I think you perceptions are a bit off. I have read many comments that the SVT is not really setup for extreme low end at full power. I believe the OTs are actually the reason. If you want extended lows you should look at a big Hiwatt.
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Ampeg V4B200
- Thread starter Red Planet
- Start date
I think you perceptions are a bit off. I have read many comments that the SVT is not really setup for extreme low end at full power. I believe the OTs are actually the reason. If you want extended lows you should look at a big Hiwatt.
The last time i had a tech check mine one of them was doing about 280 watts with old tubes, I also had a skunkworks head at that time and it was considerable lower.
Big catch 22 with that one. Some people have relatively good luck with SVT. Alot people don't.
Sure you can push them to 200 watts.
But it will eat tubes faster than it should.
Plus the market should demand 2 ohm taps. And that pushes transformer cost. You can run them cheap. Kinda have too. But catch 22 those bottles will fail and will take that transformer with it.
You can run cheap transformer. And do it. Then you see genious ideas like screen resistors that pop like fuses. That saves transformers. Cause they tubes will fail.
Waste time. You want 200 watts then go KT88 and don't get the nerve start pushing that plate higher than it should go.
Keep the margin safe.
Ampeg sold my friend. I'm pretty sure the class D issues and usual SVT warranty costs. Killed the money.
Not just Ampeg. Alot companies battled out the class D dives. It almost destroyed orange too.
I get all the bottom I want out of mine. I play a 4 string so the lowest it gets from me is what 42 Hz? But running it through 15's I get big bottom out of them if I want it, very pleasing sound, I have also read that they're bottom deficient (somewhere here) and don't believe it at all. They've got huge transformers in them which is why they weigh a ton, 85 lbs for mine.
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I have a pair of 70's SVT heads and can't kill them, I've had each one for close to 20 years, been using SVT's since 1975 and they've always been extremely reliable. They're 300 watt heads. I had a Marshall Major 200 watt tube head with KT-88's years ago, that thing was also loud
That's cool but 280W is pretty meaningless without the distortion rating. Here's a bench test of a CL. See 10:06 (340W at 10.7% TDH) and See 10:44 (240W at 5.8% THD).
Like I said some people have luck. Alot people don't. I had alot problems with both my classics. My 70s SVT was alright but I still sunk alot money into it to get it up.
I'm glad you had luck with Marshall major.
Don't get your feelings hurt. But the amp is perfect example of how not to make a amp. And it's notorious for cooking cheap transformers when bottles fail. If they actually built a stable amp. And incorporate the Ampeg screen fuses that blow. probably would have saved few transformers. Output section was total nightmare anyway you do it. Then again there is plenty people that have owned them for years. Marshall discontinued it for very legit reasons though
Part of the game with any vintage amp. And wouldn't wanna scare away buyers. Cause I believe putting money into vintage amps is money well spent.
Nobody is stopping anyone from blasting krap outta 6550s and getting 200 watts. It's possible.
I just fell it's more feasible to either do realible 160 watts. Don't sweat the 40 watts that does nothing.
Or if you wanna play the numbers game.
Just do 200 watts with KT88.
Anybody can blast a 6550 all they want. Just don't cry to me when warranty repair bites your booty.
SVT pre amp and a solid solid 200 watt KT88 quad would be beautiful thing. And yes spend the money. Put dam 2 ohm tap on the thing.
I'm glad you had luck with Marshall major.
Don't get your feelings hurt. But the amp is perfect example of how not to make a amp. And it's notorious for cooking cheap transformers when bottles fail. If they actually built a stable amp. And incorporate the Ampeg screen fuses that blow. probably would have saved few transformers. Output section was total nightmare anyway you do it. Then again there is plenty people that have owned them for years. Marshall discontinued it for very legit reasons though
Part of the game with any vintage amp. And wouldn't wanna scare away buyers. Cause I believe putting money into vintage amps is money well spent.
Nobody is stopping anyone from blasting krap outta 6550s and getting 200 watts. It's possible.
I just fell it's more feasible to either do realible 160 watts. Don't sweat the 40 watts that does nothing.
Or if you wanna play the numbers game.
Just do 200 watts with KT88.
Anybody can blast a 6550 all they want. Just don't cry to me when warranty repair bites your booty.
SVT pre amp and a solid solid 200 watt KT88 quad would be beautiful thing. And yes spend the money. Put dam 2 ohm tap on the thing.
It's all relative. SVTs make plenty of lows IMHO, but an amp like a Reeves 400 or Hiwatt DR405s definitely goes lower and louder.
I don't know how much power a YBA200 typically makes. I have seen reports that AD200B makes about 165W clean. You can dial in a big fat bottom at low volume, but it tend to mush out pretty quickly IMHO when the amp is pushed. I think the amp sound fabulous if you run the bass at a reasonable level, and it gets plenty loud for my needs.
If you want a 200 watt Ampeg just buy (2) v4b’s and master slave them... yeah an extra head... but their not heavy at all. I just solved your problem much faster then waiting on Ampeg to make a 200 watt tube head
I’ve been running a v4b thru an 810 and it’s a loud 100 watts... these amps don’t get enough credit!
I’ve been running a v4b thru an 810 and it’s a loud 100 watts... these amps don’t get enough credit!
Either one of those amps will get the job done. For sure.
Orange rules on asthetic and likewise doesn't push the 6550 hard
Traynor got it too and went with bigger bottle.
I'm not sure if it's a transformer or preamp thing. That settles the difference.
Either way puts good meaning into not having to push a 6550 hard and still deliver.
If you want 200 watts go KT88.
Maybe there is still magic to the good old American beam tetrode 6550.
Model T crush both of them. But the formula still there.
I'm not into counting watts. I like beam Tetrodes and 2 ohm taps.
Yea the SVT screen resistors are a great idea, I loved mine but it's been gone for years now, wish I still had it. They stopped making them when KT-88's became hard to find, somewhere around 1974 I believe.
Man, I don't know what to make of you sometimes
You seem so knowledgeable sometimes, and then you come out with some weird stuff based on internet lore that has no basis in truth. I don't get it.
Agree. Hiwatt or Sunn if my memories from back in the early 70s about them haven’t been distorted by the intervening years. The Ampegs (and old Acoustics) were less deep in absolute terms, but also more punchy and defined sounding.
Man! Talk about haulin’ some heavy iron around. Those were the days. (not)
They are, but they run 6 KT88s at about the same voltages as SVTs.
Man, I don't know what to make of you sometimes
I don't know, when someone takes/publishes power measurements of the low frequency response of the amp and how it changes as the power is increased I don't consider it lore.
They have knobs! When you add distortion, you're increasing highs and upper mids by a crazy amount, so you turn up the bass knob to make up for it. Problem solved.
