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Ampeg PF500/PF350 - part 3, I think

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#122
JimmyM said:
Yes, but if the cab only handles 200w, you're still going to be limited. Therefore I'd go for an SVT 410HE, which handles 400w.

But your salesman is wrong. Clipped signals in and of themselves don't blow speakers. That's what's known as the "underpowering myth," and if it were true, you could never run synths or distortion into cabs.

As for the 210av, I love them, but they are light/medium duty cabs not built for those who want to crank really loud. I think in your case, the SVT 410HE is the ticket.
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I'm not really worried about blowing speakers. I'm a lot more concerned about having to turn the amp all the way up to be heard in my band. I'm not playing electric guitar anymore. I don't want "wide open" to be the source of my sound. I want to be told to turn it down before I hit noon on the volume knob. (From what I understand, I need headroom and power for sound quality.)

Does the PF-350 have what it takes? Can I do it with a severely mismatched load (400+ Watt power dissipation @ 8 ohms)?

Thanks again.
 
#124
I think I'm over-analyzing things here.

The amp in this vid sounds great.

Ampeg PF-350 PortaFlex amp - YouTube

Except I'd probably go for the 210 model in that PF cab. I know I'm asking another dumb question here, but I really would like to know from someone who's got first-hand experience with that stack....

Ed Friedland has the gain at 10 o'clock and the master almost all the way up. How loud is the amp in the video at those settings?

I'm not a power junkie by any means, I just want to make sure I've got "enough" amp for what I'm doing.

Sorry for my repeated posts about this.
 
#125
Depends on the bass Ed was using, but at 10:00 gain and master almost all the way up, it gets pretty loud with your average Fender basses. Plus you can push the gain harder than that and still stay clean with the vast majority of basses. It's still going to be 250w through a 210, so don't expect miracles, but it's respectably loud.
 
#126
dogmeat08 said:
i also had the cutting out problem when using my pf500 with the pf210 and another 4x10 (600w @ 8ohm ) cabnet .... i also use the sansamp progammable bass driver ....... with my own custom settings on the sansamp .... the first time i used this setup everything ran great ! ... plenty loud and sounded great ........ the next jam i tried the svt settings on the samsamp ( which seemed to push the amp harder) and thats when i started to have the cutting out problem ) i unplugged one of the cabnets and switched back to my custom settings on the sansamp and it ran good , but i havnt tried the 2 cab setup since .......for tonights jam , ill be taking the pf210 and trying the 2 cab setup again with the custom sansamp settings again , hoping that it wont cut out again ..... im thinking and hoping that it was just that svt setting which pushed the amp to hard and caused the cutout problem
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well i tried the 2 cab set up again lastnight and had no problems !!:D had the cabs daisy chained , gain at noon and main power at noon (nice and loud heheh) ... jammed for over 3 hrs straight with no cutting out issues and amp was cool to the touch ( used my custom setting on the tech 21 progammable bass driver) my new fender 70s p bass sounded like a monster threw the pf500 !! very happy .... so im thinking that that svt setting on the tech 21 pedal was pushing the amp too hard causing the the cut out problem
 
#127
dogmeat08 said:
cool ! , im glad u arnt running into this problem as well ... what are amp settings? , are u daisy chaining the cabs? also what bass and pedals do u use ..... thanks
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Daisy chained - PF500 to bottom SVT410HE, bottom SVT410HE to top SVT410HE with Neutrik 12ga cables (stupid detail, but eh, it's how I plug it) horns off.

Gain around 2:00, comp at 12:00 to 2:00 everything else up the middle.

I run a bass pod through the effect loop. I had to redo my settings, but no issues since the change over. I seldom use it, but I mention it because it sounded much different through the FX loop than between the bass and head. Some things had to be significantly changed. I like the loop because you can have the effects 100% out of the chain (dry) or 100% in (all processed) and any level between. On My SVP BSP it was always in the chain, so I like this feature alot.

I run a 5 string Kawaii active with the -15 kicked in when I think of it, but with it out it still works just fine.

I usually run this setup outdoors, but I'll be using it at a local hotel ballroom next weekend. I'll pay attention to settings after sound check, including what the guitars are running.
 
#128
Carl h,
Are you using the optional footswitch?

