Some of us do play those size venues and festivals. I would not be able to get the clean tone I want with 100 watts at a large venue. For smaller venues 100 watts would be perfect.
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2013 Ampeg V-4B 100W Reissue Pt2
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
Some of us do play those size venues and festivals. I would not be able to get the clean tone I want with 100 watts at a large venue. For smaller venues 100 watts would be perfect.
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
I absolutely agree with you but I read so many threads where people are complaining the drummer is too loud or the guitarists refuses to turn down and they can't be heard? I don't understand people blowing heads and speakers trying to keep up with the rest of the band during just "practice"?.
A point of reference - I use my Micro-VR with a single SVT210AV cab for "auditions" as it is goes as loud as anybody should reasonably be rehearsing at. A week ago I had the gain and master on "10" with the limiter off so the output MOSFETs were fully overdriven and it was barely loud enough and DEFINITELY not clean - it's rated at 150wrms into that cab and IMO those are "tube watts". A V4B into that cab would be about the same. IMO many are not going to find the V4B loud enough - my old one into a V9 cab (fairly efficient ported 9x10) was barely adequate back around 1980. When "clean" came into style it had to go 
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I never have any problem being heard with a V4B. I use fairly efficient single 15" vented cabs.
I can see how some of these newer cabs designed to soak up lots of power might not work, but if you pay a little attention to what the amp's capabilities are and go for something that matches up well and delivers decent SPL per watt, you're going to be just fine.
I can see how some of these newer cabs designed to soak up lots of power might not work, but if you pay a little attention to what the amp's capabilities are and go for something that matches up well and delivers decent SPL per watt, you're going to be just fine.
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
A point of reference - I use my Micro-VR with a single SVT210AV cab for "auditions" as it is goes as loud as anybody should reasonably be rehearsing at. A week ago I had the gain and master on "10" with the limiter off so the output MOSFETs were fully overdriven and it was barely loud enough and DEFINITELY not clean - it's rated at 150wrms into that cab and IMO those are "tube watts". A V4B into that cab would be about the same. IMO many are not going to find the V4B loud enough - my old one into a V9 cab (fairly efficient ported 9x10) was barely adequate back around 1980. When "clean" came into style it had to go
Fair enough but I have one question and I know this won't work in every situation and it may not have worked at the venue you were playing but what would have happened if the rest of the band had just turned their volume down a bit so you didn't have to put your amp into saturation? I also play guitar and there was no way I would let my bassist have to crank his amp that hard to be heard and we always used the weakest amp as the bar for volume and as that person got better gear we may raise the volume a hair more but most of the time it wasn't needed. I've noticed over the years bands are getting louder and louder and as I get older I refuse to go to a bar or small club to listen to a band that cranks the volume loud enough to have my ears ringing for a half hour afterwards but I guess for younger people it isn't an issue and the louder the better.
A point of reference - I use my Micro-VR with a single SVT210AV cab for "auditions" as it is goes as loud as anybody should reasonably be rehearsing at. A week ago I had the gain and master on "10" with the limiter off so the output MOSFETs were fully overdriven and it was barely loud enough and DEFINITELY not clean - it's rated at 150wrms into that cab and IMO those are "tube watts". A V4B into that cab would be about the same. IMO many are not going to find the V4B loud enough - my old one into a V9 cab (fairly efficient ported 9x10) was barely adequate back around 1980. When "clean" came into style it had to go
My V4 into my PF-210 was my practice rig a few weeks ago when we had some back to back gigs and I didn't want to bring the 8x10 back to the rehearsal space, with that combination it was certainly not clean by any means. Through the 8x10 it's maybe not the cleanest amp, but even up against a hard hitting drummer and two guitar half stacks that amp can be loud as hell. Clean and loud? I'm not sure, hard to hear the amp's distortion under all that guitar noise
, but I still use my pedals to get that amp as dirty as I want it so it certainly has some headroom.
I could save myself so much money in gear because I don't have to deal with getting over a headsplitting drummer and guitarist. Of course, I still spend it anyway because I'm a raging tube snob but it's entirely possible for me to every gig I do with a BA110, which is a 35w combo with a single 10".
but it's entirely possible for me to every gig I do with a BA110, which is a 35w combo with a single 10".
Exactly!Well, you can skip the rig entirely if you have that
Don't know if I could actually do that though - I'd feel like something was missing!
Not a prob if you have your own monitor mix - whether in-ears or floor.Exactly!
Don't know if I could actually do that though - I'd feel like something was missing!
Well, if you DI out of your tube head or mic your cab, then that colored sound is going to be in the side fills and IEMs and you'd need less rig, in theory of course.
Im amazed at how quiet the amp is at power on. I seriously cannot audibly tell its on. When I flip the standby I can hear power go to the speakers, but its really quiet still unless I crank the gain, and the amp itself has no "electric power" sound of its own. No other amp is this silent. Im taking it as a good sign.
That's cool to hear, my 70s SVT sounds like a loud laptop when it powers on and the fan starts up. How's the heat on the amp after an hour or two of playing? I'm still really interested in these amps but after getting the 70s SVT I'm also really interested in a vintage V4B to match.
