Look at you, purist. "The new cabs Ampeg are calling Portaflex." Sheesh! The last cabs weren't ported and they were called Portaflex. Um, don't you have two of them, Hutz?
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Ampeg PF500/350, part 4
- Thread starter Chef
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probably an old question, but I've got a PF500 and a 1x15HE and I'm about to buy a second cab, having two 1x15s seems to be more popular and a 1x15 and a 2x10, why is this and what are the benefits either way?
Ya, old question. Some people mix cabs and like it, but I never have. This is one of those rare times where I'd say do a TB search on "mixing cabs" because it brings out some strong opinions both ways. But to boil it down for you in 10 words or less, matching cabs are guaranteed to work well together whereas mixing cabs can work well or work quite badly, and there's no way to predict it.
thanks for that but i can't imagine mixing these cabs going badly because all the portaflex stuff are made for each other, this is my first "head and cab" rig so I only know what I've read about this stuff 
PF500 back from the shop - two gigs under its belt. It may be me - maybe not,......it seems to respond just a little differently, with the new board in it. I had trouble getting "That" voice from it last night with the same cabinets I always use. not bad, just not quite what I had been getting. The peak light comes on earlier and more often now.
no work this weekend -I will play with it some more - and see -
no work this weekend -I will play with it some more - and see -
Well I have heard good reports from those who have mixed them. It's very possible that mixing them could work for you. Me, I prefer to play it safe.thanks for that but i can't imagine mixing these cabs going badly because all the portaflex stuff are made for each other, this is my first "head and cab" rig so I only know what I've read about this stuff
Yes I have two of them. Like them them VERY much. My gripe is that the 410 HLF needs to have a 4ohm option and a flip lid even it doesn't have a weight bearing handle since it does have recessed side handles. I would probably grab one if they were smart about the design and made it at least function with the PF350/500 heads with flip away storage.
I don't think people on the whole want a 410 that flips. That would be a pretty big lid to flip. Just one man's opinion about the majority, though.
I finally got my PF-500 to cut out. I did not panic, as this was somewhat intentional. I had read the horror stories on here and wanted to see if it was truly a built-in gating mechanism. My experimentation leads me to believe that it is. Furthermore, I don't know that it requires a return or a call to Ampeg, but we will see...
I was running the amp extremely hot, much moreso than would ever be permissable at a show: I had the gain, bass, mids, and volume set at 3:00! I was using a passive Spector Performer 4. The head was driving a Peavey TVX-412. I did this in an underground storage unit, so I could turn it up insanely loud.
Findings:
With these settings and playing with a relatively high level of attack with my fingers, the amp cut out about four times in one hour of constant playing. As described by others, it was a very "clean" one second of silence, then would come right back in.
After the testing, I dialed the amp back down to my normal gig volume (gain at noon, volume at 1:00ish) and played constantly for about 1 hour. It did not cut out at all.
Therefore, at this point, I am trying to determine if it's even something I'm going to worry about. I don't foresee myself ever turning the amp to these extreme settings because: 1) My guitar player [we only have one] would get drowned out 2) We never play gigs without PA support 3) The Peavey TVX-412 speakers [despite their massive power handling] started to complain a bit with this level of thunder.
There is still a small part of me, however, that worries about the gating function acting up and cutting me off on stage... Hmm, what to do.
Thoughts?
I was running the amp extremely hot, much moreso than would ever be permissable at a show: I had the gain, bass, mids, and volume set at 3:00! I was using a passive Spector Performer 4. The head was driving a Peavey TVX-412. I did this in an underground storage unit, so I could turn it up insanely loud.
Findings:
With these settings and playing with a relatively high level of attack with my fingers, the amp cut out about four times in one hour of constant playing. As described by others, it was a very "clean" one second of silence, then would come right back in.
After the testing, I dialed the amp back down to my normal gig volume (gain at noon, volume at 1:00ish) and played constantly for about 1 hour. It did not cut out at all.
Therefore, at this point, I am trying to determine if it's even something I'm going to worry about. I don't foresee myself ever turning the amp to these extreme settings because: 1) My guitar player [we only have one] would get drowned out 2) We never play gigs without PA support 3) The Peavey TVX-412 speakers [despite their massive power handling] started to complain a bit with this level of thunder.
There is still a small part of me, however, that worries about the gating function acting up and cutting me off on stage... Hmm, what to do.
Thoughts?
Sounds like you made it kick in its protection circuit by flooring it. I wouldn't worry about it.
