ive heard the ampeg micro stack! they're cool, it sounded rite good! id never own one but its nice to know they exist!
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Ampeg Micro-VR stack? Anyone tried or has the pair?
- Thread starter BluesyCat
- Start date
I am in the market for an amp upgrade, and I keep looking back and forth between the MicroVR and the Acoustic B200 combos and half stacks. What may end up making the decision for me is accessibility. My local GC has Acoustics in stock that I can experiment with to get an idea what they can do. NONE of the music stores in my area have the MicroVR, so I can't get a grip on it before I buy it...decisions, decisions... 
Norty -
My local GC has the Micro. Maybe you could ask your local GC to have one shipped in as a demo so that you can can try it.
BTW, I am also considering buying the Micro or something comparable. Be advised that the Micro head puts out 200w @ 4 Ohms and 150w @ 8 ohms. The matching Micro 2x10 cab is 8 Ohms.
In additon to the $600 Micro stack, I am looking at:
(1) Hartke 175 Combo: 175w, 15" + tweeter and the cab is front ported (Micro cab is sealed). This thing has enough built-in effects and presets to obviate the need for most pedal effects. It even has a tuner. Price is $500 retail. Only drawback is weight - 86lbs. (versus 36 for the Micro stack).
(2) Hartke Hydrive 112C Combo: 250w, 1 x 12". $600.
(3) Hartke HA2500 head: 180w @ 8 Ohms, $250 plus
GK 210 BLX cab: 2 x 10", $200. $450 for stack.
My local GC has the Micro. Maybe you could ask your local GC to have one shipped in as a demo so that you can can try it.
BTW, I am also considering buying the Micro or something comparable. Be advised that the Micro head puts out 200w @ 4 Ohms and 150w @ 8 ohms. The matching Micro 2x10 cab is 8 Ohms.
In additon to the $600 Micro stack, I am looking at:
(1) Hartke 175 Combo: 175w, 15" + tweeter and the cab is front ported (Micro cab is sealed). This thing has enough built-in effects and presets to obviate the need for most pedal effects. It even has a tuner. Price is $500 retail. Only drawback is weight - 86lbs. (versus 36 for the Micro stack).
(2) Hartke Hydrive 112C Combo: 250w, 1 x 12". $600.
(3) Hartke HA2500 head: 180w @ 8 Ohms, $250 plus
GK 210 BLX cab: 2 x 10", $200. $450 for stack.
Hate to burst the love bubble,
But few were convinced that a 200w s/s amp could sound
like a SVT if you put in a look-a-like box (The Ampeg 350h),
but somehow after miniaturizing it, it does?!!
I'd love for someone to A/B test the Micro and the (oft-maligned) B2r/350h through the same mini-fridge cab-
I'd bet they sound mighty similar!
But few were convinced that a 200w s/s amp could sound
like a SVT if you put in a look-a-like box (The Ampeg 350h),
but somehow after miniaturizing it, it does?!!
I'd love for someone to A/B test the Micro and the (oft-maligned) B2r/350h through the same mini-fridge cab-
I'd bet they sound mighty similar!
I have one of those cabs and there is no doubt that it is part of the magic. My peavey tour700 sounds very svt through it. With my VT bass pedal, it is almost exact. My real 70's svt has a low end girth the no other amp does and I can't replicate 100% with other toys. That being said, I normally roll off that super low end anyway. Those cabs throw a decent low end out into a room. It takes about 15 or 20 feet but, there is more low end farther away than up close. More highs up close. So, dial up an aggressive sound with a pair of these and a higher powered head and I think that you could actually play most gigs with a pair of them.
I had the SVT-450H and now have the Micro-VR. The little guy sounds much closer to my tube heads. I can't explain the preamp difference between the two SS heads, but it is there. It is, to my ears, in the midrange tone (the 450H was very clanky and no amount of EQ adjustment tamed it much) and in the gain control. The Micro-VR tone changes significantly with the gain range. At lower gains (up to about "6" with my passive J and P) it is very clean and modern sounding; at higher gains, hair is introduced in the tone and it becomes much more warm and vintage sounding. I never got that effect with the 450H or presumably the 350H, B1R, or B2R.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,942
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
I am fairly certain that the Micro-VR was a new design, pretty much from the ground up, so your comments are not too surprising, to me, at least.
^ Or, a VT Bass (~1 lb.?) + an AI Clarus+ (5 lbs., 1,000 Watts-->2Ω, 2 channels, built-in mono reverb & other effects) + 4 x SVT210AV (27 lbs. ea.) = a 114 lb. very SVT-ish sounding rig which can be transported in small vehicles and schlepped up & down stairs single-handedly in three loads (including a bass).
