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ampeg B2RE
- Thread starter FLEMMERAN
- Start date
My opinion is that the pros are: It is a great sounding, very reliable, powerful amp with most every good feature you could want. The only con I can think of, is that it has a signature Ampeg tone to it, so if you don't like Ampeg's tone, as some people don't - the obvious...you wouldn't like it. I wouldn't buy one if you can't try it first, but they are at every GC in the country to try.
The B2R and now B2RE are up there as my favorite amps ever, and I think they are a good value since they sound so good. I'm sure others will disagree.
The B2R and now B2RE are up there as my favorite amps ever, and I think they are a good value since they sound so good. I'm sure others will disagree.
Some people just don't like Ampeg. I'm not one of them. They are basically a 3-Pro in SS. They are fine. I loved my 3-Pro.
The B2R was 350 the B2RE is 450. Still solid state, you have a tube front end in the 3-Pro.KeithBMI said:
I think they're overpriced for what they are, and aren't terribly loud for their power rating. An Ashdown MAG-300 can get similar sounds, with slightly better volume, and about half the price. At least, that's what I think.
To me when you are talking 350 watts or 450 watts...that is a hell of a lot of power! I used a B2R with an SVT410HLF and never had any problems with being loud enough. Probably because I was running a 350 watt head. Even if it's not *really* quite that much, which is debatable I guess, it's still a lot of power, and the B2RE is simply more.
I bought the B2RE with the Aguilar GS112, and hated the combination. A friend of mine had a Peavey PRO500 head and it sounded amazing. I couldn't cut through at all without turning the amp up to about 3 o'clock with it. I am playing a Peavey Cirrus through it and at the time a Zeta upright (I have sold the Zeta and bought an acoustic upright). I was able to find an old Ampeg B-15N fliptop which is amazing and sold the B2RE and the Aguilar. I don't hesitate at all selling the B2RE, but kind of miss the Aguilar. My friend went on a month tour across the USA with the Peavey and drove the piss out of it, he plays metal. He also did little mini tours for about 6 months and it is still kicking. My 2 cents is don't get anything less than the SVT3PRO.
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
A guy at GC told me the B2R actually sounds louder than the newer B2RE due to different input sensitivity. FWIW.KeithBMI said:
Personally, I fine them both to sound 'compressed' for lack of a better word. I played through a B2R /410 rig for several rehearsals for a new band and then used my B100R last week. Every member of the band thought the B100R sounded better.
I eq'd the bigger rig everyway possible, but just couldn't get a sound I liked.
Don't mean to upset anybody.......just my opinion.
Well, I can't argue that the 3-PRO is a killer amp. I'm not sure it's any louder than a B2R, though - maybe a little bit. The 3-PRO sounds good and the B2RE sounds good - the B2RE will sound a little more hi-fi because it's all SS, but I like that under some circumstances. Just try it out. You can buy a very nice used SVT-3 PRO for probably the same as a new B2RE. The cabinet you pick makes a huge difference, of course. I'm sure the SVT-410HLF sounds way different than an Aguilar GS-112 because I've had both. The Aggie just didn't get it for me, but other people love them. The B2RE or the SVT-3 PRO will sound great with an SVT-410HLF, IMHO.
clink said:A guy at GC told me the B2R actually sounds louder than the newer B2RE due to different input sensitivity. FWIW.
Personally, I fine them both to sound 'compressed' for lack of a better word. I played through a B2R /410 rig for several rehearsals for a new band and then used my B100R last week. Every member of the band thought the B100R sounded better.
I eq'd the bigger rig everyway possible, but just couldn't get a sound I liked.
Don't mean to upset anybody.......just my opinion.
Interesting that you said that. I was told by somebody (I think Jerrold Tiers) that the preamps were identical, but I personally like the B2R better than the B2RE - I don't know what it is, it's not a volume thing, I just like the tone better - maybe it's because the B2Rs are broken in more or something.
Skel said:
Well, i've heard "350 watt" heads (such as that Ampeg) that were just as loud as my "60 watt" Sunn heads, and then "300 watt" amps that sounded a helluva lot louder than certain "500+ watt" amps. There are several factors, one of which is the way the amp is voiced, how the EQ is set up, and how each company rates their amps power-wise.
well i was looking at the 450w B2RE as opposed to the 350w B2R because i like the idea of that extra 100 watts
FLEMMERAN said:
Again - IMHO this is a killer amp with tons of power no matter who or how the power is measured. I know you will never say you don't have enough power with this amp, and with it being all SS, it is very dependable, and has awesome clean tone - no distortion but it sounds so "Ampeg".
That makes sense. I was thinking of upgrading but then found that my old B2R was just as loud or louder. Needless to say I kept the B2R.clink said:
Skel said:
You are probably one of the only people who feels this way.... most people I know say that this amp doesn't have enough power, and that the clip/peak light is always on. Even my 60 watt Sunns are louder.
Now, if you wanna try a REALLY powerful 300 watt solid state amp, try the GK 800RB. THAT's loud.
P.S. The "dependable" thing: Once again, solid state amps are no more reliable than tube amps.
also your 60 watt sunn is probably all tube. i know guitarists can have like a 50w all tube amp and itll be louder than a 120w SS amp.
FLEMMERAN said:
Yes, my Sunn is all tube, but a 350 watt solid state amp should bury a 60 watt amp, tubes or not.
The 0x said:
I don't think SS amps are more dependable than tube amps - I just think the B2RE would be a very dependable amp because it's an Ampeg. If I'm a rare minority in thinking the B2RE would be a good, powerful, dependable amp, then I guess the original poster should consider something else. I would take one in a heartbeat.
