Suggestions for transitioning from "Heavy" to "Light"

[Bluefish1]

Hi folks. I currently play in a classic rock cover band through an SVT4 Pro head atop a 610 HLF cabinet. I realize I'm about to commit Ampeg Blasphemy here, but my aim is to make the transition to Neo cabs and class D power amps for the sake of my aging back and greater portability. Also aiming to expand my horizons with other genres and projects to promote musical growth etc, etc.... So far I'm liking the Carvin B2000 and the Genz Benz Streamliner 900. For cabinets, I'm liking the Avatar Neo 3-way 15's. All this is strictly based on what I've been reading on here and reviews that I've googled. Is this a crazy move to make? My basses are Fender American P deluxe, and Music Man Stingray Classic. All thoughts and new ideas are appreciated.

[scottfeldstein]

Originally Posted by Bluefish1

the Genz Benz Streamliner 900. For cabinets, I'm liking the Avatar Neo 3-way 15's

I don't think it's crazy at all. I really dig those Streamliners. Cabs are a whole other issue. I don't know those Avatars, but I'm betting you'd be happy with GKs Neo 12s. The 212s are great and the 412 seems well regarded here, too. There's also a guy here who has a neat little stack of GK Neo 115s that I covet.

[Igotsoul4u]

I just went light weight city. After my shoulder injury everything is a big deal now especially in terms of carrying things. My current setup is in my signature. I love the GK MB500 and when Combined with the epifani I have 500watts at 43 pounds. I am very pleased with the combo so far.

I was very putoff by both neodyne and Class D but some really good players I know use them so I decided to give it a go. The MB500 was a total accident that i even heard it but I wanted it immediately.

[scottfeldstein]

Originally Posted by Igotsoul4u

I just went light weight city. After my shoulder injury everything is a big deal now especially in terms of carrying things. My current setup is in my signature. I love the GK MB500 and when Combined with the epifani I have 500watts at 43 pounds.

I'm totally with you. I myself have the MB500. But I think the OP might prefer the MB Fusion or the GB Streamliner because of the tubey sound you can get from them. He might close his eyes and imagine he was standing in front of his old big rig

[Bluefish1]

I'm checking this stuff out as we speak.... thanks guys

[scottfeldstein]

Dig this.

Genz Benz Streamliner 900 - YouTube

[Bluefish1]

Funny you should bring that up. That overdriven Motown groove he plays at the end is what got it on my "want" list. Lots of character and tonal possibilities in a light, simple package.

[JimmyM]

4 Pro on a 610HLF? Try the SVT 7 Pro or PF500 and one or two of those PF115he cabs. Should satisfy equally or darn close to it.

[TC.65]

+1 for the Streamliner I own the 600 and absolutely love it. My problem now is I need a better cab. If you get the Streamliner try it out with different cabs as it's kind of picky about what you pair it with.

[rodl2005]

Ampeg SVT 7 PRO. No contest imo.

Had a Streamliner, swapped it for my 7 pro. GB stuff is great & I love the Shuttle 6.0 but found the Streamliner too boomy & sensitive to different cabs. But if ya dig Ampeg, the 7 pro will be THE one, & it sounds great with any cab.

[Mingo Sanders]

Originally Posted by TC.65

+1 for the Streamliner I own the 600 and absolutely love it. My problem now is I need a better cab. If you get the Streamliner try it out with different cabs as it's kind of picky about what you pair it with.

Do tell! What cabs have you paired it with that was not to your liking? Have you auditioned any cabs that seem to be a good match? Thanks!

[TC.65]

Originally Posted by Mingo Sanders

Do tell! What cabs have you paired it with that was not to your liking? Have you auditioned any cabs that seem to be a good match? Thanks!

Well the cab I have right now is a Behringer BB410 at 4ohms. It doesn't sound bad at low to medium volumes but if I turn it up to higher volumes the tone goes to crap. As for other cabs i've tried it with they are SWR Workingman 410, SWR Henry 8x8, Fender pro series 15, Genz Benz Neo 210, and Peavey Tour VB410 & 1x15 cabs. The best of these were the SWR 8x8 and the GB Neo 210. The worst was the Fender by far. I'm still shopping it will be after the new year before I buy anything.

[scottfeldstein]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

4 Pro on a 610HLF? Try the SVT 7 Pro or PF500 and one or two of those PF115he cabs. Should satisfy equally or darn close to it.

Jimmy, you raise an important point: the OP could probably stay with Ampeg and still reduce the weight of his rig. But I have to ask: a PF500? It says it gives "vintage tone." What I want to know is, it is tubey? I mean, would it compare to a GK or a GB with a tube stage in it? Staying with Ampeg is only worth it if you can get the same tones as the big vintage rigs, or so it seems to me.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

Jimmy, you raise an important point: the OP could probably stay with Ampeg and still reduce the weight of his rig. But I have to ask: a PF500? It says it gives "vintage tone." What I want to know is, it is tubey? I mean, would it compare to a GK or a GB with a tube stage in it? Staying with Ampeg is only worth it if you can get the same tones as the big vintage rigs, or so it seems to me.

I'm using a PF350 so there you go

Put it this way...it's about as tubey as one can expect from a $400 amp with no tubes in it, and it's way tubier sounding than almost all hybrids with iron transformers that I've heard and played through. At least that's the way I perceive it. As always, though, people are different and some may have a more generous opinion and some may have a less generous opinion.

