100w of tubes enough?

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by Pills Are Yummy

Perhaps run the v4 into a 2x10 so it doesn't blow then putting the pre into the SS?

You could do that, if the V4 has a preamp out or a slave out jack on the back.

I would just try the V4 through an 810 or two and call it a day.

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by Tractorr

Or another possibility is run the 450 with the 8X10 as your clean rig to get low end. Then run the V4B cranked into your 2X10 but with the lows turned down so you don't blow the speakers. If you have a pedal that splits the signal great, if not get a Y cable.

This is a great idea.

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by Pills Are Yummy

I am not made of money lol

If I sell everything to raise the $1200 it costs for an SVT, I'll still be stuck with these wimpy ass 2x10s cause I'll be dead broke by then. I doubt it will be too complicated, it's pretty simple actually...split the signal from the bass into the two rigs...and dude, 73 V4B with matching flat back 70's cabs for $1000! Cmaaan

SVT's don't cost $1200 used all the time. It's quite possible to find one for less than that.

73 V4B with two flatback 8x10 cabs... I don't think volume would really be an issue if you were okay with some overdrive.

[Baird6869]

I run a 100W Hiwatt tube amp into a Sadowsky 4x10 at gigs from time to time. Loud enough for small/medium rooms only.

A SVT is 300W and is more horsepower than most need. A 200w tube amp (or a 500w SS) is IMO loud enough for most of the gigs I do.

[Zentner]

Is a small coffee enough?







...Depends on how small that small coffee is.

[Tractorr]

Originally Posted by Bassmec

Why not just give the 8 speaker coupling and thus massive increase in sensitivity to the 100 watt amp and leave the more inefficient 2 X 10 cab to get level by applying far more clean power to just under fart level thus getting a balanced level from each amp and cab combination.
Why would thin distortion be at all useful, it's fat distortion the V4b is loved and world famous for.
If you have a low power tube amp just get it enough efficient speakers
and it will be loud enough.

I am not saying take all the lowend out of the signal, but if you use two amps together and balance and eq them well you can get a massive sound. I have seen a number of bass players use a bass head and cab for their clean sound and low end while using even a guitar amp for their distortion.

[Bassmec]

Originally Posted by Tractorr

I am not saying take all the lowend out of the signal, but if you use two amps together and balance and eq them well you can get a massive sound. I have seen a number of bass players use a bass head and cab for their clean sound and low end while using even a guitar amp for their distortion.

Do it all the time! but I have found that the lower powered amp the one doing the dirty work needs the most efficient cabs and preferably without a tweeter:

Believe it or not its the old Ampeg SVT115 cabs with original Altec drivers in, that are apparently louder per watt than the Eden 8X10.
Therefore with the 200 watt Simms driving the Eden at maximum clean
level, the Roost SR100 is just beginning to break up nicely with the Ampeg cabs at about the same level.
Why would you want to be making distortion with a cab with a tweeter
In?.

[Downunderwonder]

Originally Posted by nashvillebill

Plugging into the "ext amp" jack on the V4 does NOT cut the signal to the power amp section of the V4.

Just get a Peavey Classic 400, stick it on a pair of 2x15 cabs and be done with it. 400 watts, all tube.

These are your cheapest best options.

Clarify budget, SVT in good going order aren't so much more than V4B. If I read it right all you have presently is the single 2x10 and 450w amp?

Other option find a cheap enough valve preamp for power amp stage of your SS amp.

Sidebar, Kustom 8X10 under $300 delivered at the moment with Chinese Eminence in them.

[BogeyBass]

Depends.

need a lot of speakers but not much.

dragging around a heavy amp for a pre seems like a waste of time.

the tube power section sounds better.
could have all kinds of phase problems by running to a power amp.

V4B has a 2ohm tap...should be great for 2x 810

my V4B also was a little lacking at first, but it needed new tubes and new caps like any old tuber.

then it comes alive, so if you find your V4 lacking, then invest in tubes and caps they do about 130 watts with new tubes and proper bias.

more than enough with 2 cabs

[nashvillebill]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

Correct but, loaded down with the comparatively low input impedance of a typical SS power amp, it will reduce the signal level at that point. I also doubt whether the signal level will be sufficient to actually drive a SS power amp to full potential.

On my V4, the "Ext Amp" outs are fed from the first stage of a 12DW7, which is set up as a cathode follower. So a low impedance SS wouldn't be too much of an issue, IMO.

[bigchiefbc]

100W tube amp can get pretty damned loud, but it's gonna be dirty. I play through a 100W tube head and a 410. I have some PA support, but mostly only for subs. Both of my guitarists also have 100W heads and a 412 each. Loud basher for a drummer, and double kicks. I can more than keep up. But I like my signal dirty and overdriven most of the time.

