Streamliner 600 Or Portaflex 500?

Chipit · #1 01-18-2013, 01:35 PM

Has anyone ever A/B'd these? If so, what are your thoughts?

Jeff Scott · #2 01-18-2013, 03:09 PM

Tone Hammer 500, forget the others, really.

JimiLL · #3 01-18-2013, 03:11 PM

The Genz is about 10 steps up on the quality chain

4Mal · #4 01-18-2013, 05:23 PM

Like the streamliner a lot. Haven't messed with the PF... Not sure that I need to.

**CL400Peavey** · #5 01-18-2013, 05:45 PM

The PF-500, SL-600, and TH-500 are all great sounding in their own way. Personal preference will come into play here.

rodl2005 · #6 01-18-2013, 08:19 PM

Personally- couldn't bond with the Streamliner-too boomy, not enough mids.
PF500 works great! Like the Aguilar TH500 best.

Chipit · #7 01-19-2013, 06:28 AM

I should explain- Lately I have been feeling like the sound in my head is leaning more toward my Fender w/flats than my Spector w/ rounds. But I really love the playability of the Spector. I swear the sound was their for a while, so much so that I thought maybe it was the preamp in my Spector. Changed the battery, and it sounds a little cleaner, but still too overdriven for my taste.
I went to my local GC to pick up some new strings, and I started noodling around with a MM Sterling through a PF500 and Ampeg 810. That was it, the sound I was looking for.
So I am thinking that it is probably a combination of all three, but I was just curious if the PF500 was that much "tamer" than my ST500. I might also add that my Eden 210XLT's are probably the real problem, but the thought of switching out cabs is something I don't want to do right now.

SJan3 · #8 01-19-2013, 06:34 AM

Not sure why your Eden D210XLTs are your problem. Great cabs IMO.

tekdiver500ft · #9 01-19-2013, 06:53 AM

I've had both a PF-500 and a SL900...

Streamliners are not well balanced, sonically. If you like their tone, you'll love the SL600. If not, too bad, that's about all you'll get. You can make a Streamliner fairly flat, but they sound bad doing it.

PF500 is classic Ampeg, just slightly scoopd when dials are set to "flat," but with wonderful mid-range grit when pushed. If you like Ampeg sound, you'll love the PF-500. If not, it can do clean, but it still sounds like an Ampeg, just less so.

The SL is somewhat better built, but not enough so to overcome the tone if that isn't what you like. You have to decide what type of sound you want, and get the head that gives it to you.

Chipit · #10 01-19-2013, 08:07 AM

Quote:

I've had both a PF-500 and a SL900...

How would you compare these to an SVT7Pro? I had a Mesa M6, again, too much in your face.

tekdiver500ft · #11 01-19-2013, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chipit

How would you compare these to an SVT7Pro? I had a Mesa M6, again, too much in your face.

I currently have an SVT-7PRO, actually. It is my favorite head thus far (which is why I still have it, probably). It can get in your face, but mostly it is just great bass tone, exactly what you expect to hear.

The SVT-7PRO has a very pronounced SVT vibe to it, much more so than the PF-500. The PF sounds like an Ampeg, but I couldn't say which one, just that it is undeniably Ampeg. Sometimes a little like a B-18, sometimes more like an SVT, but never exactly like either. The SVT-7PRO, on the other hand, sounds very like an SVT blueline or SVT-VR, to the point that many (dare I say "most?" Yes, I think I do) people can't hear a difference. You have to add a little treble to the SVT-7PRO to make it sound like a VR, but other than that, wow.

The SL heads don't sound like any other head I've heard. That isn't a bad thing, mind, but it wasn't for me. I really wanted to like it, and I adored the YouTube videos I heard utilizing it, but when paired with my 410 SWR Goliath III and Highway One P Bass with LaBella Deep Talkin' flats, it was ungodly bassy, and I just couldn't EQ it to a sound I liked (and I like bass).

I know, I rambled on, and I hope I answered your question. If not, keep asking, I have no trouble talking about these three heads.

Not yet · #12 01-19-2013, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tekdiver500ft

I currently have an SVT-7PRO, actually. It is my favorite head thus far (which is why I still have it, probably). It can get in your face, but mostly it is just great bass tone, exactly what you expect to hear.