Don't know if I agree with the second part, though. I mean, yeah, I look for the classic Ampeg tones when I look at new Ampeg stuff, but I don't know if that's the only reason I'd be looking into it.

[Bluefish1]

Man, I was really kinda drooling over that Streamliner. Too bad about the finicky cab thing. I can envision it sitting on a stack of Uber 115's or Uber quads and sounding as thunderous as the Ampeg but more "present" in the mix. Unfortunately none of my local GB dealers have either of these combinations in stock. Reading through the SVT7pro thread, it seems like they've been having some issues with excessive shut downs and warranty repairs on their newer stuff. My SVT4 pro was one of the last ones to be shipped from St. Louis, so I'm hoping I'll get decent resale value from it.

[TC.65]

Originally Posted by Bluefish1

Man, I was really kinda drooling over that Streamliner. Too bad about the finicky cab thing. I can envision it sitting on a stack of Uber 115's or Uber quads and sounding as thunderous as the Ampeg but more "present" in the mix. Unfortunately none of my local GB dealers have either of these combinations in stock. Reading through the SVT7pro thread, it seems like they've been having some issues with excessive shut downs and warranty repairs on their newer stuff. My SVT4 pro was one of the last ones to be shipped from St. Louis, so I'm hoping I'll get decent resale value from it.

From what i've seen and heard the Streamliner pairs very well with the GB Uber series cabs and Bergantino cabs as well.

If you want to hear how it compares to an SVT check out the Streamliner tone control primer thread. Somewhere around pages 8-10 JohnK compared them. Sounds pretty close to my ears with the Streamliner being a little smoother IMO.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by Mingo Sanders

Do tell! What cabs have you paired it with that was not to your liking? Have you auditioned any cabs that seem to be a good match? Thanks!

I've got a Streamliner 900 as well. I love it. It's small and light, the perfect gigging machine for me...which is exactly what i bought it for.

So far I have used a pair of Aguilar GS112's, which sound good but aren't my thing with this amp. The Aggies have a lot of low end, as does the STL and I found them a little too boomy for my taste. They pair up great with all of my other amps though.

I just picked up a pair of Bag End S15D's which sound phenomenal paired to the STL. I was able to dial in a little more bass on the head, but the tone never got boomy...just a fuller, more detailed low end. I was in tone heaven at my gig the other night.

The Aggies and the S15's are very small cabs. Certainly not the lightest these days, but having the small package certainly helps when moving them around. I find them more than manageable coupled with the 6.5lb STL 900. As usual, I was the first one all packed and ready to go at the end of the night.

[Bluefish1]

How about this: ShuttleMax 12 with Ub212 and add a Ub410 later. Ed Friedland also has a video up on this rig which impressed me. It would accomplish the weight reduction goals (two smaller, lighter cabs instead of a refrigerator) and offer up a more modern hi-fi tone with lots of eq control and channel mixing possibilities (including an overdriven tube stage). Although I must admit, the infinite EQ possibilities are a little intimidating, as is the price tag. My ears for tonal nuances (specific boosts and cuts etc...) don't seem to be as well honed as most of yours

[ishouldbeking]

To people asking about the Ampeg PF-500's "tubiness", yeah, it's pretty tubey. I just got one last week as a backup. It's not as tubealicious as an actual SVT, but that's the flavor it imparts, generally speaking. I own an Ashdown ABM 500, which is a hybrid lead-sled and is generally considered to sound somewhat tubey... the PF-500 sounds a bit better, though it doesn't have as much grind / overdrive on tap. That's the one thing I think the PF-500 is missing, which is a really natural tube overdrive. My Mesa Walkabout (another lightweight head worth considering) does the tube thing for real, with one tube in the preamp and another in the power section (though it's still a hybrid with a mostly solid-state power section).

But hell, if you're looking at new amps that are lighter than an SVT-4, you at least owe it to yourself to try the one that only costs $399. Why waste money on something more expensive if you don't need to?

[christw]

Originally Posted by Bluefish1

My ears for tonal nuances (specific boosts and cuts etc...) don't seem to be as well honed as most of yours

Once you try tweaking the knobs yourself with a bass or several basses you're quite familiar with, you get a much better feel for what this or that EQ point is and what it sounds like. I don't think I'd ever buy one of those heads but I'd sure like to have one.

Originally Posted by ishouldbeking

To people asking about the Ampeg PF-500's "tubiness", yeah, it's pretty tubey. I just got one last week as a backup. It's not as tubealicious as an actual SVT, but that's the flavor it imparts, generally speaking. I own an Ashdown ABM 500, which is a hybrid lead-sled and is generally considered to sound somewhat tubey... the PF-500 sounds a bit better, though it doesn't have as much grind / overdrive on tap. That's the one thing I think the PF-500 is missing, which is a really natural tube overdrive. My Mesa Walkabout (another lightweight head worth considering) does the tube thing for real, with one tube in the preamp and another in the power section (though it's still a hybrid with a mostly solid-state power section).

But hell, if you're looking at new amps that are lighter than an SVT-4, you at least owe it to yourself to try the one that only costs $399. Why waste money on something more expensive if you don't need to?

I paid $640 for my PF500/PF115HE on the way. $300 for a good condition used PF115 from a TB user. I have a PF500 that blew that I'll later fix and use as a backup. I'm not talking trash, just saying that I'm motivated to fix it and have a modular setup that I actually planned to replace my much heavier SVT-CL and Bag End rig with.