As well, he cabs could be stacked in two line arrays which are placed side-by-side (to preserve phase coherence and acoustic coupling) yet angled slightly apart to minimise horizontal comb filtering and thus maximise the lateral dispersion of mids & highs.
As well, he cabs could be stacked in two line arrays which are placed side-by-side (to preserve phase coherence and acoustic coupling) yet angled slightly apart to minimise horizontal comb filtering and thus maximise the lateral dispersion of mids & highs.
I just got my micro-vr head and cab the other day. I ordered it from Musician's Friend.
I've been playing it for a few days now.
Bottom line: price is right and it gets even closer to that SVT sound than a SansAmp DI. I didnt think it would be that much better, but it is. Seriously, plug in, a few knob tweaks and you have that SVT sound.
Before I say more, you should know some things about me that will limit the effectiveness of this review. I am not a bass stud. I am a guitarist who just recently switched to bass. That said, I know what sound I want. I want that classic rock bass sound. I want the thump-thump-thump from the intro to Van Halen's Running With The Devil. I dont have great gear. I have a mid 80s Ibanez Roadstar II P/J with EMGs and a low end Ibby 5 string with soapbars. I was playing bass through my SansAmp DI (recommended on these boards, with settings as recommended here too), into the return of a tube power amp and an ported 12 " open back cab. The micro-VR sounds way better (though damn if that SansAmp doesnt sound really really good still, it just doesnt have that SVT sound as much as the micro does). I dont have the chops to tell you how it handles super fast playing or slapping. I dont have and havent played all the epic gear and cant compare that. I've had pleny of good guitar amps, cabs, stacks, and combos, so I know good construction. I've played in a band so I know what sounds I want to hear and the relative volume levels needed.
All that said, this thing really gets that sound I hear and that I want.
Here are some pros and cons:
The sound: This is why we buy bass amps, right? Well, this thing has "that sound." I dialed gain at about 2:00, bass at 2:00, mid at 2:00, treble and master at noon and this thing gives me that sound. I play along with various tunes and damn if I am not nailing that sound. Dial it down and use my P and I'm Walking on the moon. Dial the grit up a bit and I'm Running with the Devil. Dial it way back and I'm in Sade land. Yeah, I'm a beginner at bass, but I;ve played rock for 25 years. I know that sound.
The size/Its a toy: Its actually bigger than it looks. As I was awaiting its arrival, I was having second thoughts. I should have gotten the Shuttle I said to myself. This thing will just be a toy. But when I got it, its not a toy. Is it high end construction? No. But its not a toy. This thing will be legit on stage. It does have some quality issues though. I thought the pots were cheap. There was some crackliing when you turned the gain knob for instance. This was intermittent and seems to have gone away now that I have used it for a few days.
The volume level: It's definately not enough for gigs that are not in a quiet setting. It could do church or a coffee house gig. I dont think it would cut a bar gig for a cover band or more. And, to me, its the power of the head that is lacking, not the cab. I only have one cab, not two. It was actually a reminder to me that watts does not equal volume. In fact, running my SansAmp Bass Driver DI into my 50 watt tube power section and 12" speaker was as loud as the VR.
Clipping/Limiting: Seemed relatively useless to me. I have active pickups in both basses and neither required me to use the pad. The limiter also seemed to be marginally useful, though I keep it engaged.
The fan: Yes, it hums and you can hear it. BUT once you are more than about 8 feet away [edit: I measured it tonight, I'd say its more like 4 feet] you cant hear the fan over the sound of your playing. Its most annoyinig if you are standing right beside the bass and playing. That is when you hear it. Otherwise you dont. Of course, that doesnt help the amp when people are demoing it as they are likely standing right by the bass. If there was any other ambient noise you wouldnt hear the fan. To me, this isnt an issue.
Versatility: It provides a spectrum of sounds. But I wouldnt call them "modern" sounds. Its classic all the way. But that is what I am looking for. Literally, I'm not even using my SansAmp Bass Driver right now and that thing was a staple for me.
VT Pedal: I dont have one so I cant compare, but the micro is way closer to the real thing than the SansAmp Bass Driver DI, which is loved around here (and at my house).
Functionality/Connectors: No speakon. Lame, but not a deal breaker. No dedicated tuner out. No mute. MP3 input and headphones on front. That sort of says "practice amp" to me. I'd rather that stuff be on the back. Not sure this is as well thought out of a head and designed for a gigging bassist as, say, a GB Shuttle for instance.
