Ampeg Svt-7 shutting down.

[creis2]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the forum, but I have been readings posts for years and they've always answered my questions.

So I currently have an Ampeg SVT-7 pro I bought from guitar center last year. After I bought it, I took some time off of playing and I just took it out of the closet recently. I run it through a Ampeg 410hlf classic and occasionally I give it any kind of good "thump" the amp turns itself off. When I bring it to the tech, of course we can't duplicate it. I've tried different basses and different cabs, different speaker cables, different power cables and different wall outlets.

I've been doing some research and it seems the REV-A00 heads have been having issues, this is what I have.

What's my best option to get this fixed. I haven't contacted Ampeg yet, but I wanted to check in here to see the best way to deal with this. I've been an ampeg player for years and this is the first time I've had any issues with their products.

I don't want to have to deal with the "we'll fix it when we can duplicate the issue" lecture my car dealership gives me. Whatever they changed between REVA and RevC, I want done with my amp.

Sorry if I'm coming off as grumpy, I'm just upset I'm not playing right now. I'm leaving for tour next week and I have to buy a used 200watt piece of junk off ebay because I need something that works. This really stinks. Any advice would be helpful!

[sunbeast]

Should still be under warranty if you have the reciept and all- just have to find the nearest authorized warranty center and bring it in. The Revisions should be a free upgrade regardless of whether you are having problems. Since these are known problems though, I would expect you should have no trouble having it fixed, just expect to have to wait for it awhile. It depends on the particular warranty center nearest you, but when I had to have an SLM-era Ampeg amp repaired under warranty it was a couple months ordeal- hopefully LOUD holds warranty centers to higher standards than SLM did though!

[jelwood]

That "200 watt piece of junk" could be a GK 400RB. One of the best and most reliable amps IMO. Use that on your tour and you may no longer care about getting that Ampeg repaired!

[creis2]

Thanks for the response. I love Ampeg and I love the SVT-7, I understand all amps have problems from time to time, but I hope they can do these revisions for me. The problem is very intermittent, it sometimes will do it 5 times a day and then won't do it for a week. I have the original receipt and the whole loud technologies packet that came with it.

If I have to wait months for the repair, I'm just getting rid of it. Has anyone had better luck with Ampeg?

Can anyone recommend a class d amp that is more reliable?

I'm thinking about a GK. I'm sorry Ampeg, but if I have to wait more than a few weeks for this thing, I'm done with you. I love options

[Catbuster]

Originally Posted by creis2

Thanks for the response. I love Ampeg and I love the SVT-7, I understand all amps have problems from time to time, but I hope they can do these revisions for me. The problem is very intermittent, it sometimes will do it 5 times a day and then won't do it for a week. I have the original receipt and the whole loud technologies packet that came with it.

If I have to wait months for the repair, I'm just getting rid of it. Has anyone had better luck with Ampeg?

Can anyone recommend a class d amp that is more reliable?

I'm thinking about a GK. I'm sorry Ampeg, but if I have to wait more than a few weeks for this thing, I'm done with you. I love options

I dunno if it's class D, but the GK 1001RB has the sort of SVT-7 power you might be looking for, and it sounds freakin' bad to the bone.

[jelwood]

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[creis2]

I'm eyeing the GK 1001RB. I don't like the look of the ultra lightweight amps, I play through vintage basses, a beat to s*** cabinet, it might look silly. Also, I have a friend who tours with the GK 1001RD and LOVES it.

How reliable are these?

The specs say: 700W to woofer
50W to horn

what is this horn deal? If it helps, I keep the tweeter on my ampeg 410hlf off.

I'm so angry that I have to deal with this.

[Catbuster]

Originally Posted by creis2

I'm eyeing the GK 1001RB. I don't like the look of the ultra lightweight amps, I play through vintage basses, a beat to s*** cabinet, it might look silly. Also, I have a friend who tours with the GK 1001RD and LOVES it.

How reliable are these?