I put the vt bass in the efx loop for the first time the other day. I was able to dial in settings where i couldnt tell which preamp i was using when i went to dry to the full loop setting. It did sound different than passing two preamps in series of one another at the guitar inpiut,but it probably should have.
Wes
 
#130
I tried the PF500 with the SVT410hlf last night. I didnt like it at all. It could have been that this particular cab was abused but i dont think so.

People love those cabs, i dont get it i guess. It was way too boomy and was way too muddy. Im sure if you are going for a grindy muddy sound though its amazing. It also farted out pretty easily too. Wonder why?
 
#131
Because it takes more wattage to amplify low frequencies than high. The 410HLF I consider a bit of a niche cab designed for those who like big fat hip hop type bass sounds and really low tunings. Great cab for that, but I like my cabs less boomy ;)
 
#133
JimmyM said:
Because it takes more wattage to amplify low frequencies than high. The 410HLF I consider a bit of a niche cab designed for those who like big fat hip hop type bass sounds and really low tunings. Great cab for that, but I like my cabs less boomy ;)
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Yea that does make sense. It was strange tho too because as soon as I got home I plugged back into my pf210 with the exact same settings and viola!! great tone! whats strange is that i can get the pf cab to fart out, but i have to push it way harder then that 410, but like you said it takes more power to drive that particular cab.

2 pf210s is gotta be money! maybe after christmas i guess. The 410 was only 300 bucks too. im sure ill get a good deal on another pf210. i think theres a couple goin on at GC and others.
 
#135
Ifbassyguy, you have a lemon! Had my Pf500 for 11/2 years and this thing rocks! Never failed me and I gig medium gigs and even large gigs with no pa support at 4 ohms with a 4x10 acoustic. Can't imagine what it would sound like with a better cab. I get all tones from this baby and it sounds great even when I push it hard like BMT at 2 o'clock, 12 o'clock and 1 o'clock with volume at 12-2 o clock and am usually asked to turn it down. Compressor and gain always at 2 o clock and always delivers great tone. Take yours back before warranty expires so they fix it!
 
#136
On1ne, played thru both and got the pf 500. Ask yourself:

Do I usually play without pa support? If yes, get the 500

Do I see myself using bass effects in future? If yes get the 500

Does my style require ultra lows or ultra highs? If yes, get the 500

Do I require to vary between pre and post and boost or cut when using pa support? If yes, get the 500

Does my style require a compressor? (Type bass compressor on you tube to see what a compressor does) if yes, go with the 500

If none of the above matter to you, go with the 350. Both have the same great tone but the 500 is capable of much more as specified on the questions above.
 
#137
SolaiBassist said:
Ifbassyguy, you have a lemon! Had my Pf500 for 11/2 years and this thing rocks! Never failed me and I gig medium gigs and even large gigs with no pa support at 4 ohms with a 4x10 acoustic. Can't imagine what it would sound like with a better cab. I get all tones from this baby and it sounds great even when I push it hard like BMT at 2 o'clock, 12 o'clock and 1 o'clock with volume at 12-2 o clock and am usually asked to turn it down. Compressor and gain always at 2 o clock and always delivers great tone. Take yours back before warranty expires so they fix it!
Click to expand...

Where did you get that I have a lemon? I thought mine was fine. The way you have yours set is pretty much where mine is except a little less on the comp. I usually use it at 10 or 11o'clock. It always rocks. Haven't had any issues except the famous "pop" when I use a really hot bass. Just turn the gain down a little and I'm good to go.
 
#138
fivestringgecko said:
I had this exact same problem with my PF500/PF115x2 setup. I emailed Ampeg about it and the tech replied that it IS possible to overload the preamp WITHOUT the the Peak light coming on, causing the cutting out issue. I'm not quite sure that I buy that that's the problem, because I didn't have any crazy settings on the amp, the EQ on my bass (Stingray 5HH at the time) was flat, and I didn't have any pedals on.

Her suggestion was to set the Gain level with the Compressor at zero, and then dial in compression as needed. I've been doing that since and haven't had any problems, but I haven't had a need for as much volume as when I first had the problem (volume knob around 2:00, just like you said). I played a gig last Saturday with my Jazz V which has a MUCH hotter output than the Stingray. I was using both PF115's, set the gain before compression just like she said and didn't have any problems, but the volume knob was only at about 11:00.

Like I said, don't know if I buy it, but I haven't had the problem since. Time will tell I guess. :)

5sg.
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back on page 4 of thread i mentioned cutting out issue first gig for my pf500. not sure what to do.
 
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