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Ampeg SVPCL Users Thread
- Thread starter overbybr
- Start date
You guys are confusing two separate issues:
The LED overload light at the input: I need to run mine nearly full on in order to get the peak light to blink with a P bass. Even though I have a pile of vintage Telefunken, Mullard, and Amperex original tubes, I have not felt the need to roll tubes as it sound great the way it is. I am not so sure that changing tubes will affect the input sensitivity. BTW, the mid selector is very active on mine just like an SVT.
The output of the unit is affected by the mod.
With a Crest CA, Peavey IPR, or other .775 Volt sensitivity amp, you would not need to make this change. The reason for this is that Ampeg offered a matching power amp at the time with this sensitivity rating. It is not the SVP 1500 (which I mistakenly bought thinking it was the matching unit).
I have this mod to change output somewhere. PM if you need it. As I recall, the mod is to change something like 7 resistors. They are PC board mounted but not a project for someone that does not have pro level experience with a soldering station.
The LED overload light at the input: I need to run mine nearly full on in order to get the peak light to blink with a P bass. Even though I have a pile of vintage Telefunken, Mullard, and Amperex original tubes, I have not felt the need to roll tubes as it sound great the way it is. I am not so sure that changing tubes will affect the input sensitivity. BTW, the mid selector is very active on mine just like an SVT.
The output of the unit is affected by the mod.
With a Crest CA, Peavey IPR, or other .775 Volt sensitivity amp, you would not need to make this change. The reason for this is that Ampeg offered a matching power amp at the time with this sensitivity rating. It is not the SVP 1500 (which I mistakenly bought thinking it was the matching unit).
I have this mod to change output somewhere. PM if you need it. As I recall, the mod is to change something like 7 resistors. They are PC board mounted but not a project for someone that does not have pro level experience with a soldering station.
The "U's" came, actually JJs so the #s different and there's no decay on sustaining notes anymore. Now Ill grab a couple JJ "X's". Very nice sound, and now the peak light will flash, but the gain needs to be wide open. If i run the VT bass with everything flat in line before the pre the light will flash about halfway up. Baby steps
If that's a 2nd version with the humbucker in it, yeah. They can fart out the input on an SVT no problem. They're even hotter than the 18V EMG setup in the Warwick I just sold.
So I was playing with my Lakland Hollowbody last night, and I had to have the gain wide open to get the signal to clip. I tried it with my jazz bass as well and same story. Perhaps it's just your Tele is a lot hotter, as gurensan suggested.
At practice last night I was really digging setting 4 on the ultra low knob. I felt like it had a really full low end with a subtle, yet distinct tone effect to it. Setting 5 I've found to be good for more modern music, or where you don't want a lot of treble coming through. All eq levels were flat.
Keep an eye out in the classifieds, you can also post a wanted ad in the classifieds. I'm working on a demo video for YouTube, since I can't find one for this pre. I hope to have it up in the next week or so.
Agreed. Setting #4 is my favorite. The manual states that it cuts at 600Hz. Sounds great.
Stupidly sold the new one I bought a while back, but just replaced it with the SVT-8 PRO head. Exact same preamp.
I just picked up an SVPCL via EBay. It's Serial# D5JDQ90053 which gives it a build date around Sept 2004. It should be just past the first run that had the lower sensitivity of .775 but for now I will be using my SVT7PRO for power. Not sure which power amp to pair with it down the road but I can't wait to try it this weekend.
I have one and love it. This is the 3rd one I have had...trades the first for a Demeter and hated the Demeter so bought another...then sold it when I got a 70s V4B.....then got another and never getting rid of it. I used mine with a Crown XLS1500 and had plenty of power and volume.
I should have my 3rd one this week and hopefully I'll be smart enough to hold onto it this time. I plan to run it into the poweramp of my vintage svt to finally settle how close it really is. The circuit is about 95 percent orional so, it should be about the same. Ive finally got the right combo of other gear to appreciate this preamp for what it is.