The specs say: 700W to woofer
50W to horn

what is this horn deal? If it helps, I keep the tweeter on my ampeg 410hlf off.

I'm so angry that I have to deal with this.

I own the 1001RB, and it means 700 watts goes to the 4 10 inch speakers to produce lower frequencies; while the 50 from the 'horn' amp goes to the tweeter to reproduce high frequencies. If you don't run it biamped, you just get 700W to the 4 10s.

[JimmyM]

Ampeg CS is great, and they don't make people wait months for repairs. Call them on Monday, explain your problem, and as long as you're still in the warranty period, they'll get you fixed up.

[sunbeast]

The threads that have discussed this issue say it is an intentional safety mechanism related to the limiter, but as far as I know they changed the function in later revisions so that it no longer has this problem. There are almost always some issues with new designs, which is why it is sometimes best to wait a year or so after a product is first released and heavily tested in the real world before buying it. The earliest GK lightweights had plenty of issues as well when they were first released, as have recent Mesa amps. The real test is how willing they are to fix the issue for you in a timely manner- call them up or look into the local warranty centers and find out what your options are and mention that you can't really afford to be without an amp for long. Some places will even offer you a loner amp to use in the meantime...

[creis2]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Ampeg CS is great, and they don't make people wait months for repairs. Call them on Monday, explain your problem, and as long as you're still in the warranty period, they'll get you fixed up.

Is there any way I can bypass my local warranty center? After I come back from tour, I'm going to be moving to Boston. The two closest warranty centers have HORRIBLE reviews on yelp.

I hope Ampeg gets me fixed up. Even if I do decide to switch (it depends on how long the repair takes), having the revisions done will help the resell value of it. Part of the reason I bought a new ampeg is because of their very long Warranty, 5 years I believe? I understand new products have problems, but I expect them to make the revisions on my amp as long as it's in warranty, no questions asked.

I'm not much of a gear head, nor do I know much about products. I have no idea this thing was new when I got it.

But I have my eye on the GK MB200 for a back up head. I can put this thing in my back pocket! I never like leaving my gear at the practice space, I was thinking about getting some beater cab for the space and carrying the MB200 with me to practice.

I remember back in the day I had an SVT 350 (i only got 200 watts out of it because I had an 8ohm cab at the time) and how heavy that thing was. All of that work for 200 solid state watts.

[JimmyM]

You'll have to discuss that with Ampeg. I just endorse...I don't work there. But I've seen them bend over backwards to make customers happy.

[B-string]

New technology always comes with growing pains. Call the customer service first, no one that I can think of has had a clean record when first going to class D and switching supplies. I'm a G-K guy, but give CS a chance to make you happy before you jump ship?

[creis2]

I just opened the top to take a look out of boredom and saw this amp has SMD on the circuits. Do all solid state amps have this or only class D? I used to be an electric tech and have worked on tube amps I've owned in the past and they're pretty easy to work on. I want an amp I can own for for decades down the road. If something were to go 15 years from now, I want it to be easily fixed of have a part readily available. This is why I like tube amps.

Like if my amp were to be out of warranty and one of these little guys went bad, would a tech replace it or have to replace the entire board?

[Jerrold Tiers]

From what I know about the 7PRO, which is not a lot, the upgrade to "C" is significant, being a major change of the limiter circuit..... basically would be swapping out the old PWB and putting in a new one.

I have no idea what they are doing in terms of warranty on the units...... I have no association whatever with the "new" Ampeg.

[creis2]

A friend of mine is willing to sell me an Ashdown Bass Magnifier EVO 500 Head that was made in 2002 in England.

I was thinking about buying this to use on tour until I figure out what to do with the Ampeg situation.

Does anyone have experience with these?

[lfbassguy]

I agree with what jimmy said. Give ampeg cs a call. They have treated very well and quickly. On a side note, I have never had good luck with g-k amps or their cs.

[rodl2005]

Go the Ampeg CS route.
The Ashdown evo 500 is a solid amp & should easily do the job.