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Ampeg SVPCL Users Thread

overbybr

overbybr

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Dec 17, 2009
3,412
1,323
Spartanburg, South Carolina
#1
So after looking through the threads in the amp section, I saw a lot of threads with various information, and sometimes duplicate (or they were very old). Being a new owner of an SVPCL, I wanted to start a thread for questions about the amp as well as create a central location for experienced users to comment on best practices and tips. This isn't intended to be an owners club so much as a technical reference for owners and potential owners.

With that in mind, feel free to show your SVPCL below as well as expound on the appreciation for this preamp.

Talkbass Review
http://www.talkbass.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=194

My SVPCL in its rack, pushing my Bergantino IP310
ImageUploadedByTalkBass1370222265.026366.jpg

SVPCL recommended settings
ImageUploadedByTalkBass1370222319.951518.jpg
http://www.ampeg.com/pdf/svpcl.pdf

When was your amp made?
http://www.unofficialampeg.com/dating.html

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/ampeg-svp-cl-tips-885039/
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/ampeg-svpcl-qsc-rmx850-258879/

What are your favorite settings? Post the pictures along with your thoughts. (Here's a prior thread on the subject http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/svpcl-preamp-settings-212747/)
 
#2
I've got one and it works very well.
I had hoped that this pre into a big iron 1500 watt power amp would be a 1500 watt SVT. It is decent but the 7 Pro sounds closer to me.
It is a really good recording pre and offers really good tone live.
Do be aware that the earlier units only had a .775 Volt output which means you cannot get the full power from your power amp if it does not have a .775 Volt sensitivity rating.
Best I can tell, only the Peavey and light weight inexpensive Crest Class D amps have this feature. I used a dbx compressor to raise the gain into my power amp.
 
#4
Jim C said:
I've got one and it works very well.
I had hoped that this pre into a big iron 1500 watt power amp would be a 1500 watt SVT. It is decent but the 7 Pro sounds closer to me.
It is a really good recording pre and offers really good tone live.
Do be aware that the earlier units only had a .775 Volt output which means you cannot get the full power from your power amp if it does not have a .775 Volt sensitivity rating.
Best I can tell, only the Peavey and light weight inexpensive Crest Class D amps have this feature. I used a dbx compressor to raise the gain into my power amp.
Click to expand...

Thankfully my IP310 has a .775V input sensitivity.
 
#6
Earlier? later? what years did they make them? '04-'09? by the Ampeg unofficial page, my numbers say '08. But as I was saying, I think theres some issue with my Precision/Jazz...the output cant even get the overdrive light to flash...then I plug the Telecaster bass in and it flashes at around gain at half. I have to run my VTbass before it, flatten everything out and turn up the lever to make it flash.
 
#7
Mike in Chicago said:
Earlier? later? what years did they make them? '04-'09? by the Ampeg unofficial page, my numbers say '08. But as I was saying, I think theres some issue with my Precision/Jazz...the output cant even get the overdrive light to flash...then I plug the Telecaster bass in and it flashes at around gain at half. I have to run my VTbass before it, flatten everything out and turn up the lever to make it flash.
Click to expand...

You could always turn your tele bass volume down, or raise your pup height on the pj. You may have a bad pot or two as well on the bass.
 
#8
I've had my SVP-CL for a little over a year and love it . The first 9 months or so I liked the tone but only got a good sound with one of the mid presets . I thought that the voicing on the other presets were just not my tone at all . I liked the 4th one and not the others . Then one day the pre just died , no sound out of it at all . I could get 12ax7 tubes local so I put a pair of JJs in those two spots and nothing . I ordered a pair of JJ 12au7 on line and when they got here the pre worked and the tones just started working great . All the settings on the mid frequency selector sound good now and it seems much more usable . I don't know that much about good tubes but the JJs sound very good to me . Here's a pic .

011.jpg
 
#10
I have a SVP-CL and a SVP-PRO. The cl has a good tone to it but the XLR out has a weak signal. So I use the 1/4" preamp out to the power amp. Then it can be controlled with the master volume and it gets plenty of signal that way. I almost prefer the sound of the svp-pro over the cl due to the overdrive.
 
#11
jmcorn said:
I have a SVP-CL and a SVP-PRO. The cl has a good tone to it but the XLR out has a weak signal. So I use the 1/4" preamp out to the power amp. Then it can be controlled with the master volume and it gets plenty of signal that way. I almost prefer the sound of the svp-pro over the cl due to the overdrive.
Click to expand...

The xlr out on the svpcl shouldn't be used to drive a power amp. That's just for sending a clean signal to the FOH or your recording equipment
 
#15
Opened up my svpcl and there were two groove tubes, Two sov's. all 12a X7. I used the groove to conversion chart on a tube site and the groove tubes were the same tube as the Sovteks.



And lets just say the review of those particular Sovteks were less than stellar.



So i bought some JJs
 
#19
I got my SVPCL back from my rehearsal space yesterday. I'm going to try to take the cover off tonight and see what tubes are inside. My ultimate goal is to do a recording of the preamp being put rough various settings, because I'm unable to find one on YouTube.
 

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