Help me out.

[bacehead]

Heres what I use.... Svt III Pro > peavey 410tx 8 ohm... fender jazz,,, EBMM Sting Ray 3band. Ive had this set up forever and my taste and playing styles have changed....ok back to this. I set my master and tube wide open and use the gain as the vol. IF i get my gain above say 11 o'clock it distorts when I pop higher strings (I play slap mostly). Is the cab inefficient or is this the character of the ampeg as the volume goes up?

I played a Markbass LMII through one of their 112 cabs, sounded good and I would really like a bit more hi-fi sound, nothing like SWR or Genz Benz shuttle. OR would I be crazy to get shed of the SVT. Would another cab solve the problem and possible add what I want, a 210 was what I was looking at. I know I may be rambling but Ive been reading post and review for a week now and am more confused I think than when I started.

Ive been thinking a 210 with either a Markbass LM III, Galien Krueger MB500, or Aguilar Tone Hammer 500..... The GK sounds a bit coloured and its almost off the list but to me the aguilar (the few clips I found) sounded kinda lifeless. Or would I be wise to jsut get a new cab, if it isnt the ampeg that is causing the problems........ uugggggggggggghhhhhhh.

Picking guitar amps was much easier than this, well this would not be hard if I still wanted to play metal on bass, now its all slap/pop and finger style groove. I went through this about a year or 2 ago and never reached a decision, any help is appreciated.

thanks

[RickenBoogie]

You're running the 3Pro at 8 ohms, so it's limiting the amount of power you're looking for. Add another identical 410tx to what you have, and experience what that amp is capable of.

[BassmanPaul]

Yeah!!!!!

[testing1two]

Ok, a couple of principles here:

First, the SVT3 uses a solid state power amplifier so you don't use it in the same way as an all tube amp. That means don't run your master wide open unless you need the maximum volume the amp can produce. You NEVER want to clip a solid state power amp. The idea is to set the preamp gain as high as you can without preamp clipping (for the best signal to noise ratio), then adjust the EQ to taste (see notes below) and then adjust the master volume to the level that's appropriate for the gig.

Notes on clipping and EQ: If you're boosting the lows or the highs on your Stingray's onboard preamp then the gain on your SVT3 will need to be lower or you'll clip the preamp. Also, if you boost the lows on your SVT3 EQ you are reducing the amp's clean headroom because the power section has to work much harder. Try keeping the EQ flatter on both your instrument and your amp (or use subtractive EQ...i.e. cutting mids instead of boosting lows & highs) and see if gives you more headroom and a cleaner overall sound.

[bacehead]

Thanks testing1two that helped, without boosting the lo the mid freq switch really adds character to a slap tone. I still think I need to get a 4 ohm cab. I would like to look into 210 cabs but something with full spectrum. I read the shcroeder cabs lack bottom like the 1210. Mainly something with good tight lows, a clean mid and airy smooth treble.I've heard mixed remarks on the Markbass 102p, and really I guess I need to keep my price $600 and under. Never really cared for ampeg cabs or GK.

[bacehead]

So a friend of mine had a heavy duty tweeter and I installed it in the 410tx, sounds better but still not there......... Im looking at tc electronics 210 or 212 now.

[RickenBoogie]

Going to a 210 from a 410 will not help. Going from an 8 ohm cab to a 4 ohm cab will not help. Adding MORE speakers will help, by doubling your speakers AND increasing the wattage. Pumping all the juice into a small 4 ohm cab will only result in a damaged cab.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

Going to a 210 from a 410 will not help. Going from an 8 ohm cab to a 4 ohm cab will not help. Adding MORE speakers will help, by doubling your speakers AND increasing the wattage. Pumping all the juice into a small 4 ohm cab will only result in a damaged cab.

+1. Plus I'll add that I think amps with separate gain and master sound like poopycaca until you get the gain fairly hot, especially ones with tube preamps, and double especially Ampegs.

[rodl2005]

+2 & possibly consider 2 210 8 ohm cabs. That way you can run the 3 pro @full power or use a single cab for smaller gigs

[bacehead]

I keep the tube gain all the way down for the cleanest sound possible, so I guess I need to look for more of a solid state head... possibly LM III or the Tc electronics RH450 and classic have caught my eye. The only way I can change anything is by selling something, so adding another cab is really not an option... for that matter I prefer my marshall 59 slp reissue to the ampeg, just not a great slap sound but killer for finger style.