So What Year Did Ampeg Start Making "Good" 8X10 Cabinets Again?

[PolkaHero]

I think I have a "bad" one. Mine is a 810AV cabinet made in 2006 in the USA. Does anyone know when they started putting better speakers in these? Is that the only difference or are the newer ones constructed better as well?

[DeathFromBelow]

Mine is a 2007 made in Vietnam. Sounds good.

[WhoDidTheElf]

I don't think they were "bad" as much as "different".

I think it was 07 when they changed, though I'm not 100% sure on that.

[One Drop]

I had one from the arounf '05 and it wasn't BAD, it just wasn't anywhere near as articulate as earlier ones I had tried. I was never very happy with it, but it sounded okay at very high SPL.

I sold it and got the Bergantino and my ears and knuckles have been thanking me ever since.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by DeathFromBelow

Mine is a 2007 made in Vietnam. Sounds good.

That's about when it started.

[GBassNorth]

Ampeg cabinets sound best when not compared to a Bergantino NV610. Once you've done that, there's no going back. SVT/NV610 a match made in heaven.

[staindbass]

bergatino ? lol you must have been comparing it to a "bad year" svt. i dont think people will be seeking old bergatino's in 40 years like they seek ampeg. there is a reason for that.

[PolkaHero]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

That's about when it started.

Jimmy,

Is is the speakers that make a difference or something else?

Thanks!

[JimmyM]

The speakers, because I recently played a 98 810e that was made of OSB and it sounded great. In 2000, Eminence was having QC problems with a cone supplier so they switched to someone else. The result was a tougher cone but a darker tone.

As for the Berg/Ampeg comparison, I've yet to play the Berg cab, but I know a lot of folks on here who swear by them. But the Ampeg cabs sound great and look a lot cooler, so...

[PolkaHero]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

The speakers, because I recently played a 98 810e that was made of OSB and it sounded great. In 2000, Eminence was having QC problems with a cone supplier so they switched to someone else. The result was a tougher cone but a darker tone.

As for the Berg/Ampeg comparison, I've yet to play the Berg cab, but I know a lot of folks on here who swear by them. But the Ampeg cabs sound great and look a lot cooler, so...

Jimmy,

Do you know the model of Eminence speakers that were bad? I could take one of mine out and have a look.

[JimmyM]

Somewhere on here is a thread with all that info, but danged if I can find it

[Quickie]

Originally Posted by PolkaHero

I think I have a "bad" one. Mine is a 810AV cabinet made in 2006 in the USA. Does anyone know when they started putting better speakers in these? Is that the only difference or are the newer ones constructed better as well?

I have owned a couple Ampegs. Never had a problem with quality. I also owned them around 2004-2008. USA versions all.
My 810 as well as 410hlf were great cabinets. Now the Hartke 810 I bought on the other hand.....well that was a cheaply made cabinet.

[Blankandson]

Jimmy, I just left a New Mexico gig where we used a rented Ampeg 4X10 cab from Nashville. It was probably a 2008 or so and it would clip very bad past mid volumn way before it would clip on the board. Room seated 3,000 so we needed the missing volumn. The head (also rented) was solid state with a tube pre-amp, also probably the same age. We had to turn the head down and just go with the PA. Would the 4X10s have same speaker issue? Issue wasn't with the company because the other amps (Vox and Divided by 13) were all perfect.

[cheezewiz]

Originally Posted by staindbass

bergatino ? lol you must have been comparing it to a "bad year" svt. i dont think people will be seeking old bergatino's in 40 years like they seek ampeg. there is a reason for that.

You should try a NV610. You may be shocked how great it sounds.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Blankandson

Jimmy, I just left a New Mexico gig where we used a rented Ampeg 4X10 cab from Nashville. It was probably a 2008 or so and it would clip very bad past mid volumn way before it would clip on the board. Room seated 3,000 so we needed the missing volumn. The head (also rented) was solid state with a tube pre-amp, also probably the same age. We had to turn the head down and just go with the PA. Would the 4X10s have same speaker issue? Issue wasn't with the company because the other amps (Vox and Divided by 13) were all perfect.

It's very hard to tell by what you said. Generally, 410's can take a pretty good pounding but either this one was broken or you tried to give it more power than it could take.

[DeathFromBelow]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Somewhere on here is a thread with all that info, but danged if I can find it

I think it might show up if you search "vietnam" or "vietnamese".

[staindbass]

you may be right about the nv610, but i have to doubt it. i play with many big bands on the radio, i have not seen one bergatino. so i have to conclude that its unlikely that the bar band guys would be in on a secret that none of the pros are aware of. i dont see why they would sound better than a common swr or eden, which i see occasionally. i still think the svt cab being divided into 4 sealed cabinets inside is the reason it seems to have some magic. less cabinet vibration means a more solid sound. the cabinet walls vibrating and making sound of their own is what makes things sound unfocused and less clear.

[JimmyM]

I've made this offer before but nobody's taken me up on it...if anyone in the Central Florida area with an NV610 wants to do a shootout with a flatback 810 from 73 and a 69 SVT with 6146b's, PM me and we'll see if we can make it happen in the next couple weeks.

[Deaky]

Just out of interest where are Ampegs made that's days?

[Deaky]

Just out of interest where are Ampegs made these days?