Ampeg V-4B gigworthy?

[baxter_x]

@baxter_x recounted in post #55, when speaking of hooking up two 8x10s to his SVT-4. How else to explain his DROP in volume with more speaker surface?

Thanks!

One thing I should have mentions when using the SVT4 with two 810, you must use the stereo switch. Not the mono switch engaged. Which means both 810 will "only" receive 600w max. Its a huge drop in term of volume but still two 810 behind you. It's still massive. Trust me, the svt-4 is a great amp. I still sometimes miss it.

Edit: with both of my swr 410 I didn't need to push the master too high. About 30%. With two 810,i needed to push up to 75%.just to give you an idea. But it was tone bliss!

 

[bassgrackle]

One thing I should have mentions when using the SVT4 with two 810, you must use the stereo switch. Not the mono switch engaged. Which means both 810 will "only" receive 600w max. Its a huge drop in term of volume but still two 810 behind you. It's still massive. Trust me, the svt-4 is a great amp. I still sometimes miss it.

Edit: with both of my swr 410 I didn't need to push the master too high. About 30%. With two 810,i needed to push up to 75%.just to give you an idea. But it was tone bliss!

I agree the 4Pro is massive. It’s also close to 85 lbs in my rack case. I think I am going to build a simple wood box for mine to make it more portable. Anyone else have solutions to make them more portable?

 

[arbiterusa]

Anyone rock there V-4B with just a 1 12 in a rock setting and lay down the authority?

I have gigged an original V4B with a single 15 in a rock setting and it was not nearly enough. The tone was simply amazing, though.

 

[Son of Wobble]

I have gigged an original V4B with a single 15 in a rock setting and it was not nearly enough. The tone was simply amazing, though.

So perhaps a PAIR of 2x15s?....

 

[bassgrackle]

So perhaps a PAIR of 2x15s?....

A pair of 2x15s or a 215 cab?

 

[Wasnex]

A pair of 2x15s or a 215 cab?

If you like a vintage tone, a single Greenboy Dually would probably do well. I believe the sensitivity with the Faital drivers is up around 102db for 1 watt at 4ohms. Nice tilt back design with rollers. I am in my fifties and can lift and carry with one hand for short distances, such as up three or four stairs. The Faitals have some nice uppers mids, but I find I need to be about 12 feet in front of the cab to start hearing much color due to the lobing produced by the vertical alignment of the drivers. Horizontal dispersion is pretty decent.

 

[Korladis]

I've got one of the new V4-B heads. I love the tone. But in my situation... loud drummer; late 70's, early 80's hard rock; and a 410 HLF, it is not loud enough. I wonder if the real problem is pairing it with the 410 HLF. 20 years ago, I used a Sound City 120 with 8-10's. I had no problem competing with 2 full Marshall stacks.

The 410HLF has deep lows, but is very mid-scooped. That may be your problem. It's voiced basically the opposite of an 810.

Outside gig without PA support?

That sucks.

I've done it with my D-180. Only time I've ever cranked it all the way.

I guess you can but I doubt it's you could hear yourself. I did the same with my svt-4 back in 2013 and the loss of power was huge but I could still manage to crank some massive tone. With a 100w amp.....

First time I saw the doom metal band North the bassist was using a V4B with a 610 and an 810. Sounded absolutely huge. and punishingly loud.

it is generally accepted that the v4b is not quite enough oomph for thrash/stoner/doom. it will be too fuzzy and not carry enough. for everything else though, you should be just fine.

Generally accepted by who? See above.

 

[baxter_x]

I agree the 4Pro is massive. It’s also close to 85 lbs in my rack case. I think I am going to build a simple wood box for mine to make it more portable. Anyone else have solutions to make them more portable?

Why not, just keep it opened on each sides to let the internal fan cool the amp correctly.

First time I saw the doom metal band North the bassist was using a V4B with a 610 and an 810. Sounded absolutely huge. and punishingly loud.

Maybe it's enough then. In clubs and mid venues I have no doubt it's enough, however on big festivals stages I doubt it could be enough. But I never tried the amp so....

 

[JimmyM]

Maybe it's enough then. In clubs and mid venues I have no doubt it's enough, however on big festivals stages I doubt it could be enough. But I never tried the amp so....

Never understood the logic of needing more volume on festival stages. Maybe if it's a super windy day and your amp is facing against the wind But I do stuff like that fairly often and my volume is pretty much the same as in smaller rooms. And festivals always have good enough PA to carry the house.

