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Ampeg portaflex 500?

K

Kylemcgregor96

Aug 8, 2012
26
1
Glasgow
#1
I'm currently saving up for an ampeg portaflex 500, it's around £300 from most dealers. I'm also saving up for an SVT 410hf cab to go with it. I'm just looking for a nice simple ampeg tone. I currently own an ashdown five fifteen mini rig (100W) which I absolutely hate, the sound is terrible so I looked at videos on you tube with this ampeg portaflex 500 and its sounds great, exactly what I'm looking for.

Has anyone ever used this amp head? Is it reliable?
 
#2
I don't have one, but I've played them many times at stores and all the ones I've played worked great. I have a PF350, and it's been a real workhorse for over a year and a half, and I've even dropped it a good one a couple times and it still works fine. Now to be fair, some have complained of cutouts, but those incidents are way fewer now than when it first came out if TB is any indication.
 
#3
I can't speak for reliability yet because I've only had my PF-500 for three days, but I ran it through some pretty strenuous volume tests the day I got it. I'd read about cutout problems, and I was curious to see if it would at abnormally high volume. It didn't (yet).

And even though the SVT410HLF is one of the more maligned cabs here on TB because it IS a little boomy, it's a good mate for the PF-500. My cat had "that look" I hadn't seen since the day I got my CL.
 
#4
Avoid the hlf at all costs.
I gig 3 times a week and have had a **** of a time trying to get a good sound with that awful wall of mud that the hlf produces. Ive never played a cab that is so dependant on the room u are playing In. its too much mud on a raised and hollow stage.
The pf is a wonderful head and I sold my hlf last week to pair an eden 2x12 xlt with the pf: best tone I've EVER had with my p AND j.
My advice would be:
*only get the hlf with the pf if u intend on using a bass like a musicman that has a lot of top end. My p and even my j room permitting sounded awful.
*get the hlf but use with a more hifi head like an eden or gk. this contrast to the hlf will balance out the hlf mud.
*do what I did and get a cab with a flatter eq response..two pf cabs would work a treat, or anything by SWR and eden I.e something that so focused on the low end sub bass territory.

Remember, my words come from months of unhappy gigs using the pf and hlf together. I use usa p and mex j basses, and have used with different cabs, those being SWR 8x8, eden ex410. Nothing beats the eden dxlt212 for that classic rock tone with my p and pf500 imho
 
#5
PF-500 is a good little amp. I have had mine for about a year, and I regularly push it *very* hard into a big cab. Has always sounded great.

Regarding the SVT410HLF, it is a pass in my book. I would look at the ampeg PF-115LF instead. A pair of those is going to rock pretty hard with that amp.
 
#6
I'm a couple of weeks late to this party, but I absolutely LOVE the tone I get from my PF-500. I use the PF115HLF, and sometimes I'll couple that with the PF115LF. Nice and deep. Pure Ampeg tone.

I was one of the first to complain about the cut-out issue, but I have not had that happen since I learned how not to overload the front end of the amp. Countless gigs with the two cabs (4ohm load) and no problems.
 
#7
Jeff_K said:
I'm a couple of weeks late to this party, but I absolutely LOVE the tone I get from my PF-500. I use the PF115HLF, and sometimes I'll couple that with the PF115LF. Nice and deep. Pure Ampeg tone.

I was one of the first to complain about the cut-out issue, but I have not had that happen since I learned how not to overload the front end of the amp. Countless gigs with the two cabs (4ohm load) and no problems.
Click to expand...

Do you mean PF 115he and PF 115LF?

I didnt know they made an HLF 115.
 
#9
I've been using the PF 500 for over a year now with an b410hlf. The rig sounds pretty good I waver on whether to replace the cabinet or not but my sound guy keeps telling me to leave it alone cause it sounds great. I do think it sounds great but GAS always gets the best of me
 
#10
That is my rig exactly: PF500 with 410hlf. It sounds great by itself and even better with a band. Nice and deep like a bass rig should be (to my taste). If you think it's muddy just turn up the mids or crank your tone knob. I use Chromes and can get a pretty aggressive, biting tone if I want it. It's a good rig.
 
#12
Jeff_K said:
I'm a couple of weeks late to this party, but I absolutely LOVE the tone I get from my PF-500. I use the PF115HLF, and sometimes I'll couple that with the PF115LF. Nice and deep. Pure Ampeg tone.

I was one of the first to complain about the cut-out issue, but I have not had that happen since I learned how not to overload the front end of the amp. Countless gigs with the two cabs (4ohm load) and no problems.
Click to expand...

I'm also interested in the PF 500, but I don't want it to cut out. Can you please tell me how to avoid that?
 

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