Ampeg PF500/PF350

[Slackerprince]

Good to hear.
Pretty much the consensus from the Avatar Mega thread.
Now, to get that amp dialed!
Dangit, twiddle some knobs

S

 

[bassacechase]

As another who is familiar with the Micro VR, it sounds alot better when you get to play it at band levels (though I think it sounds great when just practicing quietly at home)

Thanks for giving us your opinion, I'm not offended, you made me glad I waited to play one before I commited any money

They have the 500 and the 350 at the "Nashville" (Rivergate) Sam Ash. I am sure that all of the GC's and Sam Ash's will have them in stock. I was just expecting way too much. I really want to like it. I hope tomorrow with band will settle this. I can get a nice EQ and gain staging. I am pretty psyched to give it a shot. I wish music stores had bands hired to play any song you wanted so you could jam the equipment before you buy it. That would kick ass!

 

[JimmyM]

Thank God! I needed you Jimmy! I was starting to doubt my first Ampeg purchase. (no sarcasm intended) I was afraid to mention that I played with the Eq. I don't wanna get kicked out. In all honesty, I am bad about hating amps I can't leave flat. I paid Brian at The Low End to put a really nice proprietary preamp in my bass and I even leave it flat. I did realize after my string change that I liked the lows boosted and the mid selector on 2 slightly boosted. The ultra high and lo switches are cool. I did have to crank the gain though. That concerns me for some reason. I wish it could be loud as F with the gain and master at noon. Maybe it is the transition into Class D that has me mixed up here. I think Class D amps do sound slightly different. It seems like A/B handle lower notes easier.

could be. i've liked class ab micros like the micro vr and lmii more than class d micros usually, but the vt as a pre into the power amp of a class d crate power block was my micro rig until i got the micro vr, and i liked it quite well indeed.

but yeah, ampegs like you to ride them like charlie sheen's porn goddesses. they're not an amp for nooners.

 

[benjammin420]

They have the 500 and the 350 at the "Nashville" (Rivergate) Sam Ash. I am sure that all of the GC's and Sam Ash's will have them in stock.

unfortunately, I'm in Canada, I was at the store last week asking about when they were expecting the PF's, the guy couldnt even look them up because they weren't in the system yet. I dont know how long it will be before I can try one out first hand. And it depends on how many the store decides to stock, with the Orange Bass Terror, they only get one at a time and then they sell it in the first day. I've only seen one in person once and someone already put down a deposit so I couldnt even try it out

 

[bassacechase]

ampegs like you to ride them like charlie sheen's porn goddesses. they're not an amp for nooners.

Another signature worthy jewel from the one and only JimmyM.

So, you are telling me to use my ears instead of my eyes? Blasphemy JimmyM! You are trying to get me kicked outta here man.

 

[bassacechase]

unfortunately, I'm in Canada, I was at the store last week asking about when they were expecting the PF's, the guy couldnt even look them up because they weren't in the system yet. I dont know how long it will be before I can try one out first hand. And it depends on how many the store decides to stock, with the Orange Bass Terror, they only get one at a time and then they sell it in the first day. I've only seen one in person once and someone already put down a deposit so I couldnt even try it out

Take a little trip over the border man. It is worth it just to play one of those Oranges. They are like heaven! Old Guitar Center is pretty proud of them though. They are like $900 or something. I have only played used ones that GC gets on trade. I wish i had the scratch to buy one. I want one of everything. My name is Chase and I have Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

 

[krovx]

An Ampeg set flat, ew! It's funny, when I play an ampeg I do what jimmy says almost out of instinct. I have a hard time believing a rumble 30 is louder than the PF. Either you got a lemon, something else, or you don't know what you're doing

Another possibility is the PFs are just mutters....but with how awesome the micro vrs are (if you dig the ampeg sound) I have a hard time believing that.

Can't wait to get mine. I have a GK MB200 to compare it too and can post vids and recording samples

 

[benjammin420]

Take a little trip over the border man. It is worth it just to play one of those Oranges. They are like heaven!

it may come down to that!

but with how awesome the micro vrs are (if you dig the ampeg sound) I have a hard time believing that.

thats my thinking too, Ampeg would be nuts to put out an amp thats not at least as good as the M-VR

 

[Hnz]

There seem to be quite some significant differences in specifics between the Micro VR vs PF350 and SVT7 pro vs PF500.

