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Ampeg Heritage SVT vs. Aguilar DB751

kimmyt

kimmyt

Supporting Member
Sep 8, 2009
542
239
Morgan Hill, CA
#1
Hi All, I am new to this forum or at least it has been a while since I if ever posted. I am looking for a new amp to play live with. Small clubs outdoor wineries, nothing big. I was playing a Fender Bassman 300 Pro which was cool, quite heavy but never really could dial in the sound I was looking for. OK so I am in my 50's and back in 74' I bought my first real bass amp and when I did I chose the Acoustic 370 over the Ampeg SVT, at the time the Acoustic was the first solid state amp with EQ. Since then I have sold that a couple years ago along with my 73' Fender Precision, damn that's a stupid story for another time. I have since played through Carvin Power amp and a ART Night Bass rack set up, then a Traynor YBA200 new tube amp, pretty cool for the price but I had my eye on the Fender so I had used that for the past 4 years and recently sold it as I also have the TC RH450 which gives me a pretty damn cool sound through my Mesa Powerhouse 4x10 & 1x15 cabs. It is light and so easy to set up. However I am leaning towards getting a tube amp to gig with again. I am not a real heavy duty muscian that has the great ear for sound but I do know when I hear it I will be happy. OK I play cover tunes mostly R&B, Motown and 70's dance music, some classic rock. Nothing loud or hard rock, so I am mostly looking for a clean sound with soul, nice clean low with all the other stuff guys talk about. Oh yeah so I tried a Mesa M-Pulse 600 and didn't really work for me then tried a Mesa Big Block 750, worked for a week or so, wanted to like it but nah. So I now think heah dummy back in 74' you should have bought the Ampeg SVT still going strong today and so I started looking and ran across the Heritage and well USA Assembled sounded good to me and would have already bought it but the price is just a bit hard to justify. OK so I came across the Aguilar DB751, have heard the Aguilar name and seems to be pretty popular, but it to is like the Mesa M-Pulse 600 with the tube pre amp and the rest is SS. So not a great deal out there comparing the Ampeg to the Aguilar DB751. Mostly looking for opinions on the differences and the Ag is as much as the Heritage and will I eventually want the SVT. I know I am all over the board, somewhere I read a post from a guy that had owned so many different bass amops and finally after years of trying to find the one for him he bought and SVT and he is finally happy. There are some really cool threads about the Heritage and a couple guys that are so happy they bought them, I am very close to making that decision but then checked out the DB751 and thought I owed it to my self to check them out too. Opinions?
 
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#2
Sure! I have never played the Aggie so I can't really comment on that one, however, I own the HSVT (both the CL and the 8X10) and play them on a regular basis.

Look, you're not that much younger than me. We came up the same way - Tube was the way to go, but they were expensive as hell. I have played tube amps (both hybrid and straight tubes) for some time now. I also cart a 370 (backup) that stays in the truck.

You know that you always wanted the Ampeg. You know it, and I know it. I could give you 20 reasons to buy the HSVT-CL but then again, the AGGIE guys could do the same, so why bother? :p

Go out and play them both (if possible) I am "fairly" sure that you will choose the HSVT, but then again, you never know if you don't play them both.

I WILL tell you this, however, I have never played through a head and cab combination in my life, that I would trade for this Ampeg rig. I am dead on serious about that. This damn thing almost seems as though it was custom built for me!:D

Does that mean you would feel the same? Don't know - but at our respective ages - you owe it to yourself to find out!! :D

I wish you the best of luck in your search and hope you will let us know which one wins out!!
 
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#3
Well, I am in my early 30's. I sold my SVT a few years ago.
It was a pain in the neck (and back) to lug around from show to show, even in a road case with handles.
If you feel up to throwing around 90 lbs. on a regular basis, it's worth it.
I may buy another one someday.
Not sure how it feels to be 50+ years old, personally, but I've a feeling that in 20 years or so I'd rather have the lighter of the two.
 