5th string: It handled my low B without crapping out. I though it had good bottom and yet clarity. I was wondering how it would do in this regard. I love my B string now. {Edited to add this comment}
I got this set (cab and head) for 599, with the -100 rebate (I have till the end of the month to send it in). Its hard for me to argue with that price. It achieves my goal. I'm not actively playing now. It makes a great bedroom amp. My guess is it would do small, quiet gigs fine as is. Not sure if the second cab would be the solution. I would likely keep it as a head/cab and simply DI out the sound if possible. The head is a bit underpowered.
Here is my plan: I have ordered a Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0 head. I should have it in a day or two. I am going to run the Shuttle through the Ampeg cab (I have to admit, I love that little 2x10) to compare. I'll post my thoughts after I have done that.
Hope that helps. There is a surprising lack of info out there on this thing. I would think we would have a bunch of reviews on it by now. So I figured I would do one, for what my opinion is worth.
I've been playing it for a few days now.
Bottom line: price is right and it gets even closer to that SVT sound than a SansAmp DI. I didnt think it would be that much better, but it is. Seriously, plug in, a few knob tweaks and you have that SVT sound.
Before I say more, you should know some things about me that will limit the effectiveness of this review. I am not a bass stud. I am a guitarist who just recently switched to bass. That said, I know what sound I want. I want that classic rock bass sound. I want the thump-thump-thump from the intro to Van Halen's Running With The Devil. I dont have great gear. I have a mid 80s Ibanez Roadstar II P/J with EMGs and a low end Ibby 5 string with soapbars. I was playing bass through my SansAmp DI (recommended on these boards, with settings as recommended here too), into the return of a tube power amp and an ported 12 " open back cab. The micro-VR sounds way better (though damn if that SansAmp doesnt sound really really good still, it just doesnt have that SVT sound as much as the micro does). I dont have the chops to tell you how it handles super fast playing or slapping. I dont have and havent played all the epic gear and cant compare that. I've had pleny of good guitar amps, cabs, stacks, and combos, so I know good construction. I've played in a band so I know what sounds I want to hear and the relative volume levels needed.
All that said, this thing really gets that sound I hear and that I want.
Here are some pros and cons:
The sound: This is why we buy bass amps, right? Well, this thing has "that sound." I dialed gain at about 2:00, bass at 2:00, mid at 2:00, treble and master at noon and this thing gives me that sound. I play along with various tunes and damn if I am not nailing that sound. Dial it down and use my P and I'm Walking on the moon. Dial the grit up a bit and I'm Running with the Devil. Dial it way back and I'm in Sade land. Yeah, I'm a beginner at bass, but I;ve played rock for 25 years. I know that sound.
The size/Its a toy: Its actually bigger than it looks. As I was awaiting its arrival, I was having second thoughts. I should have gotten the Shuttle I said to myself. This thing will just be a toy. But when I got it, its not a toy. Is it high end construction? No. But its not a toy. This thing will be legit on stage. It does have some quality issues though. I thought the pots were cheap. There was some crackliing when you turned the gain knob for instance. This was intermittent and seems to have gone away now that I have used it for a few days.
The volume level: It's definately not enough for gigs that are not in a quiet setting. It could do church or a coffee house gig. I dont think it would cut a bar gig for a cover band or more. And, to me, its the power of the head that is lacking, not the cab. I only have one cab, not two. It was actually a reminder to me that watts does not equal volume. In fact, running my SansAmp Bass Driver DI into my 50 watt tube power section and 12" speaker was as loud as the VR.
Clipping/Limiting: Seemed relatively useless to me. I have active pickups in both basses and neither required me to use the pad. The limiter also seemed to be marginally useful, though I keep it engaged.
The fan: Yes, it hums and you can hear it. BUT once you are more than about 8 feet away [edit: I measured it tonight, I'd say its more like 4 feet] you cant hear the fan over the sound of your playing. Its most annoyinig if you are standing right beside the bass and playing. That is when you hear it. Otherwise you dont. Of course, that doesnt help the amp when people are demoing it as they are likely standing right by the bass. If there was any other ambient noise you wouldnt hear the fan. To me, this isnt an issue.
Versatility: It provides a spectrum of sounds. But I wouldnt call them "modern" sounds. Its classic all the way. But that is what I am looking for. Literally, I'm not even using my SansAmp Bass Driver right now and that thing was a staple for me.
VT Pedal: I dont have one so I cant compare, but the micro is way closer to the real thing than the SansAmp Bass Driver DI, which is loved around here (and at my house).
Functionality/Connectors: No speakon. Lame, but not a deal breaker. No dedicated tuner out. No mute. MP3 input and headphones on front. That sort of says "practice amp" to me. I'd rather that stuff be on the back. Not sure this is as well thought out of a head and designed for a gigging bassist as, say, a GB Shuttle for instance.