Micro VR: .............................PF350:
Preamp: Solid State ..............Preamp: Solid-state
Power Amp: MOSFET .............Power amp: Class D


SVT7pro: ..............................PF500:
Preamp: Tube ........................Preamp: MOSFET
Power amp: Class D ...............Power amp: Class D

On top of that the Ampeg site says about the Micro VR that the mid control is an "Ultra Mid". Don't know what they mean about that, but it isn't mentioned in the specs of the PF350.

So allthough the controls of the Micro VR and PF350 are similar and the same goes for the SVT7 and the PF500, there appears to be something else happening under their hoods...

 

[bassacechase]

An Ampeg set flat, ew! It's funny, when I play an ampeg I do what jimmy says almost out of instinct. I have a hard time believing a rumble 30 is louder than the PF. Either you got a lemon, something else, or you don't know what you're doing

Another possibility is the PFs are just mutters....but with how awesome the micro vrs are (if you dig the ampeg sound) I have a hard time believing that.

Can't wait to get mine. I have a GK MB200 to compare it too and can post vids and recording samples

Yeah, I like stuff flat. I am gonna try the suggested EQ settings in a couple hours. With the eq and gain at noon, it was not impressive. My Fender Rumble is also not impressive. So I compared the two. I don't think it is a lemon and I am unsure about how anyone could screw this up. Take a speak on cable and connect it between the amp and the cab. I am pretty sure I got it man.
See, I had no knowledge that you had to tweak like crazy to get a good tone out of an Ampeg. With that tid bit, you can guess that the M-VR isnt my thing. Now that I know better, I might really dig it.
I had a GK MB500 on order but I got tired of waiting for it. I figured since I had ordered equipment in January and it is now March, I might as well get the Ampeg.
I don't mean to derail again, but why doesn't Ampeg design stuff that sounds good flat, then tweak to taste.
"Well, thats what they did!"
No, not if multiple people in this forum are giving me the exact same eq settings to try. To me, that should be flat. Anyway, I will give it the old college try at rehearsal in a couple hours and report back.

 

[tombowlus]

I wish it could be loud as F with the gain and master at noon. Maybe it is the transition into Class D that has me mixed up here. I think Class D amps do sound slightly different. It seems like A/B handle lower notes easier.

I'll leave the class-D vs class-A/B, etc discussion to other threads, but I would like to point out that the taper of the Gain & Master pots often has as much or more to do with this than the classification of the output section. One of the first things I do when I get a new amp is to try and figure out the optimal Gain/Master (or equivalent) settings. This may be worth playing around with some more, if you have not done this already.

 

[tombowlus]

Yeah, I like stuff flat. I am gonna try the suggested EQ settings in a couple hours. With the eq and gain at noon, it was not impressive. My Fender Rumble is also not impressive. So I compared the two. I don't think it is a lemon and I am unsure about how anyone could screw this up. Take a speak on cable and connect it between the amp and the cab. I am pretty sure I got it man.
See, I had no knowledge that you had to tweak like crazy to get a good tone out of an Ampeg. With that tid bit, you can guess that the M-VR isnt my thing. Now that I know better, I might really dig it.
I had a GK MB500 on order but I got tired of waiting for it. I figured since I had ordered equipment in January and it is now March, I might as well get the Ampeg.
I don't mean to derail again, but why doesn't Ampeg design stuff that sounds good flat, then tweak to taste.
"Well, thats what they did!"
No, not if multiple people in this forum are giving me the exact same eq settings to try. To me, that should be flat. Anyway, I will give it the old college try at rehearsal in a couple hours and report back.

Well, FWIW, at least in their respective rooms at the NAMM Show, the new Ampeg PF gear impressed me a lot more than the Fender Rumble gear. It's possible that you have yourself and underperforming unit. Did you listed to the PF500's at Sam Ash? If so, did they sound the same as the one you received?

Oh, and a bit OT, but man, those GK micro heads (MB200, MB500, MB Fusion) are just ridiculously loud for their size & power rating. But, to keep it on topic, they don't sound like an Ampeg.

 

[BrentD]

I'm currently in the hunt for a head, and one local place has a PF350 and a PF500 in stock. I spent about an hour testing them for the second time yesterday, and it's hard for me to believe that the PF500 is a 500w amp. In fact, if you read the specs in the manual, it's rated at 500w at 10% THD. Compare that to something else that's putting out 500w at 0.5% THD, which some products on the market seem to be doing. I'm no expert, but I think that based on what people are used to reading in specs and the growing availability of clean wattage, this 500w/10% is a bit misleading.

