Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Ampeg PF350/500 Part V
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
- Status
Soooooo i just realized the 350 does not have mid freq selector. ***? Why would they leave that off this model? Ya know i have been planning on a 350 purchase thinking they are obviously more reliable then the 500. But i want the mid selector. Decisions decisions.
Wow no compressor either on the 350? Dont get me wrong the compressor would not make or break the sale for me im just sayin. Does anyboby feel the 350 is a big downgrade from the 500 or can u sell me on the 350?
Wow no compressor either on the 350? Dont get me wrong the compressor would not make or break the sale for me im just sayin. Does anyboby feel the 350 is a big downgrade from the 500 or can u sell me on the 350?
MrCool84 said:
Love my 350 2x210av stack! Never needed more head room or volume, and the mids sound great! I use a MultiComp in the fx loop.
The head is so easy to dial in, and has always sounded good in every room I play. Save a $100!
J!
Not trying to convince you of anything. I knew that the PF350 had no compressor, and no mid freq selector, before I bought it. I did not need for the amp to have those capabilities, because I already had an Eden WTDI pedal that provides those functions. If you need those things, in your amp, then yea... don't get the 350. But, you could get the 350 and add something else that has those things. Just sayin'.
Yea i think ill save the hundred. ill need two cabs for sure. defs goin 2x115he's. 350 watts should be plenty. Does anybody know what freq the mids are on the 350? im guessing its the same as the number 3 selection on the 500.
Na i can dig the simplicity. and i got an mxr compressor (m87 i think) if i need compression. Do use ur WTDI in conjunction with the PF's preamp? if so does it change the sound dramatically?
i love the features on the 500. it makes it a great preamp and more versatile. while usually i dont use the mid freq selector nor the ultra lo/hi it is still a good thing to have. i like the compressor very much and the mute switch. also the multiple outputs, especially the DI out, are very helpful.
i dont need to carry anything more than just the fliptop and a bass. no compressor or preamp or di box or whatever you would need with a 350. im very clumsy and the less i bring with me the less i can lose.
also its 500 watts and if you go with two cabs you definitely have more power.
i dont need to carry anything more than just the fliptop and a bass. no compressor or preamp or di box or whatever you would need with a 350. im very clumsy and the less i bring with me the less i can lose.
also its 500 watts and if you go with two cabs you definitely have more power.
i think i changed my mind. that extra hundred for the 500 is def worth it. it has lots of more features front and back. its just the reliability issue with the 500 compared to the 350. i guess its just a roll of the dice. If u look at the backs of each amp the 500 says class 2 wiring (just above the speaker outs) and the 350 doesnt. ill see what i can find by google it.
Also - you can usually get it for about $350.00 - $360.00 shipped from the major retailers during their sales promotions (like now maybe). I got mine from Samash.com $350.00 shipped - no tax.
The mid selector is very nice, but the mid knob on the PF350 is voiced very well. Its center is 500hz, but it sounds to me like it has a fairly wide range of frequencies it affects, so it doesn't bother me not to have the mid selector. But I can dig where it might bother you. And I never use compression or limiter so I don't care if it has one or not. I'd get the PF500 if you want those things, though.
I posted a similar question in Live Sound, but prob get a better answer here. I've been saving up for a 350 to replace my B2r, which has the same wattage and has always gotten me by without PA support. recently I had some sound issues in random rooms I've gigged, usually tall ceilings, hard floors, etc (ie, not designed for band sound). I had to crank the gain and volume to 8 or 9 and still felt quiet while the guitar next to me had to keep his amp at 2 to keep from being way loud. In one room where there were a bunch of people to absorb sound I was audible in the overall mix with those cranked settings (from my stage perspective) but was a little distorted/borderline farty.
My question is, would more power help in these situations? Would the 500 be better than the 350? Or just "cleaner" sounding? I'm not sure I completely understand perceived volume or headroom. Reading some posts above, I wonder if my 8 ohm 4x10 cab would have been better than my non ported 4 ohm 1x15 in these rooms. I just assumed a bigger speaker would fill a large room space better.
My question is, would more power help in these situations? Would the 500 be better than the 350? Or just "cleaner" sounding? I'm not sure I completely understand perceived volume or headroom. Reading some posts above, I wonder if my 8 ohm 4x10 cab would have been better than my non ported 4 ohm 1x15 in these rooms. I just assumed a bigger speaker would fill a large room space better.
The only generalization you can make about speaker size alone is that you can't make generalizations, otherwise every single cab with a given speaker size would sound identical. However, most of the time, a 410 will outperform a 115 for volume.
As for the difference between 350 and 500w, it makes itself way more apparent as headroom than a volume increase. Volume-wise, the difference is very slight.
As for the difference between 350 and 500w, it makes itself way more apparent as headroom than a volume increase. Volume-wise, the difference is very slight.
For the price difference of $100 (less if you buy used) the PF-500 IMO is a much better choice for the compressor, speakon connector, FX mix, pre/post EQ DI, and more versatile EQ. You'll get extra wattage but between the 350 and 500 it's only a small difference in volume.
- Status