5th string: It handled my low B without crapping out. I though it had good bottom and yet clarity. I was wondering how it would do in this regard. I love my B string now. {Edited to add this comment}
I got this set (cab and head) for 599, with the -100 rebate (I have till the end of the month to send it in). Its hard for me to argue with that price. It achieves my goal. I'm not actively playing now. It makes a great bedroom amp. My guess is it would do small, quiet gigs fine as is. Not sure if the second cab would be the solution. I would likely keep it as a head/cab and simply DI out the sound if possible. The head is a bit underpowered.
Here is my plan: I have ordered a Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0 head. I should have it in a day or two. I am going to run the Shuttle through the Ampeg cab (I have to admit, I love that little 2x10) to compare. I'll post my thoughts after I have done that.
Hope that helps. There is a surprising lack of info out there on this thing. I would think we would have a bunch of reviews on it by now. So I figured I would do one, for what my opinion is worth.
Sorry I don't have the depth of experience to offer better comparisons, having never played a real SVT or sweet old flip top or 80s GK or the other great amps. But I've heard them on record.
I'll be honest, I am surprised there aren't more reviews. From my perspective, I thought people would eat this up--a portable, giggable small combo that sounds like a big SVT that's under 600? Count me in! I figured there'd be 5 to 8 reviews on Harmony Central within a few weeks. Nope. Hmmm. Go figure.
I'm rocking some easy U2 right now and shaking my head at how identical my tone is to the recorded version. New Year's Day, baby! (and wondering how to get Adam Clayton's gig, man that is one brother that has it made--simple cool lines, world wide band, nothing wrong with that).
I'll be honest, I am surprised there aren't more reviews. From my perspective, I thought people would eat this up--a portable, giggable small combo that sounds like a big SVT that's under 600? Count me in! I figured there'd be 5 to 8 reviews on Harmony Central within a few weeks. Nope. Hmmm. Go figure.
I'm rocking some easy U2 right now and shaking my head at how identical my tone is to the recorded version. New Year's Day, baby! (and wondering how to get Adam Clayton's gig, man that is one brother that has it made--simple cool lines, world wide band, nothing wrong with that).
I've had an SVT, have an old sweet fliptop, and 80's GK, and a Markbass rig. And I have the Micro-VR and it IS a great little head. I like it more than my GK and am using it as a preamp (and backup emergency amp) into my Markbass. Very cool.
I wrote a review on here Sept. 10, but the moderators haven't put it up yet. Should be up soon, I hope.
I wrote a review on here Sept. 10, but the moderators haven't put it up yet. Should be up soon, I hope.
This little rig has an image problem (too cute for some) and a comparatively anaemic wattage rating in a competitive market with plenty of high-powered SMPS/Class D amps to choose from.
Like the big SVT, I expect that it will deliver its most satisfying results with two cabs/a larger acoustic footprint (the difference between big, and immense).
+1 on Mr. Clayton's "simple cool lines".
Whenever I hear a U2 song being played, his bass playing is what I listen to.
I find his approach to be somewhat orchestral and his tone rather sonorous.
He gets under the notes like a good country bass player.., 'cept from a different country.
I posted my comparison between the Micro-VR and a GB Shuttle 3.0 in this new thread:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=585158
I'd love your thoughts. The talent and experience in this community is impressive. It's nice for a bass scrub like me to have you all as a resource.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=585158
I'd love your thoughts. The talent and experience in this community is impressive. It's nice for a bass scrub like me to have you all as a resource.
Just something to bear in mind:
GB 3.0 head is 175w @ 8 Ohms for $550.
The MicroV head is 150w @ 8 Ohms for $300.
GB 3.0 head is 175w @ 8 Ohms for $550.
The MicroV head is 150w @ 8 Ohms for $300.
Yes, but there is a large discrepancy in the 4 ohm power ratings, which might be important to those wanting more than a practice amp. The Shuttle 3.0 is 300 watts, the Ampeg is 200.
Why is there such a large discrepancy? Do different power amp circuits respond to the change in resistance differently? More to the point, perhaps, is there a significant difference in sound output at 4 ohms between the two heads?
I am wondering about this as well. My Micro-VR seems to be almost as loud through 1 112 Markbass cab (@ 8 ohms) as 2 112 cabs (@ 4 ohms). All my other heads have a more noticable increase of volume @ 4 vs 8 ohms than the Micro-VR. It's louder through the 2 cabs, but it's not a huge increase. I wonder why. In any case, I really like the little Ampeg - very toneful and fun to use.
I neglected to state that the matching 2 x 10 cab for the Micro V is 8 Ohms (so the power output from the head is 150 watts). I wonder if there would be a significant increase in loudness if you put the Micro V's full 300 watts into an 4 Ohm cab.
