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2013 Ampeg V-4B 100W Reissue Pt2

The 112 is 8ohm and the 212 is 4ohm so I believe you would plug into the 2ohm.

When I asked whether to use the 2ohm or 4ohm input in this or another thread with my 112AV/212AV cabs, IIRC, jimmyM said use 2ohm as did a couple others. But CL400PV said use the 4ohm input. I'm guessing this is because the 8ohm/4ohm cabs is about 2.67 ohms and that's still above 2ohms, so the 4 ohm input was suggested. I think a couple here have said either is fine. But be nice to know exactly which is best to use for long term.

@rock N Dawg: You'd have a blast with two 212AV's; I sure did. I had a 4 wheel cart to move them as they are a smallish cab, still abit of a lug for me at 66lbs. So I rolled them in one at a time. And yes with so many 810 cabs out there now for sell that'd prolly be ideal with the V-4B, if you care to haul that much single cab around. I'm kinda on the lookout for a 610 to try with this new reissue Ampeg.

But I'll be trying the 112AV/212AV first time at a gig on Nov 7th. This will be back at the same large bar with same loud blues-rock band where I first tried out the two, 212AV's w/V-4B, no PA support a few weeks ago. So will be a good follow up for my 3x12's test, though I can have PA support if I want it with this band. I may stay out of the PA again just to see. I have two club gigs this coming weekend that will only require a single 212AV, so even the extra 112AV may not be needed all that much. Will see how it works out soon enough.
 
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When I asked whether to use the 2ohm or 4ohm input in this or another thread with my 112AV/212AV cabs, IIRC, jimmyM said use 2ohm as did a couple others. But CL400PV said use the 4ohm input. I'm guessing this is because the 8ohm/4ohm cabs is about 2.67 ohms and that's still above 2ohms, so the 4 ohm input was suggested. I think a couple here have said either is fine. But be nice to know exactly which is best to use for long term.

The short answer is use the correct impedance. With a mismatch, it could be done either way in this case but there are tradeoffs.

Here's a longer confusing answer. It's more complicated than what I'm outlining here. The designers concluded that at the plate and screen voltages of the amp, the 6L6GC tubes are matched to the output transformer when they see an impedance of around 2200. Matched means that the power transferred from the tubes to the speakers is optimized over the frequency range that the transformer was designed for. The output transformer primary in the V4B is 2200, the secondary is 2, 4, and 8. This means that if you connect a speaker cabinet rated at 2 ohms to the 2 ohm tap, the tubes will see an impedance of 2200 ohms. Likewise, if you connect a 4 ohm cabinet to the 4 ohm tap, the tubes will see an impedance of 2200 ohms. The impedances are matched.

2200:2 has a winding ratio or 1100:1; 2200:4 has a ratio of 550:1; 2200:8 has a ratio of 275:1

The tubes see what is called a reflected impedance. That is, the transformer serves to reflect what is connected to it from the speakers to the tubes.
If you connect a 2.67 ohm cab to the 2 ohm tap, the tubes will see an impedance of 2.67 X 1100 = 2937 ohms. This is 33.5% higher (2937/2200=1.335%) than the designers optimal choice of 2200 ohms.
If you connect a 2.67 ohm cab to the 4 ohm tap, the tubes will see an impedance of 2.67 X 550 = 1468.5 ohms. This is 33.25% lower (1468.5/2200= 0.6675% or 1-0.6675=33.25%) than the optimal 2200 ohms.
Depending on how you connect the cabinets, you are right in the middle, about 33% higher or lower than the optimal impedance match.

What happens when the impedance is not matched? The operating point of the tubes shift, current flow is affected, and the amp will perform and sound a little differently. There are tradeoffs with tube life and transformer current. There will be a bit less power with a 2.67 ohm cab connected to the 2 ohm tap, a bit more power with the cab connected to the 4 ohm tap. You won't hear the difference in power. Headroom, compression, and onset of distortion will be a bit different. How much so depends on the amp's design. Some amps can better cope with an impedance mismatch than others. In this case, I don't believe that it will harm the amp running a 2.67 cabinet connected to either the 2 or 4 ohm tap.

The general rule of thumb with a tube amp is that it is safer to present a lower impedance to the tubes than it is to present a higher one. The reasons are complicated. Adopting this rule, connect the 2.67 ohm cabinets to the 4 ohm tap. You can't just look at numbers though, listen and use whichever connection you think sounds the best.

One thing that wasn't touched on. Are the same speakers found in the 212AV and 112AV? When you connect 4 and 8 ohms cabs in parallel, they will not perform equally. This is another can of worms.
 
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Very good reply here b-o-t. I posed a question in another thread about the 112AV and 212AV using the same/similar drivers in each cab. Didn't ever see a answer, so guess it's on me to do that research if I really wanna know.

