Ampeg Heritage 810 vs Bergantino NV610

[Joelc73]

Originally Posted by Mojo-Man

IMO the Bergantino NV610 is the nicest sounding 10" cab I've ever used.
Pair it with any good tube amp = tone heaven.

I've always felt this way too... now you guys are making me second guess myself!

[bassboysam]

Well i think Eminence did an amazing job with the Legend B810 speaker and that makes a huge difference compared to the stock 810E speakers.

[StuartV]

Don't Tom's pictures show that the 810e and the Heritage have the same speakers? Or am I interpreting what I took to be the part numbers printed on each speaker incorrectly?

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by StuartV

Don't Tom's pictures show that the 810e and the Heritage have the same speakers? Or am I interpreting what I took to be the part numbers printed on each speaker incorrectly?

Nope, those are different drivers. The wiring is also thicker gauge on the Heritage, and it uses threaded bolts instead of screws. The damping material is also different. That being said, I actually slightly prefer the sound of the 810e myself, but I could easily see others favoring the Heritage.

[pickles]

I had a heritage 810 and used it on one rehearsal. Nice tone but I found it to be super loud below low E (oddly) and it didn't blow me away vs my GS412. Was hoping for more tightness and punch, but didn't really get it. Top was nice and round. Very good but not great/special for me.

Have an NV610 now. Not enough miles on it to comment.

Also had an older 810e at one point that was comically muffled and insanely heavy.

[jmpiwonka]

can't read what the number on the cone is but the drivers in my old ampeg 810...that had the drivers replaced seem like they might be the same as the heritage drivers
the number on the magnet was 10324A and cone number was 415041
whatever they are, i'm happy with the sound.

[metron]

I have a berg but cant comment on the ampeg tonally. I will say that personally there is nothing the ampeg could offer that would have me consider one at nearly twice the weight. Ymmv.

[kringle77]

I find that my old svt with the berg is just alittle boomy and there is an upper mid gank that I just don't like. But, that works great with my genz sm9.2 which is very flat to start with. The ampeg 810e (current model) is smoother in the upper mids, has alittle more top end, a kind up annoying scoop at 600hz and a bigger bottom end that can actually get boomy in most rooms. Now, if I run a hi-pass filter on the ampeg to tighten the bottom and be more like the berg, and if I had one or two different drivers to get bit more midrange bite (more like the berg but not as much), then it's a whole nother story. I then prefer the ampeg to the berg. But, if both cabs are stock, it's easier to just bring the berg to a gig. Easier to move and less tempermental from room to room. My svt sounds amazing through the ampeg cab with two jensen mod10 drivers. If you look up my thread on cts specs you will see that I have a new lds 8x10 cab that Im trying different combinations of speakers in. Im trying to find the middle ground between these two cabs. A bit more lows and highs and smoother than the berg.

[Laurent]

I have very limited experience with both these cabs but as I auditioned them, the Ampeg had the trademark Ampeg tone with a tad more oomph meanwhile the Berg sounded very, precise and transparent to my ears. A little too much so perhaps, it sounded a bit sterile compared to the Ampeg. This is ultimately a matter of taste and might boil down to getting the classic Ampeg (colored) tone or for getting out what you put in (transparency). I also think that using a parametric EQ could make them sound like each other.

[kringle77]

I wouldn't say the berg is transparent at all. It's a bit dark but the mid-mids really cut through. It's a quicker sounding cab than the ampeg as well.

[Randyt]

I cant comment on the Berg...But my SVT CL (USA) head and Heritage 8x10 is consistantly killing the competition...ya..its heavy and bulky...but in a live setting...unbeliveable...I play all 6xers and it covers the full spectrum...it is a very controlable amp...nothing is too boomy or bright or ice picky....or lost in the mix..I highly recommend the amp.
NOW...as a back up head to run with the 8x10...im looking at getting a Tec AMp Puma 900....

[Laurent]

Originally Posted by kringle77

I wouldn't say the berg is transparent at all. It's a bit dark but the mid-mids really cut through. It's a quicker sounding cab than the ampeg as well.

Alright, alright, more transparent than an Ampeg.

The elephant in the room is no professional touring bass player I can think of uses Bergantino meanwhile the list of Ampeg players is enormous. That perhpas is indicative of something.

[One Drop]

Originally Posted by Laurent

Alright, alright, more transparent than an Ampeg.

The elephant in the room is no professional touring bass player I can think of uses Bergantino meanwhile the list of Ampeg players is enormous. That perhpas is indicative of something.

Probably indicative of what SR companies generally have, and the need for easily replaceable and standardized gear, etc. The only elephant in the room is the SLM era OSB ones, huge, slow, and muddy.


I tried the Heritage 810 out in a shop, but didn't crank it. I thought it was a little lacking in high mids, I'm used to the more balanced Bergantino. It was a great sounding cab and infinitely superior to the bad-era 810E I owned briefly but I prefer the Berg. The extra SPL you might get with the Ampeg might be important to some but overkill for me, I've never approached the limits of this cab.

I realize I've been neglecting the NV610 recently, taking my NV215 out instead. I can still get the punch I want with it and although the mids might be a bit different sounding the overall tone does fill a room better if I'm not in the FOH, which is what I prefer in smaller rooms. I like the slightly more extended highs too for some stuff we do.

I don't know how important size and portability is to you, but there is a world of difference between the Berg and the Ampeg when it comes to loading them into vehicles and onto stages.

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by Laurent

Alright, alright, more transparent than an Ampeg.

The elephant in the room is no professional touring bass player I can think of uses Bergantino meanwhile the list of Ampeg players is enormous. That perhpas is indicative of something.

It's a good point, but one thing it's indicative of (not the only thing, but one) is that Ampeg can afford to provide a rig (or have a backup rig available) at every date on a tour, and a smaller company like Bergantino cannot easily do this. Economies of scale do help when it comes to supporting a major touring act.

[JimmyM]

A lot of touring acts use their own gear, though, and they can carry whatever they want all over the world. Not all of them rent.

[dDaddybass]

I heard that when Victor Wooten was leaving Ampeg, he tried out just about every amp and cab combination he could find, and that he loved the Bergantino stuff. But the deciding factor was availabilty of replacement if needed. In which case a company like Hartke is much more accessible. Makes since to me, but since I'm not touring the world, I'd go with the Berg stuff.

[JimmyM]

Vic is one of those guys who doesn't tour with his own gear a lot of the time

[lavaman67]

No offense, but this was a very specific question about the NV610 vs the Heritage 810. If anyone can give me a real world comparison between the two, it would be greatly appreciated. As posted, I have owned several 70's, 80's and 90's 810's. I know how they sound. I want to know about the Heritage 810 only. Thanks.

[dDaddybass]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Vic is one of those guys who doesn't tour with his own gear a lot of the time

From Anthony Wellington:
"We travel in the States with all of our own gear. We'll get backline on a 'one off' fly date. but that's a small percentage of what we do. But all international stuff we have the backline provided."

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

A lot of touring acts use their own gear, though, and they can carry whatever they want all over the world. Not all of them rent.

True, and sometimes, as I said, it's just a matter of the manufacturer being able to provide a backup rig, in case the "touring rig" goes down.