Ampeg vs. Ashdown

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 1:05 pm

I never heard of a 350 GTO!

highway_star · Post by **highway_star** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:09 pm

I've played the ABM300 series head and combo against the Ampeg AVT-3 Pro and right now I like the Ampeg. I think the Ashdown is a bit noisier and the bottom end seemed a little bit less focused than the Ampeg.

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:42 pm

What about behringer bass head and cabs,ive seen there 2000watt 810 bass cab-decent price [$550.] has anyone checked one out???

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:08 pm

Bob,the thing is a tube amp will be clipping the signal long before you hear it. The RMS number is measured on a scope with no clipping on a sine wave. On an SVT thats at maybe 2 on the dial. You can probably get up to 5 or 6 with no clipping to your ears, but it is clipping at that point on a scope. The harmonics that the tube amp generates are part of what allows you to do this, as with a solid state amp, it will be clean, and then distorted, and there is no middle ground. Designers will design a transistor amp to never distort, and they generate distortion in different ways in the circuit rather than overdriving them like we do with tubes. Another reason they do this is to protect the transistors because they will blow easily if you overload them and tubes will not.

Except for fringe tones, I don't like distortion on a bass much either. I played at a jam today with my Sunn 2000S and needed more volume since the guitar players were playing so loud, and all I got was mushy distortion, so I turned it down and played clean and quiet until the guitarists got the hint and turned down....hehe. If I had my SVT with me I wouldn't have had the problem, but I didn't have a vehicle that would fit the SVT in it. The tube amp sounds louder because the distortions it produces reinforce the fundamental note that you are playing and cause a compression effect with it and make it louder. A transistor amp produces odd harmonics that mask the fundamental and actually cause it to appear to decrease in volume. This right there is why the volume difference between the two. In a push pull amp like an SVT,(or a Bassman, Marshall, Vox AC30, Sunn 200S, Ampeg Portaflex) most of the second harmonics get cancelled and you get more 3rd and 4th harmonics, but again, in a tube amp they reinforce the fundamental note and make things louder due to the compression effect. If you had a single ended Class A amp, then you would get almost entirely 2nd harmonics in abundance.

I've played the B100R and I like them. That is what they use at the club I go to and they sound good with multiple types of basses. I think the Sunn 200S with a ported cabinet with a 15" speaker in it sounds better as long as you play at a volume that isn't distorting. The Sunn 200S, all 60W of it will keep up fine with the B100R (100W) volume-wise, and the lows actually sound a bit fuller tonewise, although the B100R is tighter on the bottom end than the tube amp.

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:39 am

Ferrari 350 GTO...

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 7:53 am

I think the last (1974) Pontiac GTO's had 350's in them also.

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:05 am

minus the RAM AIR hood?

Always loved them graphics!

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:10 am

You can always rely on Jared for a picture (or two)...thanks mate!

And Bob, you could be right....my memory fails me....

FWIW, I've tried a B100R and found it great with some basses, not so great with others (including my 4000, which sounded very "scratchy"), much like many other amps. Never tried my other Ricks through one though, although I think they're cool.

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:14 pm

That's a 250 GTO, Ferrari never made a 350! The 250 signifies the capacity in CC of one cylinder of the engine, a 3 liter V12. They made that version from '62 through '63, than a different body style in '64, which was a precursor to the 250/275LM, Ferrari's first mid engined car. There were three special 275 GTB style competition cars made in '65 that are unofficially considered GTOs but are officially called the 275 GTB/C Speciale, internally to Ferrari they were called the Tipo 563/Competizione. They are S/Ns 6701, 6885 and 7185.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:07 pm

I'll take a 64 Pontiac GTO myself.

Little GTO, you're really lookin' fine
Three deuces and a four-speed and a 389
Listen to her tachin' up now, listen to her why-ee-eye-ine
C'mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO

Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa (mixed with "Ahhh, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa

You oughta see her on a road course or a quarter mile
This little modified Pon-Pon has got plenty of style
She beats the gassers and the rail jobs, really drives 'em why-ee-eye-ild
C'mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO

Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa (mixed with "Ahhh, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa

Gonna save all my money (turnin' it on, blowin' it out) and buy a GTO (turnin' it on,
blowin' it out)
Get a helmet and a roll bar (turnin' it on, blowin' it out) and I'll be ready to go
(turnin' it on, blowin' it out)
Take it out to Pomona (turnin' it on, blowin' it out) and let 'em know (turnin' it on,
blowin' it out), yeah, yeah
That I'm the coolest thing around
Little buddy, gonna shut you down
When I turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO

Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa, (mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa
(mixed with "Yeah, yeah, little GTO")
Wa-wa (mixed with "Ahhh, little GTO") wa, wa, wa, wa, wa, wa

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:10 pm

In any race that has turns, the Ferrari would kill the Pontiac GTO. Plus, those 3 liter V12's in those Ferraris sound GREAT!! Of course the Pontiac is more practical, and they both get about the same fuel mileage. I'd take the Ferrari myself. They're worth around a million or more each, so I could sell it and buy LOTS of Pontiac GTO's.

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:14 pm

'62-'63 250 GTO Series I: $9,000,000-$10,000,000
'62-'63 250 GTO 4 liter: $7,000,000-$8,500,00
'64 250 GTO Series II: $9,000,000-$10,000,000

Current market values.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:15 pm

I'll still take the Pontiac, who care about turns, haha! Actually I like 65's better. I think someone here had a real nice 65.

ricosound · Post by **ricosound** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 2:38 am

..could it have been me?

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 2:52 am

nice ride Wes....

Tri-power?