Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Ampeg V-4B 100W vs Ampeg 3 Pro
- Thread starter pshep68
- Start date
What is louder, a 60 watt lightbulb or a 100 watt bulb?
Given the same cab, the SVT 3 will be louder, but you need to understand the way that amp reacts to the gain being pushed up.
Given the same cab, the SVT 3 will be louder, but you need to understand the way that amp reacts to the gain being pushed up.
+~
Of course the 60 watt bulb will be "louder" because if sounds better being driven hard
Oh no. Here we go again
With a join date of 2006 and multitude of threads since the OP joined (see the stickies for examples) I am left to presume trolls are coming out for Halloween.
A watt is a watt, so the SVT3 will be louder.
But, here is the deal... when the SVT3 starts to clip or distort, it will be a nasty sound that you can not use, so even though the amp is 440watts, you will only be able to use the "clean" watts, not the full 440. When the tube amp starts to distort, it sounds pretty good (if that's your thing), and you can use all the watts it has on tap. It will start to sound dirty, but not bad. Hope that makes sense.
People also often think of tube watts as being louder because they often they have have a voicing that includes more harmonic content, more mid-range, or some other thing baked into the voice that we hear more of, and makes it seem louder,, but you are just hearing better in that range.
Something else to consider... If you cab is 8ohms, when you use the 440 watt SVT3, you will only actually have access to 275 watts. With the Tube amp, you get 100 full watts no matter what your cab impedance is (assuming your amp is built to handle that impedance).
Think about what kind of sound you want to get, and not about which amp is louder based on specs. If you love big clean bass with lots of headroom, then you need a lot of watts. If you don't mid a lot of harmonic content, and a little fuzz, hair, or distortion in your tone, then you can run with a lower watt tube amp.
But, here is the deal... when the SVT3 starts to clip or distort, it will be a nasty sound that you can not use, so even though the amp is 440watts, you will only be able to use the "clean" watts, not the full 440. When the tube amp starts to distort, it sounds pretty good (if that's your thing), and you can use all the watts it has on tap. It will start to sound dirty, but not bad. Hope that makes sense.
People also often think of tube watts as being louder because they often they have have a voicing that includes more harmonic content, more mid-range, or some other thing baked into the voice that we hear more of, and makes it seem louder,, but you are just hearing better in that range.
Something else to consider... If you cab is 8ohms, when you use the 440 watt SVT3, you will only actually have access to 275 watts. With the Tube amp, you get 100 full watts no matter what your cab impedance is (assuming your amp is built to handle that impedance).
Think about what kind of sound you want to get, and not about which amp is louder based on specs. If you love big clean bass with lots of headroom, then you need a lot of watts. If you don't mid a lot of harmonic content, and a little fuzz, hair, or distortion in your tone, then you can run with a lower watt tube amp.
Also remember "volume knob" positions only mean volume knob position, not how much louder the amp will get.
I'll take a tube amp that doesn't quite get as loud as a SS or hybrid any day of the week. Both are cool heads, but the V4B KICKS!
V-4B hands down. Tone, tone, tone. More full range tube tone = less need for SS watts imo. V-4B has plenty of power. Audition both if you can.
+~
Of course the 60 watt bulb will be "louder" because if sounds better being driven hard
With a join date of 2006 and multitude of threads since the OP joined (see the stickies for examples) I am left to presume trolls are coming out for Halloween.
Is there anything wrong with the question I have asked?
Hell yeah. In my power trio with loud drummer my V4B is the perfect volume for the mix when set at it's honey spot for that cream in your pants it's so good tone(about 10 o'clock on volume knob, there is no master). I noticed again last night how it seems to sound even sweeter as the night goes on and it's been cooking hot for 3 hours.
Spend a few minutes looking in the stickies/FAQ's. The list of Tube vs SS watts is HUGE. A slightly different way of asking the same question is still the same question. 
Having played the ampeg 3 pro . Through same cab i ran my svt through . I was not happy with tone and felt it had to be pushed volume wise . just was not Comming out punching like the v4 b does . note there is a lot of preamp tubes in svt pro 3 just not as Tubey sounds as svt or v4 b. I know the svt is rated 300 watts and 3 pro 450 . I was not impressed on real life testing . As for 100 watt v4 try one it's a eye opener
