Ampeg SVT 450H bad reviews here?

[DangerFlow_Nate]

Went to GC today armed with my Music Man 5 and tried out the Ampeg SVT 7 Pro head and the Ampeg SVT-610HLF cab. Loved the sound, I ended up buying the cab and I just linked it up with my old SVT-400T head and there is a WORLD of difference in quality to the Hartke 4 tens that I'd been using. Thanks to whoever recommended that i try a higher quality cabinet.

A couple of thoughts however. I read some reviews about the SVT-610HLF not being as good or having as much low end as the 410 version. They did not have the 410s in stock in GC but I LOVE the low end that I am hearing from the 610, at least compared to my Hartke cab. I play in a band that is hip hop and reggae influenced and the solid "no doubt about" lows are critical. There 2 extra speakers on the 610...why would it be lacking lows compared to the 410?

Also, when my head was with the Hartke the peak light right by the gain would light up if I put it anywhere past "1" in volume. This always caused me concern that my signal might be distorting. Connected to the ampeg 610 however I am able to turn the gain way up before I see that peak light. I dont get why the cab would matter as far as that goes. Maybe I was messing things up in my previous set up because of Ohms?
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.....very informative.

 

[DangerFlow_Nate]

Went to GC today armed with my Music Man 5 and tried out the Ampeg SVT 7 Pro head and the Ampeg SVT-610HLF cab. Loved the sound, I ended up buying the cab and I just linked it up with my old SVT-400T head and there is a WORLD of difference in quality to the Hartke 4 tens that I'd been using. Thanks to whoever recommended that i try a higher quality cabinet.

A couple of thoughts however. I read some reviews about the SVT-610HLF not being as good or having as much low end as the 410 version. They did not have the 410s in stock in GC but I LOVE the low end that I am hearing from the 610, at least compared to my Hartke cab. I play in a band that is hip hop and reggae influenced and the solid "no doubt about" lows are critical. There 2 extra speakers on the 610...why would it be lacking lows compared to the 410?

Also, when my head was with the Hartke the peak light right by the gain would light up if I put it anywhere past "1" in volume. This always caused me concern that my signal might be distorting. Connected to the ampeg 610 however I am able to turn the gain way up before I see that peak light. I dont get why the cab would matter as far as that goes. Maybe I was messing things up in my previous set up because of Ohms?
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.....very informative.

oops ok the issue with it peaking above 1 is still there.....was plugged into -15db

 

[Korladis]

If it's like other Ampeg hybrids with tube preamps... the little red light going on isn't a bad thing. It means the preamp's getting enough signal.

 

[DangerFlow_Nate]

from what I know there is no tube preamp in this head....it is about a 17 year old head....but it is sounding great to me now its linked with the SVT-610HLF bottom....a red light means something good is happening? Seems counter intuitive.

 

[gozbass]

Probably more of an issue with your cab vs. the Ampeg cab. Especially if the one you used was a HLF model

Also the cab he has. If it's an aluminum cone Hartke type, it's not going to sound as nice as any paper cone cab. Those are harsh and too midranged for me. I've never been able to get a smooth deep bassy sound from them.

 

[gozbass]

weird.. i wouldnt have described it as cold at all, and I dialed out alot of the upper midrange.. just enough to cut thru and boosted the low mids a little and dropped the 30-50hz are on the graphic.. so I found it quite nice.. and was surprised that I did.

Tone wise, i was happy with mine. It's just didn't seem to be 450 watts loud. But reliable as anything i ever had. I still use mine for a trusted back up.