Eden Setup Versus Ampeg SVT Question

[bassgod76]

I have an Eden WT-500, 410XLT, and 115XL.

The amp is from 2000 when they were made in Minnesota. I even had it sent back to Eden in 2001 to have the amp upgraded to 800watts. The 410 is from the same time period. The 115 is 3 yeras old. All of these items are cased, and I have always taken care of them.
Besides the 115, I am the original owner.

I am very pleased with my sound, but I do wonder what the story is with Ampeg. In all of my years of playing, I have never had the opportunity to plug into a true SVT Classic with 810.

Can anyone who has had experience with BOTH of these brands give me some insight as far as sound, and PROS & CONS?

Thanks!

[Roy Vogt]

I've played a ton of SVTs with 810 cabs back in the Heavy Metal days as backline rental. They are pretty much goof-proof and have lots of power. They also weigh a ton! Caveat Emptor. I've been an endorser for Eden since 1996 and have used the same WT-600 since then with 2 210 XLT or XST cabinets. The Edens have a little more sonic detail to my ear and can be tweaked a bit more as far as highs/lows/mids than the Classic SVT top. If you were primarily playing in a Hard Rock/Rock situation and had a strong friend or road crew the SVT is a wonderful choice. My work is all over the map, so the Eden's flexibility works better for me personally.

[bassgod76]

Thanks for the tips. I'm not hot to sell my Eden, since the amp is no longer made in the US. I was just curious... Damn GAS!

[tsunami1052]

I had many Eden amps and still own a WT-405. Run a Tech 21 VT Bass Pedal into your Eden, I love the tone for blues & rock. It can cop a SVTish sound and will not set you back alot of cash.

Tech 21 Character Series VT Bass Pedal Demo - YouTube

Tech 21 VT Bass - SansAmp Character Series - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB0kQ-wJLnw

[Jonyak]

I have had both.

I used to run a WT550 and 410xlt.

Now I run either a 74 SVT through 810, or an SVT cl through either a 410 HLF or my 410 xlt.

To tell you the truth, my favorite combo is the 74 SVT through the 410 XLT. sounds os nice.

[bassgod76]

What is life expectancy of those tubes?

[Jonyak]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

What is life expectancy of those tubes?

Well that all depends on how much you play them.

but, I have seen guys blow new tube, and I have also seen guys using 30 year old tubes still.

I have only ever had to replace tubes on my old SVT II pro, and it was just the driver tubes.

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by Jonyak

Well that all depends on how much you play them.

but, I have seen guys blow new tube, and I have also seen guys using 30 year old tubes still.

I have only ever had to replace tubes on my old SVT II pro, and it was just the driver tubes.

The driver tubes are the $$$ ones, right?

[Jonyak]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

The driver tubes are the $$$ ones, right?

Nah, the driver tubes, drive the power tubes, which are the $$$ ones.

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by Jonyak

Nah, the driver tubes, drive the power tubes, which are the $$$ ones.

Wait, I thought the amp has preamp and poweramp tubes? The power amp tubes being the big $$$ ones?

[johnk_10]

there are preamp tubes, driver tubes and output tubes. the output tubes are the large, more expensive ones.

i have an Eden WT-550-b and a couple of SVT's. for touch response, punch and tone, i strongly prefer the SVT's.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Roy Vogt

If you were primarily playing in a Hard Rock/Rock situation and had a strong friend or road crew the SVT is a wonderful choice.

Agreed with you up until then Ampeg does work great for rock styles, no doubt, and SVT's do take a certain level of physical commitment due to their weight, but I've always believed that you should be able to play any kind of music on any amp. While some folks feel that other amps may suit their tastes better, I don't believe Ampeg takes a back seat to anyone in being able to deliver appropriate tones for any kind of music, especially their tube amps. Stanley's using tube SVT's now and he still sounds very much like what you'd expect from him. Wouldn't bother yammering on about it except Ampeg suffers unfairly from this rock-only stereotype that's developed over the last few years. Wasn't always that way, and I intend on dispelling that myth...well, me and Stanley

[Jonyak]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Agreed with you up until then Ampeg does work great for rock styles, no doubt, and SVT's do take a certain level of physical commitment due to their weight, but I've always believed that you should be able to play any kind of music on any amp. While some folks feel that other amps may suit their tastes better, I don't believe Ampeg takes a back seat to anyone in being able to deliver appropriate tones for any kind of music, especially their tube amps. Stanley's using tube SVT's now and he still sounds very much like what you'd expect from him. Wouldn't bother yammering on about it except Ampeg suffers unfairly from this rock-only stereotype that's developed over the last few years. Wasn't always that way, and I intend on dispelling that myth...well, me and Stanley

I agree, I can play pretty funky with my stingray and my SVT, or aggressive rock with my pbass and the SVT, or roll off the tone, and dial back the volume and play clean jazz with it as well.

