Ampeg cab model differences. Please explain!

[modflea]

Hey,

First off I must state that this thread represents extreme laziness on my part. I could just look up the specs.

But in my defense I would prefer your opinions over stats.

So what is the difference between the Ampeg cab models? I see all the suffixes (XT, HLF etc. ) but would like it in plain language.

[Gearhead17]

Next time, a simple search of "opinions" will get what you need. But since I am a nice guy

410hlf, 610hlf, 810e, 410he - all have the same 10" speaker, the enclosures change the overall tones.

410he - not much low end, decent thickness, good midrange and upper mid. Bascially half of the 810e without the massive tone.

410hlf - lots of low end, not much midrange articulation, no upper mid growl, decent high end. Ported

610hlf - ported, but with less low end compared to the 410hlf. Sounds like a looser version of the 810e. Low end response is pretty good. Decent high end. Mids are similar to the 810e

810e - a solid massive tone, tight sounding, with a warm sounding midrange, good upper mid growl, ok in the high end department. Not as low as the 610hlf, but it cuts through amazingly on stage. Industry standard

BXT series - very articulate in all frequencies, sounds completely different than everything Ampeg makes. The 15 is impressive and punchy sounding. Lots of low end too. The 410 continues that tradition with more low end than the 15.

PRHLF 410/15/810 series was designed for a cleaner overall Ampeg tone with excellent low end response. All of these were very heavy, and the 810 was a beast! Good cabs, but many who complained about these cabs had a hard time cutting through on stage. Having a bunch of extra low end on stage is not too useful anyway.

Those are my experiences with all of Ampeg's products. I have owned or tried all of them. Your mileage may vary.

[modflea]

Wow!

That's way more than I expected to get but it is much appreciated.

And I appreciate your kindness. Again I could have also looked it up on Ampeg's site but I put more stock in what people think than numbers on a web page.

Thanks!!

[Selta]

Could also just search here... these questions are done about once a week.

[DanNowhere]

I think the different series are rated differently too. The Classic Series are all 4-ohm, except for the 15, but the Pro and Neo are all 8-ohm? Correct me if I'm wrong, that's just from a quick browse of the Ampeg site.

[Sartori]

You should really do a search, instead of being lazy.


edit: Ah, it appears that Gearhead17 ninja'd me.


But anyway, I'll go down what I know of Ampeg cabs, which isn't as much as some others on here.

Current cabs:

810e: Your basic SVT fridge cab. Very popular, it's a box with eight 10" speakers in four sealed compartments. Is often described as "tight" sounding. There are several eras of 810's. The original flatbacks have more high end but don't handle as much power. There was a period in the early 00's where they were made of particle board and so had a darker, somewhat "muffled" sound. The ones before this period and the most recent ones don't sound like this, though.

810AV: What you have. It's basically the same cab, but with a different grillcloth to match the SVT-VR

Heritage 810: Newest 810, it's made in the USA, and is the same basic concept (big, heavy, sealed cab). Those who have tried it on here (like Tom Bowlus, the resident gear collector and editor of Bass Gear magazine) have said that the new speakers sound different, in a good way, with more of the high end that the old 810's had. The grill cloth and tolex are also different.

610HLF: This is NOT a smaller version of the 810. It's a ported cab made to reproduce very low frequencies, giving it more low end. Some describe it as more "loose" sounding. May have a bit of a mid-scoop. Also unlike the 810, it has a high frequency horn, which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on if you like that sort of thing. It's almost as big and heavy as an 810, and has a very different sound, so it's not something to go for if you're looking for a smaller version of the 810 sound, but is something to consider if you want a different sound at a similar volume level.

410HLF: Like the 610HLF, it's ported and made for going really low and also has a horn. Some describe it as having even more low end than the 610HLF. Also might have a bit of a mid-scoop. Goes really really low, which can be good or bad, depending on how one uses it.

B-410HLF: Like the regular one, but costs less because it has cheaper parts. Due to this, it appears to not go as low.

Heritage 410HLF: Like the regular one, but USA made with different speakers, tolex and grill cloth.

PN-410HLF: Like the regular one, but weighs a lot less due to using neo speakers. Not sure how it compares in sound. Designed for basically the same function, though, going really low. Appears to handle more power, too.

410HE: Very different from the 410HLF. Kinda like half of an 810, except this cab has a high frequency horn, which it looks like you can turn off, which might be a good thing if you don't like tweeters/horns in your bass cabs. I'm not sure if it's ported or sealed.

