2013 Ampeg V-4B 100W Reissue Pt2

[husky123]

I had both the V4B and 100T. Sold the Fender.

 

[peterpalmieri]

Here is the video I am referring too.



I'm not dogging the amp, actually pretty happy I fell in love with the Fender. Guess it's just my luck the V4B I played hummed.

 

[Bass 45]

You are dogging the amp. They do not hum. We have all seen that video ages ago. It is a rare issue and probably a simple fix.

Here is the video I am referring too.



I'm not dogging the amp, actually pretty happy I fell in love with the Fender. Guess it's just my luck the V4B I played hummed.

p.

 

[beans-on-toast]

The V4BR design incorporates DC heaters for all the small signal tubes to minimize line hum. This is a common technique used in studio equipment and high end preamps. It helps make this amp quieter than most.

 

[Tim1]

Ya, go with what you feel is best for you. My V4B is totally silent, and that youtube clip is the only time I have ever heard of hum issues with the V4B. I used to own a 100T but moved it on and replaced it with the V4B which far better suits my needs tonally and in terms of clean headroom. In the end it is your choice - I am very happy with mine.

 

[peterpalmieri]

So you guys think the humming amp in Sam ash was just a bad one?

 

[eyeballkid]

Mine had the least sound of 4 tube amps at my house. Dead quiet!

 

[BluesOnBass]

Mine also is dead quiet. No noise at all until I hit a string.

 

[beans-on-toast]

So you guys think the humming amp in Sam ash was just a bad one?

More than likely, it was a bad tube.

 

[peterpalmieri]

Ok. I will search out another one to try over the holidays.

 

[60bass]

So you guys think the humming amp in Sam ash was just a bad one?

Probably just a tube bad or not seated properly. I'm also considering both the V4 and the Fender 100T.

If I were to base my decision on just what I've read on this thread and the 100T thread, I'd be inclined to go with the V4. The reason being the amount of issues users have had with the auto bias circuit in the 100T. Sure Fender gets the issues fixed for customers but you still have to deal with the hassle of it all. Very few mentions of issues here for the V4. I like the simple circuit in the V4 seems less prone to problems.

I do however love the Fender tone stack and wish they'd not messed around with the auto bias circuit. Sometimes over designing or over thinking is not a good thing.

 

[KaseOfBass]

I've been jonesing for a tube amp for a while here, the V4B was on the top of the list until I saw that youtube video of the engineer who says the thing hums like crazy. After reading my way through this thread I was convinced that enough people really love this amp. Today I went to a local music shop turned it on and found out it hums like crazy. Luckily they had a bassman 100T in the room as well, I pretty much fell in love with it. Haven't pulled the trigger yet but really digging the two channel and features of the fender.

Haven't experienced this at all with my V-4B reissue.

 

[peterpalmieri]

60 bass. I agree 100% you can imagine I find a shop that has both. I go right for the V4B and with the gain at 9 o'clock it hums quite a bit. At noon it's unbearably loud. I fooled with it for a few minutes and shut it down in disgust.

I to love simplicity, not to mention lower price and lighter weight. And I have bias towards ampeg.

The overdrive channel on the bassman was very cool as is the cut only passive tone stack. If I can locate a good V4B it's still gonna be a competition.

I certainly don't need one so it's all about wanting what will be more fun.

 

[JimmyM]

Ya, mine's quiet, too. I suspect a bad tube in the pre maybe.

 

[TC.65]

60 bass. I agree 100% you can imagine I find a shop that has both. I go right for the V4B and with the gain at 9 o'clock it hums quite a bit. At noon it's unbearably loud. I fooled with it for a few minutes and shut it down in disgust.

I to love simplicity, not to mention lower price and lighter weight. And I have bias towards ampeg.

The overdrive channel on the bassman was very cool as is the cut only passive tone stack. If I can locate a good V4B it's still gonna be a competition.

I certainly don't need one so it's all about wanting what will be more fun.

Was the V4B in Sam Ash plugged in to a power strip with other amps or components plugged in the same one? What about florescent lights? could also be a bad or loose tube.

 

[peterpalmieri]

The Sam ash in Carl place is pretty nice, been there for years. Dedicated bass room, no power strips and this is the only amp that hummed. I'm only guessing but I don't think it had anything to do with the room.

 

[peterpalmieri]

There is another Sam ash and two GCs within a half hour from me. Finding another one to play shouldn't be an issue.

 

[beans-on-toast]

If I were to base my decision on just what I've read on this thread and the 100T thread, I'd be inclined to go with the V4.

I get terrified of making any purchase whenever I start reading reviews on the internet. Every product has some issues and people that encounter them are vocal. It's good to be educated going into a purchase, but in reality the number of failures are low. Also, when you read about issues, they may be long resolved.

I bought an Apple laptop and there was a lot of traffic about problems with the screen. They were resolved early in production and I never had a problem with mine. Sometimes it pays to wait when a new product comes out for them to field test it with a large group of owners and get all the kinks out.

 

[tombowlus]

The V-4B which we received in for review did not hum at all. In fact, I was impressed by the lack of unwanted noise. Ampeg may not get this one back...

 

[PWRL]

I'm not sure, so I'll ask- who's run one of these at 2 ohms? I have a 212 AV for mine, and I'm thinking about picking up another. Good idea or bad?