Alright guys, listen up, I have some definitive info on the svp-cl preamp. The short story is, it IS the 70's preamp. Period. I ran it into the svt's poweramp with the same settings and the sound was 95% or better and thats considering the svt has real old hi qaulity tubes and the svpcl probably has groovetubes. I also ran both preamps into a solid state poweramp with the same results. So, let this settle the debate. It is was it says.
Ok, when I first owned the svpcl I did what everybody does and turned the gain up to get as much output as possible because this is a relatively low output preamp. It still sounds relatively clean but, it is gradually building up fine grit and thickening the mids up to the point of bloat, kind of like the svp-pro. At this point the ultrahigh switch doesn't sound all that ultra and the pre sounds kind of boxy. This is why I origionally thought that this didn't sound like a real svt preamp section.
So, I've found that to make my svt sound right for me, I have to use my compressors output knob to bring my volume down. When I do this my svt sounds awsome. Well, I have to do the same thing with the svp-cl. Turn the master all the way up and set the gain where the real amps volume would normally be set. For me, that is about 10:00 for a clean sound. I did that and blam, the ultrahigh switch sounds "ultra high" and the eq responds the same. Im digging this thing alot this time around. It doesn't do every tone and it doesn't have to. It does just what a real svt does without the poweramp distortion and bloom, which is kind of nice in it's own way. Im pretty happy. Oh, and it sounds great through my two notes CAB. Sounds like the best recording you've ever heard of a clean 70's svt into an 8x10. Haven't messed with pushing the amp sim yet.
Ok, when I first owned the svpcl I did what everybody does and turned the gain up to get as much output as possible because this is a relatively low output preamp. It still sounds relatively clean but, it is gradually building up fine grit and thickening the mids up to the point of bloat, kind of like the svp-pro. At this point the ultrahigh switch doesn't sound all that ultra and the pre sounds kind of boxy. This is why I origionally thought that this didn't sound like a real svt preamp section.
So, I've found that to make my svt sound right for me, I have to use my compressors output knob to bring my volume down. When I do this my svt sounds awsome. Well, I have to do the same thing with the svp-cl. Turn the master all the way up and set the gain where the real amps volume would normally be set. For me, that is about 10:00 for a clean sound. I did that and blam, the ultrahigh switch sounds "ultra high" and the eq responds the same. Im digging this thing alot this time around. It doesn't do every tone and it doesn't have to. It does just what a real svt does without the poweramp distortion and bloom, which is kind of nice in it's own way. Im pretty happy. Oh, and it sounds great through my two notes CAB. Sounds like the best recording you've ever heard of a clean 70's svt into an 8x10. Haven't messed with pushing the amp sim yet.
It has the origional groove tuves so, tonight I'll be switching them out with what i have left of better tubes and see what happens.
I have wondered for quite some time if the centre freuency of the SVPCL is actually at a crazy low 20Hz, as the user manual says. If so, was it also the case for the 70s SVTs? And if so, when was the teansition to the current 40Hz point?
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Nothing has changed, it's the same circuit. On another note, I changed out the crap groove tubes and the tone really woke up. More lively, I think it probably sounds better than the 70's svt pre section. Currently V1 is an EH 12ax7 and V2 is a Jan/Phillips Au7. I ordered 2 new EH 12ax7 and 2 EH 12au7 tubes and thats what I'll roll with. I know they will sound good and always be easy to find. Im pretty damn happy right now. My current favorite setting is:
Gain 10:30
Low cut 3
Ultrahigh in
Bass maxed
mid 9:00 at 3k
Treble 11:00
Master maxed
The cut at 3k and treble make the ultrahigh switch sound better, not so ultra bright. With the low cut setting and bass maxed I get a thick lowmid punchy sound.
Gain 10:30
Low cut 3
Ultrahigh in
Bass maxed
mid 9:00 at 3k
Treble 11:00
Master maxed
The cut at 3k and treble make the ultrahigh switch sound better, not so ultra bright. With the low cut setting and bass maxed I get a thick lowmid punchy sound.
