The Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head is a Peavey amplifier, currently around $499. Close alternatives include the Peavey MiniMAX 600 Watt Bass Amp Head and the Blackstar Unity Bass 700 Head. It pairs well with the Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster and the ProCo RAT 2.
Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head
Peavey · amplifier
The Peavey MiniMAX 500W is an ultra-lightweight bass amp head packing 500 watts of solid-state power into a chassis small enough to fit in a backpack, weighing well under 10 pounds. It includes DDT speaker protection circuitry, a 3-band EQ, Peavey's TransTube gain-boost circuit for adding drive character, and psychoacoustic low-end enhancement that adds perceived bottom without over-stressing connected speakers. It's aimed at gigging bassists who want serious power output without the weight of a traditional bass head, trading a small amount of maximum output versus the 600W version for a lighter package.
What stands out
“It includes DDT speaker protection circuitry, a 3-band EQ, Peavey's TransTube gain-boost circuit for adding drive character, and psychoacoustic low-end enhancement that adds perceived bottom”
— from the listing
“TransTube gain-boost circuit adds usable drive character , giving some tonal flexibility beyond raw power”
— from the reviews
“It's aimed at gigging bassists who want serious power output , trading a small amount of maximum output versus the 600W version for a lighter package”
— from the listing
“Praised for delivering genuinely gig-capable power in an extremely portable, lightweight package, a major selling point for bassists tired of hauling heavy traditional heads”
— from the community notes
“The Peavey MiniMAX 500W is an ultra-lightweight bass amp head packing 500 watts of solid-state power into a chassis small enough to fit in a backpack, weighing well under 10 pounds”
— from the listing
- drive
- low end
- gigging
- eq
- raw
- solid state
- sub
- touring
Good for
- Live
Price updated Oct 22, 2026
Genres the Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head is commonly used in
- Gospel
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Acoustic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head
Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster
Dallas
16% matchInto the MiniMAX's raw, gigging-ready bass drive, the Rangemaster's germanium treble boost has a brighter edge to cut through.
Goes in front of the amp
ProCo RAT 2
Proco
15% matchThe RAT's dark, cutting distortion is a sharper edge than the MiniMAX's own raw, gigging-ready bass drive offers on its own.
Goes in front of the amp
MXR Distortion+
MXR
15% matchWhat MXR Distortion+ brings here leans toward gritty — that's worth building a pairing around
Goes in front of the amp
Electro-Harmonix Small Stone
Electro-Harmonix
10% matchPut Electro-Harmonix Small Stone after Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head in the signal chain, clear of Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head's own gain stage
Goes in front of the amp
Electro-Harmonix XO Deluxe Memory Man
Electro-Harmonix
9% matchThe Memory Man's lush analog echo belongs in the MiniMAX's loop, clear of the amp's own raw, gigging-ready bass drive. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Empress Echosystem
Empress
8% matchKeep Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head's full voice out front: Empress Echosystem goes in Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head's effects loop so its pristine voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Ashdown Studio Compressor
Ashdown
7% matchAhead of the MiniMAX, the Studio Compressor's low-noise squash keeps the attack even before that raw, gigging-ready drive ever colors it.
Goes in front of the amp
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar character
Peavey MiniMAX 600 Watt Bass Amp Head
Peavey
72% similarity“TransTube gain-boost and psychoacoustic low-end enhancement carry over from the 500W model”
Blackstar Unity Bass 700 Head
Blackstar
43% similarityShared character: tonal possibilities, solid state
Mesa Boogie TT-800
Mesa Boogie
41% similarityShared character: power, gig
See all alternatives to the Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head?+
The closest matches in character are the Peavey MiniMAX 600 Watt Bass Amp Head, the Blackstar Unity Bass 700 Head, the Mesa Boogie TT-800. Boutique upgrades: Aguilar Tone Hammer 350 LTD Chocolate Brown.
What pairs well with the Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster, ProCo RAT 2, MXR Distortion+ — Into the MiniMAX's raw, gigging-ready bass drive, the Rangemaster's germanium treble boost has a brighter edge to cut through..
How much does the Peavey MiniMAX 500W Lightweight Bass Head cost?+
Around $499 (live listing price, updated Oct 22, 2026).