The New Ampeg (SS) Portaflex series...coming in April...

[Juicyanalog]

Hey Dudes, (and some dud-ets)

I know this topic is probably being discussed somewhere in the Ampeg Portaflex Club,..

..and other than the new 'all tube B15',
that i assume sounds like sheer bliss
(...if you have 4G's to burn, that is...)

i wanted to hear what ya'll think of this new SS line coming out in April..
('looks' groovy though...)

http://www.ampeg.com/products/portaflex/splash.html

http://magazine.dv247.com/2011/01/13...ss-amp-series/


i.e. ..
...prices??
...do you think ampeg is gonna get the SS tone right this time?..
...speakers aren't gonna suck like last time?..
...is the 500W@4Ω head going to be compatible with the 8Ω corresponding speakers?
{ ^ prob. a stupid question...but i had to ask...}
...should i start selling some gear now?..lol

Thanks,
Juicy...

[ledhead709]

It looks like the PF350 is $300 on American Musical Supply and the PF 500 is $400

[Juicyanalog]

Originally Posted by ledhead709

It looks like the PF350 is $300 on American Musical Supply and the PF 500 is $400

well then, the price is right....
(insert sound clip; here)

but seriously..that's 'unusually' cheap...
..hope that's not an Omen...

[ledhead709]

yea i agree! I am definitely adding that to my of small light heads I am looking at.

[kosmicwizard]

I am not overly excited about these ... I am however excited about the new to me SVT II (non-pro) I have in the mail. I am also excited about Ashdown's all tube fliptops, and the new Genz-Benz Streamliner 600 or 900. Cheers.

[sleepy_monkey]

I mean, they are an entry level Ampeg...and $300 is a niche they probably need to fill to get people to start out in Ampeg gear. I will probably get one....8 lbs for a head....that sounds pretty cool.

[Juicyanalog]

Originally Posted by sleepy_monkey

I mean, they are an entry level Ampeg...and $300 is a niche they probably need to fill to get people to start out in Ampeg gear. I will probably get one....8 lbs for a head....that sounds pretty cool.

entry level??!...eww..didn't realize that...
yeah..y'know,...

i'm starting to think that this new line is gonna be more consumer ampeg garbage... (hope i'm wrong)

(figures...getwachapayfor..rite?)

[kosmicwizard]

Originally Posted by sleepy_monkey

I mean, they are an entry level Ampeg...and $300 is a niche they probably need to fill to get people to start out in Ampeg gear. I will probably get one....8 lbs for a head....that sounds pretty cool.

So since these fliptops will cover all of your needs you won't mind selling me your SVT 8x10 right? Seriously ... Cheers.

[sleepy_monkey]

Originally Posted by kosmicwizard

So since these fliptops will cover all of your needs you won't mind selling me your SVT 8x10 right? Seriously ... Cheers.

Everything has it's price!!! ;-). Haha.

These Ampegs will make great practice heads if you are like me and have to carry gear everywhere. Plus when they start getting sold after being used....under $200 for an Ampeg head sounds awesome.

[rhino333]

I've 4 Ampegs ranging from a early 1960's "Big M", an 80's B3 and SVT, to a recent BA300. I have IK SVX software for my DAW. I owned a Babybass (ok. I traded that away). I'm an Ampeg guy.

BUT....

This thing is not a Portaflex to me. I NEED the "all tubey goodness" in a Portaflex.

Just sayin'

[stiles72]

Originally Posted by Juicyanalog

...do you think ampeg is gonna get the SS tone right this time?...

Ampeg can turn out some really good solid state amps. Both the B-100R and the Micro VR do a good job of capturing the B15 and SVT (respectively) tones with no tubes. If the new Portaflexes sound as good as these, they'll be winners. Even the BA-115 has a great sound for the price.

[richbassboy]

How do these compare to the Fender TV 15 series?

[maevinj]

Already got a thread going here..

Ampeg PF500/PF350

[Juicyanalog]

Originally Posted by rhino333

I've 4 Ampegs ranging from a early 1960's "Big M", an 80's B3 and SVT, to a recent BA300. I have IK SVX software for my DAW. I owned a Babybass (ok. I traded that away). I'm an Ampeg guy.

BUT....

This thing is not a Portaflex to me. I NEED the "all tubey goodness" in a Portaflex.

Just sayin'

totally agreed...

you'd think they would model that sound the right way,
and put it in these heads

i'm just afraid of another B2RE...

and at that price range,
i forsee quality (poor build) problems.

IMO, ampeg hit the SS mark, once, in it's history...
{ever hear these?...}

B40 - V6B {circa mid 70's Mag era}

[Juicyanalog]

Originally Posted by maevinj

Already got a thread going here..

Ampeg PF500/PF350

oh..ok great...

the more threads the merrier....

can't wait to hear these....

[JimmyM]

no idea what these heads sound like, but ampeg got it totally right with the micro vr, and i see no reason they won't with the ss portaflexes. does the micro vr make me want to sell my tube ampegs? of course not. but i think they did a wonderful job with it, and rather than dump all over an amp you've never heard in your life, it might be more prudent to wait and see what it actually sounds like before you pronounce it crap.

[Juicyanalog]

Originally Posted by stiles72

Ampeg can turn out some really good solid state amps. Both the B-100R and the Micro VR do a good job of capturing the B15 and SVT (respectively) tones with no tubes. If the new Portaflexes sound as good as these, they'll be winners. Even the BA-115 has a great sound for the price.

Originally Posted by JimmyM

no idea what these heads sound like, but ampeg got it totally right with the micro vr, and i see no reason they won't with the ss portaflexes. does the micro vr make me want to sell my tube ampegs? of course not. but i think they did a wonderful job with it, and rather than dump all over an amp you've never heard in your life, it might be more prudent to wait and see what it actually sounds like before you pronounce it crap.

well..i played through the micro..
...& other than the fact that it's not powerful enough to cover most of 'my' gigs,
...yes...agreed...it's a winner..in the SS 'tone' dept.
never heard the b100r..but i'll take your words for it though

Jim...you misunderstand...i did 'not pronounce' it crap.

i just 'meant' that; at that price range, and hearing the words "entry level",
{not to mention dealing with that f^&@kin B2RE garbage..}
...that i'm just being very skeptical about, {& dubious to}
the build & tone quality....logical right?
and i'm psyched..if it touches-on the b15 tone, and is built fairly well..
that's all....

[tombowlus]

I played through all of these at the NAMM Show, and I was very impressed. In fact, we gave them one of our Bass Gear Magazine 2011 Winter NAMM Best of Show Awards.

The PF350 takes the preamp from the Micro-VR and pairs it up to a 350-watt class-D output section. The PF500 takes the SVT-7Pro, removes the tube, and employs a 500-watt class-D power section. Based upon what I heard at the show, these are really great heads for the money. The cabs sound great, too (especially the sealed cab they had at NAMM, which is how the production models will be made).

IME/IMHO the new Portaflex line is just excellent, and a great bang for the buck. This is another very promising development for Ampeg.

Tom.

[tombowlus]

Here are some more pics:

[Juicyanalog]

i am truly tickled to hear (& see) that Tom

...that size & weight?
...300 to 500 w?
...at that price?...
...and i won't have to sell much either to buy it...

(finally...) i can't wait to try them out...