King of tube bass amps?

[beatsbears]

I know this is a highly opinionated and loaded question, but I'm interested to see what the people are thinking. I don't really care if these are the amps you play daily or dream about owning in another life.

I'm thinking the King has to be powerful (+200 tube watts) and it's gotta look good, and most importantly sounds amazing. I want to hear about the Legends! (Trace V8, Matamp, Hiwatt, Orange, Ampeg) as well as maybe the not so obvious contenders.

Lets hear it!

[gnjpowell]

Ampeg SVT with 810.

[anonymous02282011]

a 70s SVT is hard to beat

but if you're talking sheer power the Fender PS400 and the Trace Elliot V8 are strong contendors

[jbybj]

My vacuum valve liege is only a mere 80-90 watts, but will always hold my allegiance.
All hail the Traynor Bassmaster mark II, aka, The YBA-1A.

[MK1]

While I'm not a huge fan of it (I prefer the Mesa 400+), the Ampeg SVT is undeniably the KING of tube amps.

[Nighttrain1127]

Ampeg SVT, Orange Ad-200 Trace Elliot V-6 And V-8 Fender Bassman 300 Pro/Sunn 300 T, Marshall VBA-400,Mesa 400+ And 400.

[JimmyM]

For me, it begins and ends with the SVT. I have an SVT from 1969, but I play newer ones all the time and they all sound like SVT's to me.

[Buster Brown]

Got to agree with other posters.......


AMPEG

[carl h.]

Ampeg SVT

[stingraysvt]

SVT for real yo!

[JTE]

I don't even like Ampeg amps for the most part, but "the King of the tube bass amps" is either a REAL SVT (that is, all tube, no solid-state power amp section!) or the various Porta-Flex amps, especially the B-15. I know you said it had to have 200 WRMS, but that's just brute force (even if it is elegantly applied). The KING has to be the one everyone goes to, and I'd suspect there are more people for whom a B-15 would be an appropriate choice at some point than for whom an SVT would ever be the right choice.

John

[atticpenny]

Ampeg SVT (all-tube like the CL) all the way. It is the one amp tone I love the most, and I will miss the most. Sadly, I will probably never own one again, as it is a monster to lug around and usually too loud for 99.9% of the gigs I play.
If I were 20 years younger and playing larger venues again, it would be worth the effort.

[Balog]

SVT is by far the most popular, but if I was getting it free a HiWatt dr405 or Sunn 300t would be my pick. If I ever buy an all tube it will likely be a Traynor YBA 300 just from a practicallity stand point (I love the bias diode idea).

[BassmanPaul]

Originally Posted by beatsbears

I'm thinking the King has to be powerful (+200 tube watts)

IIRC the most powerful tube amp that's available is around 400W. That is very weak when compared with SS power amps. I consider 200W almost a practice amp.

[Caca de Kick]

Originally Posted by MK1

While I'm not a huge fan of it (I prefer the Mesa 400+), the Ampeg SVT is undeniably the KING of tube amps.

Same here. I'll aknowlege the SVT is the incon onstage. But I greatly prefer the sound of the Mesa.

[chuck norriss]

I guess a B15 is out of the question if it's a watt measuring contest. It's not an issue for me so I'd say the B15 or the Fender Bassman.

[Alex1984]

I vote for the SVT too.

Originally Posted by atticpenny

Ampeg SVT (all-tube like the CL) all the way. It is the one amp tone I love the most, and I will miss the most. Sadly, I will probably never own one again, as it is a monster to lug around and usually too loud for 99.9% of the gigs I play.
If I were 20 years younger and playing larger venues again, it would be worth the effort.

You should try the SVT-7 Pro. Heard a lot about it, but haven't tried it in person yet.

[bertbass666]

HIWATT

[sanderic]

In my experience (35 years of playing), tube amps have always been louder than SS amps (yes I know that this could be due to ohm mismatching of cabinets with SS amps). But it seems that it takes a 350 SS to keep up with a Sunn 200s or Ampeg V4B, and that it takes 750 or more watts to keep up with an SVT. I have heard from amplifier designers that tube amps are capable of putting out 2 and 1/2 times their rated output where a SS can only put out what it is rated. Note: I am not an electrical engineer, I am only voicing my opinions based upon years of experience, and I invite those who do have knowledge of the subject to correct me with any technical errors that I may have with this subject.

[sanderic]

Sorry for the incomplete posting above, my favorites are
1) Ampeg SVT
2) Sunn 2000S. Yes, I know its only 100 watts but see my above posting.