Ampeg V4BH help/info needed.

Mark H. · #1 01-09-2011, 11:46 AM

Yesterday I had the opportunity to try a brand-new V4BH with my Berg. NV610 cab during sound check. My hope was it would be great and I could loose some weight from hauling my SVT-II around as I rarely get the volume above about 31/2 with the SVT.

It sounded great with one exception. I was playing a passive Lakland 5 string. Regardless of gain-setting or master volume setting with the tone controls set at Bass=1:00 Mid=11:00 and Treble at about 12:00. or close variations of that.

Notes played on the low-B string at D#,D, C# (didn't play C or open string) would produce a farty tone from the cab? I.e like it didn't have enough gas to handle it? This was not overdrive tone it was a fart-out.

I didn't have any other cabs with me to try but the Berg seems about as efficient as them come.

Any suggestions? I was really hoping this head would have worked out. It seems to have great reviews here on TB.

Thank you,

Turock · #2 01-09-2011, 12:12 PM

That doesn't happen with either of my Ampegs. Do you have another bass to try?

DanNowhere · #3 01-09-2011, 12:39 PM

I haven't tried a 5 through mine at all yet. I'm assuming you were using the -15db input and didn't have either of the ultra hi/lo switches engaged?

JimmyM · #4 01-09-2011, 12:53 PM

if you were boosting bass response and playing really loud, i could see that happening. the v4bh does only have 100w, and a lot of the amp's wattage gets used when playing low notes with low end boosted.

stiles72 · #5 01-09-2011, 01:01 PM

My guess would be the cab. I run a V4BH on a 2x15 cab and I run the ultro low engaged with the bass knob boosted to anywhere between 1:00-3:00. Mids around 10:00-11:00, cycled at #2 or #3 (450/800), highs at noon. Never had an issue with farting out.

Great head by the way!

RickenBoogie · #6 01-09-2011, 01:10 PM

Odd problem, and not what I'd expect at all. It may be that because of the 100 watt limitation, you're just running out of gas- which is too bad. That NV610 is among the best choices for a cab paired with that head.

JimmyM · #7 01-09-2011, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

Odd problem, and not what I'd expect at all. It may be that because of the 100 watt limitation, you're just running out of gas- which is too bad. That NV610 is among the best choices for a cab paired with that head.

ya, i have to agree. it just ran out of gas at that particular point.

derridiandrift · #8 01-09-2011, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark H.

Regardless of gain-setting or master volume setting [...] Notes played on the low-B string[...] would produce a farty tone

Regardless of gain or master volume? It wasn't the cab and it wasn't the power amp.

Was there anything else in the signal chain before the amp? I would suspect a low battery in a pedal or an onboard preamp.

JoshuaTSP · #9 01-09-2011, 01:26 PM

turning up the gain too much and fart the low end out.

More like muddy/blurry.

Mark H. · #10 01-09-2011, 04:36 PM

thanks for the replies guys here's a little more info.

Pedal board is powered by Voodoo Labs power supply (no batteries anywhere in my chain except for the wireless XD (Pre line-6) transmitter which had a new battery just installed, 5 minutes before this test-drive.

The issue went away soon as plugged in my SVTII. I had that sitting right next to the V4BH and was doing the A/B test for tone etc. I thought for sure a 100W would be enough since I've gigged this cab with my SVT-4 pro "unbridged" and only had the gain at about 1:00 and master at 2:00 and as stated in original post I'm not using much of power available to me with either the 4 pro or SVTII. Thus my wanting to try the V4BH.

I brought the "BH" home and played the show with the SVT, no issues. Used both the passive LAK and my 5594 at the show.

I was not boosting the input signal. I do have a Tech-21 on my board but it did this with or w/o it on.

Our sound engineer and drummer (also a bass player) both where there for this A/B experiment and both said it sounds like it's just running out of gas, as it did to me.

I am going to return it to the store tomorrow but really want to give it another try when I have an opportunity to A/B another bass and cab. However I have never had these issues before with the Berg, my SWR Stack, B15S, or any of my basses running into any combination of these items.

Thanks again.