SVT-VR on my gig tonight...eh...

JimmyM · #1 10-11-2010, 11:41 PM

in vegas for a convention that capped off a 4 day run from johnstown pa to ft lauderdale to north of tampa and to vegas. phew! and to make matters worse, we said goodbye to our longtime guitarist/lead singer on friday (long story...he came up with us but didn't play) and did that gig 3 piece, then had a new guitarist for the last 3 days.

tonight i was supplied a newish vr and 810e from the early 90's, which is my favorite era non-vintage cab. sounded kind of flat and dull to me. last time i played a vr it was great. this time was only ok for me, dawg. don't know what it was...but now i'm hearing what a lot of you have said about it sounding not as good as the vintage models.

maybe it's the tubes. maybe i got spoiled by using my blue line/flatback. don't know. but all i know is the last vr i got was great and this one wasn't. bummer.

ahbassman · #2 10-11-2010, 11:44 PM

I'll take it off your hands

Spencer! · #3 10-11-2010, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

in vegas for a convention that capped off a 4 day run from johnstown pa to ft lauderdale to north of tampa and to vegas. phew! and to make matters worse, we said goodbye to our longtime guitarist/lead singer on friday (long story...he came up with us but didn't play) and did that gig 3 piece, then had a new guitarist for the last 3 days.

tonight i was supplied a newish vr and 810e from the early 90's, which is my favorite era non-vintage cab. sounded kind of flat and dull to me. last time i played a vr it was great. this time was only ok for me, dawg. don't know what it was...but now i'm hearing what a lot of you have said about it sounding not as good as the vintage models.

maybe it's the tubes. maybe i got spoiled by using my blue line/flatback. don't know. but all i know is the last vr i got was great and this one wasn't. bummer.

The tubes can make a HUGE difference. Although build quality in the overseas plants has generally been pretty good, they aren't matching the tubes. A nice set of matched tubes makes a VR sound pretty darn good.

Selta · #4 10-11-2010, 11:45 PM

You hit my hometown.

JimmyM · #5 10-11-2010, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahbassman

I'll take it off your hands

it was a rental.

ray, what's your hometown? johnstown?

Selta · #6 10-11-2010, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

it was a rental.

ray, what's your hometown? johnstown?

Yessir, Johnstown. Which venue did you play there?

poisonoakie · #7 10-11-2010, 11:51 PM

Where'd you play in Vegas? I'm living in the city of sin for the time being, playing in a band called Imagine Dragons. I'd love to come out and see ya play if you've got more shows in town. Bummer to hear about the VR. I was thinking about picking one up, but haven't been able to demo it with my Bergantino NV412. I need to hear how it behaves with my cab before I commit.

JimmyM · #8 10-12-2010, 12:06 AM

ray, i played a convention center that was named after an italian guy, like maybe passaquala or something.

oakie, i played a big ballroom at the hilton for a private convention.

spencer, i was thinking it would be more about the pre tubes, but that sounds plausible. you'd think they'd match them just to get the bias right, though. crazy.

Selta · #9 10-12-2010, 12:21 AM

Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center. Been there a hundred times for the symphony. Very nice room.

JimmyM · #10 10-12-2010, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center. Been there a hundred times for the symphony. Very nice room.

that's it. yeah, it was a good room. best sound of the trip.

johnk_10 · #11 10-12-2010, 02:01 AM

all i can think of is that it had some funky preamp tubes in it, or the room wasn't what you were used to. i've played thru quite a few VR's (including mine) and i haven't stumbled across a bad (or even mediocre) one sounding one yet.

lowendgenerator · #12 10-12-2010, 02:22 AM

Rentals are the bastard children of bass amps. You never know what the last guy using it put it through. I guess they're really more like mistreated hookers then, aren't they? Sorry 'bout your luck Jimmy.

JimmyM · #13 10-12-2010, 02:23 AM

i'll tell you though, it looked brand new and arrived in a flight case. i'm inclined to think it was what john said...either crap tubes or room problem. i don't think it was the cab.

dokazaado · #14 10-12-2010, 02:26 AM

there's no telling how many hours were on the power tubes.
no rental company is going to be as vigilant keeping those as fresh
as we would with our own gear.

Alexander · #15 10-12-2010, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poisonoakie

Where'd you play in Vegas? I'm living in the city of sin for the time being, playing in a band called Imagine Dragons. I'd love to come out and see ya play if you've got more shows in town. Bummer to hear about the VR. I was thinking about picking one up, but haven't been able to demo it with my Bergantino NV412. I need to hear how it behaves with my cab before I commit.

I love the tone I'm getting from my SVT (2Pro) with te Berg NV412 - great combo, IMHO...

PWV · #16 10-12-2010, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poisonoakie

Bummer to hear about the VR. I was thinking about picking one up, but haven't been able to demo it with my Bergantino NV412. I need to hear how it behaves with my cab before I commit.

Yes, I'm sorry to hear this too Jimmy. I've been scanning through the all posts/threads I can the last couple of weeks on the SVT-VR. I'm also interested in its pairing with my Berg 412. There certainly is a wealth of first-hand knowledge and experience here at TB, dont' think you guys go unnoticed and unappreciated!

slick_tu · #17 10-12-2010, 08:36 AM

My SVT-VR sounds great with my NV610. Glad I switched from the SVT-CL; I really like the sound much better and don't miss the gain control at all. The first VR I received had such a bad hum I couldn't use it. LOUD had it shipped back to them rather than the retailer and shipped me a new one that is quiet as a mouse. Both were made in Vietnam. The LOUD tech said it's better to have them shipped by freight (they use UPS freight) rather than regular UPS. Mine sounds terrific; although, I don't have the chances to evaluate that JimmyM has.

Spinal Tapper · #18 10-12-2010, 09:04 AM

You know Jimmy, maybe you're just not an Ampeg guy

Floridabwoy · #19 10-12-2010, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinal Tapper

You know Jimmy, maybe you're just not an Ampeg guy

JimmyM · #20 10-12-2010, 09:18 AM

i can believe this was a fluke situation.