NAMM: Yamaha Debuts All-Digital Bass Amp

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BBT 500H and BBT 410S (Click for a close-up)

This year's Summer NAMM show saw the debut of the BBT 500H amplifier, creating a new product category for the bass guitar player.

As the world's first all digital bass amp, the BBT 500H offers a total of 11 vintage and modern amplifier sounds, built-in dynamics and tone shaping capability designed to suit any style of music in a powerful, compact package.

Weighing just 8.5 pounds, the BBT 500H delivers 500 Watts of power into 2 ohms (250 Watts into 4 ohms). The 5-band, frequency-variable tone controls, single-band, fully parametric EQ, compressor and programmable effects blend controls are easily accessible from the front panel. The BBT 500H also features a built-in effects loop, MIDI in/out, five user memory locations and a speaker simulator for additional versatility.

Connections include 1/4" line and balanced XLR outputs, two 1/4" speaker outputs, tuner outputs and a headphone jack for practicing. Lightweight, yet roadworthy construction makes the BBT 500H (MSRP $949.99) ideal for transporting to practice sessions and gigs.

Yamaha offers three speaker systems designed to compliment the BBT 500H. Models and configurations include the BBT 110S (1 x 10" and 1" tweeter, MSRP $449.99), BBT 210S (2 x 10" and 1" tweeter, MSRP $599.99) and BBT 410S (4 x 10" and 1" tweeter, MSRP $799.99).