NAD! SVT7 Pro (also comparing it to my Streamliner 900)

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by BullHorn

I hear there's a Bugera (Behringer) SVT-CL copy for a fraction of the price and it's true to the original CL as it was made in the US 40 years ago.

That would be impossible as the CL first appeared in 1994.

[Lazarus.Bird]

Haha. The irony of someone complaining about Ampeg QC and then suggesting a Bugera. I don't even want to get into it.

[rodl2005]

+1 just too silly to go I into.

[vin*tone]

Originally Posted by arai

Fair points. I wonder if going down the behringer route is going to be good for the ampeg name though.

ouch!

[iammr2]

Originally Posted by arai

...Or ampeg are just incompetent and don't know haw to make a reliable amp any more...

Hmm...

[Verminaard]

Originally Posted by BullHorn

I hear there's a Bugera (Behringer) SVT-CL copy for a fraction of the price and it's true to the original CL as it was made in the US 40 years ago.

Anyhow, so far so good. No cut-outs but with the first 7Pro I had it took 3 months for the cutting out to appear.

Why don't you try it out and tell everyone about your results. I, for one, will be waiting with baited breath.

Strange that your problem couldn't be reproduced in "3" months.

[Verminaard]

Originally Posted by BullHorn

I decided to open it up and take a look - Everything seems normal, I re-seated the tube and touched all the chips and cords to make sure they are plugged in properly.




Here I noticed that the 2 strips going into the 115/230V switcher feel a bit free and can be easily moved. Also the red and blue strips connect into the board with little plugs that are covered with plastic and also felt very free. Could this be the source of issue?



I'm testing this out for the last time and going to the store tomorrow. 30 minutes so far and no restarts/cutouts...

-EDIT: Disregard that, it just cut out again. OK, off to the store tomorrow...

Dated 7/ 16, it is now 8/ 15, weird how that seemed to be 3 months in Israeli time.

[bassguppy]

a TB'er mentioned Futureshop.ca in the Hot Deals thread and they are clearing out a bunch of Ampeg gear. SVT7PRO for $499. PN Series 115 &210 for $499 (normally $879). Also the PF Series cabs and heads. Good deals for our Canadian friends.

[BullHorn]

I meant the real SVT, not the Chinese one. I believe it was introduced in 1969. My bad.

I've owned the 7Pro since May of 2012 and the issued began near the end of July (Dingdingding 3 months, learn to count). I'm not the only person who reported of having problems with the 7Pro so why the blind fanboy rage? I'm not bashing Ampeg because I like to, in fact, I'm not bashing them at all. This is my favorite sounding amp under $1000 but people should know that it might not work. If it was so perfect, there wouldn't be a need for Revision B00 and Revision C00 and probably the future Revision D00 that they are working on at the moment.

I'd love to try the Bugera and tell you guys how it's like but we don't have them here. Import tax is 17%, customs is 34% and shipping fees on an 80 pound package could get above $200.

[arai]

Originally Posted by Lazarus.Bird

Haha. The irony of someone complaining about Ampeg QC and then suggesting a Bugera. I don't even want to get into it.

Oh yes there is irony. But I think you missed the point of why Bugera was bought up. Irony

Originally Posted by vin*tone

ouch!

ha ha. Maybe a bit hash.
But I have read "price point" and "you get what you pay for" thrown around more then once as an excuse for the overwhelming number of failing amps.
It just made me think of Behringer for some reason, then I thought hang on, it sounds exactly like Behringer. But now that I think about it both the Behringer items that I own are still going strong statistics

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by arai

Fair points. I wonder if going down the behringer route is going to be good for the ampeg name though.

But will being associated with Ampeg products be good for the Behringer name??? - hahahaha!!!(j/k, Ampeg fans)


- georgestrings

[Jim C]

Bullhorn
An inexpensive volt meter might save you some frustration
While I agree that it is bad engineering to build any product that is extremely voltage sensitive (meaning that a few volts off of 120VAC causes shut downs) it is all speculative without measurement data.

Perhaps we have really good power in my area as I've never had an amp shutdown in 30 some years of playing, but I have had 2 Dolby A racks shut down during soundcheck at 109 Volts with our old remote truck. We tied in with Teco connectors right to the main lugs in a commercial panel. A switch to a different service fixed the problem.
Not to knock Dolby as approx 10% lower than standard power is unacceptable.