B-410HE: Like the regular 410HE, but cheaper price/quality.

PN-210HLF: Don't know much about this one. From the designation, it probably goes pretty low for a 2x10. It also has neo speakers and a horn. Ported.

210AV: Basically this is one fourth of an 810. Sealed box with two 10" speakers, usually paired with the micro-VR head.

15e: This is the cab I have the most experience with. Despite popular myths about 15" speakers, it actually doesn't go that low. Not nearly as low as the HLF cabs. It is ported, but does not have a horn (for my purposes, that's a good thing, as I like more vintage, somewhat distorted bass sounds). It's also somewhat middy, or at least I find it to be so. It doesn't handle that much power, though. Goes well with tube heads.

B-115e: Presumably like the regular 15e, but, you know, cheaper. I'm not sure about the B-series in general. Used classic series cabs aren't that expensive, so you may as well get them anyway.

PN-115HLF: Has a neo speaker, so lighter than it would otherwise be. 13 pounds lighter than the 15e, goes lower, handles more power, and has a high frequency horn.

Generally speaking, HLF cabs will go both lower and higher than the non-HLF ones, and will sound more "modern," all else being equal. This is neither a good thing, nor a bad thing, they just sound different. They're not really ideal for what I go for in bass cabs, but work really well for a lot of people.


Discontinued cabs:

215e: Like the 15e, but bigger. It's as large as the 810e. Doesn't go very high, though, supposedly. Since it's basically two 15e's, its power handling is somewhat low, so might be better suited to tube heads.

210he: Sort of like half of a 410he. It's ported, but isn't designed for going really low. Was somewhat a companion model to the 15e. Has an adjustable high frequency horn. Like the 15e, can't handle that much power.

18e: A ported cab with a single 18" driver. No horn, it only goes up to 2khz, so whether it would be that much use by itself, I'm not sure. Handles a lot more power than the 15e, though.

And I'll let someone else who knows more fill in the rest.

[Gearhead17]

www.bgra.net or browse through the reviews section on here.

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by Sartori

You should really do a search, instead of being lazy.


edit: Ah, it appears that Gearhead17 ninja'd me.


But anyway, I'll go down what I know of Ampeg cabs, which isn't as much as some others on here.

Current cabs:

810e: Your basic SVT fridge cab. Very popular, it's a box with eight 10" speakers in four sealed compartments. Is often described as "tight" sounding. There are several eras of 810's. The original flatbacks have more high end but don't handle as much power. There was a period in the early 00's where they were made of particle board and so had a darker, somewhat "muffled" sound. The ones before this period and the most recent ones don't sound like this, though.

810AV: What you have. It's basically the same cab, but with a different grillcloth to match the SVT-VR

Heritage 810: Newest 810, it's made in the USA, and is the same basic concept (big, heavy, sealed cab). Those who have tried it on here (like Tom Bowlus, the resident gear collector and editor of Bass Gear magazine) have said that the new speakers sound different, in a good way, with more of the high end that the old 810's had. The grill cloth and tolex are also different.

610HLF: This is NOT a smaller version of the 810. It's a ported cab made to reproduce very low frequencies, giving it more low end. Some describe it as more "loose" sounding. May have a bit of a mid-scoop. Also unlike the 810, it has a high frequency horn, which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on if you like that sort of thing. It's almost as big and heavy as an 810, and has a very different sound, so it's not something to go for if you're looking for a smaller version of the 810 sound, but is something to consider if you want a different sound at a similar volume level.

410HLF: Like the 610HLF, it's ported and made for going really low and also has a horn. Some describe it as having even more low end than the 610HLF. Also might have a bit of a mid-scoop. Goes really really low, which can be good or bad, depending on how one uses it.

B-410HLF: Like the regular one, but costs less because it has cheaper parts. Due to this, it appears to not go as low.

Heritage 410HLF: Like the regular one, but USA made with different speakers, tolex and grill cloth.

PN-410HLF: Like the regular one, but weighs a lot less due to using neo speakers. Not sure how it compares in sound. Designed for basically the same function, though, going really low. Appears to handle more power, too.

410HE: Very different from the 410HLF. Kinda like half of an 810, except this cab has a high frequency horn, which it looks like you can turn off, which might be a good thing if you don't like tweeters/horns in your bass cabs. I'm not sure if it's ported or sealed.

B-410HE: Like the regular 410HE, but cheaper price/quality.

PN-210HLF: Don't know much about this one. From the designation, it probably goes pretty low for a 2x10. It also has neo speakers and a horn. Ported.

