Ampeg Venture - experiences?

[Russ]

Now that these have been out in the wild for a while, has anyone got experience with them in a live environment? I'm wondering if they have inherited the reliability and QC issues from the old Portaflex and SVT-7 heads. 

 

Basically, I'd love to buy one - the Ampeg tone is peerless to my ears, but, as someone who's owned both a PF-800 and an SVT-7 before and had them both crap out on me at gigs, I'm cautious and maybe a bit sceptical. 

 

I've heard that since Yamaha bought Ampeg, things have got a lot better, but I'd like to hear some first-hand experience. I've heard a couple of scare stories, like the V12 being unusually quiet for something with so much power. 

 

Anyone? 

[BassAdder60]

I’m also interested but they don’t appear to be very popular at the moment and the V7 isn’t in stock anywhere !! 
 

I’ve read the build quality is somewhat flimsy ? 

[signals55]

No not tried them yet  I sure a few have been sold now 

[BassAdder60]

They don’t appear to be that popular for some reason ? 

[Russ]

3 hours ago, BassAdder60 said:

They don’t appear to be that popular for some reason ? 

I think Ampeg have a bit of a reputation problem right now, thanks to their previous generation Class D stuff. That’s why I’m not getting one (yet).

 

Plus, I don’t think it’s a particularly attractive-looking thing. Big, sticky-out knobs, fiddly, fragile-looking little switches, and so on. I can overlook that if the sound is good and it’s going to be reliable, but, a) nobody seems to be able to tell me if they sound any good, and b) they haven’t really been out long enough to have a good measure of their reliability. 

 

Additionally, it’s a bit of a harder time to be an amp company. With the rise of modellers, IEMs, etc, less people are buying amps these days in general. 

Edited May 26, 2024 by Russ

[ossyrocks]

3 hours ago, Russ said:

I think Ampeg have a bit of a reputation problem right now, thanks to their previous generation Class D stuff. That’s why I’m not getting one (yet).

 

Plus, I don’t think it’s a particularly attractive-looking thing. Big, sticky-out knobs, fiddly, fragile-looking little switches, and so on. I can overlook that if the sound is good and it’s going to be reliable, but, a) nobody seems to be able to tell me if they sound any good, and b) they haven’t really been out long enough to have a good measure of their reliability. 

 

Additionally, it’s a bit of a harder time to be an amp company. With the rise of modellers, IEMs, etc, less people are buying amps these days in general. 

Someone did post a very positive review on here a while back. 
 

But also, Ed Friedland posted on Facebook about a gig he was at using supplied backline and the Venture, in his words, “shit the bed” and had to be replaced in a hurry.

 

I am definitely the target market for one of these, but I’m holding off too as there’s just not enough experience out there to give me confidence.

 

Rob

[fretmeister]

I've just found this thread.

 

I was looking at the Venture 2x12 and was amazed to discover that it doesn't have wheels! I know 40lb isn't the heaviest cab in the world, but for a tall cab wheels just make everything so much easier to deal with.

 

I'm not sure the sticky-Out knobs is a particular issue. 99% of amps have them and they are fine as long as it's built right behind the front panel.

 

Anyone got one now? I'm getting a bit of an itch to change my amp and I'm liking the demos, but that might be because I'm not in a band at the moment and I'm getting GAS instead! Always happens to me when I'm not gigging!

 

I seem to be craving that Ampeg sound at the moment.

[Lexster2112]

I have a venture v 12, only 3 months old, never left the office, only played a few times and now the input jack is shorting out, guitar center warranty sent me to submit a ticket through ampeg, saying its still under manufacturer warranty so Asurion wont help yet, even though I paid for an extended 36 month warranty upon purchase. Pretty disappointing.  The amp itself sounds great! Bur so far, not reliable at all and has never yet been to a practice session or a gig. still waiting on a resolution

[Lexster2112]

update, Ampeg was quick with a response stating they are tracking an issue they know of about some defective pots and are sending me a replacement amp. quick service, so far, so good!

[Russ]

Did a gig just before Xmas with a guy I know who is a bit of an Ampeg fanboy. He was telling me he had bought the V7 a month or so previously, and it crapped out on him the day before the gig. He ended up bringing his old Portaflex 500, which he's had repaired several times, and he's starting to rethink his Ampeg fandom. 

 

He did like my Ashdown head.  

[basshead56]

I haven't bought one specifically for the reasons above...

 

I'm definitely an Ampeg fanboy and I've been so tempted to get a Venture series head but I'm really not sure about the reliability aspect of them.

I had nothing but good experiences with the PF series. Owned all three models of the non tube heads and had a great run with them. Apart from one evening when my pf800 just cut out for about a minute. Never happened again. I've had friends have major issues with pf500s.  Just sold my entire PF rig a couple of months ago. Sad to see it go but I didn't use it anywhere near as much as I thought I would.

Given how new the Venture stuff is and the few issues I've heard of from the likes of Ed Friedland and the odd bit from other sites, I'm hesitant.

Think I'll wait and see a bit longer.

 

Never had an issue with my SVT or any of the PRO amps.

 

On a similar note, I haven't gigged a great deal with my Darkglass AO900 but I've come across quite a few people who've had DG amp issues, mostly with the 500 series amps.

Reliability there makes me a tad nervous too.

 

 

[Downunderwonder]

Considering the parent co is now Yamaha and Venture was their first new bass amp, all a bit underwhelming.

Edited January 11 by Downunderwonder

[Russ]

5 hours ago, basshead56 said:

I haven't bought one specifically for the reasons above...

 

I'm definitely an Ampeg fanboy and I've been so tempted to get a Venture series head but I'm really not sure about the reliability aspect of them.

I had nothing but good experiences with the PF series. Owned all three models of the non tube heads and had a great run with them. Apart from one evening when my pf800 just cut out for about a minute. Never happened again. I've had friends have major issues with pf500s.  Just sold my entire PF rig a couple of months ago. Sad to see it go but I didn't use it anywhere near as much as I thought I would.

Given how new the Venture stuff is and the few issues I've heard of from the likes of Ed Friedland and the odd bit from other sites, I'm hesitant.

Think I'll wait and see a bit longer.

 

Never had an issue with my SVT or any of the PRO amps.

 

On a similar note, I haven't gigged a great deal with my Darkglass AO900 but I've come across quite a few people who've had DG amp issues, mostly with the 500 series amps.

Reliability there makes me a tad nervous too.

It'd be easy to blame the ICEpower Class D power modules, since they're something most Class D heads have in common, but it's never the power amps that go. It's always something in the preamps. 

 

The rehearsal room I go to has several Darkglass AO900s, and they seem to stand up pretty well to the rigours of rehearsal room life. If you don't kick on the distortion mode, but use the "bite" and "growl" controls, it can actually get quite SVT-ish (although the Microtubes does a better job, I think).