Ampeg SVT-CL and 8x10 in a condo or apartment?

No. Get a smaller amp/headphones or just play unamplified.

 

I’ve never considered that setup to be a bedroom amp. I’d keep it, but get a headphone amp or mixer for home usage.

 

IME, admittedly limited, I've found isolation the only way to combat low frequencies leaving the room. Almost no "soundproofing" done by a non-professional will do. Realistically, once its loud enough you can't talk normally over it... everyone inside the structure will know someone's jamming the bass.

 

I owned an MTI era SVT with an 810 and lived in an apartment. I avoided playing during hours where I thought my neighbors would be most sensitive and only played it at very low volume.

I actually sold the rig while I lived there. I kept a vintage Fender Twin Reverb loaded with JBL E120s. I preferred the sound of the Twin and it was on loan from my brother.

I was not gigging and had no plans to join a band. So the SVT was really of no benefit. It may have been the right call at the time, but I regret selling it. It was the first bass rig I purchased, and the only one I have sold so far.

I currently own a 69 and an 87 SVT. I live in a house and play them in my basement through a pair of EV TL405s loaded with EVM18Bs. The fans in vintage SVTs are rather obnoxious, but I have gotten used to it. So far my neighbors have not complained, but I am sure they sometimes hear me in their houses. Most of the time I don't play very loud, but sometimes it's fun to crank up for a few minutes (5-10 at most). Best to not do this late at night.

I also own an Ampeg PF50t, and while it does not sound exactly like my SVTs, it definitely has some strong Ampeg flavor and does not produce fan noise.

Whether you can get away with playing an SVT in an apartment will depend on your neighbors, the construction of the apartment, how loud you play, and when you play.

It's been a long time, but I think I probably talked to the neighbors in surrounding apartments to explore their concerns and essentially get their permission. Also I probably asked them to knock on my door if there was ever a concern.

For context I became a full-time military musician shortly after I sold the MTI. I certainly could have used an SVT in the job, but I took a different path. My last touring rig before I retired from playing used primarily an Eden D210XLT, and it was plenty loud. I had a D410XLT as well, but I rarely used it. I didn't feel the added benefit was worth the extra work.

 

I wouldn't even use a micro and 210av in my apartment. Get some headphones dude.

 

I will rephrase/restate this: Whether you can get away with it will depend on your neighbors, the construction of the apartment, how loud you play, and when you play.

It doesn't matter whether you're playing through an SVT and 810, a 1X12, or a 1X8. I have had neighbors complain because I was talking too loud, or the TV was too loud. Some neighbors are totally unreasonable, while others are tolerant as long as you use reasonable restraint and show respect.

If you want to eliminate the problem, get some sort of headphone-based practice rig.

 

I got in the habit of leaving the big iron set up on stage at church so I don’t have to cart it around, and use a 25 watt amp at home.
Nowadays they have smaller amps at church so I play the bigger amps at home.
At an apartment I would use a headphone amp just to keep the windows intact and the neighbors happy.

 

I love my SVTs but I wouldn’t use them in that environment. There just wouldn’t be any real benefit to it.

If I had no choice I’d make it work but I don’t think I’d be able to get speakers moving without being overpowering. Especially through an 810.

 

I have an SVT CL and Mesa PH 610 in a condo that is a building with 4 units. No problem whatsoever. Use restraint and talk to your neighbors.

 

That would be my choice, and a heck of a lot less expensive. Tube SVTs are not exactly friendly on your electric bill either.

 

Do not do this. This absolutely will end badly.

 

If you're going to play through a cab...

As has been mentioned, talk to your neighbors.

A friendly relationship and some parameters they're okay with can work to your advantage.

 

You should get a glass tabletop, set the 810 on its back with the speakers facing up, and use the tabletop to make it into your coffee table.

Only half joking, that would be kind of cool. I guess you'd need another amp.

 

Is there a reason you don’t want to use headphones?

Your band isn’t in the apartment with you, so why do you really need to get the speaker moving?

 

That’s not gonna work. Apartment = headphones.

 

Do you just sit around looking at it or do you actually gig with it? If you're really practicing by yourself ,head phones are all you need.

 

I’ve used “big rigs” in apartments.
One thing to add to the previous replies - the volume knob will feel extremely sensitive when you’re trying to play your stadium amp at closet volume. Depending on how quiet you need to be, you may have to start at zero, and then turn up the volume slowly until you hear the first sound, and that first sound is as loud as you can play.
To me, that really kills the joy, it just feels cumbersome to sit there in front of your wall of speakers and nudge that volume knob a fraction of an inch at a time.

A smaller alternative, like the Pf 20t/50t, might make you a lot happier, if that’s an option.

I don’t necessarily agree that headphones are the only option, small amps are usually OK. People use all sorts of home entertainment stuff, hifi systems etc. in apartments, you just have to be respectful. YMMV, IMHO..