210AV: Basically this is one fourth of an 810. Sealed box with two 10" speakers, usually paired with the micro-VR head.

15e: This is the cab I have the most experience with. Despite popular myths about 15" speakers, it actually doesn't go that low. Not nearly as low as the HLF cabs. It is ported, but does not have a horn (for my purposes, that's a good thing, as I like more vintage, somewhat distorted bass sounds). It's also somewhat middy, or at least I find it to be so. It doesn't handle that much power, though. Goes well with tube heads.

B-115e: Presumably like the regular 15e, but, you know, cheaper. I'm not sure about the B-series in general. Used classic series cabs aren't that expensive, so you may as well get them anyway.

PN-115HLF: Has a neo speaker, so lighter than it would otherwise be. 13 pounds lighter than the 15e, goes lower, handles more power, and has a high frequency horn.

Generally speaking, HLF cabs will go both lower and higher than the non-HLF ones, and will sound more "modern," all else being equal. This is neither a good thing, nor a bad thing, they just sound different. They're not really ideal for what I go for in bass cabs, but work really well for a lot of people.


Discontinued cabs:

215e: Like the 15e, but bigger. It's as large as the 810e. Doesn't go very high, though, supposedly. Since it's basically two 15e's, its power handling is somewhat low, so might be better suited to tube heads.

210he: Sort of like half of a 410he. It's ported, but isn't designed for going really low. Was somewhat a companion model to the 15e. Has an adjustable high frequency horn. Like the 15e, can't handle that much power.

18e: A ported cab with a single 18" driver. No horn, it only goes up to 2khz, so whether it would be that much use by itself, I'm not sure. Handles a lot more power than the 15e, though.

And I'll let someone else who knows more fill in the rest.

Wow! That was one heck of a post! Nice job!

I'd like to add a comment about the Heritage 810, though. Although it has more high end than the early 2000's 810e's, the LOUD SVT-810e's probably have just as much high end as the Heritage. I hear more differences in the low end (the Heritage seems to go deeper) and in the mids (the Heritage has more of a low-mid thump and the "regular" 810e has a bit more high-mid punch). I do like the Heritage cab a lot, but I'm also quite impressed with the most recent iteration of the SVT-810e.

Tom.

[Bass 45]

I think part of this discussion should include what the letter designations represent on the Ampeg cab titles (I will only refer to Ampeg's current offerings). Correct me if I am wrong - I am pretty sure of a couple of these, but not all: "H" indicates the existence of a high frequency HORN or tweeter, "LF" indicates the cab is ported for deeper LOW FREQUENCIES and "E" indicates EXTENSION speaker. "Extension" speakers are eight ohms so they can be combined to create a four ohm load which is optimal for most bass heads.

So then, why is the modern 810 called an 810E? I dunno - maybe because the SVT it was designed to play with goes to two ohms - so it can handle an "extension" 810e. Also, I did notice that the Pro Neo series are all 8 ohm without the "E" designation - so I am not sure about the E. Eminence equipped is another possibility, but what about all the other cabs loaded with Eminence speakers that don't have the E in their title?

Anyway, I am just geeking out on an old thread here.

[GregC]

Originally Posted by Bass 45

I think part of this discussion should include what the letter designations represent on the Ampeg cab titles (I will only refer to Ampeg's current offerings). Correct me if I am wrong - I am pretty sure of a couple of these, but not all: "H" indicates the existence of a high frequency HORN or tweeter, "LF" indicates the cab is ported for deeper LOW FREQUENCIES and "E" indicates EXTENSION speaker. "Extension" speakers are eight ohms so they can be combined to create a four ohm load which is optimal for most bass heads.

So then, why is the modern 810 called an 810E? I dunno - maybe because the SVT it was designed to play with goes to two ohms - so it can handle an "extension" 810e. Also, I did notice that the Pro Neo series are all 8 ohm without the "E" designation - so I am not sure about the E. Eminence equipped is another possibility, but what about all the other cabs loaded with Eminence speakers that don't have the E in their title?

Anyway, I am just geeking out on an old thread here.

I believe the E cabs are all sealed, so I assume it stands for enclosed or something similar.

[JimmyM]

I don't know the designations and what they stand for, but that sounds pretty good to me.

However, slight correction...the 410hlf and 610hlf don't have the same speakers as the 810e and 410he.

[rodl2005]

I thought E meant enclosed/sealed, but some HE cabs are ported.