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Ampeg SVT- IIP

#4
I own one as well as the Pro. They sound very very similar but the IIP is a bit less noisy, has no "drive" feature and no effects loop. Great reliable preamp in my opinion (I've owned mine for about 15 years) but that price seems a bit high. I'm not sure though since ampeg quit making preamps, their prices may have gone up since I was last looking. New it was about $230 if memory serves.
 
#6
I had one a few years ago and LOVED it! It is inarguably NOT hi-fi tone though, as the ad would suggest. It's closer to the classic Ampeg tone than the more modern tones from a newer 2-Pro or 4-Pro Ampeg. However, that is double what I paid for mine and as suggested by previous posts, pretty much a ripoff.
 
#7
That preamp is the best sounding pre that Ampeg has ever made, It is the same pre that is in the SVT NON PRO amps. way closer to the original SVT than the PRO series.
The pro series does not sound at all like a non pro or a vintage SVT pre.. the shelving points sound different as does the Ultra Hi and Ultra low.
If you want a pre that sounds like the original SVT this is the one.

They were much cheaper than that about 3 years ago.. but these are much looked at as collector pieces.. and tone machines. not so much the later models. I have had all of them and this one is the SVT sound hands down! I like to use it to record with to get the ampeg sound if needed... the CL and later model dont do that like this one does.
 
#9
svtb15 said:
That preamp is the best sounding pre that Ampeg has ever made, It is the same pre that is in the SVT NON PRO amps. way closer to the original SVT than the PRO series.
The pro series does not sound at all like a non pro or a vintage SVT pre.. the shelving points sound different as does the Ultra Hi and Ultra low.
If you want a pre that sounds like the original SVT this is the one.

They were much cheaper than that about 3 years ago.. but these are much looked at as collector pieces.. and tone machines. not so much the later models. I have had all of them and this one is the SVT sound hands down! I like to use it to record with to get the ampeg sound if needed... the CL and later model dont do that like this one does.
Click to expand...
I slightly agree and disagree with this. I can get my SVPCL to sound like my '69 and '04 SVTs pretty easily, but if you set the settings the exact same on both they will sound different.
 
#10
The problem with the SVPCL is that the ultra hi and Ultra Low buttons do not sound the same as the Old SVT. where as the SVT 2P does.
Just my findings . i have owned them all since i was a product endorser for almost 20 years.


Ray Salamon said:
I slightly agree and disagree with this. I can get my SVPCL to sound like my '69 and '04 SVTs pretty easily, but if you set the settings the exact same on both they will sound different.
Click to expand...
 
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#11
svtb15 said:
The problem with the SVPCL is that the ultra hi and Ultra Low buttons do not sound the same as the Old SVT. where as the SVT 2P does.
Just my findings . i have owned them all since i was a product endorser for almost 20 years.
Click to expand...

Agree, that's why I said it takes more tweaking, but they do get there easily. Having all three at the same time for months and a more than a few gigs now, I can make any of the three sound like one another.
 
#12
I was thinking the price was a bit on the steep side as well. For some reason I was thinking $250 sounds about right.

I'm curious to know how it stacks up against the svp-pro preamp. I used to own one of those and thought it sounded great. I also need to try and find a svp-cl to play through again so I can remember what those can do.
 
#13
They're $400 now because they're out of production, and paired with a big power amp ... they sound huge. True of all the ampeg pres. IMHO the SVP-CL is the weakest pre they've ever made, its fine but doesn't really have any "ampeg sound" to me. Just clean clean clean.

The pro is the juiciest, dirtiest, noisiest. I love that pre. Great with modern cabs (including the 410HE). Can be nasty, or "clean enough".

The II-pro is a lot cleaner, but still sounds like an ampeg. Great with the new 210 micro sealed cabs, and I recon would sound great through a fridge, though I've never tried it.

The SVP-CL, to me, sounds boring. A lot like the Aguilar 659.
 
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