 

[baxter_x]

To me you need more volume, so power, on big stages. I don't crank my volume the same on outdoor festivals and little venues.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Never understood the logic of needing more volume on festival stages. Maybe if it's a super windy day and your amp is facing against the wind But I do stuff like that fairly often and my volume is pretty much the same as in smaller rooms. And festivals always have good enough PA to carry the house.

Wot? Festivals have PA to carry the field, park, stadium, whatever. Your volume may be the same indoors or out but no need for mixfuddlement.

 

[JimmyM]

Wot? Festivals have PA to carry the field, park, stadium, whatever. Your volume may be the same indoors or out but no need for mixfuddlement.

You sure you quoted the right person? Because you just said what I said then seemed incredulous about what I said.

 

[Downunderwonder]

You sure you quoted the right person? Because you just said what I said then seemed incredulous about what I said.

Festivals don't play houses.

 

[el murdoque]

Im really liking the tone and weight of the V-4B, but wondering if it would be loud enough to keep up with my 3 piece indie band and rock and roll / top 40s pop cover band with my Fearless F112 and / or F115. I’ve never had an all tube amp before, but I’m tired of carrying my SVT Pro4. Anyone rock there V-4B with just a 1 12 in a rock setting and lay down the authority?

I see modern fivestring basses in your avatar pic and you mention Greenboy cabs. What sound are you after?
With a four string P bass and good cabs, the V4B rocks. If you are after a more modern sound with scooped mids and lots of bottom, playing the low notes with authority, you could bring the amp towards its limit.

 

[Korladis]

Why not, just keep it opened on each sides to let the internal fan cool the amp correctly.


Maybe it's enough then. In clubs and mid venues I have no doubt it's enough, however on big festivals stages I doubt it could be enough. But I never tried the amp so....

At most festivals you have the PA to help you.

In any indoor gig that's small enough that you aren't in the PA, a V4B through two big cabs is loud enough to be painful.

Never understood the logic of needing more volume on festival stages. Maybe if it's a super windy day and your amp is facing against the wind But I do stuff like that fairly often and my volume is pretty much the same as in smaller rooms. And festivals always have good enough PA to carry the house.

I've played an outdoor show where I didn't have PA support. But that was once. The places I mostly don't have PA support is small clubs.

A PF-50T wouldn't be enough for my doom bands, but a V4 probably would.

 

[JimmyM]

Festivals don't play houses.

They sure as heck do. Sometimes.

 

[Wisebass]

Maybe if it's a super windy day and your amp is facing against the wind

When the wind blows your V4B away, you have a problem!

I bet that problem won' t be volume!

Wise(b)ass

 

[baxter_x]

At most festivals you have the PA to help you.

I don't rely on PA. Only on my rig

 

[bassgrackle]

I see modern fivestring basses in your avatar pic and you mention Greenboy cabs. What sound are you after?
With a four string P bass and good cabs, the V4B rocks. If you are after a more modern sound with scooped mids and lots of bottom, playing the low notes with authority, you could bring the amp towards its limit.

I do love me some MTD 5 strings, and that amp setup I have all dialed in. But I also like to take out my vintage and classic stingrays and with them I go for the dirty rock tone which is what I got the V4b for. My MTDs just don’t take to the effects and over drive well they are very clean basses.(Which is why I got them). The stingrays are great with effects and over drive which my cover band calls for a lot(being a 3 piece)

 

[el murdoque]

I do love me some MTD 5 strings, and that amp setup I have all dialed in. But I also like to take out my vintage and classic stingrays and with them I go for the dirty rock tone which is what I got the V4b for. My MTDs just don’t take to the effects and over drive well they are very clean basses.(Which is why I got them). The stingrays are great with effects and over drive which my cover band calls for a lot(being a 3 piece)

I've been in your shoes (kind of) with barefaced cabs and either a call for dirty and loud or for clean and big.

I myself settled on the PF 50-T. I even gave the 20T a spin, but that one was a bit lacking on the watts to give me the clean lows on the 5 and 6 string basses. I tried and played the V4B a couple of times and found that with efficient cabs, it gets plenty loud - and the bigger the venue, the bigger the PA. So all I really needed off that amp was to be loud enough to hear myself properly on stage.

It's just that those cabs (greenboy as well as barefaced) really start to shine when you push a lot of power into them.

So I use the PF 50T for the gigs where I don't need heaps of volume but want that tube sound. I really dig the feature with the DI out from the output transformer that gives me that sound on IEM and for FOH as well.

When I need to shake walls, I have Class D heads or even a Class D poweramp to run the PF 50T into.