Ampeg SVT or Orange AD200?

[masterjj16]

I've been looking into getting a new all-tube head for my rig. The two amps I've been looking at are the Ampeg SVT and the Orange AD200. From all the reviews and "Ampeg vs. Orange" posts I've read, I'm leaning more toward Orange, but I came across some people saying that the AD200 wasn't loud enough.

So I just want to ask if:
1. you guys think it'd be loud enough (I play with a full band through an Ampeg 610) and;
2. it can provide a nice gritty tone.

An example of the tone I'm sort of aiming for is in this song (Goodnight Socialite - The Brobecks - YouTube) @ 1:07.

Thanks in advance!

[JimmyM]

Picking out an amp for you is like picking out a girl for you. Nobody can do it but you. Both are fine, well made amps. I greatly prefer the SVT. It's just a classic that nobody has been able to beat as far as I'm concerned. It's also more wattage and fewer dollars, unless maybe you live in England. YMMV.

[Krügmeister]

Orange AD200 is plenty loud, not sure who told you it wasn't.
They both have great tone but different flavors of awesome... some like strawberry and some like orange :P
I HIGHLY recommend trying both out before you fork out any big cash...try to play both heads through the same cabinet if possible.

[Son of Bovril]

The Orange being fewer watts will get a more gritty tone at a lower volume - obviously, so it depends how loud you need to be...

Although listening to the sample you offered you may be better off with a distortion/overdrive pedal for that tone at any volume you want, as Tube heads usually only get that breakup at high volume which may not be the volume level you are playing at?

[Tim1]

I currently own both an AD200 and an SVT VR, so can answer from personal experience:
1) The AD200 will be plenty loud enough, and some. I usually play mine into a Bergantino NV215 but it also sounds good into my NV610. My lead guitarist plays a full or half stack Marshall rig and the Orange cuts through fine. I like a clean tone but have recently been adding a bit of grit on the preamp gain. This amp seems to have more bottom end than the SVT and overall a more full range tone IME.
2) If you like grit the Orange is great and has a real nice overdrive, while my SVT VR just stays clean to stupidly loud levels. However, remember that the SVT CL also has gain and master volume controls like the Orange, and I have not played this side by side with the Orange.
Now, some other comments. My band mates prefer the Orange at practices as it gets nicely below the mix, whereas the SVT sits more in the mids. For a while the orange was my go to amp for gigs, but I have recently returned to Ampeg for its sheer mid punch - which I also suspect might be less muddy further away than the Orange.
To summarise, both great amps. The Orange is more full range in tone and has great grit if you want it. The SVT goes louder and is more mids focused. One other major plus for the Orange - it is significantly lighter than the SVT. For me, if I had to choose just one it would be the Ampeg, but I would be happy with either.
Hope this helps.

[cheezewiz]

I had an ad200, and have a 610hlf. The orange is a great head, but it can sound pretty boomy with that cab. I liked it better with orange cabs. If you are going to continue using the ampeg 610, I would get the SVT.

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Picking out an amp for you is like picking out a girl for you. Nobody can do it but you. Both are fine, well made amps. I greatly prefer the SVT. It's just a classic that nobody has been able to beat as far as I'm concerned. It's also more wattage and fewer dollars, unless maybe you live in England. YMMV.

The SVT CL is cheaper also in Europe. In Norway you can get the SVT CL with a 8x10 cab for the same price of the AD200 head alone!

I do not own any of these two, but I've tried them. Can't say anything about how loud there are, standing 2m from each of them, each of these have an impressive throw....
If I had the luxury of buying one of these heavy beasts, I'll go for the SVT CL as it is the classical beast.

[Musicman20]

Orange. In the UK it's cheaper, made in the UK, lighter, cooler, better grit (IMO) and from my experience, far superior service.

[bassboysam]

Originally Posted by Son of Bovril

The Orange being fewer watts will get a more gritty tone at a lower volume - obviously, so it depends how loud you need to be...