So then, I'll use 4ohm input during the next gig when I use these two cabs first time. I'm just trying to get a cab up closer to my ears with the added 112AV w/o having to carry two 212AV's around. Didn't even consider the technical part of this. I'm not a touring bassist; just a weekend warrior. I was already starting to fret about tube replacement/biasing with the V-4B. Although with my uses, it will prolly be quite some time before I have to deal wieth that.

I'll use other amps/cabs as the room and my back dictate. So the Ampeg rig doesn't have to be my one and only go to rig; but it will for awhile. And I don't think I'd ever put the V-4B thru or over it's capabilities. And now with my two newest bands offering PA support won't have to blast my rigs like I did in the past.

But I'll def ponder all that info you've offered, b-o-t, well to the best of my ability to understand it better. But your explanation is much appreciated. And while my use of this odd rig may not be optimal or as efficient as it can/should be, I hope to get some nice tones with this setup to serve my purposes. Not ignoring the tech side of this at all. I come hear to learn and I'm now more knowledgeable than I was a few years ago about the tech side and hopeful to continue to grow in that aspect.

In closing, it's a damn, fun setup to be using for now. :bassist: ;) Peace y'all, ernie
 
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I suspect that the speakers in the 212AV and the 112AV are the same. The 212AV has two 8 ohm driver wired in parallel to give 4 ohms.

I figure, if it sounds good, it is good. That's all that is important. Go with what your ears tell you and enjoy it.
 
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I suspect that the speakers in the 212AV and the 112AV are the same. The 212AV has two 8 ohm driver wired in parallel to give 4 ohms.
I figure, if it sounds good, it is good. That's all that is important. Go with what your ears tell you and enjoy it.

Well whatever hearing I do have left, :thumbsdown: I will try to apply that wisely and yeah...I do plan to enjoy this; my heaviest rig in years. When I do get lazy, I have the other 5-lb amps/45-lb 212 cabs, that I will still use as well.

But again, looking forward to using this new rig, as it has sounded pretty awesome already. Fairly different than my more modern sounding amps/cabs I own. And that's a good thing. Yay. :hyper:
 
Now the happy owner of a v4b reissue! After a full band practice last night I am sold on the amp. The tone and volume was spot on all night. I thought the eq, though simple, really allowed me to dial in a few different tones quickly and kept me in the sweet spot in the mix.

I ran the amp with a bag end s18bd and s15bd with the ports sealed. Big thumbs up for vintage, tube, sealed cab goodness!

I agree, this is the easiest and most simple amp I've ever played through. Tone wise no other amp touches it IMO.
 
I agree, this is the easiest and most simple amp I've ever played through. Tone wise no other amp touches it IMO.

Yep, I liked how I got tonal changes with each knob turn. I'm using my GB 12.2 head at gig tomorrow nite. All those EQ knobs on that amp can look daunting; I mostly leave it noon-ed out. And though this GB 12.2 is an awesome amp in it's own right; sounds great thru the 212AV cab. I love the ease of use the Ampeg V-4B allows me.
 
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Yep, I liked how I got tonal changes with each knob turn. I'm using my GB 12.2 head at gig tomorrow nite. All those EQ knobs on that amp can look daunting; I mostly leave it noon-ed out. And though this GB 12.2 is an awesome amp in it's own right; sounds great thru the 212AV cab. I love the ease of use the Ampeg V-4B allows me.
I feel the same way about my Eden wt800 at times. Often all that parametric eq goes unused. Something about the v4b feels much more intuitive.
 
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I am seriously thinking of putting my V4B on top of my Fender neo 810 cabinet next weekend, I want to see how it sounds with all that extra air moving. I've got a feeling it could become very addictive...........
Simple, well-voiced amps are so rewarding to play.
 
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I recently got to play thru an svt cl and really loved the tone and want to know if the v4b can get that tone?

The answer is yes. The two amps share the same pre-amp, the V4B is designed to be a bit quieter with DC heaters.

The DI on the V4B is driven by an operational amplifier, the CL has a transformer for isolation. I would have like to have seen that in the V4B as well.
 
Thanks for the reply, I have not been able to run across a V4B in my area. That will save me some coins instead of buying the svt cl . That will make my better half happy.lol

No question that the V4BR is more affordable. A lot of people gush over the tone of this amp.

Either amp needs to be paired with the right cabinet. A lot of people like the 212AV that Ampeg sells.

I have both an SVT and a V4B and the SVT is a very loud amp. The V4B does the same thing with less power but it is still quite loud and is a lot easier to manage weight wise. The power amps in the two amps are different. They are different designs with different tubes. Each have that Ampeg sound though. Video demos from Ampeg are available on YouTube under ampegtv but there are others as well that you can check out.
 
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A question for V-4B users. My 3 weeks old V-4V sometimes has this scratchy sound, like dirty pots but goes away quickly. It happens sometimes only. Specially if I turn it on right away and don't leave it in stand by long enough. I've been using it every day and it only happens sometimes, not every time; and it never happens while the amp is warm, after some time of using it. Should I send it back for warranty? Or it is something that I should't worry about. Could it be tubes?

Thanks!!!