Anyone got any experience with Ampeg?

[bassickman]

Looking at an Ampeg SVT CL with an SVT 410HLF?


Thoughts?

[chrismuzz]

Ridiculously heavy/bulky. You won't get the 4x10 through doors easily... Amazing sound though!

[bassickman]

COuld I just buy a head, plug my bass in and take the line out into the mixing desk? For tonal purposes.

[Stag]

Im pretty sure you need a cab plugged in. Running an amp with no load is usually bad news with the exception on a few solid state heads.

My 610 is the best cab ive ever used. Yes, its damn bulky but the sound that comes out of it is immense. The 410 also has a roll bar and kickplate so it aint that hard to move about... Other than liftin it into your car

[xgsjx]

It's a big change from MarkBass!
Extra heavy & built by people that don't care (or so it appears).

[bremen]

[quote name='bassickman' timestamp='1338305368' post='1672450']
COuld I just buy a head, plug my bass in and take the line out into the mixing desk? For tonal purposes.
[/quote]

No!

You could buy an SVP preamp though, works for me. There's one for sale here:

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/177422-ampeg-svp-pro-preamp-for-sale/page__p__1670173__hl__svp__fromsearch__1#entry1670173

Edited May 29, 2012 by bremen

[bassickman]

So you'd by a little mark tube 500 over ampeg?

[xgsjx]

I bought a LMII over an Ampeg.

But, it depends what sound you're after. I find MB very versatile, but get yourself to Bass Direct & decide for yourself what you like.

Edited May 29, 2012 by xgsjx

[pietruszka]

Ampeg cabs are fantastic! I loved mine for the 4 weeks I had it.

As to running a head as a sort of DI box, why not? I've used mine at home for recording with no cab plugged in, and used it on a couple of gigs with no cab connected and it was fine. What can happen to them? Mine's an Aguilar ag500 sc mind.




Dan

[Billy Apple]

I know Matamp do not recommend their amps turned on without a cab plugged in. They bench test and service them with something called a dummy-load. I wouldn't fancy plugging in any valve head without either

[bremen]

[quote name='pietruszka' timestamp='1338315623' post='1672669']


As to running a head as a sort of DI box, why not? I've used mine at home for recording with no cab plugged in, and used it on a couple of gigs with no cab connected and it was fine. What can happen to them? Mine's an Aguilar ag500 sc mind.




Dan
[/quote]

Run a valve amp without a load and you'll destroy the output valves and maybe the transformer. Very expensive toast.

Solid state amps are generally ok into no load.

[Mr. Foxen]

For Ampeg, new one under guarantee, all good. S/H, budget for a service when buying, they are a giant pain to work on when they start going wrong.

[0175westwood29]

just get a dummy load to go in the output and it be fine, however its a very heavy di box! id be more tempted to get the mini svt that not valve! can get a close enough sound and is really light and if your going straight into the pa i doubt you need something as heavy or big as the svt.

andy

[Mr. Foxen]

Oh yeah, and a bunch of the tone is in the power section, so you need a DI that goes after the output, and a cab or inductive dummy load.

[Anders]

[quote name='bassickman' timestamp='1338301894' post='1672368']
Looking at an Ampeg SVT CL with an SVT 410HLF?


Thoughts?
[/quote]

My imediate thought is,you can't get much more bottomend punch from an amp than an SVT CL,so you don't need much help from the cab at all.
I think Ampeg SVT cabs are great and a bit underrated sometimes,and they fit the sound of the SVT head well.
Before I was using 200w tube heads (Orange AD200MK1 and Matamp GT200)and had to get very particular(big) cabs to get enough punch down there,then I bought an SVT CL and can now use a very small cab compared to before.
If you're looking for massive lowend,it's another world compared to micro heads and lightweight solidstate heads IMHO.
Sure,the head is very heavy,but if you don't have to carry that head around and minimize the lifting,it's not that bad.(Perhaps a case on wheels).

The SVT CL head hasn't got much more than one sound,so if you want a little more possibillities you could get an SVT II Pro.(Make sure it's in good shape tough).
If you want a little less in your face ampeg tone you could try some other cabs with the head ofcourse.
Personally,I don't like the tweeter in the HLF cabs,otherwise they're great,but that's my personal opinion though.

[lollington]

Sod lumping a 410 about if all you really need is a preamp for tonal purposes. Consider a Sansamp DI or preamp like bremen suggests if [i]all [/i]of your gigs are guaranteed to come with decent FOH and stage monitoring. If not, maybe the CL with a smaller cab.

[basshead56]

I'd be more tempted to get the mini svt that not valve! can get a close enough sound and is really light and if your going straight into the pa i doubt you need something as heavy or big as the svt.

+1
Of all my gear sitting in my studio back home, it's my Micro VR I think I miss most. I run/ran it through two of the matching 2x10 cabs (stacked vertically or side by side, depending on the gig) and it sounds IMMENSE. really close to a big SVT and you could fit it in the boot of a mini!.
You could also try an SVT DI-rare as rocking-horse s**t these days, but very nice!


andy
Sod lumping a 410 about if all you really need is a preamp for tonal purposes. Consider a Sansamp DI or preamp like bremen suggests if [i]all [/i]of your gigs are guaranteed to come with decent FOH and stage monitoring. If not, maybe the CL with a smaller cab.
+1 also.

Here in NZ I use a Tech 21 Bass VT Deluxe as my preamp section. It's saved my skin on more than one occasion (typically when we've played using other bands' backline and the bass amp is either a blown Fender Rumble 100{the most common amp in NZ}, or a horrible Behringer thingy). Just go direct to PA with the VT Deluxe and your away. It even makes my (insanely immovable) Mesa rig sound [i]nicer[/i]!
Lovely warm SVT goodness in a can...

Still, nothing cooler than a big bad SVT rig though

Edited May 29, 2012 by basshead56