Another dumb amp question

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:05 pm

Looks like my Eden is gonna sell tomorrow locally. I have an Ampeg B210sp to get by with for a while. My question is, Why Ampeg tube amps? As compared to acoustic, Sunn, Fender Bassman, etc?
And I never was too sure about what you guys thought of an SVTII all tube. I see one for 900 but it seems a bit steep. I am the high bidder for 400 bucks for a V4B on ebay but there are 5 days left so it will probably go much higher.

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:16 pm

Charley,
I grew up (almost literaly) on Marshall, Sound City, and Orange Tube amps.

I switched to Ampeg when I moved to the States full time back in 1990, with no regrets whatsoever.

Ampeg IMHO have some of the best designed tube amps no matter the price. Both Sunn, and Fender made great tube amps, as do Traynor, and Mesa, however for overall depth of tone, headroom, and sonic signature, Ampeg (Tubes) are still better than anything out there.

At the moment I'm very happily using a 1969 Ampeg B-25, which still sounds great. Has no DI output, so is always miked into our PA with awsome results.

clankchris · Post by **clankchris** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:21 pm

I like my Mesa better than Ampeg, but Ampeg is still a close second!
To me, the Mesa has a grittier sound when pushed, yet retains its clarity much better. I think it is based of the EQ curve of the Bassman.
The Ampeg can just get plain gnarly when pushed, with great mid-girth.
I heard the Mesa's have a slight mid-notch set flat, so I usually boost them a good bit.
so........Try both!

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:35 pm

Now, what is the sonic difference between, say, an SVT or the V4B, through say a 4x10 or 2x10, and a B25 miked into the sound system?

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 4:07 pm

I use the ampeg b2r ... and I use the bass pod for tube sounds ...

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 6:09 pm

I can get any number of Ampeg SS rigs for a pretty good price. Does the pod really sound like an SVT?

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 6:59 pm

The pod has an svt setting but I don't like or use it ... the svt is a classic amp with a good sound ... but it is like a refrigerator ... I use the pod as a tone shaper, and to add distortion and to add compression ... I run the pod into an ampeg b2r and then into 2 2x10 cabs ... and then I mike it with an sm 57 into a big pa ... with the big pa I don't need a big bass amp ...

mikeylc · Post by **mikeylc** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:40 am

The bass pod has SVT settings as does the Sans Amp Bass DI. The Bass POD sounds good in the studio. The Sans sound ok in the studio. These sound ok live but not nearly as good as the real thing. Ampeg SS stuff is ok but doesn't sound like an Ampeg tube amp. I recently picked up an ampeg B1, tube preamp, 150watts and it gets good ampeg punch and growl. It was $300 bucks on evil-bay. Not alot of watts for bass but I use it more for the preamp than the actual amp. I use the line out into my SWR Redhead, which BTW has a tune preamp as well. It really brings the Redhead alive with tone. All of this gets plugged into the PA via direct out. Fairly small rig, Ampeg tone, SWR power. I also have an Ampeg B100 but it doesn't have near the tone as the B1. I also think the BA series has better tone and features than the b100 but I couldn't get the BA amp that I wanted when I went to buy.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 8:54 am

I have played through an SVT live several times ... I always run through the pod first and then into the amp to get distortion and compression and tone shaping ...