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Ampeg Classic Vs heritage series..

#2
The tone is better. I've played both side by side and you can hear the difference. Both are good, but the Heritage 410hlf is noticeably better. And the grillcloth and tolex are way more snazzy ;)
 
#5
This might just be a good new thread you started Jh47. I was wondering the same thing and I did a few searches here. I don't recall finding a direct comparison btw the two. There are a lot of threads on the 410HLF but most folks end up discounting the cab due to it's huge bottom end. Some do say the newer Heritage has better low end control.

I'm wondering how it might sound with my new ri-V4B; 100 watts? So I too was wondering of the comparison. The $100 difference is not that much to sweat over for what I think are a US vs Vietnam made boxes. I did a quick compare of these two cabs on a online store sight. One of my questions is they are both 76lbs but the dimensions of the Heritage are somewhat larger than the Classic HLF. I'm wondering what did they do to cause the Heritage to be a larger but not heavier cab? I think it's the different woods they use?? But also wonder about the tone between the Classic vs Heritage? I bought a new SVT410HLF in the 90's, w/GK1001RBI. I liked the huge lowend I got from that cab back then. Haven't owned any Ampeg cabs since my new SVT212AV purchase.

I was gona PM jimmyM, figuring he would know right off top of his head. But seems at least a couple of us have this same question so maybe we will get some actual user comparos here of each cab and that would be helpful.
Happy New Year Y'all!!
 
#9
Still wondering what type of tone difference folks speak of btw Heritage vs Classic. Maybe it's not that much to make a difference. Am I correct in that they are both 76lbs?

In that case $100 more for a US built seems the way to go. Que no?
 
#10
OK, a little more quick elaboration...mind you, this is with tweeters off, as I don't care for them:

The newer SVT 410hlf's, both Classic and Heritage, are still very low reaching, but the low end is a little less overwhelming than it used to be when SLM was making them, and the mids are a little more pronounced than they used to be as well. But while they do sound similar, the Heritage edges it out in overall richness. The highs are a little bit more twinkly, and it has a bit more overall presence everywhere else. This was in a store, and I didn't have the chance to sit there all day and go back and forth to compare them to be any more specific than that, but even in the store, it was noticeable. The speakers for the Classic are Chinese and the Heritage uses American speakers. Same design but there's a tonal quality difference IMHO.

The cabs themselves are the same other than cosmetics and possibly wood type (unsure of that one, though), and nothing jumped out at me that made one look bigger than the other. But they're both made of quality plywood and not OSB like the SLM-era cabs.

For an extra hundy, it's a no-brainer for me...Heritage. I doubt anyone at Ampeg would argue with you, either.
 
#12
Thanks jM, very helpful. Now at 66lbs, my 212AV is my heaviest cab. Not really looking to go heavier than that at all. But this damn ri-V4B is making me think, "hmm, wonder how it'd sound thry XYZ cab?"
Of course I love it thru my 212AV, pretty perfect. And gona try it first time next week thru my 4ohm, TB153.

When I've pumped some big watts into that cab before, you then know what that 3015LF is capable of. If it works out well with the ri-V4B; may not need another cab. And still gotta try it thru my GB NX2-212T and two TC-E RS210's. So yeah, that should hold me for awhile. Then I'll start reconsidering the 410HLF's again. :cool:
DANG! 2015 G.A.S. already...........Too Soon! :smug:
 
#13
There is a more expensive horn/driver from Eminence (APT series) in Heritage, compared to the very modest performance Foster/Fostex unit in the Classic series. IIRC, the plywood is also a better grade in Heritage, but it is nothing wrong with the plywood in the Asian classics. The old, US made Classics were made of OSB, heavy as sin...
 
#14
On a different note, how would either of these compare to my PR-410HLF (outside of significant weight difference)?

PR410HLF-7b1fc2f7010020b55c30f9ad58e120d9.jpg
 
#15
I have a V4B and a Loud 410HLF. I keep the 410HLF at our rehearsal space for practices and don't normally gig it. The 410 HLF sounds fine with the V4B which I think is a better match with it than my Orange AD200 or my Fender Super Bassman 300 (unless you want go crushingly loud) as you might expect - the tone controls just seem to be set at a better spot for the cab and the low end isn't too dominant. Frankly though I prefer my pair of SVT210AVs over the 410HLF with the V4B - with the caveat again that they won't go as loud.
I have a 212AV on the way, should be here next week, so I will be able to post a comparison between 212AV/410HLF/2 x 210AVs when it arrives.
I am not a 410HLF fanboy but I have found it to work fine for my purposes which is to keep it in one space for practices. I got mine used at a good price. Initially I found it boomy but once I became familiar with its sound the combination of a little sensible eqing and the right amp gets a perfectly useable tone. However, it is a bit of a dog to move and I could never understand why Ampeg did not do away with the towel rail tiltback setup and put four castors on the bottom.
 
#16
I am clueless about the PR410hlf, quite honestly. I've used one a couple times in the past but I'm hard pressed to remember anything except I liked it better than the SLM version of the SVT 410hlf.
 

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