Ampeg PF500/PF350 Pt II.5

[tombowlus]

Whatever else you might have to say about them, you can't say they don't look good.

They sure do, and that is a lovely photograph you have there!

 

[JimmyM]

Jimmy the 350 with the two svt210av's is interesting. What is the sound like? It looks like a versatile/light weight setup.

Sounds very SVT 810-like. They are small light-medium duty cabs with smaller boxes than the 210 compartments in an 810, so they do require a little bit of low end boost to get that happening, but it's not much, and once you do that, they sound very 810-like to me. Not quite as much air movement as an 810, but the sound is there, and because it's a vertical stack and not two columns, you get noticeably wider dispersion of mids and highs.

 

[JimmyM]

Quick question. My current rig is a Markbass Jeff Berlin combo. I have to use a VT Bass to get the voicing I like. Do you guys who have PF heads and cabs still have to use your VT Bass or is it unnecessary?

Unnecessary. I still use a VT Deluxe, but it's because I sometimes use distorted sounds and I find pedals easier to deal with on a gig. But when running clean or if all you need is a light breakup, it's unnecessary.

 

[hermanmunster]

I have my Shuttle 6 in a laptop bag and it works really well. If you can't find an actual amp bag, might be worth checking into. I found mine for $19 at a local shop... Fits my amp, pens/pencils/highlighters, charts when applicable, both my Speakon cables... and snacks for those longer gigs! Lol

5sg.

I found a bag for a Mackie profx8 that is just the right dimensions on paper but I'll see if it fits right when it gets here. To bad its for the profx8.... I have the profx12. If it doesn't fit right I could have just kept it for that. Dont think I'll be able to fit snacks though!

 

[JimmyM]

Is anyone concerned about the seemingly wimpy clips that hold the top of the cabs on ?

Not in the least. They are not wimpy at all.

 

[bass dan]

OK just got back from a gig with the pf500. I posted earlier about the di being really hot and the pad being too much pad. Used the pad on the pa head which is 25db rather than 40bd. It was perfect. Was able to get the bass in the mix just right. It sounded awsome, which in turn I was able to play much better.

Almost chickened out and brought my b100r or my v4b to the gig after last nights disapointment. Really glad I tried again with the pf500.

 

[stiles72]

OK just got back from a gig with the pf500. I posted earlier about the di being really hot and the pad being too much pad. Used the pad on the pa head which is 25db rather than 40bd. It was perfect. Was able to get the bass in the mix just right. It sounded awsome, which in turn I was able to play much better.

Almost chickened out and brought my b100r or my v4b to the gig after last nights disapointment. Really glad I tried again with the pf500.

Dan- which cab are you running? The SVT-15E? My 500 sounds great on my 2x15, but I'm still trying to find a setting that works through my PF115 cab so it doesnt fart out but still gives me some good bottom.

 

[Bassflute]

Sweet. Makes me want to get another cab.

How do they balance? I would think the 2x10 might be slightly louder...Are they both 8 ohms, and do both have the same efficiency spec (i.e. 99dB/1 watt/1 meter)?

Thanks,
Cameron

 

[bass dan]

@ stiles 72. yes, I'm running a svt 15e. I have 2 of them but I'm yet to need both yet. I just listened to the recording today and it sounded great. I have always used my upright with this band but after hearing the recording and having a blast on the gig the pbass may find it's way on all my gigs for awhile. The svt15e had plenty of bottom for my taste. I had the bass @ 1 o'clock the mids about the same with the mid selector on the "3" position and the tremble at noon, compressor @ 9 o'clock. P-bass tone knob a little less than midway.

I will have to admit I was ready to get rid of my pf500 after my gig Saturday with it. It was my first time gigging with it and I just did'nt have it set right for the venue or the recording. I know thats pretty quick to be ready to sh**can the amp but I'm not really one to fiddle around with amps. I just plug and play. If it sucks it goes. Glad I gave it another try last night.

 

[silentmike]

This is definitely an amp to be fiddled with. Before going on tour I booked an hour in a practice space to crank it and just be sure of general settings. It was well worth it in my book.

 

[JimmyM]

Ya, Ampegs like their knobs moved for sure. Don't we all?

 

[Freddels]

I had two SVT 15E cabs before and I didn't like them run together. Too boomy with the low end with my tube amp. I sold one and kept one. There's a lot of low end with just one of those.

 

[JimmyM]

Dan- which cab are you running? The SVT-15E? My 500 sounds great on my 2x15, but I'm still trying to find a setting that works through my PF115 cab so it doesnt fart out but still gives me some good bottom.

Wow, I could crank mine pretty hard and not get that problem. Maybe you're just a 215 dude and a 115 isn't enough.

 

[stiles72]

Wow, I could crank mine pretty hard and not get that problem. Maybe you're just a 215 dude and a 115 isn't enough.

No problems with any of my other 1x15's - B15, B100R, BA115, Fender BXR300C, etc...

It's weird... I can run my MP3 player into the B15 head with the new PF115 and it sounds really good. Best home stereo sound ever! But when I use it for bass - regardless of head (PF500 or B15) it farts out/distorts really bad if the bass knob on either head is anywhere above noon, even just a bump. It's even more pronounced on certain notes (C# on the A string, F# on the E string are the worst culprits). I thought maybe it was just my T-birds throwing too much low end from the pickups themselves, but it does the same thing on my P-bass ('62 pup/tone knob up) and my Ibanezes. Still hoping it's just a break in issue. I know my B15 speaker was flakey and took a while to break in after Jess reconed it.

 

[Freddels]

It shouldn't be farting. What are your settings? Is the bass boosted and the mids cut? Settings on your bass?

 

[Freddels]

Do you think the 7Pro would fit under the lid of the Vintage Blue cab since there's no tweeter?

 

[JimmyM]

If it's doing it with a B-15, I think there's something wrong with it. No way it should do it with a B-15. I'll check mine out later with the B-15 but it sounds like you got one that's damaged or something.

 

[JimmyM]

Do you think the 7Pro would fit under the lid of the Vintage Blue cab since there's no tweeter?

Easily. But drilling holes into a Vintage Blue lid isn't something I'd want to do. YMMV, but I'd rather just carry it separately if you do that, or have Mark make another lid for you.

 

[stiles72]

Settings on the basses are volume and tone knobs both up. The B15 "no fart" setting is pretty straightforward: Volume at 9:00, Bass at noon, Treble at Noon. But bump the gain slightly beyond 9:00 and it farts. Bump the bass even slightly and it farts. To give you an idea where I normally run my B15 (on the double baffle cab or any other cab) I usually can run the volume up around 11:00, bass at 3:00 to max, and the treble 11:00-Noon, and get a nice clean bassy sound with no distortion.

 

[JimmyM]

Settings on the basses are volume and tone knobs both up. The B15 "no fart" setting is pretty straightforward: Volume at 9:00, Bass at noon, Treble at Noon. But bump the gain slightly beyond 9:00 and it farts. Bump the bass even slightly and it farts. To give you an idea where I normally run my B15 (on the double baffle cab or any other cab) I usually can run the volume up around 11:00, bass at 3:00 to max, and the treble 11:00-Noon, and get a nice clean bassy sound with no distortion.

I'd send it back and try another one. There is something definitely wrong with it. Absolutely no way should that be happening.