[BullHorn]

I'm still here and still using the 7 pro.

Recap: my first rev C00 7PRO had the cutting-off issue - it was replaced by the store.

My 2nd 7PRO lost the ability to send a signal to the speakers and made a loud 'dying' sound - it was repaired by the store and had been running issue-free since.

So far so good...

[dmk]

Just got my new SVT-7 Pro. What a great sounding amp!

But, I'm a little confused with the gain setting and clip light. I'm using a Classic Stingray, bass and treble (on the bass) turned up about halfway, no 15db pad, compression off, and the amp eq set flat. I have to turn the gain knob almost fully clockwise before the clip light comes on.

Is this normal?

[Stinger2k]

Originally Posted by dmk

Just got my new SVT-7 Pro. What a great sounding amp!

But, I'm a little confused with the gain setting and clip light. I'm using a Classic Stingray, bass and treble (on the bass) turned up about halfway, no 15db pad, compression off, and the amp eq set flat. I have to turn the gain knob almost fully clockwise before the clip light comes on.

Is this normal?

I'm not sure it's the norm for these, but I did just do a test on mine. I pretty much always play my P or J bass controls wide open. Usually get the light coming on with the gain at anything over 10 o clock and it always is for me.
So I turn the volume and tone control on my P bass to about half way and had no clip light at all, even up to the max gain.
Open that Stingray up and see what happens.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by dmk

Just got my new SVT-7 Pro. What a great sounding amp!

But, I'm a little confused with the gain setting and clip light. I'm using a Classic Stingray, bass and treble (on the bass) turned up about halfway, no 15db pad, compression off, and the amp eq set flat. I have to turn the gain knob almost fully clockwise before the clip light comes on.

Is this normal?

I have played Ampegs where you have to do that, but I never had to do that with the 7 Pro using a stock Precision on the floor of GC. Of course, different basses have different output levels, and newer models could have tweaked the gain stage or something, and I'm not all that familiar with Stingrays, but I don't remember them being quiet basses. If you have a spare 12ax7 laying around, you could pop it in there and see if it boosts your output.

And not to be a jerk, but you DID turn your bass volume up all the way, right?

[Lazarus.Bird]

Originally Posted by dmk

Just got my new SVT-7 Pro. What a great sounding amp!

But, I'm a little confused with the gain setting and clip light. I'm using a Classic Stingray, bass and treble (on the bass) turned up about halfway, no 15db pad, compression off, and the amp eq set flat. I have to turn the gain knob almost fully clockwise before the clip light comes on.

Is this normal?

Ric 4003 with flats run wide open with a fuzz pedal and I still have to turn my gain knob almost to the max to get the clip light to come on. Doesn't bother me in the slightest though, as I've never had to dime the gain knob and thought man, I wish I could get more gain!

[dmk]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I have played Ampegs where you have to do that, but I never had to do that with the 7 Pro using a stock Precision on the floor of GC. Of course, different basses have different output levels, and newer models could have tweaked the gain stage or something, and I'm not all that familiar with Stingrays, but I don't remember them being quiet basses. If you have a spare 12ax7 laying around, you could pop it in there and see if it boosts your output.

And not to be a jerk, but you DID turn your bass volume up all the way, right?

Thanks, Jimmy. Now, you got me thinking, did I have the volume knob all the way up? Sometimes the obvious is not so obvious. I'll check it out again tonight and let you know.

[dmk]

Tried it again with the volume knob turned up all the way. Still had to turn the gain to at least 4 o'clock to get the clip light on.

When I maxed the Stingray's bass and treble settings, the light came on at the 2 o'clock gain setting.

I know Stingray pickups have a very low resistance. Mine measure only 1.8 K ohms. Looks like the bass doesn't have a very hot output until the preamp is pushed.

In the whole scheme of things, it doesn't really matter. The amp sounds fantastic - especially with a Vintage-Blue B15 cab.

[greggster59]

How's the pickup/string distance look on your Ric?

I ask because my Ric through the 7PRO is very hot. It gets a threshold light at around 11:30, almost as loud as my active Thumb bass. Maybe you need to adjust your pups.