Acoustic b600 vs. Ampeg svt450

Buzter · #1 08-04-2011, 04:43 PM

Trying to decide if I should trade my acoustic B600 for an ampeg svt 450. Not sure really. I like the svt sound as well as the b600 I guess. I've read a lot on here and just looking for other opinions. Thanks

Immigrant · #2 08-04-2011, 05:22 PM

The Acoustic is a pretty nice head, and has decent tone. I've had one for 2 years. Tomorrow it will be gone, along with a 410 & 115 cabs. Sold on CL.

I saw a band not too long ago in a small bar, and the bass player had a 610hlf and an SVT450. The sound blew me away. Fast forward two weeks, different bar, different band, different amp. An SVT-CL with 810 cabinet. Oh my God. That was it.

I picked it up two days ago, with 2 410hlfs. Maybe you can find a dealer wherenyou can A/B the solid-state 450 against the all-tube CL.

Nothing against the Acoustic. My experience was riddled with always trying to get the right sound and never quite finding it.

snyderz · #3 08-04-2011, 05:52 PM

You might get more opinions in amps.

SurferJoe46 · #4 08-04-2011, 05:58 PM

Until a mod moves it though:

The Acoustic gear is modeled more toward old school voicing, and if that's not for you it won't work or you'll always be fiddlin' and trying to dial in something it's not designed to reproduce.

I like to voicing and response and the tone is just where I want it so I don't twist too many knobs at all.

To each his own - and even though I know the SVT/Ampeg stuff is top notch - it just doesn't work for me as I find it too pushy in the Highs. Too much sparkling clarity isn't what I'm after and that to me is the Ampeg gear in a nutshell.

Tanner5382 · #5 08-04-2011, 05:59 PM

When you say that you like the SVT sound, do you mean specifically the 450h or do you just mean SVT's in general? I am just curious because the 450 is not a "real" SVT, and thus if you haven't heard one it might be different than your usual idea of an SVT's sound.

SurferJoe46 · #6 08-04-2011, 06:14 PM

For sure I am not positive. I tried a lot of the SVT gear - and it all kinda blurs on me from my memory at the moment.

When I was amp shopping, the GC guy (whom I trust very well) had me try to generate some love for anything they had in that line. It didn't make me as happy as the Acoustic.

BUT - and I'll admit it right up front here - I am not flying all over the world gigging in huge venues and need some gear that can fall off a semi on the freeway at 75 MPH and survive. Hence my choice.

FWIW: I couldn't get it on with the GK or Orange stuff either.

Hartke was never in the picture from a very bad couple of problems I had with his stuff. Some of the Fender stuff was spot-on nice - but I thought it had too many gadgets to be robust.

I cheated here and just went to GC's website and looked for some of the stuff I tried::

1) Gallien-Krueger Neo 212-II was OK - but not big enough.
2) Line 6 LowDown LD400 Pro felt cheap to me somehow.
3) Ampeg BA-210SP was also too gimmick-y for me.
4) Ampeg BA115T - the tilt-back one wasn't as full-voiced as I thought it should be either.

So - I had a few experiences with Ampeg and GK and even the Orange stuff - but I felt that the Acoustic B-450 was pretty good bang-wise for me.

Buzter · #7 08-04-2011, 07:57 PM

I've played the svt-CL through the cab. I presently own which is an hlf410. The cl head is incredible ,but just out of my price range. I like the b600 ,but not sure its quite right for me. I like the 2ohm part and option of a second 4 ohm cab though. The svt 450 has a good sound since I've actually played the b2re I know this. Just looking for others thoughts.