The SVT-7PRO has a very pronounced SVT vibe to it, much more so than the PF-500. The PF sounds like an Ampeg, but I couldn't say which one, just that it is undeniably Ampeg. Sometimes a little like a B-18, sometimes more like an SVT, but never exactly like either. The SVT-7PRO, on the other hand, sounds very like an SVT blueline or SVT-VR, to the point that many (dare I say "most?" Yes, I think I do) people can't hear a difference. You have to add a little treble to the SVT-7PRO to make it sound like a VR, but other than that, wow.

The SL heads don't sound like any other head I've heard. That isn't a bad thing, mind, but it wasn't for me. I really wanted to like it, and I adored the YouTube videos I heard utilizing it, but when paired with my 410 SWR Goliath III and Highway One P Bass with LaBella Deep Talkin' flats, it was ungodly bassy, and I just couldn't EQ it to a sound I liked (and I like bass).

I know, I rambled on, and I hope I answered your question. If not, keep asking, I have no trouble talking about these three heads.

Used SVT Pro on some backlines and was always thin to me. Personally really dig the Streamliner tone, sound in my head, but it can be polarizing. Like said many times here, reaaaally got to play with it a while before dismissing, not like any other beast out there. Took a couple months but once figured out never looked back.

tekdiver500ft · #13 01-19-2013, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not yet

Used SVT Pro on some backlines and was always thin to me. Personally really dig the Streamliner tone, sound in my head, but it can be polarizing. Like said many times here, reaaaally got to play with it a while before dismissing, not like any other beast out there. Took a couple months but once figured out never looked back.

I played with mine for six months, never found a sound I liked. I guess that's why they make different heads, huh? There are a ton of SVT Pro models, and some are thinner than others. What I like about the Ampeg is that any bass player can hook one up to his bass and within seconds dial in the sound they want. This isn't true of the SL heads. As I said, they can sound amazing, but they have to be paired up to the correct cab and even then can be difficult to find the tone you want. If you do, they are fantastic, but it is much easier to achieve great sound with the SVT-7PRO. The -7PRO is quite thick, IME and can be made thunderous quite easily.

Chipit · #14 01-19-2013, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tekdiver500ft

I played with mine for six months, never found a sound I liked. I guess that's why they make different heads, huh? There are a ton of SVT Pro models, and some are thinner than others. What I like about the Ampeg is that any bass player can hook one up to his bass and within seconds dial in the sound they want. This isn't true of the SL heads. As I said, they can sound amazing, but they have to be paired up to the correct cab and even then can be difficult to find the tone you want. If you do, they are fantastic, but it is much easier to achieve great sound with the SVT-7PRO. The -7PRO is quite thick, IME and can be made thunderous quite easily.

Thats my point. My SL600 seems pretty touchy when I am trying to get "that sound". And it gets worse when I change up to the Fender and have to adjust the gain or mids, and suddenly I lost the sound that I worked so hard to find for my Spector.
All I did in the store was connect some Bass I never played to an amp and cab and it was perfect.
For now, I am trying a few different sets of strings to try to get me to that middle ground. We will see how it goes. I just might have to take a look at something in the SVT line.

Honkycat · #15 01-19-2013, 04:23 PM

+1 on the Streamliner..It's a unique amp..I've never had with boominess issues with it....It took a bit to really get the feel of it(I almost got rid of it after a couple of shows),but since then, I've had nothing but complinents on my sound.Also,factor in that it has a really good DI.

**FunkyMcNasty** · #16 01-19-2013, 04:28 PM

Loved the streamliner here too. Not boomy in my experience, but what do I know. I thought the mids could be dialed up to whatever you liked with the controls. I miss that little amp. I now own a DB750 and TH500 and like them too. No experience with the Portaflex.

Texan · #17 01-19-2013, 04:36 PM

I bought a portaflex and it died 4 songs into the first set, on the first time that I used it. I returned it, and was given another portaflex and it died two weeks later, i returned and got my money back. I bought a Streamliner and love it. Better tone, better reliability, better build, better warranty.

jlepre · #18 01-19-2013, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Scott

Tone Hammer 500, forget the others, really.

Is Tone Hammer the new name for Portaflex?

Jeff Scott · #19 01-19-2013, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlepre

Is Tone Hammer the new name for Portaflex?

arai · #20 01-19-2013, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texan

I bought a portaflex and it died 4 songs into the first set, on the first time that I used it. I returned it, and was given another portaflex and it died two weeks later, i returned and got my money back. I bought a Streamliner and love it. Better tone, better reliability, better build, better warranty.

This is an all to common story.
I'd go Streamliner out of those two, no question.