Swr & Ampeg need some advice

[Garro]

Hey Everyone
I've been using an Swr workingmans 15 for the past 5 years exactly like this one :
http://www.gnamusic.biz/2008/01/01/u...bass-amplifier

Alas a power surge at a gig totally fried the head, the amp did allot of hard work and def paid for itself 1000 times over.
Anyways the speakers in the cab are fine so I was thinking on just getting a new head to power the cab. I want a pretty good sound and moneys a bit of an issue at the min plus I've got some impending gigs.
I was looking at an Ampeg SVT Micro Vr head:
http://www.thomann.de/ie/ampeg_svt_micro_vr_head.htm
From what I gather its 200 watts and has the ampeg sound and seems to be great value.
Does anyone know if I'll have any problems using that Ampeg head to power the 15" speaker in my SWR workingman's 15?
Any advice would be great thanks

[PDK]

I think that will work fine.

[Garro]

Cool just wanted to check if I was under or overpowering or anything like that, but that seems all good thanks for the reply mate

[JimmyM]

slight possibility of overpowering, but just use your ears and you'll be fine. underpowering, however, is a bs myth that has been covered here many many MANY times over. my b-15 cabs have speakers in them that give them about 300w power handling. the head i use with them puts out 25w. i have used this rig regularly for 2 years now, including last night, and they still work fine. So we'd have to call this myth...

BUSTED!

[Garro]

Ah I see, I think there's a limiter on the Micro Vr which apparently isn't great but I guess I just wont turn it up to 11 and it should be fine, its great to know that the head will be more than up to the task so that's brill
As far as I gather the under powering thing damages the head rather than the speakers example the Micro Vr has a min 4ohm load its probably similar with other bass heads.
Anyways thanks for the reply's guys now I can buy the Ampeg in confidence

............Rock ON !!!

[JimmyM]

well underpowering isn't the same as using a cab setup that's below the minimum impedance rating. but yes, you're right...anything less than 4 ohms will turn your micro vr into a very cute paperweight.

[MODELL]

Garro, is buying another used Workingman's 15 not an option? I only ask this because here in Pittsburgh that used combo sells for less than the new Ampeg head you linked to. I bought mine last year for $225.00 and that head sells for $299.00.

[Garro]

Your absolutely right Jimmy M have a really cool SWR paper weight at the moment!!!
Hey Modell buying another workingman's 15 is an option, god you guys in the states are so lucky music gear is so much cheaper!!!
But I think after 5 years of the SWR sound which was good, its time for a change, if I had the cash id buy the top tube ampeg svt but the micro vr seems to be a good ampeg sound at a decent price
Check this out guys found a you tube video where a guy plugged a Micro Vr into a bigger mark bass cab sounds rockin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hI7Yk2Laxs

Anyways thanks for all the help everyone........rock on

[MODELL]

Originally Posted by Garro

But I think after 5 years of the SWR sound which was good, its time for a change, if I had the cash id buy the top tube ampeg svt but the micro vr seems to be a good ampeg sound at a decent price
Check this out guys found a you tube video where a guy plugged a Micro Vr into a bigger mark bass cab sounds rockin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hI7Yk2Laxs

Anyways thanks for all the help everyone........rock on

Oh, that makes sense. There are definitely times when I crave an older school dirty growl that I just can't achieve with the SWR. I've looked at the new Fender Bassman TV amps, but I think they are a bit of a novelty.......

[anonymous02282011]

you sure you didn't just blow a fuse or something?

[Garro]

Hey adbass, I got a bag of replacement fuses the glass slo-blo fuses, it kept frying them instantly, so then I brought it to an amp tech he said that transistors, chips condensers and a capacitor had all gone, the amp had done allot of hard work at least 3 gigs a week for 5 years, so guess it was just its time !!!!!!!!

[MODELL]

Originally Posted by Garro

Hey adbass, I got a bag of replacement fuses the glass slo-blo fuses, it kept frying them instantly, so then I brought it to an amp tech he said that transistors, chips condensers and a capacitor had all gone, the amp had done allot of hard work at least 3 gigs a week for 5 years, so guess it was just its time !!!!!!!!

This seems weird, but here I think you could turn that into your home owner's insurance and it would be covered even if the power surge happened at a gig. My friend's acoustic guitar got stolen from another friends car and his own home owner's insurance paid the replace cost minus the deductable.

[Garro]

Hey modell now that I think about it im not even sure it was a power surge, I think the amp was just on its last legs and it did its final gig that night, luckily I was able to finish the gig by playing through the desk of the P.A. system.
Thanks a mill for the suggestion but I dont think I'll go the Insurance route, on the bright side the cab has a really nice 15" speaker in it so a new head and I'll be back on the scene
Take care bro have a great weekend............

[Garro]

Hey guys just to let you know how I got on I've posted some photos.
So I took the old fried head out of my Swr cab and bought an Ampeg Micro Vr head. It went really smoothly with zero mods needed, because the speaker cable in the SWR was sufficiently long enough to stretch up to the VR output.
Im running it at 150 watts at 8 ohms and it sounds great the Ampeg sounds really smooth and has no probs powering the 15" speaker in the cab.
Does anyone know if I should brave running it at 200 watts at 4 ohms???? Haven’t tried it yet not sure if I should.

Ps thanks to all for your advice worked out great..cheers

[ninepoundjammer]

Is there a switch for impedance on that amp? Speakers determine the impedance, not the amp. Some amps have switches to allow them to handle different impedances.

[ninepoundjammer]

That is a surprisingly cute little rig, by the way.

[Garro]

No switch, theres 2 1/4" jack outputs, one says 150 watts @ 8 ohms the other says 200 watts @ 4 ohms ......

[Garro]

Yeah thanks dude lol ... sounds nice with a fender jazz bass rockin through it

[ninepoundjammer]

Well, you need to know the impedance of that speaker cabinet. Usually solid state amps don't mind driving higher impedances, but lower impedances can heat things up and cause problems. I'm not sure why that amp has two outputs. Maybe somebody will teach me something today.

[Garro]

Yeah I think your right, I read the cab had an 8ohm internal impedence when it was an SWR the cab itself has no switch, so I think I'll leave well enough alone and just run it at 8 cause its well loud enough, still kinda of confused by speaker and impedence matching thing a bit, anyways cheers for the reply Merry Christmas