advice on Ampeg SVT-350

[dvon1981]

Hi all,

I'm brand new here. I've been playing bass for around 7 years on and off but recently got back into a band.

I really like the sound of the Ampeg SVT350 paired with the 410HE cab.

My question is, will the 200 watts this drives @ 8ohms be enough to play out. I currently am using a Fender bassman 100 combo with a single 15.

Now I've done the math and with additional speaker surface area and wattage the ampeg should be around 87% louder. that's numbers though. Anyone run a similar setup? I'm looking to buy this setup soon and don't want to find out after the fact that it's not loud enough

 

[spectorbass83]

Hi all,

I'm brand new here. I've been playing bass for around 7 years on and off but recently got back into a band.

I really like the sound of the Ampeg SVT350 paired with the 410HE cab.

My question is, will the 200 watts this drives @ 8ohms be enough to play out. I currently am using a Fender bassman 100 combo with a single 15.

Now I've done the math and with additional speaker surface area and wattage the ampeg should be around 87% louder. that's numbers though. Anyone run a similar setup? I'm looking to buy this setup soon and don't want to find out after the fact that it's not loud enough

What kind of music does your new band play? How many guitarists are there and what kind of amps do they use? Is your drummer loud?

It'll be a lot easier to answer your question with this info. By the way, welcome to the forums

 

[dvon1981]

What kind of music does your new band play? How many guitarists are there and what kind of amps do they use? Is your drummer loud?

It'll be a lot easier to answer your question with this info. By the way, welcome to the forums

Sorry I'm at work and was rushing.

We play pop/punk (think new found glory but not so cheesy)

2 guitarists
both have 4x10 cabs
lead is loudest line 6 head w/ 410 cab
drummer is loud as well

 

[spectorbass83]

Sorry I'm at work and was rushing.

We play pop/punk (think new found glory but not so cheesy)

2 guitarists
both have 4x10 cabs
lead is loudest line 6 head w/ 410 cab
drummer is loud as well

You will probably run into some volume issues since you will be competing with two half stacks. From what I have learned, 200 watts is not enough to hang with two 4x10 guitar cabs and a hard hitting drummer.. Perhaps if you ask the guitarists to watch their volume and get the drummer to lay off a bit you may get by....

What is the maximum you can spend?

 

[dvon1981]

You will probably run into some volume issues since you will be competing with two half stacks. From what I have learned, 200 watts is not enough to hang with two 4x10 guitar cabs and a hard hitting drummer.. Perhaps if you ask the guitarists to watch their volume and get the drummer to lay off a bit you may get by....

What is the maximum you can spend?

I've been wrestling with price to be honest. When i originally went shopping I looked at the new B2-re which is 250watts @ 8ohms. that's $579 new. with the 410he the total is around $1100. now that is really maxing out my budget, but i don't feel like i can go with less equipment than that and keep up with the band.

I've found a couple svt-300 heads on ebay for aroun 300-400 so I was hoping to keep my end cost around $900ish


The other question i'e been wrestling with, is do i just go for a 4ohm cab instead and run 450 watts with the b2-re. the problem is that limits my ability to add another cab, but i feel like 450 watts through a 410 would be plenty loud. I just haven't bought a stack before so i'm not sure what I should be getting

 

[spectorbass83]

I've been wrestling with price to be honest. When i originally went shopping I looked at the new B2-re which is 250watts @ 8ohms. that's $579 new. with the 410he the total is around $1100. now that is really maxing out my budget, but i don't feel like i can go with less equipment than that and keep up with the band.

I've found a couple svt-300 heads on ebay for aroun 300-400 so I was hoping to keep my end cost around $900ish


The other question i'e been wrestling with, is do i just go for a 4ohm cab instead and run 450 watts with the b2-re. the problem is that limits my ability to add another cab, but i feel like 450 watts through a 410 would be plenty loud. I just haven't bought a stack before so i'm not sure what I should be getting

How does your current combo amp hold up at band practice? Do you find it hard to hear yourself and for your bandmates to hear you? If you can, try and get by with your current set up and save more money to buy two cabs at once. This will be ideal. You could also look at used amps/cabs at your local music store (assuming you have access to one).

Is there any way you can rent a similar set up from a music store or a friend to see how it holds up at band practice?

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

200 watts with a 410 aint that much, probably about 4-5 dB louder than your current setup (taking into account both amps being the actual stated wattage etc etc), and that both speaker setups are the same sensitivity

 

[dvon1981]

How does your current combo amp hold up at band practice? Do you find it hard to hear yourself and for your bandmates to hear you? If you can, try and get by with your current set up and save more money to buy two cabs at once. This will be ideal. You could also look at used amps/cabs at your local music store (assuming you have access to one).

Is there any way you can rent a similar set up from a music store or a friend to see how it holds up at band practice?

The amp I have now is being pushed to it's max at practice (just below where the power amp clips) at it's non clipping max it sounds like crap to be blunt. the single 15 loses any punch it may have had and gets lost in the mix.

I've been trying to read all the FAQs here and reading alot of posts. for portability i don't know that i can haul more than a half stack, so i don't know that i want more than 1 cab. this is leading me to think that what i'm better of with is a 4ohm cab. Instead of the svt 350 i'm thinking maybe the b2re. that setup would put 450 watts to a 4ohm cab, bassed on one of the faqs people seem to think that's a solid enough gig setup.

i've been looking for used gear without much luck. do any of you have any recomendations for a head and a 4x10 cab under $1000? I really like the ampeg sound, but i'd be willing to look at something else

 

[The 0x]

The SVT-350 is not a very loud head, and at 8 ohms really doesn't have much steam at all. Combine it with a relatively inefficient cab such as the 410HE, and you're not gonna get a whole lot of volume out of that setup.