[Wyattsgroove]

Could be. Depends on your situation. My first tube amp was a black face bassman with matching 212 cab with gold seal jensons I got in trade for a MIJ P bass I got for a benjiman at the pawn shop.
Granted back in the day it was plenty loud and heck my guitar player even used it at the same time. Ok so I found that after time it was really lacking for bass and sold it. My next tube amp was a really old SVT that was insanely loud! After a while it started to have some tube issues and after I got a quote to fix it .... I traded it for a GK 400 rb.

My current requirements say that a 100 w bass head would serve me just fine. But... If I were to start gigging bigger venues???

I often think back in the day, what did the guys/gals do ? I mean people played b-15, b-18, bassmans , and so on with great and not so great success. Not everyone could afford the mighty SVT or maybe a 400ps fender. Perhaps even a high powered Sunn?

That old 400rb powered a ampeg fridge in a heavy metal band for years and kept up fine, and it was 200 SS watts.

I'd love to be able to test out the latest and greatest of 100watt tube amp offerings paired with the efficient cabs of today. I just don't have the "scratch" to do so.

I think there are some new 100w heads out/ coming out that will just blow many away. Like the new bassman 100t, new yet to be released Mesa offerings,and others I am forgetting.

All in all I think it comes down to your goals as a bass player and the type of music and venues you intend to play. If that makes any sense.

Peace.
WG.

[astack]

Originally Posted by christw

I've redlined an SVT-II and 810E playing a Roto 66 loaded P bass with a mid heavy finger style tone in a metal band before. I was the only one wearing earplugs. Never again.

SWEEEEET. /OT

So, is this your deal of a lifetime?
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/3460482689.html

Anyway, if it's so cheap IYO, buy it and flip it if it's not enough. Or buy a second 8x10 cab for $400 when they come up.

I just got a V4B and it's AWESOME. Not as clean as I was expecting, but secretively, I didn't want it to be. The grind is pretty glorious.

[spaz21387]

950 is pretty high if you ask me. I see 100 watt all tube heads in portland ranging 400-600. That is musicman hd130s. silver face bassmans, v4bs, earth g2000's. the v4b isnt as rare as you think. Svts go used for 800 ish around here so wait till one pops up cheap.

[coreyfyfe]

Originally Posted by spaz21387

950 is pretty high if you ask me. I see 100 watt all tube heads in portland ranging 400-600. That is musicman hd130s. silver face bassmans, v4bs, earth g2000's. the v4b isnt as rare as you think. Svts go used for 800 ish around here so wait till one pops up cheap.

That was head and cab for $950. That's a pretty good deal IMO. You could wait it out and probably find one of each for the same or slightly lower price, but all in one for $950 would be fine for me if I was in the market.

[CL400Peavey]

The real question is, "What is loud enough?"

It sounds like you play with a couple of morons (its ok I do too). If I was going to make a go with your amp, I would second getting it into a tech and have it tuned up. Then I would be using it with two 810's, if I was on a budget. If I had a little more coin I would be looking at Greenboy Duallys or Barefaced Super 15's. The nice thing about the Duallys is you could get them in 8 or 4 Ohms. A pair of those types of 215's would be pretty killer, and would make your available power go further than a pair of 210's.

This is my rig. The cab is less sensitive than a Dually or Super15, but the amp I use is more powerful than yours.

[gastric]

I briefly had a V4. Absolutely loved the tone, more so than my SVT. Just seemed slightly more rich and punchy with a great driven / overdrive sound.

However, in a 5 piece rock band setting it drove into super, always-on unusable overdrive before I hit my normal volume. In contrast, my SVTs have so much power I barely turn it up thus it doesn't drive as hard and stays cleaner in comparison, with plenty of extra power on tap. I wish I could drive them a bit more, to be honest, which you can by turning them up more.

Apparently my dream amp is somewhere in between the V4 and SVT. Or I'm an idiot and don't know what I'm doing.

[johng999]

I found that 100 watts works for small venues but doesn't cut for medium to large, especially if you are competing with 100 watt Marshall leads. My Reeves 225 does do a decent job, but in the loud rock bands that I used to play in I used 4 cabs with - 2 were 4x10, two were 2x15. I was moving a lot of air and could be heard.
The other question is your PA - how much support are you using through your FOH and monitors? You might solve a lot of your issues this way as well, and it is much easier than getting to bigger and bigger tube amps.

[Downunderwonder]

OP has a long way to go before he gets to play metal with PA support. The times he does get it they won't use it because he'll be using the humungous rig he needs for the times there is none. No monitors I've seen can deliver bass to match two full guitar stacks. I don't think the guitards are going to drop down to 30w and 2x12 anytime soon.

[CL400Peavey]

Originally Posted by Downunderwonder

OP has a long way to go before he gets to play metal with PA support. The times he does get it they won't use it because he'll be using the humungous rig he needs for the times there is none. No monitors I've seen can deliver bass to match two full guitar stacks. I don't think the guitards are going to drop down to 30w and 2x12 anytime soon.

+1

Some times less is more, but more is always more.