I'd like to try something new. Ampeg?

[Youngspanion]

I am very satisfied with my current set up. I use a Littlemark 2 head and a TC Electronic RS210 cab. I've got two cabs actually. Just incase I ever need more volume......

Anyway. I am interested in trying something different. A 15 inch speaker. So I'm looking at the Ampeg line of amps. Can anyone say that the Littlemark head matched with a 15 inch enclosure would have a much different sound from what I currently have? Or can anyone recommend one of the 4 15 inch combo amps?

I plan on trying before buying but I am really looking for a little foresight from others who know better then me.

Thank you.

[CL400Peavey]

I would try out you amp and a PF-500 with the PF115he (pretty classic ampeg tone). I would also try out both amps with an ampeg PF115lf.

[JimmyM]

One nice thing about the Ampeg is it does a mild/medium grind if you want by cranking the gain. I also second taking a look at the PF115he. I've got two...much bigger on the lows than you'd expect in a sealed cab. Sounds like a cross between the early B-15 cabs and the later larger B-15 cabs of the 70's. With a tweeter, but you can always turn it off Good sounding one, though...actual compression driver and not a piezo.

[DerekP]

I used a little mark III with an ampeg svt 15e for quite a while and I really liked the combination.

[Russell L]

I've played my Little Mark III through an SVT 810, and it sounded great. That cab has a mojo all its own, almost like IT colored the amp, rather than the reverse.

[Youngspanion]

It seems, from spec sheets on the Ampeg website, that the SVT would sound deeper, fatter? I also noticed that the speaker is said to handle 200watts RMS. The Pf Series, Flip top and Shelf Ported, handle more wattage but also are rated for low end of 50Hz(about) in contrast to the SVT going down to 33Hz. Can anyone comment on this information?

[petrus61]

IME, Ampeg publishes some pretty inflated specs and pretty much dominates the mismatch market. I don't think I have ever played an appropriately matched Ampeg configuration, aside from the venerable SVT CL/810 combo. Granted, I was only putting SVT3's up against HLF 410's, so what do I know?

[Youngspanion]

Yeah. I'm thinking that even if there is some "inflated" numbers, the different cabs must have different sounds and the numbers must mean something.

[BogeyBass]

a 115 will for sure sound different than a 2x10

Ampeg 115's are incredible average, but the 15" tone speaks for itself maybe you like , maybe you dont. I'll take 15's over 10's anyday.

stay away from combos and anything that is rack mountable and says ampeg on it.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by petrus61

IME, Ampeg publishes some pretty inflated specs and pretty much dominates the mismatch market. I don't think I have ever played an appropriately matched Ampeg configuration, aside from the venerable SVT CL/810 combo. Granted, I was only putting SVT3's up against HLF 410's, so what do I know?

Ya, I was thinking that as I read it Ampeg inflates NO specs. And what is the mismatch market? Heads that don't put out as much power as the cabs can handle? Hardly a mismatch and is ultimately safer for your cabs.

Spanion, you really need to read the manuals for the PF cabs to get what they really do. Ampeg always gives you a -3db point and a -10db point, where the -10db point is the lowest usable frequency. All the PF cabs go quite low, especially the new LF and HLF cabs, but the specs on Ampeg's website are only quoting the -3db point. The -10db point on the PF cabs are in the 30-40hz range, which puts them right up there in lows with cabs like the 410hlf and 610hlf.

[Youngspanion]

Well Jimmy. Thanks but I really don't know what your saying. I did read the manuals for three of the 15 inch cabs and I read the spec sheets declaring the RMS Wattage on all three and the Usable Low Frequency and the Frequency Response. I see that the SVT 115e, the Pf115he and the PF115LF all have different numbers. I just cant' figure out what it all means to Volume and tone.
Can you explain any of it?

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Youngspanion

Well Jimmy. Thanks but I really don't know what your saying. I did read the manuals for three of the 15 inch cabs and I read the spec sheets declaring the RMS Wattage on all three and the Usable Low Frequency and the Frequency Response. I see that the SVT 115e, the Pf115he and the PF115LF all have different numbers. I just cant' figure out what it all means to Volume and tone.
Can you explain any of it?

The power handling numbers on the PF cabs are how much wattage it takes to blow the voice coil, and the power handling with the SVT115e is how much it takes to make it fart out, which is much lower than when the voice coil blows. They can all get very loud IMHO, but realistically, 200-250w is all you can expect to put into a traditionally built 115 cab before fartout occurs.

The usable low freq numbers signify the absolute lowest frequency the cab will reproduce at a volume loud enough to be heard. Since there are only 3 hz separating them, the difference in the low end will be kinda sorta noticeable but all will be in the same ballpark. From lowest to highest, they go PF115lf, SVT 115e, PF115he. That tells you nothing about how they sound on the whole, though, but tells you somewhat about what you can expect in the lows.

[joelb79]

Comparing my LMII to the PF-500, the LMII sounds louder and more substantial in all regards. The EQ is more flexible as well. I would consider the PF-500 a downgrade from the LMIII. Try it with other cabinets though- I've never heard it sound bad through whatever I plugged it into. In fact, with the LMII I've never heard audible distortion; something I cannot say about the PF-500 which has very audible distortion (like an oldschool GM-Delco car stereo brought to clipping); all of which I can get to happen well before any preamp clip light.

The LMII never sounded clipped, even when the light was lighting.

I would most certainly recommend 15's with the LMII, as the EQ Points will be complimentary. Ampeg 15's are good cabinets; but you could easily get into a custom 3015 loaded 115 for around the same price as an SVT-115. A 215 could be had for substantially less than two Ampeg 15's (PF-115's excluded). I ran my LMII through an old JBL loaded 215 and it was great!

[Tuned]

If you want Ampeg tone an Ampeg cab won't get you much. An SVT preamp with non-Ampeg amp and cab gets more convincing Ampeg tone than a non-Ampeg head and Ampeg cab. Unfortunately you can only get the SVT preamp in their most expensive amps, so you have to find someone willing to sell their used preamp, which isn't always easy.

[Youngspanion]

Without asking "which one do I want"?, and realizing that I'm not a very technically seasoned person, I'd like to get an understanding of the differences between the three 15 inch cabinets. The SVT115E, The PF15HE and the PF 15LF. I know no one can tell me which one is "better" but I just want to know the differences. If they can be said.

thanks

[RickenBoogie]

The differences are in how they sound. This is subjective, and really, to understand, you need to play them. Words are not sufficient, or precise enough, to describe "tone". Sure, people do, but one's guy's deep is another guy's woofy. And to clarify a misconception, not only do these 3 15 loaded cabs all sound different, but most ANY cab will sound different, but it's not because it has a certain diameter spkr enclosed. Ity's the cab as a whole. Many 10 loaded cabs can go deeper than some 15's, etc.

[Youngspanion]

Tried a PF350 tonight in a studio through a BagEnd cab. 4x10 8 ohms. I don't remember the exact model. Had a BX in the number. 10BX?

The head sounded very good an I liked the controls. I found them easy to get around on and I worked the Gain and Volume like it was as natural as can be.

I don't know how much of the tone can be attributed to the cab and the room but it was loud and thick. I think I got closer to the sound I want to hear.