Ampeg SVT 7 Pro Club

[Ephminus]

Another question about the sound: Is it possible or wich setting do I need to get a more Tuby growling sound out of the SVT7? or do I need an extra tube preamp?

In the few days that I’ve owned this amp I can tell you that increasing the gain and lowering the master will achieve that to a degree.
Don’t be afraid of the flashing red light.
Use your ears untill you start to get that “gritty growl”.

 

[Ephminus]

Here’s my new/old rig!
And that jazz bass has an interesting talkbass connection...
I’ll save that crazy story for the Bass Guitar forum though.

 

[baxter_x]

Another question about the sound: Is it possible or wich setting do I need to get a more Tuby growling sound out of the SVT7? or do I need an extra tube preamp?

What do you mean by tubey sound? What's a tube sound?

 

[baxter_x]

I can tell you that increasing the gain and lowering the master will achieve that to a degree.

That's exactly what I was about to write

 

[JdFastMother]

Another question about the sound: Is it possible or wich setting do I need to get a more Tuby growling sound out of the SVT7? or do I need an extra tube preamp?

I just crank up the gain. I have a Tube preamp DI(two notes LeBass)that I run with my Mesa Subway head, but I don't need it with my Ampeg

 

[Keis]

I just crank up the gain. I have a Tube preamp DI(two notes LeBass)that I run with my Mesa Subway head, but I don't need it with my Ampeg

When I crank up the gain it does come closer to what I want but not quite... The tubey sound I'm looking for is that growling warm old school sound.
I guess I'll have to give it a try with an Electro Harmonix Hot Tubes pedal.

I also have to mention that I play in my living room, my family members appreciate that I keep the volume down. Not that easy with the 7 Pro ;-)

 

[Ephminus]

When I crank up the gain it does come closer to what I want but not quite... The tubey sound I'm looking for is that growling warm old school sound.
I guess I'll have to give it a try with an Electro Harmonix Hot Tubes pedal.

I also have to mention that I play in my living room, my family members appreciate that I keep the volume down. Not that easy with the 7 Pro ;-)

Bring up the compressor a bit too.
Then bring the gain up a little bit higher.
That might get you where you want to be.
Just don’t squash your sound.
If you start losing dynamics back off on the compressor.

 

[Keis]

Bring up the compressor a bit too.
Then bring the gain up a little bit higher.
That might get you where you want to be.
Just don’t squash your sound.
If you start losing dynamics back off on the compressor.

Ok, tnx! I'll give it a try an get back. I suppose the bass guitar itself also makes a difference

 

[pgpete]

some links i found

 

[JosephLB]

So...I haven’t been around talkbass in quite sometime.
But I see that JimmyM is still active! Hey!
Anyway, it was time for me to get a new amp since my SWR slowly started to fall apart and I never really fell in love with it’s ultra clean vibe as it was.
I went to GC with a plan to buy the Ampeg BA-210 combo since it was light weight and offered 500 watt capability if I used it with an extra Ampeg 15 inch 8ohm cab which I already own.
While at the store my wife pointed out a used Ampeg SVT 7 Pro that was hooked up to the same cab I’ve always used on stage, the Classic HLF 410.
It was only $50 more than the Ampeg combo.
I had heard someone playing on it when we got in the store and I was already impressed with the sound of it.
Luckily it was sitting on top of a brand new model and I was able to A/B between the two.
There were no discernible differences. But I was mostly concerned with the gain clip LED being lit up constantly, but I figured that since both models did the same thing it was normal.
So $500 later, I was on my way home with it.
I immediately did some research when I got home and quickly became concerned with all of the reports of this amp having major issues.
But I read through this entire thread, yes all 108 pages, and I think that I might have a good REV version of this amp.
*By the way, I did purchase a two year warranty.
View attachment 3540935
View attachment 3540941

Yep, you’re fine. Yours has the newer ICE2A265 chip.

 

[Bass 45]

My SVT-7 is a revision H - it has recently began momentarily cutting out when pushed (loud/fast playing) - it seems like a function of a protection circuit kicking in.

Does this necessarily mean it is time for a new power board - or can it be another cheaper fix?

Thanks

 

[JimmyM]

My SVT-7 is a revision H - it has recently began momentarily cutting out when pushed (loud/fast playing) - it seems like a function of a protection circuit kicking in.

Does this necessarily mean it is time for a new power board - or can it be another cheaper fix?

Thanks

Oh dang, Rich, sorry to hear that. I would contact Hodgy at Ampeg and ask him, since I don't know. Fan still working?

 

[Bass 45]

Oh dang, Rich, sorry to hear that. I would contact Hodgy at Ampeg and ask him, since I don't know. Fan still working?

Thanks Jimmy - yeah, I will ask Hodgy.

The fan is working - nothing seems to get hot as far as I can tell.

What sucks is - due to back problems, I recently sold my Heritage SVT (which had been flawless for about 8 years) - then the 7 Pro started cutting out the very next gig I had. I have an SVT - 3 - I like very much - I just don't know what to do with the 7 now - sell broken - or fix...

 

[baxter_x]

Is it cooled properly? How hard do you push it?
Don't you miss too much the Heritage tone wise?

 

[Bass 45]

Is it cooled properly? How hard do you push it?
Don't you miss too much the Heritage tone wise?

The fan is working - the amp is not housed in a rack or anything - nothing seems to get hot as far as I can tell.

As far as pushing it - I am getting it to cutout at a volume that my SVT-3 Pro can duplicate (at 8 ohms/275 watts max) - it does not always cutout - but I can get it too doing fast alternations on minor 3rds at a pretty high volume level (at 4 or 8 ohms).

The Heritage CL was awesome - 100% reliable for all the years I owned it - and always sounded awesome. I still have a V4-B reissue - which is close.

 

[baxter_x]

The Heritage CL was awesome - 100% reliable for all the years I owned it - and always sounded awesome. I still have a V4-B reissue - which is close.

Compared to the SVT 7 do you miss the all tube thing or the SVT 7 sounds great on its own?

 

[Bass 45]

Compared to the SVT 7 do you miss the all tube thing or the SVT 7 sounds great on its own?

It is a very good sounding amp - but I may not be the right person to ask as mine may need servicing. In addition to the cutting out, it sounds a little dull - and it puts out a lot of hiss. I want to get it right before I pass judgments on the internet . I bought it off ebay a while back and only carried it around as a backup until recently.

 

[baxter_x]

Well, according to what you describe I confirm you seem to own a bad lemon. As mine doesn't cut out nor hisses.

 

[rzero]

I already made a post about this on this thread... Turning the gain up will NOT give you more tube distortion, as suggested on this page. The gain dial is AFTER the tube stage. Distortion from turning up the gain is hard solid state clipping and is very harsh sounding. For more tube distortion, you need to hit the input with a hotter signal with something like a clean boost pedal. And make sure the gain is low enough so the tube-distorted signal is not hard clipping downstream.

And yes, playing with the compressor will affect the tube distortion. If I recall, it alters the signal both before AND after the tube.

 

[baxter_x]

I totally second your experience with the 7 Pro. I could not make it distord correctly neither. And the little distortion I could get was just some solid state harsh sounding tone.