FWIW, the other amps in the store that I ran through the same cabinet for comparison were a Tour 450 and an NA320. The NA seemingly had a lot more swat, even with the PF500's gain and bass controls dimed. I'm waiting for another used head to arrive (it's coming from another store), and when I go to test it I will try out the Ampegs for a third time.

 

[BrentD]

Oh, and a bit OT, but man, those GK micro heads (MB200, MB500, MB Fusion) are just ridiculously loud for their size & power rating. But, to keep it on topic, they don't sound like an Ampeg.

This is my experience, too. I tested a cab I wanted with an MB500 head. I went to try out the Ampegs elsewhere. I couldn't believe the volume difference.

 

[bassacechase]

Well, FWIW, at least in their respective rooms at the NAMM Show, the new Ampeg PF gear impressed me a lot more than the Fender Rumble gear. It's possible that you have yourself and underperforming unit. Did you listed to the PF500's at Sam Ash? If so, did they sound the same as the one you received?

Oh, and a bit OT, but man, those GK micro heads (MB200, MB500, MB Fusion) are just ridiculously loud for their size & power rating. But, to keep it on topic, they don't sound like an Ampeg.

Thanks for your advice. I figured if I peg the gain it has some balls to it. No I didn't listen to the ones at Sam Ash. I will have to investigate that.
I guess I am a little put off by the notion of "since you don't like it so far it must be your fault." Not everyone is responding in such a way, but you catch my drift.
In hindsight, if someone was telling me they didn't like a jazz or p bass, I might have a similar response. How? Why? etc.

 

[bassacechase]

I'm currently in the hunt for a head, and one local place has a PF350 and a PF500 in stock. I spent about an hour testing them for the second time yesterday, and it's hard for me to believe that the PF500 is a 500w amp. In fact, if you read the specs in the manual, it's rated at 500w at 10% THD. Compare that to something else that's putting out 500w at 0.5% THD, which some products on the market seem to be doing. I'm no expert, but I think that based on what people are used to reading in specs and the growing availability of clean wattage, this 500w/10% is a bit misleading.

FWIW, the other amps in the store that I ran through the same cabinet for comparison were a Tour 450 and an NA320. The NA seemingly had a lot more swat, even with the PF500's gain and bass controls dimed. I'm waiting for another used head to arrive (it's coming from another store), and when I go to test it I will try out the Ampegs for a third time.

Glad I am not alone here! They are a bit different not plugged into headphones.

 

[tombowlus]

I guess I am a little put off by the notion of "since you don't like it so far it must be your fault." Not everyone is responding in such a way, but you catch my drift.
In hindsight, if someone was telling me they didn't like a jazz or p bass, I might have a similar response. How? Why? etc.

I can definitely see where you could take some of the comments that way, and I apologize if my comments came across in such a fashion. However, that was not my intention, nor do I think it was anyone's intention here in this thread. I think that folks just want to help you find the "easy solution" - if it's there to be found. It may very well be that this head just isn't going to deliver the goods for you (and let's face it, it's a brand new product, and other than hearing it at NAMM shows, you are one of the first "bona fide" users). But I think that myself and others just want to make sure that you really put it through its paces before you write it off.

Ultimately, you are the person who has to be happy with your amp, regardless of whether some other guys on TalkBass like it or not.

 

[bassacechase]

I can definitely see where you could take some of the comments that way, and I apologize if my comments came across in such a fashion. However, that was not my intention, nor do I think it was anyone's intention here in this thread. I think that folks just want to help you find the "easy solution" - if it's there to be found. It may very well be that this head just isn't going to deliver the goods for you (and let's face it, it's a brand new product, and other than hearing it at NAMM shows, you are one of the first "bona fide" users). But I think that myself and others just want to make sure that you really put it through its paces before you write it off.

Ultimately, you are the person who has to be happy with your amp, regardless of whether some other guys on TalkBass like it or not.

I did not intend for that to be geared toward you. I am gonna work her hard today and report back this evening. Thank you Sir.

 

[aborgman]

An Ampeg set flat, ew!

If the EQ was like an original Portaflex instead of an SVT, nooner settings would sound great...

 

[maevinj]

Is it possible maybe this and cabinet combo (Avatar TB153) is just a bad one?? Not saying either one is bad, but maybe together just not the right combination?