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Ampeg Help

T

tone_challenged

Jan 8, 2007
17
0
NJ-USA
#1
I am a long-time member, first time poster. I need help and I don't know where to turn ... seems like the absolute definitive place, so here goes:

Bass amp - back story: I have searched for what seems like years for the perfect combination of tone, power and portability. Here's where I am today: Ampeg SVT 7 Pro + Two (2) Custom Ampeg 210 HE's. Custom because I've loaded them with Eminence Deltalite NEO 10"s. Each speaker is 250W so each cab should be 500W at 8 ohms. Amp is rated 1000W at 4 ohms.

This sounds like it should be plenty of power (and volume) for most applications, right? It's not. When I turn up, it farts and flabs and almost never sounds "bottom-endy" at any volume. I don't understand why. I play passive Fenders in a rock cover band with two guitars. They are not the problem. I can't even get my amp loud/low enough to meet the drums at a respectable level.

My next step at this point is to go back to an enclosed (and back-breaking) 410. Don't want to do that, but what else can I do?

Any/All insight anyone can provide would be super appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Tone_challenged (Mike)
 
#5
tone_challenged said:
I almost feel like things were louder/sounded better with the stock Ampeg speakers. Any helpful suggestions?
Click to expand...

Very likely they are. So put the stock ones back. The box is designed round them, the enclosure and port tuned appropriately to those drivers. You might be able to retune the cabs to somewhere helpful, are they stuffed/line? If the ports are tubes, roll up some stiff card, and extend the ports telescopically, see if it helps the sound, it lowers the tuning, which should help with the farting out.
 
#7
Mr. Foxen said:
Very likely they are. So put the stock ones back. The box is designed round them, the enclosure and port tuned appropriately to those drivers. You might be able to retune the cabs to somewhere helpful, are they stuffed/line? If the ports are tubes, roll up some stiff card, and extend the ports telescopically, see if it helps the sound, it lowers the tuning, which should help with the farting out.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input, Mr. Foxen.

a) speakers are gone. dumb, I know, but I sold them to a local store/buddy of mine.

b) cabs are lined with that carpet padding looking stuff. Would it help to even try to close off the ports or could that cause problems? (again, thanks in advance)
 
#8
Try one cab at a time and see how they sound on their own. FIRST:Use a 9volt battery touched to the free end of a 1/4" cable plugged into each cab one at a time to make sure you didn't miss-wire the cabs. Each 10" should move the same direction. If all that is good the cab tuning does not meet the speakers needs and they are unloading (flapping in the wind at low power). You might be able to re-tune the cabs if the internal size is not too far off.
 
#9
JellinWellen said:
The 410s have wheels! Hell I really enjoyed the 2 svt-15e setup I had for awhile and they had wheels. Made it super easy.
Click to expand...

Wheels are good for sure, JellinWellen. My problem is lifting the thing into the back of my SUV. I guess if I get one big (tall) enough I could just tilt it back into the trunk of my truck.

I think I'm just really reluctant to give up on this set up. Because it's so portable. And honestly, I love the way it looks - stupid I know.
 
#10
B-string said:
Try one cab at a time and see how they sound on their own. FIRST:Use a 9volt battery touched to the free end of a 1/4" cable plugged into each cab one at a time to make sure you didn't miss-wire the cabs. Each 10" should move the same direction. If all that is good the cab tuning does not meet the speakers needs and they are unloading (flapping in the wind at low power). You might be able to re-tune the cabs if the internal size is not too far off.
Click to expand...

Thank you, B-string - great info.

I took them to a guy over the summer for that reason - to test that the wiring is correct. I have always suspected it could be off since I did it myself. Time for some more due diligence. Any suggestions for testing the ports? Thanks again!!
 
#11
tone_challenged said:
Thanks for the input, Mr. Foxen.

a) speakers are gone. dumb, I know, but I sold them to a local store/buddy of mine.

b) cabs are lined with that carpet padding looking stuff. Would it help to even try to close off the ports or could that cause problems? (again, thanks in advance)
Click to expand...

Deltalites say for sealed cab, but prob not super suited for bass like that. Is it these ones? [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Basically, use these plans to figure how close the boxes you have are to a size, (double up for 2 drivers), then you can aim to copy the tuning, larger port diameter means needs to be longer for same tuning: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Edit: scroll down and there is a 2x10 box plan there.
 
#12
Mr. Foxen said:
Deltalites say for sealed cab, but prob not super suited for bass like that. Is it these ones? [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Basically, use these plans to figure how close the boxes you have are to a size, (double up for 2 drivers), then you can aim to copy the tuning, larger port diameter means needs to be longer for same tuning: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Edit: scroll down and there is a 2x10 box plan there.
Click to expand...

I bought them a few years ago direct from Dave at Avatar. He warned me at the time that I would likely have porting issues. I'll check the specs on his boxes compared to my Ampegs and see what if anything I can do to tune them.
 
#13
tone_challenged said:
Thank you, B-string - great info.

I took them to a guy over the summer for that reason - to test that the wiring is correct. I have always suspected it could be off since I did it myself. Time for some more due diligence. Any suggestions for testing the ports? Thanks again!!
Click to expand...

Mr. Foxen said:
Deltalites say for sealed cab, but prob not super suited for bass like that. Is it these ones? [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Basically, use these plans to figure how close the boxes you have are to a size, (double up for 2 drivers), then you can aim to copy the tuning, larger port diameter means needs to be longer for same tuning: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Edit: scroll down and there is a 2x10 box plan there.
Click to expand...

Use MrFoxen's advice above. Port tuning is done to tune the box to a speaker's needs. Eminence has a box build program also but you will have to plug in the T/S parms from the speakers you have. Sealing the pots would help the fart out but you will loose low end over a ported cab.
 

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