 

[somrandomguy]

Ampegs do not push enough watts to justify their price. Your best bet if you're deadset on Ampeg tone is to find a used Ampeg preamp, buy a poweramp, and stick it in a rack. Then buy an Avatar cab.

 

[dvon1981]

Ampegs do not push enough watts to justify their price. Your best bet if you're deadset on Ampeg tone is to find a used Ampeg preamp, buy a poweramp, and stick it in a rack. Then buy an Avatar cab.

Can you offer some advice of another brand(s) of cab/head i should be looking at?

 

[Whitmore]

I was under the impression that the 350 was no longer in production. However i own the SVT-450 which is identical only with 450 watts instead of 350. I use it with the SVT-610hlf and I have run into no issues competing with my guitarists volume wise or my drummer and he hits really hard. Keep in mind my guitarists are fairly sensible but can still get quite loud (one uses a Marshall JCM2000 TSL100 through a 1960's 412 the other uses a Peavey JSX Joe Satriani signature head through a Peavey 412 of some nature) and i have run into no problems so i think if you are set on the 350's sound you should look into the 450 and get a 4 ohm cab because i have no problems keeping up.

Just my $0.02

Peace
Whitmore

 

[dvon1981]

I was under the impression that the 350 was no longer in production. However i own the SVT-450 which is identical only with 450 watts instead of 350. I use it with the SVT-610hlf and I have run into no issues competing with my guitarists volume wise or my drummer and he hits really hard. Keep in mind my guitarists are fairly sensible but can still get quite loud (one uses a Marshall JCM2000 TSL100 through a 1960's 412 the other uses a Peavey JSX Joe Satriani signature head through a Peavey 412 of some nature) and i have run into no problems so i think if you are set on the 350's sound you should look into the 450 and get a 4 ohm cab because i have no problems keeping up.

Just my $0.02

Peace
Whitmore

I was looking at a used svt-350 you are correct they no longer make them.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Ampegs do not push enough watts to justify their price. Your best bet if you're deadset on Ampeg tone is to find a used Ampeg preamp, buy a poweramp, and stick it in a rack. Then buy an Avatar cab.

With SS maybe, but your paying for the tone (and name) when going all tube

I would rather my peavey firebass as an SS head instead of an ampeg SS one tbh, maybe just me

 

[Microbass]

With SS maybe, but your paying for the tone (and name) when going all tube

I would rather my peavey firebass as an SS head instead of an ampeg SS one tbh, maybe just me

i felt the 300W my trace was pumping out was smoking the 450W an SVT450 was struggling to put out.

I'd go with the suggestion of getting a pre+power amp and avatar cabs. only had experience with 8x10s in the ampeg speaker dept.

 

[DerekP]

do yourself a favour, if you like the ampeg sound instead of the 410 he, get the 410hlf its 4ohm... that way you're running whatever head you get at 4 ohms and putting out max power, some people will say the 410 hlf is too low but thats all subjective, see if you can go to a local store and try one. i speak from experience having owned the 410he and the svt-350 it just wasnt loud enough or low enough for my needs.

 

[somrandomguy]

With SS maybe, but your paying for the tone (and name) when going all tube

I would rather my peavey firebass as an SS head instead of an ampeg SS one tbh, maybe just me

Ampeg makes tube preamps, which is what I was referring to. While the tubes in the poweramp in Ampeg heads do add to that distinctive sound, in my opinion, the added cost does not justify the extra price.

Can you offer some advice of another brand(s) of cab/head i should be looking at?

Personally, I love the tone Ampegs get. And you might be okay with 200 watts of tube (which is pretty loud) if your guitarists aren't using massive stacks.

 

[jammoore]

Ok, need some advice. So I bought the SVT-350 and the 410HE about 2 - 2 1/2 years ago. I been fairly happy with it. Considering I have 1200 in it and I'd be lucky if I could get 600 out of it, selling doesn't make financial sense.

Last weekend I played this big corporate gig. Giant room, only about 200 people, and they just sat and watched (great money, but lousy show). Any rate, I don't think I have ever played a room that big. We had to keep the volume low, so maybe that was the problem, but I just sounded very thin, very, very, thin. I like a very poppy/punchy bass sound, never been a 15 fan, but in this case, would adding 15 cab help or would you think it's just the nature of the beast in a large room with low volume? I had planned on getting the 210HE, but I've been planning on that for about 2-2 1/2 years. Our GC has never has the 210 in stock, but they always have the 15E.

Another option I've considered is getting a POD. I'm not an effects guy. I do use a Boss ME50B, but its a tuner and a volume pedal, that's it. Would the POD amp/cabinet modeler help in a situation like that?

I swear, I hate freakin whiners like I'm being right now, but I play Warrior basses and been proud of my tone and sound (I run that amp about as flat as you can get. All my tonal control are handled on my Warriors, but after last week, I'm afraid that 50-100 foot out, I sound like crap.

One more thing, I've got extremely limited resources right now. In about 3 weeks I've got a new Warrior being delivered (1/2 up front, 1/2 half at end). That's why each solution has been about $400.

Sorry for the ramble. Any advise would be appreciated.