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Ampeg SCR-DI - Yamaha Question

#21
I'm a big Yamaha fan too. Amazing company consistently making killer products across such a wide and disparate range of offerings.

I'm also an owner of the SCR-DI. Build is good.

My complants are that the knobs move far too easily, and can be moved by slight touches or dragging your cord across the top which can happen onstage.

Without the -15dB jumper it is common to clip the preamp and with it engaged it's too extreme and worst of all applies even in bybass making the pedal only really useful as an always-on or your entire chain is compromised. That's really short-sighted. -10dB would've been plenty, and bypass should be effing bypass!

The Scrambler is OK if it's your flavor of a bit of hair on your sound.

I believe you'll get much more functionality and versatility from a SansAmp VT Bass DI, plus it's smaller & lighter.
 
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#23
Love mine. Got one shortly after they came out and it’s been rock solid. And it’s an Ampeg - which means it’s built like a tank and sounds…well…like an Ampeg.

I don’t use the Scrambler side that much, but I’m not very into dirt. That said, it’s a pretty decent distortion feature that has its uses.

Bottom line: If you like that Ampeg sound, buy with confidence.
 
#24
Build is paramount on this pedal- I own one, I use it as my "main tone" in my rig, and I've dropped it many times.

SQ is awesome- it really can get within shouting distance of the SVT tone.

No problems.

Only complaint is that my Yamaha bass is too quiet through it if I have the -15db jumper engaged (where my P-bass sounds best), and my P-bass distorts the input if I set the internal jumper to 0db...
 
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#25
Wanker_Joe said:
This is my only complaint with it. I switch often between my Steiny XL2 and my Spector rebop; the XL2 overloads the heck of out of the unit unless I toggle the pad, but the rebop is almost silent when the pad is on. Having to open the case is bad enough, but having to fiddle with a jumper? I sometimes feel like I'm building a computer in 1992 when I mess with it. At the very least Ampeg should have made it a dip switch or something...
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Same here with my Yamaha BBN4 and my P-bass- the yammy is too quiet but the P-bass is too loud!
 
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#26
JimmyM said:
OK but don't expect it to be $200 if they do.

Build quality is tanklike, BTW. The only thing people have complained about is the -15db switch being located inside instead of outside. Not a problem for me since I never use it, but some have voiced their concerns.
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Hey Jimmy, a Question:

You're an Ampeg endorser, heard anything from the new owners?
 
#30
JimmyM said:
OK but don't expect it to be $200 if they do.

Build quality is tanklike, BTW. The only thing people have complained about is the -15db switch being located inside instead of outside. Not a problem for me since I never use it, but some have voiced their concerns.
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Wow didn't know a db switch was inside. Reason my bass kept peaking/distorting out so quick! I thought I had a bad box and returned it.
 
#31
BrooklynBen said:
I don't own a DI right now.

There seems to be a lot of love for the Ampeg SCR-DI - Bass Preamp with Scrambler Overdrive in these forums. But I have heard a few people complain about build quality. So here is my question.
View attachment 3223944
Yamaha just bought Ampeg. And I respect Yamaha greatly, for their making everything from quality basses and audio gear, to snowmobiles, and pianos, and what not else. And they ALSO have great quality control.

So does anyone know if Yamaha plans to re-issue a new version of the Ampeg SCR-DI? Should I be waiting for a new Yamaha version?
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My question on it is, does it really sound like a portaflex? I havent tried it, but considering. I need to get a pre pedal DI because my church just went ampless. Oh, and how is the DI? Does it send full signal, or is it shelved like an actual bass amp? That was the problem I had with my sansamp. I was getting too many High highs and Low lows from the DI. Or, do I just need to couple it with a cab sim?

A lot of questions, I know. But, gotta ask.
 
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#32
JeezyMcNuggles said:
My question on it is, does it really sound like a portaflex? I havent tried it, but considering. I need to get a pre pedal DI because my church just went ampless. Oh, and how is the DI? Does it send full signal, or is it shelved like an actual bass amp? That was the problem I had with my sansamp. I was getting too many High highs and Low lows from the DI. Or, do I just need to couple it with a cab sim?

A lot of questions, I know. But, gotta ask.
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It sounds like an Ampeg product. Whether or not it sounds like a Portaflex is dependent on how you set it. Don't expect it to sound like a B-15, though. The DI cuts the highs to sound like a tweeterless cab when turned on, as does the Scrambler. I'm not sure about the lows, though...I find it quite hard to judge low end response till the subwoofers make me sound like I'm playing for Snoop Dogg :D
 
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#33
JimmyM said:
It sounds like an Ampeg product. Whether or not it sounds like a Portaflex is dependent on how you set it. Don't expect it to sound like a B-15, though. The DI cuts the highs to sound like a tweeterless cab when turned on, as does the Scrambler. I'm not sure about the lows, though...I find it quite hard to judge low end response till the subwoofers make me sound like I'm playing for Snoop Dogg :D
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Hahaha, that's good bro. Thanks man.
 
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#35
StayLow said:
Without the -15dB jumper it is common to clip the preamp and with it engaged it's too extreme and worst of all applies even in bybass making the pedal only really useful as an always-on or your entire chain is compromised. That's really short-sighted. -10dB would've been plenty, and bypass should be effing bypass!
Click to expand...

That's the only problem with the pedal. It's too bad that it's a deal breaker if you happen to use a high output / active bass. The clipping is just horrible, and the -15dB is frankly not an option, because I can swear it messes up with the tone.

I've sold the pedal and bought another preamp since, but if Yamaha managed to fix the clipping problem, I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. I loved the tone on the pedal... when it worked.
 
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