-Social we wanted to develop a home amp that would give bassists all the features they need to practice, jam and record, with a single product."

Straight out of the box, B-Social delivers signature Ashdown bass tone via a powerful 75W stereo amplifier and two custom dual concentric 5" drivers, specifically designed to deliver punchy low-end in the most compact enclosure.

Further possibilities

Unlocking further tonal possibilities, the App-Tek socket allows players to access the ever-growing range of amp sim and effects apps available on Smartphones and devices, including Ashdown's very own ABM Pre App.

Allowing the bassist to roam at home, B-Social features Bluetooth connectivity and a transmitter that lets the bass connect wirelessly to the amp for cable free jamming.

Bluetooth connectivity also enables audio streaming from any compatible music player.

Double-up

Adding a new social dimension to the amp, the B-Social includes a second input so the bassist can play along with another bass player or guitarist - electric or acoustic.

"It's a simple feature - and obvious - but so often over looked by amp companies," says Gooday. "Being able to plug into a single amp with a friend or band mate makes B-Social a great tool for collaborative writing and recording."

Recording itself is made simple via the built-in USB audio interface, compatible with all major DAWs on both PC and Mac platforms. The stereo output features a button to enable latency-free monitoring when in use with a DAW.

Rounding out the feature set is a Line In, Line Out, and a Headphone Out for silent practice. B-Social is available in three stunning high gloss wood finishes - Natural, Black and White.

Will Groves
Editor-in-chief

I'm lucky enough to be MusicRadar's Editor-in-chief while being, by some considerable distance, the least proficient musician on the editorial team. An undeniably ropey but occasionally enthusiastic drummer, I've worked on the world's greatest music making website in one capacity or another since its launch in 2007. I hope you enjoy the site - we do.