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Ampeg Svt-3 or Svt-7

Tallicaman1979

Tallicaman1979

Jul 21, 2011
50
5
Victoria, Australia
www.blackarrow.band
#1
Hey all,

instead of sorting through al the threads I want to just ask the question.

Will a SVT3 compete with a SVT7 in volume through a ampeg 610hlf cab?

I ask as I have a SVT7 but do miss the SVT3 sound (had one awhile ago). but I do like the headroom in the SVT7.

I do like that pushing a SVT3 into the 610hlf is a bit safer than cranking the SVT7 and possible damaging the speakers.

I appreciate everyone's opinion but looking for factual and straight up answers.

thanks

Dan
Bassist
Black Arrow
Link Removed
 
#2
Yeah I do miss the versatility of the svt3 with it's 9 band eq but I think the svt7 comes close enough. I have the svt7 and owned several svt3's in the past but they kept conking out. Very happy with rev A of the svt7. 9 band eq would make it perfect.
 
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#4
Lovep said:
Look at the SVT 4 PRO....it is the perfect blend of the 7 and 3 PRO.
Click to expand...

I disagree with this statement. The decent amount of tube growl you get out of the 3 PRO is a tone the 7 PRO and the 4 PRO cannot do.

Getting back to the OP - I believe either head can destroy the cabinet if dial in too much volume/low frequencies below 100hz. I don't think the 7 PRO is going to be much louder than the 3 PRO - probably the same volume in the end. I reality, the 7 PRO is really 700 watts and not 1000 watts. I think Jimmy M presented that information from a professional test/review on the amp head. Both are good amps, but it really comes down to what you want to hear on stage.
 
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#5
Gearhead17 said:
I disagree with this statement. The decent amount of tube growl you get out of the 3 PRO is a tone the 7 PRO and the 4 PRO cannot do.

Getting back to the OP - I believe either head can destroy the cabinet if dial in too much volume/low frequencies below 100hz. I don't think the 7 PRO is going to be much louder than the 3 PRO - probably the same volume in the end. I reality, the 7 PRO is really 700 watts and not 1000 watts. I think Jimmy M presented that information from a professional test/review on the amp head. Both are good amps, but it really comes down to what you want to hear on stage.
Click to expand...

I think the SVT 4 can get very growly...just have to know how to EQ...biamping is a good feature on the 4 pro--esp if you're mixing cabinets.

Also I think my 4 is close to my 7 in terms of loudness. The 3 is a distant 3rd. How can a 450w sound as loud as a 700-1200w?
 
#10
B-string said:
Additional 250 watts from 450 is really not a "big" deal of difference. Noticeable maybe, but the "numbers" look bigger than the reality. I mention what it takes to double loudness to put some perspective on any assumptions.
Click to expand...

I guess it all depends on the user. IMO, the Ampeg PF500 vs PF800 loudness & headroom difference is quite noticeable. I would imagine the 7 PRO and 3 PRO would be even more obvious. A lot of factors can influence "loudness"---number of speakers and amp watts is key.
 
#11
While I use class D exclusively in my PA I still wonder how much the design implementation weighs on live instrument performance "or feel". The 7 will come close to a KW on burst, where others spec at a lower "rms" and exceed greatly on burst output. It would be interesting to run the preamp out from a 3-Pro into the power amp of a 7-Pro. I suspect the tone the OP wants lays more from the preamp design of the 3-Pro.
 
#12
B-string said:
It would be interesting to run the preamp out from a 3-Pro into the power amp of a 7-Pro. I suspect the tone the OP wants lays more from the preamp design of the 3-Pro.
Click to expand...

If you check the schematic for the 3 PRO, the pre-amp out on that head is taken right before the driver tubes. Using the 3 PRO as a pre-amp only results in you getting a clean tube pre-amp tone, but nothing dirty like the 3 PRO itself can do. So getting the 3 PRO dirty sound in a larger power format will not happen. The 6 PRO was supposed to be the answer to players who liked the 3 PRO, but wanted more power. I always felt the 6 PRO came short in the end.

As for the 3 PRO and 7 PRO volume levels, the 7 PRO will most likely appear a little louder, but only in the 1-3db category. The 7 PRO will definitely be cleaner at higher volumes and the extra headroom would make 5 string players, like myself, very happy. But keep in mind that a bass cabinet can only go so loud and after a certain power level, you are mostly gaining headroom with larger wattage bass heads, not volume. I am no technical expert here and I am sure there is a better informed person to explain this more scientifically. Just saying what I believe to be true.
 
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#13
Tallicaman1979 said:
Someone was trying to tell me the tubes and mosfet amp in the SVT 3 would get a good volume compared to the D class amp in the svt 7.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a heap of hooey to me. Pre amp tubes got nothing to do with volume of an amp. Afaik.
My experience of the 3 pro is it'll get loud if you crank the Graphic EQ volume slider. ... but. ......again imo....the 7pro has a heap more volume on tap. ... playing em thru the same cabs etc etc. ..
The 7pro will get dirty if ya wind up the gain control. Whether that's a sound you like is a matter of personal taste.
 
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#14
I have the SVT 7 Pro and funny enough, I play through an SVT 610 HLF. I went ahead and got the SCR-DI, and I put it last in my pedal chain. Tweaking the Drive and Blend on the Scrambler circuit, I've learned how to give it that overdriven sound, without pushing any gain on the amp. And doesn't everyone need a DI these days? ;)
 

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