Pulled the trigger on the black classic grill for my 212AV to go with my SVT classic amp. Amp is not in the picture because I had the week off so left it at the shop for a check up.
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2013 Ampeg V-4B 100W Reissue Pt2
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
Mind me asking what the classic grill goes for and how long it took to receive? Thinking of going the same route to match my own SVT. Feel free to PM if you prefer.
Thanks!
Dave
I ordered direct from Ampeg, it was $39.99 for the grill and $12.95 for shipping. $52.94 total.
So they ARE selling grills now...I knew they were going to start doing that, but wasn't sure when it would start.
My pair of 210AVs arrived today. Won't get a chance to hear them in a band situation for a couple of days but first impressions are:
1) light
2) I will need covers
3) they look great side by side with the V4B on top
4) they do not look stupid stacked when you see them in person, although I had always thought they did. This will probably be my preferred use with the V4B on a crate beside them.
5) yes, they do capture that 810 vibe
6) who needs tweeters?
7)one sounds almost as good as two - it really surprised me just how clean one was.
8) they seem to be comfortable being driven fairly hard, although I sense I could overwork them if I was stupid.
9) nice clean, midrangey tone - very balanced across the range. The balance does impress me.
10) The V4B and 210AV really seem to have a symbiotic relationship, the bottom end is tight but not too light.
Bear in mind these are all initial responses based on a quick play in my lounge. I have a gig in a few days that will be a truer test, but based on what I have heard I am sure they will be fine. I do like that clean, tight midrange which seems a great match with the V4B.
1) light
2) I will need covers
3) they look great side by side with the V4B on top
4) they do not look stupid stacked when you see them in person, although I had always thought they did. This will probably be my preferred use with the V4B on a crate beside them.
5) yes, they do capture that 810 vibe
6) who needs tweeters?
7)one sounds almost as good as two - it really surprised me just how clean one was.
8) they seem to be comfortable being driven fairly hard, although I sense I could overwork them if I was stupid.
9) nice clean, midrangey tone - very balanced across the range. The balance does impress me.
10) The V4B and 210AV really seem to have a symbiotic relationship, the bottom end is tight but not too light.
Bear in mind these are all initial responses based on a quick play in my lounge. I have a gig in a few days that will be a truer test, but based on what I have heard I am sure they will be fine. I do like that clean, tight midrange which seems a great match with the V4B.
Interesting experience at practice today with my "loud" band (guitard cranking a Marshall Hendrix rig, loud drummer etc...). I was using the 410 HLF which I bought just to leave in the practice space. I had thought the V4B and Orange AD200 sounded quite similar into the 410HLF when I compared them at home. In a band situation with the 200 tube watts Orange the 410 had plenty of weight but even with the bass on nine o'clock it was still a bit muddy at the bottom end and definition could have been better, certainly had power and weight though.
Swapped out the Orange and put in the V4B and bottom end was way tighter, even with all controls at noon, and much better definition - it was more "transparent" for want of a better word. I was cranking it and sure there might not have been as much juice left in the tank in comparison to the Orange but man it was loud, clear and punchy. I doubt that I would need more volume at a gig as my volume setting is normally lower at a gig in comparison to our rehearsal space, which seems to soak up sound. To me this highlights a great strength of the V4B which is that it remains harmonious as you push it, so that while it might run out of headroom it still seems to have plenty of useable volume for my purposes. This is opposite to the experience I have had in the same room with another 100 watt tube head from a different manufacturer, which went into power tube overdrive a little too soon and too obviously for my purposes ( I like a clean tone, as a rule). Of course, others may have different preferences
.
Gigging the V4B with the two 210AV cabs tomorrow, really looking forward to that one.
Swapped out the Orange and put in the V4B and bottom end was way tighter, even with all controls at noon, and much better definition - it was more "transparent" for want of a better word. I was cranking it and sure there might not have been as much juice left in the tank in comparison to the Orange but man it was loud, clear and punchy. I doubt that I would need more volume at a gig as my volume setting is normally lower at a gig in comparison to our rehearsal space, which seems to soak up sound. To me this highlights a great strength of the V4B which is that it remains harmonious as you push it, so that while it might run out of headroom it still seems to have plenty of useable volume for my purposes. This is opposite to the experience I have had in the same room with another 100 watt tube head from a different manufacturer, which went into power tube overdrive a little too soon and too obviously for my purposes ( I like a clean tone, as a rule). Of course, others may have different preferences
.Gigging the V4B with the two 210AV cabs tomorrow, really looking forward to that one.
I attribute a big part of how the V4B performs to the redesigned power supply. They seem to have done it to get the most out of the amp. As the power supply capacitors are depleted, the voltage sags, headroom is lost and distortion sets in. How much distortion you allow is key. Finding the right balance between demand and sag allows the amp to perform better. It sounds better when it is pushed. That is what the V4B has. Of course, the output transformer that they designed plays a big role as well. The amp design was well though out.
Well, Jimmy, you were absolutely right about the 210av with the V4b. Did a stage show last night with the two cabs stacked. Band off to the side (sax, keys, guitar, bass,drums) and raised but drummer on the floor, singers and dancers on stage. All performers mic'd but trying to avoid doing so with band. I stacked the cabs vertically and drummer asked for more bass (my hero). I simply pointed one of the speakers in his direction and all was good. I have to say that one of the enjoyable features of this rig is that I felt like I was pushing a big rig, yet the sound balance out front was fine. I got that vibe and excitement you get from an 810 with an svt yet my volume levels were much quieter than I am used to and met the somewhat restrained requirements of the situation admirably. I am still unsure as to how far I could push the cabs, and will probably never find out as I have other cabs for louder situations. What this setup does though that impresses me so much is that it provides a punch and depth to the sound even at lower volumes that in the past I have been unable to achieve without playing louder.
While I'm not as tech savvy as the rest of you I know that I'm hearing the best tone I've ever gotten out of an amp. Whatever changes they made when they redesigned this amp they definitely did it right!!! I'm so glad I waited for the V4B Reissue to come out. It is more loud and stays clean longer than I expected. Ampeg really nailed it with this head.
Finally got a chance to try one if these with a 6-10 ampeg cab. I am a big Ampeg fan. Own 6 other Ampeg rigs including a 79's v4b.
The v4b reissue is not their best effort 'nuff said.
The v4b reissue is not their best effort 'nuff said.
I guess no amp can be everyone's cup of tea, Sorry it didn't work for you. I too have owned and played my fair share of Ampeg and have found quite the opposite. It would be a boring bass world indeed if we all agreed on everything
Ya, I don't hear it as "not their best effort," either. I'd say it's right up there in their best efforts. But as always, YMMV.
I used mine with an Ampeg PF115LF cab this past weekend. It was a really nice sounding setup. It was very punchy, articulate - and deep (when I wanted it to be). I really like those PF115LF cabs.
