ampeg 7pro vs other micro amps

[Ben Heard]

Think I'll give at miss after reading through all of that thread. Seems like there's a lot of negative things being said about this amp. Lots of good to but I'd rather something that has less controversy surrounding it.

If you liked the tone, who cares about the controversy? The TC RH450/750 have controversy surrounding them, doesn't stop people from loving their amps. It's easy to get caught up in what others say here on TB but you've really got to find what works for you in the real world!

I haven't had the opportunity to play the 7 Pro but I've tried the PF series, the MicroVR stack, the SVT-CL and Ampeg is really doing right by their products lately.

 

[f.c.geil]

The 7-Pro isn't a "micro." It's a lightweight, high-power alternative to the rest of the SVT line, with a killer tone. That should be all that matters.

The Rev. C models are reliable, so I would have no qualms about buying one.

I tested (and am about to do so again) a 7-Pro that achieved 96% of rated power, which is well within tolerances, so would have no issues purchasing one based on power.

If you like the tone, and can afford one, buy it. It's that simple.

I love the tone, but have a STM-900 that I like better, so I'll keep that.

 

[JimmyM]

Think I'll give at miss after reading through all of that thread. Seems like there's a lot of negative things being said about this amp. Lots of good to but I'd rather something that has less controversy surrounding it.

That's real fair :scowl: but whatever. No one amp is for everyone.

 

[John D]

Think I'll give at miss after reading through all of that thread. Seems like there's a lot of negative things being said about this amp. Lots of good to but I'd rather something that has less controversy surrounding it.

IMO, if you discount the 7 Pro based on that thread, you apparently don't understand what is being said. Moreover, you are doing yourself a disservice. In one way or the other, all the major posters on that thread, and the more recent thread, have agreed that the amp does what it is supposed to do.

 

[Duke21]

I'll back jimmy up on this one. I am not endorsed with ampeg. In fact spent a few years endorsed with peavey amps. I say, listen to jimmy on ampegs. He won't blow smoke up your whoopsy daisy, and will be the first to tell when an ampeg does suck.

Btw, I totally love the 7 pro. It is as awesome as they say.

+1

Edit: Jimmy is a great guy, "stubborn" and with strong opinions. I like his "tell it as it is attitude", and he is very helpful guy. It is about time to talk about the amp, not about Jimmy.

 

[arthur31686]

If I was in the market for a loud hybrid head this would be my first pick. I trust my ears and my ears have told me that it can bring it

 

[svtb15]

JimmyM is one of the most trusted folks here.. And UN BIASED.. if ampeg was failing he would be the first to say something.. He played ampeg waaaaay before Talkbass. They came to him and made him a product endorser...
What you said is very much out of line and you don't know JImmy .. Especially if you have followed his threads on TB..
You can take what Jimmy says to the bank..

As i say, "yeah I'm a Genz endorser but I'm a bass player first"! Same goes for JimmyM.. he is a bass player first and that guy has INTEGRITY!
I was a FULL "A" endorser of Ampeg for 22 years .... And now im with Genz Benz for 6 years or so... I've been around...
Just sayin' !

No offence dude but I notice your endorsement with ampeg and read your posts on the other thread. So I'd rather here from someone less biased

 

[lfbassguy]

+1

Edit: Jimmy is a great guy, "stubborn" and with strong opinions. I like his "tell it as it is attitude", and he is very helpful guy. It is about time to talk about the amp, not about Jimmy.

+1

 

[lfbassguy]

I'm glad I didn't pass on the 7 pro, especially for what TB has to say.

 

[Slackerprince]

I actually own a 7 Pro and love it. Everything about it.
Kind of wish it had less power, though.

S

 

[Jheake]

Yea if you take what the naysayers say about the amp not performing then it's your loss. That amp can make any 810 squeal at 3/4 volume on the master.

I've owned many amps one of them being the SLM era svt 4pro which to me is still one of the best heads out there period, but it weighed a ton. It had more power than the 7pro but the 7pro IMO is actually louder. It also sounds just as good and only weighs 15lbs.

If the former chief engineer of ampeg and many other tech savvy engineers say the amp is working as intended then IMO it does. I owned a Gk head that was rated at 500 watts(mbfusion). It sounded like it was easily 700 watts.

My point goes along with others, play it first see how it drives, then buy it or don't. Opinions on a forum are just that. Use your ears.

 

[Jerrold Tiers]

And your reasoning and qualifications for disagreeing with the former chief engineer for Ampeg are...?

Jimmy: props are OK, but I can be wrong like anyone else.....

Particularly when I have not messed with the product..... barely have seen one, I'm just not hooked-in with what's new the way I used to be when I was directly in the equipment biz.... I don't think the factory service shop folks I know have ever seen one in for repair either.

So ALL I am gonna say is that I saw nothing in the schematic I looked at that jumped out as "this amp ain't gonna do it". I was pretty curious, and looked it over fairly well.

