Ampeg Micro VR vs. Fender Rumble - Opinions?

[OnTheDownLow]

Hey guys,

I'm going to be in the market to get an amp for live use in the next few months. I have been a fan of Fender Rumble Amps for awhile and currently have a Rumble 40 to use for practice and small jams. I have been drawn by the aesthetic of the Micro VR but it seems to be an amp that isn't commonly stocked by your average music store therefore, I don't have access to try one out and compare it. If I were to go the Ampeg route I would be getting 2 cabinets to use instead of the single.

I guess my main concern is that I have read places that the Micro VR lacks a bottom end when the amp is being pushed volume wise and I wanted to know what some others who have used / own this amp have to say about this. I always use LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass strings so there wouldn't be an issue of my bass not doing its job.

I don't anticipate on joining any projects that play at excessive volumes so that's not an issue for me. Shows would be mostly indoors and hopefully mic'ed up if outdoors.

What are some opinions on this? I would love to have a dual cab setup to have a cab on each side of the band on stage for a wider delivery and aesthetic but I know the Rumble 200 or 500 would deliver the lows that I'm looking for at increased volumes.

Alternatively, is there anyone around the Houston area that owns a Micro VR and would be willing to let me test theirs out in person so I could get a feel for what that amp has to offer?

Thanks guys!

 

[Sparky Mark]

The Micro VR is an excellent 250 watt at 4 ohm amp head which has plenty of bass EQ available. The matching SVT210AV cabs however do not go particularly low or loud. Two cabs are better than one but I'd put more money into a more capable single 210 cab.

 

[CallMeAl]

Why not put the new Rocket Bass on the list? The Micro VR is cute and all, but if I was looking for max headroom and volume I’d get a 500w amp.

I haven’t played the RBs yet but the Rumble 500 sure brings the thunder; and the RB210 seems like a direct comparison, just with the Ampeg voice.

 

[jeff7bass]

The Micro VR/SVT210Av just sounds right. Cuts through the mix like a champ.

 

[willsellout]

I’d never thought of using either of these live but I remember absolutely loving the SVT tone. Plus it’s looks leave little to be desired. This post offers nothing valuable as far as your needs go but I much preferred the tone of the SVT over the Rumble.

 

[Jason Stock]

I have and use the Ampeg Micro VR and 210 cab for all smaller shows (i have posted pics and a review). Keep in mind I have PA support if needed.
I love the sound and it is much easier the haul than my SVT7pro and 410HLF.
It has some fan noise but works well for live with my three piece.
Hope you can find one to try out.

 

[lokikallas]

The pf350 is a better option than the micro IMO. The micro is just a gimmicky look to me.

 

[Jim C]

I think the Ampeg sounds much better than the Rumble

 

[Sparky Mark]

The pf350 is a better option than the micro IMO. The micro is just a gimmicky look to me.

Agreed, the Micro VR looks like a toy but is actually an excellent 250 watt class AB head with characteristic Ampeg tones. I've used mine with an 810 cab and it was plenty loud enough.

 

[sloppy_phil]

The Ampeg AV210 cabs that come with the Micro-VR are not particularly good at competing with drums whilst putting out proper low end. The booty will *never* be there with those cabs, and once you put enough volume through them, they start to rattle and buzz. Had two of the 210AV cabs to pair with the head, and gigged it over 50 times, so had plenty of field experience to work with before making any judgments.

And the DI out of the head is completely unusable for live settings. It is way too hot a signal that cannot be adjusted, and leaves this horrid "plastic" sheen on the sound that cannot be fixed at the board/from the PA. The cheapest, most POS passive DI box is a significant tonal upgrade on the in-head unit.

It's an amazing "at home" sort of rig, mind you, and the head does actually sound quite excellent when you aren't asking it to push cabs too far. The Rumble stuff is definitely far more gig-worthy, if not as refined tonally; the VR has the unmistakeable Ampeg-sound, if not the full tube roar of a SVT. I suspect the VR head would be useable live with different cabs (you could look into one or two of the 212AV cabs; they are orders of magnitude nicer than the 210s), but I can't in good faith recommend the whole Micro-VR stack to you for gigging.

 

[jeff7bass]

The pf350 is a better option than the micro IMO. The micro is just a gimmicky look to me.

The guts are different. I prefer the more tried and true innards of the Micro.

 

[Inconnu]

It all depends on your needs. I have been to a concert in a small venue (250 people) as a part of the audience. The bass player was using the Ampeg 2x10 cab that you usually see with the VR, but with a small Markbass head. No PA support. It sounded great! But, yeah, the guitar player used a Fender twin and the drummer wasn’t exactly loud, but still…

Then again, I’ve tried a Fender Rumble 2x10 this week and… that thing is loud for its price and weight!

 

[mikeswals]

View attachment 4426727
Agreed, the Micro VR looks like a toy but is actually an excellent 250 watt class AB head with characteristic Ampeg tones. I've used mine with an 810 cab and it was plenty loud enough.

When did the VR gain 50 more watts?
I had one, it was 200 watts.
But yes, with a better cab (I used it with a Mesa 215) it was completely capable of keeping up in a loud-ish rock band.

 

[Sparky Mark]

When did the VR gain 50 more watts?
I had one, it was 200 watts.
But yes, with a better cab (I used it with a Mesa 215) it was completely capable of keeping up in a loud-ish rock band.

It was actually lab tested closer to 260 watts at 4 ohms:-

 

[Ed Byrnes]

I get plenty of bottom from the Micro VR. Get 2 and crank it up!