Ampeg SVT 7-PRO

miceli · #1 03-27-2011, 09:27 AM

Anybody here any "good news" about this amp head for this year? I'm hearing a lot of bad things instances on here.

I currently have an Ampeg SVT350H along with an Ampeg SVT410HLF cab. I'm just not getting the sound or the power out of the head that I want.
I love ampeg and would like to stay in the family, so I am looking into the 7pro due to power, cost and the weight.

I thought about the SVT450H, but nervous it won't amount to much more than what I have in the 350.

GC or MF currently have none of the 7pros in stock, so is that good or bad?

Thanks,

Mike

lewyyy · #2 03-27-2011, 09:35 AM

I got one of these a few weeks ago. Running it through a SVT610 and couldn't be happier with the tone

miceli · #3 03-27-2011, 09:55 AM

Thanks Lewyyy.......

**BassIsFun17** · #4 03-27-2011, 10:01 AM

i've got one too. i have had it for about a year and its held up great. i push an ampeg 8x10 with it and it does perfect!

pedulla1 · #5 03-27-2011, 01:06 PM

I've had mine for almost a year and love it. Loud, relatively light. I am experimenting with putting a Boss gbe-7 eq pedal in the efx loop (best efx loop I've ever had!). Sound even better!

Vain Melody · #6 03-27-2011, 10:47 PM

My 7pro is running through an SVT410hlf. Lots of power. Been using it for 3 months without any issues.

Power: well, it's pretty damn loud if you need it to be. Unless you are playing some stadiums or some huge rooms I can't see you needing more volume. For band practice I keep the volume well under half way.

Sound: Tone is very subjective ... I felt the tone is very clean/precise and modern sounding. The eq options are adequate but I still use an EQ pedal. This doesn't sound anything like a vintage SVT rig. I typically have my EBS multidrive on to add just a little overdrive to my sound.

The compressor is decent and with a ratio of 10:1 (or is it 1:10?), you can squash/limit your sound quite a bit. I usually keep the knob quite low though as the effect on my tone is just too detrimental at high settings. I am in the process of trying out different stand alone compressors, but I think I will have to spend a good $200 or more to see any appreciable improvement over the onboard SVT compressor.

I'm glad I bought it and I will use it for the foreseeable future.

miceli · #7 03-28-2011, 06:47 PM

Thanks everybody for the response here.
I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go for it once they have stock, but one more question is, do the tubes that it contain have to be changed often?

Thanks again............

pedulla1 · #8 03-28-2011, 07:04 PM

Pre amp tubes should last for many years. I own an Aguilar DB680 and have not changed tubes in the 11 years I have owned it.

JimmyM · #9 03-28-2011, 07:05 PM

no, the tubes shouldn't have to be changed often at all. having said that, sometimes you do have to change a tube because quality control of new tubes is kind of spotty. but i've also got tubes in some of my gear that have lasted well over 10 years, and in one amp, close to 40 years. but generally, preamp tubes will last a good long time. it's not unusual to get well over 5 years out of one.

miceli · #10 03-28-2011, 08:07 PM

Thanks Jimmy and Pedulla!

musicpbass · #11 03-31-2011, 02:44 PM

Mike,

Its a great amp. Had the SVT3 prior to this one and notice minimal difference (except for more power)

I now run the 7 thru a PN410HLF..... Solid, solid rig...

Good luck and let us know how you like it once you start gigging with it.

miceli · #12 04-17-2011, 08:42 AM

Hey all,

Well I got my new SVT7-Pro and have to say I was not as impressed as I thought I would be.
I had the settings at half way for both the gain and the main and it only started getting loud after pushing past that. I hate too far and blow my 410HLF that can only take 500 watts although it sure didn't seem like that 7-pro was pushing 1000 watts @ 4 ohms.
I really expected a lot more power before pushing past the half way mark and we don't practice that loud. Maybe the settings are not correct, but I don't see how.
The frequency settings were really not that useful and I had to really tweak the high settings to keep it from being so muddy.
Kinda bummed as I had high hopes for this amp. I have 60 days to return it, but I am going to put an EQ through the effects loop and see if that helps.

Can anybody give me a quick run through of their settings or some advise if I am doing something wrong?

Thanks..............

Big Mike Ipp · #13 04-17-2011, 10:59 AM

I would never include muddy in a description of this amp unless I intended to do so with the EQ. 1 or 2 on the freq range with the gain boosted should show the sizzle of the amp, also the HLF (I play the PR version of it) is inherently big on the lows, where do you have the tweeter settings at?