I did see some things said about the test that suggested conditions were "different" from what I would have done. NOT WRONG..... just "different". And the BGM folks happily say they test differently, which is fine. Different test, maybe different results, for whatever reason..... limiter, settings, weak amp, bad mains voltage, dunno.

Did the BGM test folks ever say what the mains were at during the test?

I have no hard data.... if the other thread lasts long enough without getting closed, we may get some.

And, on some level it doesn't matter..... the amp by most accounts is loud and has good tone.... which is, after all, what it is for........

I admit... if a definite claim of a basic fact like power output is made, it ought to be true. And maybe it is even here.... My view is that nobody holds a weapon at the throat of marketing and says "you will claim X number of watts"... nobody would be complaining if the spec sheet said 750W...... they'd see the other tests showing over 950W and say the amp is "better than claimed"....

Same amp either way, the only difference is on a piece of paper.................

Think I'll give at miss after reading through all of that thread. Seems like there's a lot of negative things being said about this amp. Lots of good to but I'd rather something that has less controversy surrounding it.

That right there is the danger of publishing test results of non-standard tests, even with disclaimers about conditions and methods...... and then having long controversies about it in the "forumosphere"....at the end of the day, people only remember "oh, yeah, that's the amp where the company lied about it and got caught"......doesn't matter if that is actually true or not.

 

[JimmyM]

Fair enough, Jerrold...but you know the old saying about a duck. At worst, it looks like they took a fantastic amp and made it work in adverse conditions better by shaving off a few watts when needed. Sure I'm prejudiced, but you know me...I'm fair if nothing else. Anyone want me to trash a current Ampeg product to prove it?

 

[esa372]

I'm prejudiced, but ...I'm fair if nothing else.

Anyone want me to trash a current Ampeg product to prove it?

I'm not necessarily looking for trash talk, but what do you think of the SVT 8 Pro?

 

[JimmyM]

Have not tried the 8 Pro, sorry. And Jerrold knows me, so it's OK if you don't But I don't go around trashing every other brand because I like Ampeg. I'm very complimentary to many other brands on here.

 

[bassbones741]

JimmyM is one of the most trusted folks here.. And UN BIASED.. if ampeg was failing he would be the first to say something.. He played ampeg waaaaay before Talkbass. They came to him and made him a product endorser...
What you said is very much out of line and you don't know JImmy .. Especially if you have followed his threads on TB..
You can take what Jimmy says to the bank..

As i say, "yeah I'm a Genz endorser but I'm a bass player first"! Same goes for JimmyM.. he is a bass player first and that guy has INTEGRITY!
I was a FULL "A" endorser of Ampeg for 22 years .... And now im with Genz Benz for 6 years or so... I've been around...
Just sayin' !

Hmmm, call me out of line? most of use guys on here who are endorsed seem way to pushy to me. im a bass player! i dont care if if your endorsed for 199 years or for 1 year you guys are biased but with your full A! endorsement i dont expect you to say anything but positivity towards your company. Im not and dont have to push a product in peoples faces. i just want a good amp that says what it does on paper and rocks when i want it to. BUt i can rock through a 30watt practice amp anyways

 

[JimmyM]

Hey dude, you asked. I think it's a little presumptuous for you to assume that someone's going to tell you they like something they don't just because they're endorsing it. Most endorsers actually like the products they endorse. And you asked about the 7 Pro and I told you what I thought. Now go buy what you want. Or don't. I'm cool with it either way, and even if I wasn't, who cares what I think?

 

[tombowlus]

Did the BGM test folks ever say what the mains were at during the test?

I'll have to get that info from Tom Lees, but having been to Tom's place many times when he is doing tests (and when he is not doing them), I've never seen his wall voltage drop below 119v (even during a test), and typically, his dedicated line hovers about 122-123v.

 

[tombowlus]

I'm not necessarily looking for trash talk, but what do you think of the SVT 8 Pro?

You didn't ask me, I know, but just for kicks, we tested my 8Pro (on that same unregulated line, and using the same protocols that we used for the 7Pro), and it pretty much delivered exactly what it was rated for. That's a very impressive amp, and it sounds fantastic!

 

[tombowlus]

Think I'll give at miss after reading through all of that thread. Seems like there's a lot of negative things being said about this amp. Lots of good to but I'd rather something that has less controversy surrounding it.

I think that would be a bad call. As someone who not only reviewed the SVT-7Pro, but who ended up buying the test unit after the review was done, I can say that I think this amp kicks all kinds of butt, and I have recommended to a variety of people. If you like the Ampeg tone, and you don't care if your head can fit in the front pocket of your gig bag, the SVT-7Pro is very compelling. I love mine.

The folks who are jumping all over it's continuous power ratings seem to be ignoring its impressive burst power ratings (914 watts, at 4 ohms). This is a fine head, and most of the "controversy" is in my mind, a misunderstanding of the measured results. It's a great head.