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Ampeg B15-t opinions

B

Bofink

Guest
Dec 28, 2013
60
5
Finland
#1
So I'm in the market for a first and affordable amp head.

I found this one head that caught my attention, an Ampeg B15-t, 100W 4Ohm, from the 90's made in USA

Is it any good? How loud is it compared to a modern 300W+ bass head like Hartke? And most importantly, does it sound goood? :)

Is 150€ a good price for the head?

Head.jpg

Picture from rexbass.com
 
#3
I absolutely love mine. I've had it for about 8 or 9 years, and it gets a pretty good amount of play. The reason it wasn't a big success at the time, from what I've read, is that it didn't sound like the original B-15. That much is true - it's a totally different sound. Each of the tone controls pulls out to boost the range it controls. I can't speak as to price - there was one on Ebay a little while ago (may still be there) for $350 with the optional EV speaker. Mine has the regular Ampeg speaker from Eminence, and I paid $200 for it on an Ebay auction. I built a head box for mine so I could use it with a different (4 x 10) speaker, and could use the speaker cabinet with a different head. If all you're getting is the head, 150 euros sounds a little high to me - something over $200 here. If it's the whole thing - amp and cabinet - I'd leap on it with both feet!
 
#4
Bofink said:
Is it any good? How loud is it compared to a modern 300W+ bass head like Hartke?
Click to expand...

Don't know how good this model is, but a 100w SS amp is not a particularly loud one. If you are referring to the Hartke class-a/b hybrids, then sonically, they are more than capable of running with the best of them!

Just be aware that used Hartke amps often need new mains capacitors (not a difficult job for those who can solder).
 
#5
I bought one of these when they first came out, and liked it. I mean, it's not the same as a 300W amp, but it was loud enough to play bars. Good clean tone, and storage room inside the cab. Pop some removable casters on it, and you are good to go. I sold mine when I needed a bigger system, and got a really good deal.

Blooz is right. People bought them thinking they were getting the B-15 sound, which it aint. But it is a good amp.
 
#7
BloozBass said:
I absolutely love mine. I've had it for about 8 or 9 years, and it gets a pretty good amount of play. The reason it wasn't a big success at the time, from what I've read, is that it didn't sound like the original B-15. That much is true - it's a totally different sound. Each of the tone controls pulls out to boost the range it controls. I can't speak as to price - there was one on Ebay a little while ago (may still be there) for $350 with the optional EV speaker. Mine has the regular Ampeg speaker from Eminence, and I paid $200 for it on an Ebay auction. I built a head box for mine so I could use it with a different (4 x 10) speaker, and could use the speaker cabinet with a different head. If all you're getting is the head, 150 euros sounds a little high to me - something over $200 here. If it's the whole thing - amp and cabinet - I'd leap on it with both feet!
Click to expand...
For me, 150€ sounded pretty cheap, but because it's a USA model it uses 110V, which means that I'd have to buy a converter to 230V that would cost me an extra 50, which wouldn't be really worth it :/
 
#8
Those step up and down transformers are a PITA. I would not want to be married to one. And I don't know if they had switched to universal power transformers by then or not, as that's quite an early amp in SLM's ownership. They can be rewired to run at whatever voltage, but only if they're made to rewire, otherwise you have to replace it, which would be a deal breaker for me.
 

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