[kimmyt]

I am new to Ampeg, although I have been playing bass for close to 40 years I just recently got a Ampeg Heritage SVTCL and Heritage 8x10 cab. I play in a cover band doing mostly 70 dance/funk but also some 60's and rock as well as current pop tunes. I have no problem getting any tone I need. I too was always thinking Ampeg was for the loud distorted rock sound but then realized that everywhere you look they have an 8x10 ampeg with an SVT on top, no matter what the genre. I am hooked, I just played my first weekend with the amp through a Mesa 2x10and Mesa 1x15 and the bass power that came from that setup just kept a smile on my face all night. I have played through everything from Acoustic 370 in the early days and Genz Benz SL900, TC RH450, Traynor YBA300, Fender Bassman Pro 300 and none of those dial such a kick ass tone with such little effort. I get the clean tone crazy sound I have always yearned for and more.

[bassgod76]

Good to know. I have a Sansamp Bassdriver DI to help simulate that tube tone in an Ampeg, for my current project.

[Jonyak]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

Good to know. I have a Sansamp Bassdriver DI to help simulate that tube tone in an Ampeg, for my current project.

Before I got into ampeg tune amps, I used a sansamp VT bass into my eden rig.

[bassgod76]

Here's a dumb question....
Oh god, how do I start this?
I'm in a KISS tribute band. I really don't even care if I have a true SVT rig. I know I can get a used 810 for around $500. Does Ampeg make a decent head that looks like the tube head? Please don't flame me.

[Jonyak]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

Here's a dumb question....
Oh god, how do I start this?
I'm in a KISS tribute band. I really don't even care if I have a true SVT rig. I know I can get a used 810 for around $500. Does Ampeg make a decent head that looks like the tube head? Please don't flame me.

I don't know about decent, but they do make an SVT 450, or something like that.

Ampeg: Classic Series - SVT-450H

Or you could always get an old head box and put whatever head you wanted to use in it :P

[One Drop]

I like Eden my Eden head for its surgical EQ and clarity, but I'll take my SVT over it any day if I'm not going through a PA.

The heads are very versatile as they are fairly clean and warm sounding, and can take pedals really well for dirtying up. My WT-550 has been working great for years, no complaints.

But there is something so viscerally pleasing about flicking the standby switch on my well maintained and perfectly biased SVT, and hearing and feeling what comes out of it, especially hooked up to a well matched cab like a square-back Ampeg 810 or a Bergantino NV one. The tone, responsive feel, and heft of the notes are pretty much unsurpassed, and surprisingly dynamic.

It's the richness and complexity of the mids that really gets me with these rigs, and the Classic misses a bit of this compared to a VR or original SVT.

You do owe it to yourself to try out an SVT through a big sealed cab- everyone does just for the experience, whether it is the right set up for them or not. All the words on a forum and all the clips in the world cannot recreate the feeling and sound in person.

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by One Drop

I like Eden my Eden head for its surgical EQ and clarity, but I'll take my SVT over it any day if I'm not going through a PA.

The heads are very versatile as they are fairly clean and warm sounding, and can take pedals really well for dirtying up. My WT-550 has been working great for years, no complaints.

But there is something so viscerally pleasing about flicking the standby switch on my well maintained and perfectly biased SVT, and hearing and feeling what comes out of it, especially hooked up to a well matched cab like a square-back Ampeg 810 or a Bergantino NV one. The tone, responsive feel, and heft of the notes are pretty much unsurpassed, and surprisingly dynamic.



It's the richness and complexity of the mids that really gets me with these rigs, and the Classic misses a bit of this compared to a VR or original SVT.

You do owe it to yourself to try out an SVT through a big sealed cab- everyone does just for the experience, whether it is the right set up for them or not. All the words on a forum and all the clips in the world cannot recreate the feeling and sound in person.

I'd like to try it, but I know of no one with such a rig.

And then, I find out I committed the cardinal sin of playing through two unlike cabs. I suck.

Are Ampeg 810 cabs 4ohm?

I may just look to dump my Eden 115XL, and try to get another 410XLT.