Although listening to the sample you offered you may be better off with a distortion/overdrive pedal for that tone at any volume you want, as Tube heads usually only get that breakup at high volume which may not be the volume level you are playing at?

This is not necessarily true, I have a 70s SVT and a Matamp GT200, the Matamp at 200 watts stays cleaner for longer but the SVT can get a little louder, well the SVT has a bit more boom behind it.

[Son of Bovril]

hmm thats unexpected <3 those matamps!

[perogato02]

Originally Posted by Duke21

The SVT CL is cheaper also in Europe. In Norway you can get the SVT CL with a 8x10 cab for the same price of the AD200 head alone!

I do not own any of these two, but I've tried them. Can't say anything about how loud there are, standing 2m from each of them, each of these have an impressive throw....
If I had the luxury of buying one of these heavy beasts, I'll go for the SVT CL as it is the classical beast.

What? I live in the wrong part of Europe then!
Or would that be a used SVT CL against a new Orange?

Anyway, the Orange gets my vote. It is stupid loud.
I do crank open the gain and hardly need to open the master, but then again I like to have a very gritty sound.

[Seans]

If you're not sure about the SVT, then perhaps it's not for you, as I'm sure you've tried some. Try a Matamp, if that's difficult, just buy one and it will be the best move you've done. Forget the Orange, they only made gear for Pop groups who spent their time on Tv in the 70's, take a look at serious musicians of the time who were using them, not many and if they were, it was probably mimed Tv, for a quick shoot.

[Son of Bovril]

Matamp is the original Orange is it not?

[Duke21]

In Norway you can get the Ampeg SVT CL with the 8x10 Ampeg cab for just under 3700$, brand new. The AD200 head alone cost just about the same sum, but no cab. The Ampeg deal in Norway is a killer compares to other all tube heads.

Btw, for 3700$ in Norway you get a new 4003, or 2x MIA Jazz/ MIJ Geddy, 4x Ampeg PF500 etc. So not really a cheap country.
But for some reason Ampeg gear have very comparative price in Norway (compares to other brands). I Guess Ampeg, Ashdown, GK and Hartke are the big boys in our market.
Other brands that start to show here more and more are Markbass and TC, but both are priced a bit other the earlier mentioned.

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by Seans

If you're not sure about the SVT, then perhaps it's not for you, as I'm sure you've tried some. Try a Matamp, if that's difficult, just buy one and it will be the best move you've done. Forget the Orange, they only made gear for Pop groups who spent their time on Tv in the 70's, take a look at serious musicians of the time who were using them, not many and if they were, it was probably mimed Tv, for a quick shoot.

Pop? Geddy Lee use the AD200 now, if Rush is the new pop, then I dig pop!

[Seans]

Originally Posted by Duke21

Pop? Geddy Lee use the AD200 now, if Rush is the new pop, then I dig pop!

Matamp couldn't afford to endorse this, but how great would it be.
If you think Geddy's new sound is what you like, then.....all's well then, isn't it.

[Son of Bovril]

I wonder if Geddy asked for an orange endorsement or got offered one...?

[bassboysam]

Originally Posted by Son of Bovril

Matamp is the original Orange is it not?

Yes, Matamp used to build amps that had "orange" on the faceplate and orange colored tolex for a studio/store. At some point the owner of the studio decided to build his own amps, I am not sure when that happened. I have no idea who owns the Orange brand today. But Orange today shares very little with the Matamp built oranges other than the cosmetics.

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by Seans

Matamp couldn't afford to endorse this, but how great would it be.
If you think Geddy's new sound is what you like, then.....all's well then, isn't it.

I've only heard his tone on the time machine tour on YT, so very limited. From what I've heard it sounded like Geddy.

[Rockmusician]

The SVT will be loud enough. I used Ampeg for many years and then stopped for a while. I recently switched back and couldn't be happier.

SVT 6 PRO Head
Two SVT 410HE cabs