Ampeg Ventures vs Ampeg SVT Pros

[DougDougDoug]

Hi All,

I’ve read the entirety of the “New Ampeg Venture Series” thread and am very interested in buying a Venture cab. I’m also interested in the Venture heads (especially the V7), but I’m curious about the trade offs between the Ventures and the SVT Pro series of heads.

For some context, I’m primarily a guitar player and I’m new to bass. I want to do some home recording, and if I can get a solid e.p. together, possibly recruit some folks to play live. I don’t share walls with neighbors. In fact, I have a basement and have even jammed my 100w tube guitar head into a 4x12 with a hard hitting live drummer and the neighbors didn’t complain. That being said, I’d like to get good recording tones at reasonable volumes so I don’t deafen my wife or I.

The songs I’m recording are sort of post punk and sort of shoegaze. The bass tones I’m going for are pretty clean with modulation for the most part, but there are occasional passages with overdrive or possibly even fuzz. But by and large, think of the bass sounds from bands like Joy Division, The Smiths, The Cure, and Slowdive. A lot of iconic post punk and shoegaze recordings used SVTs, so that’s the tonal ballpark I’d like to end up in.

At first, the Venture heads seemed like a great choice because, given that they’re solid state, I was thinking I could get some good recording tones without having to crank the volume. However, I’m wondering if I could get the sorts of tones I’m after at equally reasonable volumes from something in the SVT Pro lineup. My understanding is that these amps have tube preamps but solid state power amps. I’m thinking that would allow me to drive a preamp relatively hard for some tubey goodness but keep the actual volume relatively reasonable without sacrificing tone because I could keep the solid state power amp set pretty low. Am I thinking about that correctly or am I way off base?

As I said above, I’m pretty set on a cab from the Venture series because the 4x10, 1x15, and 8x8 options all tout low frequency responses. I’m tuned to B0, so these cabs would allow me to play keep fundamental note in my open B string.

I believe the SVT 3 Pro is 450w at 4 ohms but only 275 at 8 ohms. The Venture 4x10 is 8 ohm. Would running an SVT 3 Pro at 275w into the Venture 4x10 be way too loud for home recording? Alternatively, would 275w leave enough clean headroom given that I’m mostly seeking relatively clean SVT 80s post punk tones at hopefully not too insane of volumes?

Any argument to get an SVT 4 or 7 Pro rather than the 3?

Any argument to stick with a Venture V7 head?

And sorry for one more noob question, but I read that the Venture heads are a little unusual because they use Neutrik NL2 connectors (as a new bassist, this jargon goes over my head, so my apologies if I get this wrong). I believe the Venture cabs, meanwhile, can accept NL2 or NL4 (again please correct me if I’m wrong. I don’t want to inadvertently spread misinformation). Lastly, I believe the SVT Pro series heads use the more standard NL4s. So, I should be able to use a cable with NL4s at both ends to connect any of the SVT Pro series heads to a Venture 4x10 cab, correct?

Oh, and if it’s helpful, I do plan to also record direct but I’d like to have a mic’d cab for recording in addition to the DI and I definitely want an amp for practice/writing sessions. That’s why I’m looking at amps and cabs rather than looking at DI boxes.

Thanks to anyone willing to share their time and expertise as I dive into the world of bass!

 

[rickdog]

I have an SVT-3Pro. I've used it for recording, it doesn't need a speaker attached. I like the way the preamp sounds when it's pushed hard - Gain knob turned up until the Peak light comes on a lot. You can put a boost of some sort before the preamp and hit the very first tube stage harder (the Gain control is after that).

How loud do you want to be for recording, anyway? Do you need to have a speaker at all? Keep in mind that you can crank the Gain and turn down Master and still get that preamp tube saturation without being loud at all - and record from the DI (set to Post).

 

[DougDougDoug]

@rickdog Thanks for the tip about how to crank the preamp and possibly even running a boost into it!

You asked how loud I want to record at. This is a pretty squishy answer, but I’d say I want to record loud enough to get good mic’d amp tones, but no louder than necessary to do that. I’ll definitely record a DI track as well, but a lot of the tones I’m trying to emulate recorded mic’d cabs + DI, so I’m thinking it makes sense to keep the mic’d cab in the mix rather than strictly going DI.

Your other comment is also much appreciated - I was hoping to confirm that I could crank the tube preamp but keep the solid state power amp relatively low and get some recordable sounds, and you say that’s doable. Great news!

 

[InhumanResource]

@rickdog Thanks for the tip about how to crank the preamp and possibly even running a boost into it!

You asked how loud I want to record at. This is a pretty squishy answer, but I’d say I want to record loud enough to get good mic’d amp tones, but no louder than necessary to do that. I’ll definitely record a DI track as well, but a lot of the tones I’m trying to emulate recorded mic’d cabs + DI, so I’m thinking it makes sense to keep the mic’d cab in the mix rather than strictly going DI.

Your other comment is also much appreciated - I was hoping to confirm that I could crank the tube preamp but keep the solid state power amp relatively low and get some recordable sounds, and you say that’s doable. Great news!