My Setting:
First lets push that gain past noon, say more in the 4 or 5 o-clock position, dial in the bass just shy of 3, put the midrange about the same, select the 4 position on the freq range, ease the treble a little shy of noon, and thats pretty much where I have it

If you wanna bounce any more ideas or advice let me know, always have time for a fellow ampeger!

pedulla1 · #14 04-17-2011, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miceli

Hey all,

Well I got my new SVT7-Pro and have to say I was not as impressed as I thought I would be.
I had the settings at half way for both the gain and the main and it only started getting loud after pushing past that. I hate too far and blow my 410HLF that can only take 500 watts although it sure didn't seem like that 7-pro was pushing 1000 watts @ 4 ohms.
I really expected a lot more power before pushing past the half way mark and we don't practice that loud. Maybe the settings are not correct, but I don't see how.
The frequency settings were really not that useful and I had to really tweak the high settings to keep it from being so muddy.
Kinda bummed as I had high hopes for this amp. I have 60 days to return it, but I am going to put an EQ through the effects loop and see if that helps.

Can anybody give me a quick run through of their settings or some advise if I am doing something wrong?

Thanks..............

What speakers are you using? I have 2 8ohm GK 210-Neos and my rig is plenty loud. Never had to push gain or master past noon.

JimmyM · #15 04-17-2011, 02:28 PM

two things are happening here...

1. your 410hlf has extreme low end response, which requires more wattage to push it to the volume level of a more normal 410. it you roll the bass knob off a little, it will divert more wattage away from pushing those monster lows and more into the range where you can actually hear it, and it should help you get more volume without blowing the cab.

2. not sure exactly how the gain is structured in the 7 pro since i've only played one twice at gc, but generally, with ampeg amps, putting the gain at noon just barely gets the gain stage warmed up. to set gain with ampegs, i put the master very low and turn the gain knob until i can actually hear distortion, then i back off it till i can't hear it anymore. i also completely ignore the lights when doing this and use only my ears.

so it's a combination of the lows of the cab working harder than you need and not enough gain imho.

miceli · #16 04-17-2011, 02:35 PM

Big Mike:
Tweeters are set right at the middle from the back of the amp settings.
I did your settings and yes, it did make the power come out, but still surprises me that you have to crank the gain that high to start seeing the power. The peak signal is what concerns me when it comes on so I push back the gain. I for sure don't want to push more than 500 watts to my 410HLF.
I put an EQ through the effects loop and it does sound a little better. I know you don't like the word "muddy" used, but that is the description if you just plug in. Very low end and muffled until you start tweaking..... a lot! I read you had to tweak quite a bit with this amp, but did not know it was that much.

Pedulla,
Speaker is a Ampeg SVT410HLF cabinet with 500 watts at 4ohms.
What settings do you have your amp set on?

Thanks for the responses guys. I will keep playing around, but might go to GC and see if I can play a GK800RB through a SVT410HLF and hear a difference. Only problem is that GC hardly ever has products you can try there. Ordering online is good, but bad to return.

Thanks again.

JimmyM · #17 04-17-2011, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miceli

Big Mike:
Tweeters are set right at the middle from the back of the amp settings.
I did your settings and yes, it did make the power come out, but still surprises me that you have to crank the gain that high to start seeing the power. The peak signal is what concerns me when it comes on so I push back the gain. I for sure don't want to push more than 500 watts to my 410HLF.

if you keep your master lowered, you can turn your gain up all the way if you want and you won't be pushing 500w. and forget knob positions...they are irrelevant and they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. what matters is the end result.

miceli · #18 04-17-2011, 02:42 PM

Thanks Jimmy,

I'll give the bass knob roll down a shot. I also never knew that Ampeg gains had to be set so high. Just me being inexperienced in that part of the amp world I guess. I just didn't want to blow the speaker.
I've always loved Ampeg sound and am still giving this amp a shot.

Big Mike Ipp · #19 04-17-2011, 03:03 PM

Hey tell you what, when I get a little time later I'll sit down and play around with the eq as I know the amp pretty well and see what we can cook up!

Floyd Eye · #20 04-17-2011, 03:06 PM

The obvious fix is to get a 1000 watt 4 ohm cabinet and leave the amp dimed at all times.