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Ampeg B25 B?

JMac- Wiskerface Designs

JMac- Wiskerface Designs

Terror headcase dude
Jul 8, 2009
2,573
101
49
Atlanta, GA
#1
I just found a vintage Ampeg B-25 Head for grabs. I have read some reviews and all pretty much say that they sound great. At any rate, what I am looking at doing is building me a small jam/ practice rig that will sound like my SVT without the weight size and volume level. So I was thinking of buying this amp and pairing it with a two 10" cab. My only concern would be the 60 watt factor. I know that in the tube versus solid state world watts are two different things, and that 60 watts tube would be the equivalent of 120 watts solidstate. So what do you guys think?
 
#2
It might be a good practice amp, or good for low volume rehearsals with the right cab. Just remember that the B25 is designed to run 16 ohms out. If it comes with the original 215 with the 4 or 16 ohm switch I say definitely. If you have to find a cab I'd be a little less excited. And fwiw I don't think the B25 will sound much like a little svt, but I think it will sound good in its own right.
 
#5
JMac4strngr said:
Yea, I was checking out the 16 ohm thing. I was thinking about the two 10" cab thing because I allready have two 8 ohm 10 inch speakers, and that I could wire the two 8 ohms in series for 16 ohms.
Click to expand...

:cool:
They are great little heads.
Forget the 2x10 cab.
Go to fliptops.com and they will make you a 16 ohm 2x15 cab to go with head.
With the right cab, they sound great.
 
#8
I love my B25B. I have an original 2x15 16 ohm cab. Maybe my tubes and caps are in great shape, but mine gets pretty loud. I gig with it, and I think you would be hard pressed to find a better blues band setup. To me it sounds more like a B15 than an SVT. If you put together an efficient 2x15, I think it would surprise you. When I play with the rock band, I mic it and send it through the PA. These amps are simple, tough, cheap, and dependable.
 
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#9
The B25B is a sweet sounding head. Mine is partnered with the matching B25B cab with the optional Altec 421A speakers. Wonderful sound and amazingly loud with the Altecs. Now - everyone mentions the 16 ohm deal. Here's my take. First, the B25B Service Manual states that the head runs 16 OR 8 ohms. The weird thing is, the same Service Manual states that the matching cab runs 16 OR 4 ohms with the selectable switch. Doesn't make sense? I wired up the 2-8 ohm Altecs for 4 ohms and I run the head like that and have experienced no problems. And that's not at wimpy bass control settings or volume. Of course I daisy chain the 2 channels for maximum headroom and tone control. At band practices and jam sessions, I, along with other folks, are pretty amazed at the volume and tone of this 55 watt head. I have a 130 watt Acoustic Slave (currently being serviced) that I'm going to pump up the power a little with and I expect to be even more surprised with it then. The standard CTS speakers are rated at 130 watts RMS, but the Altecs are rated at a very efficient 200. So, the 55 watts that the head is putting out leaves a good bit of speaker potential unused. :cool:
 
#10
Oren Hudson said:
The B25B is a sweet sounding head. Mine is partnered with the matching B25B cab with the optional Altec 421A speakers. Wonderful sound and amazingly loud with the Altecs. Now - everyone mentions the 16 ohm deal. Here's my take. First, the B25B Service Manual states that the head runs 16 OR 8 ohms. The weird thing is, the same Service Manual states that the matching cab runs 16 OR 4 ohms with the selectable switch. Doesn't make sense? I wired up the 2-8 ohm Altecs for 4 ohms and I run the head like that and have experienced no problems.
Click to expand...

The 16 or 8 refers to using one cab or two. The 16 and 4 ohm switch on the B-25 cab is because it was available as an optional cab for other heads. I have an ampeg catalog from 1973 that shows the B-25B cab available with the V4 and SVT.
 
#14
rcubed said:
How would that compare to a Fender Bassman 50? Seems like they similar controls (two channels, each with volume, bass and treble).
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Not the same. I "moved up" from the Bassman 50 to the B25 in 1972 and while I can't give you the details (memory issues with that decade!!), I do recall that it was a major step up in the tone department. Maybe others can chime in with specifics.
 
#15
I have both. In fact, just did a side by side comparison. Same bass and same cab. Although I've been a LONG time Fender fan, the B25B did have better tone and sound better with maybe a tiny bit more volume. 2 things that that I don't like on the Bassman compared to the B25B - Switches are on the back and no jack for slave amp use. My opinion. :cool:
 
#16
Oren Hudson said:
I have both. In fact, just did a side by side comparison. Same bass and same cab. Although I've been a LONG time Fender fan, the B25B did have better tone and sound better with maybe a tiny bit more volume. 2 things that that I don't like on the Bassman compared to the B25B - Switches are on the back and no jack for slave amp use. My opinion. :cool:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comparison. I've been thinking about getting a low powered tube head that I could use for solo practice and recordings and those two seem would be on the list.
 

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