#4
I dunno..I guess I see your point about weight, but I have a hard time agreeing with it and, in some respects, the weight thing is a "red herring".

When we play - the entire band loads in-out and we all pitch in for the "heavy lifting"....no one person does too much in the way of lifting.

Shoot, I have a MarkBass CMD121P that I use on any number of occasions when it just isn't practical to use the Ampeg rig or even the 6X10HLF cab.

But any chance I get to take the HSVT-CL and the HSVT 8X10 - I take it!! :D
 
#7
I had a vintage 71 blueline and a aggi DB750. I ended up selling the ampeg due to the weight and no di capability. I have also tried most of the popular lightweight heads such as markbass f1 and lmiii that sounded great for practice or small indoor gigs but don't compare to an svt or db for weight volume and fullness of tone.

The cab is key to the db750/751. I finally ended up with a bergantino hs410 with the db750 is the best rig to play regular medium and large gigs to date for me. Especially outdoor gigs.

I have upgraded nos tubes in my db750 which tightens it up.

The aggi db750 is a true cross between a vintage svt and a high powered ss amp to me. Must play in a band context to appreciate IMO.
 
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#13
Don't think so but should it be? I noticed that the vrs have them in the back which seems weird if they are right next to the transformer, seems it wouldn't push that much air. And in one of busters threads with the cool pics I didn't see the fan. One the newer svts it looks like a speaker in the front grill and on the heritage can't see that on the front grill.
 
#16
ya, really, i worry about them when they break. mine's about 42 years old and still has the original transformers. it'll throw some warmth but it doesn't get too hot. it's about the same as all of them. i figure they know better where to put the fan than i do.
 
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#17
I've never played an Aggie.
My V4B did not have enough headroom for music very much like what you describe.
I love my SVT and will never sell it even if I only use it at home.
Don't care for the Mesa's you mentioned but my only other giging amp is the Walkabout although also limited to 300 watts.
Many hear say the Streamliner sounds tubey and is light; never tried one.
Could not get the MB gear to sound tubey enough and I have never warmed up to using pedals.
Bottom line; if you like the tone of an SVT, either put up with the weight or try the WA and Steamliner
I have an SVP-CL pre/power amp rig, and try as I might, it doesn't sound like a 1,000 watt SVT for live use (which is what I really want)
Good luck on your search
 
#18
Jim C said:
I've never played an Aggie.
My V4B did not have enough headroom for music very much like what you describe.
I love my SVT and will never sell it even if I only use it at home.
Don't care for the Mesa's you mentioned but my only other giging amp is the Walkabout although also limited to 300 watts.
Many hear say the Streamliner sounds tubey and is light; never tried one.
Could not get the MB gear to sound tubey enough and I have never warmed up to using pedals.
Bottom line; if you like the tone of an SVT, either put up with the weight or try the WA and Steamliner
I have an SVP-CL pre/power amp rig, and try as I might, it doesn't sound like a 1,000 watt SVT for live use (which is what I really want)
Good luck on your search
Click to expand...
i would add the svt 7 pro to that "concerned about the weight" list.
 
#19
Wow now I am getting more and more confused with my decision, question is the Ampeg SVT Pro2 the same as an SVT with the added option of the EQ? Seem like this might be a cool option as well. Don't understand the side intake fan though and trying to get it in a rack and have it vent properly. OK sorry I know I am all over the map.
 
#20
kimmyt said:
Wow now I am getting more and more confused with my decision, question is the Ampeg SVT Pro2 the same as an SVT with the added option of the EQ? Seem like this might be a cool option as well. Don't understand the side intake fan though and trying to get it in a rack and have it vent properly. OK sorry I know I am all over the map.
Click to expand...
it's basically an svt-cl with a drive circuit and a graphic eq. the preamp is a little different but it still sounds like an svt to me.
 

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