Chris,
Ampeg has confirmed that the PF-500 has a builtin protection circuit that causes this cutout to prevent damage to the head. The protection circuit kicks in at high levels of gain. Ampeg has also indicated that, if the compression, gain, and volume are not set accordingly, it can cause this protection circuit to kick in at an undesired time. When turning on your PF-500:
1) Turn off compression, gain, and volume
2) Start playing your bass and turn up gain until peak light starts flashing then back off of gain
3) Turn up volume
4) Set EQ
5) Set compression to desired level
6) Set volume to desired level
7) Double check gain to ensure that peak light is not flashing. If so, back off gain
It is my understanding that, if these steps are followed the protection circuit should never kick in at an undesired time. Theoretically, you should be able to max volume with this method without the protection activating, but I did not do this in testing for fear of damaging my drivers.
More information on the specifics of this protection mechanism would be great if anyone knows.
Jimmy?
Ampeg has confirmed that the PF-500 has a builtin protection circuit that causes this cutout to prevent damage to the head. The protection circuit kicks in at high levels of gain. Ampeg has also indicated that, if the compression, gain, and volume are not set accordingly, it can cause this protection circuit to kick in at an undesired time. When turning on your PF-500:
1) Turn off compression, gain, and volume
2) Start playing your bass and turn up gain until peak light starts flashing then back off of gain
3) Turn up volume
4) Set EQ
5) Set compression to desired level
6) Set volume to desired level
7) Double check gain to ensure that peak light is not flashing. If so, back off gain
It is my understanding that, if these steps are followed the protection circuit should never kick in at an undesired time. Theoretically, you should be able to max volume with this method without the protection activating, but I did not do this in testing for fear of damaging my drivers.
More information on the specifics of this protection mechanism would be great if anyone knows.
Jimmy?
theory is always good. mine cut out at a much lower volume (gain at 1 vol about 12) so the fear caused me to upgrade to the 7 pro.
Every time you mount side handles on a Portaflex cab, Baby Jesus cries just a little.
He must have been crying for quite some time...
Read the print for the B115E cab:
"And we're talking serious low frequency reproduction—all the way down to 35Hz. We suggest you pair it with an amp that can drive it to its potential, like the PF-350 or PF-500."
Interesting they don't recommend the B2RE.
Ampeg: B Series - B115E
"And we're talking serious low frequency reproduction—all the way down to 35Hz. We suggest you pair it with an amp that can drive it to its potential, like the PF-350 or PF-500."
Interesting they don't recommend the B2RE.
Ampeg: B Series - B115E
I've been running mine so the red light flashes because that is where it sounds best to me. I don't run the compressor at all. The volume is not up past about 10:00 and it is sure loud enough for us at practice. I don't run it a lot louder when we play in clubs. I play through it about four or five times a week and it has never cut out. I think the protection circuit is more on the power side and not the preamp side. I'm not basing this on facts, just theory and questions others have answered for me here on TB.
Stiles, that is a great old Ampeg picture with all the old style handles. I like the basses with the violin-style headstock a lot.
As far as handles go on my PF115, I am 55 and still in pretty good shape, but protecting my back is important to me. I just want to be able to safely lift and carry it for years to come. I threw my back out once about 25 years ago moving a Fender Rhodes and I don't want a replay.
Stiles, that is a great old Ampeg picture with all the old style handles. I like the basses with the violin-style headstock a lot.
As far as handles go on my PF115, I am 55 and still in pretty good shape, but protecting my back is important to me. I just want to be able to safely lift and carry it for years to come. I threw my back out once about 25 years ago moving a Fender Rhodes and I don't want a replay.
Greg - Here's some good reading on the scroll basses. Bruce Johnson, who produced some prototypes and limited run models for Ampeg in the mid '90
s, even posts over there: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/love-ampeg-other-scroll-basses-843684/index12.html
s, even posts over there: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/love-ampeg-other-scroll-basses-843684/index12.html
I haven't gotten mine to cut out, but I have made it distort heavily (running the PF210HE) at medium volumes playing my RB Corvette $$ (which seems to be twice as loud as any of my other basses).
I think in general, the amp is fully equiped to deliver what is needed. I love the bottom end's thunderous roll, and I got it dialed in towards more of a "slap-pop" sound which keeps my mids and highs present, but not over-whelming.
I think in general, the amp is fully equiped to deliver what is needed. I love the bottom end's thunderous roll, and I got it dialed in towards more of a "slap-pop" sound which keeps my mids and highs present, but not over-whelming.
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