The 3 pro (and its big brother the 6 pro) share the same front end/preamp as the SVT-CL plus a solid state power section. The secret weapon is that in addition to the pre gain and master volume, there is the tube gain control which adjusts driver tube voltage and really impacts the sound when you’re pushing the amp hard. To my ears, this guy is the closest hybrid to the real thing but all the amps you mentioned are fine products.

 

[baxter_x]

Any argument to get an SVT 4 or 7 Pro rather than the 3?

The 4 is a great amp but also a bit complicated to understand, heavy and massive.
The 7 pro is the lightest of all three and almost as powerful as the 4 pro.
I have used the 4 pro for many years and switched to the 7 pro without any regrets.same power, same tone in a very light small package.
If you really need the graphics EQ I would advise you to go for the 3 pro.

They all sound like an Ampeg anyway.

 

[RobD_BritBass]

Do you intend to use the amp for rehearsing/gigging? If it's just for recording you may well be better off with a plug in or a preamp pedal. I know Sushibox Effects has an SVT based tube preamp pedal coming out in the not too distant future. Couple that with some half decent cab IRs and you'll have a far more controllable and flexible setup without worrying about room sounds etc when you're recording

 

[Iristone]

You could crank the SVT Pro for a valve grind. I'm not sure if the solid-state circuit of the Venture would capture it well, as I've not tried it. If you like the bright switch in the SVT Pros (such as the SVT-3 and SVT-4), I'd go for it.

 

[Muziekschuur]

The flipster pedal (preamp clipping design) is the Venture secret. It sounds very much like a overdriven SVT. It is great. It isn't exactly an SVT but it's got the same mojo. And it's more the player then the amp in the end.

Great lightweight option. Go for it.

 

[elpancho]

I got the SVT 4 pro with 2x 410HE's, I much prefer to record using my RB112.

 

[DougDougDoug]

The 3 pro (and its big brother the 6 pro) share the same front end/preamp as the SVT-CL plus a solid state power section. The secret weapon is that in addition to the pre gain and master volume, there is the tube gain control which adjusts driver tube voltage and really impacts the sound when you’re pushing the amp hard. To my ears, this guy is the closest hybrid to the real thing but all the amps you mentioned are fine products.

Thanks for your input! I’m new to bass, so I have a lot to learn. I tried looking up some videos on YT, but compared to the plethora of guitar gear videos I’m used to, I didn’t come across a whole lot that could explain the differences in the SVT Pro lineup. This is really helpful to know.

Also, is your icon a picture of Max Headroom? Nice!

 

[DougDougDoug]

The 4 is a great amp but also a bit complicated to understand, heavy and massive.
The 7 pro is the lightest of all three and almost as powerful as the 4 pro.
I have used the 4 pro for many years and switched to the 7 pro without any regrets.same power, same tone in a very light small package.
If you really need the graphics EQ I would advise you to go for the 3 pro.

They all sound like an Ampeg anyway.

Thanks! As I said in another post, this firsthand experience is extremely useful because I’m new to bass gear and can’t seem to find a lot of info clarifying the differences in the SVT Pro lineup in a form I can wrap my head around. I think I might steer clear of the 4 Pro. Given that this is first and foremost going to be used for home recording, I don’t think I need that much power. I suppose that rules out the 7, too. But your comment about the 4 being rather complicated adds to my hesitation with it; I’m just not sure I need or would know how to make use of those additional complicating features.

 

[DougDougDoug]

Do you intend to use the amp for rehearsing/gigging? If it's just for recording you may well be better off with a plug in or a preamp pedal. I know Sushibox Effects has an SVT based tube preamp pedal coming out in the not too distant future. Couple that with some half decent cab IRs and you'll have a far more controllable and flexible setup without worrying about room sounds etc when you're recording

I’d love to rehearse/gig eventually but, first and foremost, this will be for home recording. I just got a UA interface, so I have the SVT plugins. Who knows? Maybe that will end up giving me the best sounds in a mix. That being said, I’d like to have an amp to write/practice on my own with. I find moving some air in a room to be very inspiring and I’m lucky enough to live in a space where I can get away with being reasonably loud.

Thanks for the tip about preamps and the Sushibox Effects option, in particular. I’m primarily a guitarist, so the world of bass preamps is new to me. Ultimately, I want to record whatever sounds best, but my ignorance of all things preamp might be slowing me down from heading in that direction. My current thought is to go for a mic’d cab + DI, as that was the approach used by a lot of the albums I’m drawing inspiration from. But yeah, perhaps I’ll end up finding that room sound is just too unmanageable and a preamp or plugin is the way to go.

 

[DougDougDoug]

You could crank the SVT Pro for a valve grind. I'm not sure if the solid-state circuit of the Venture would capture it well, as I've not tried it. If you like the bright switch in the SVT Pros (such as the SVT-3 and SVT-4), I'd go for it.

Yeah, my (admittedly ignorant) impression is that hybrid amps can bring in some tubiness, and having a tube preamp but solid state power amp is a great way to get some tube sounds without having to be deafening. That being said, I’ve also read that full tube amps will always have a little something else because of those power amp tubes. In my situation, a full tube head probably isn’t the best bet because while I can get away with making a fair amount of noise, I ultimately don’t want the cops getting called. I know Ampeg offers the Portaflex series, but I’m not sure if these will have enough clean headroom (I do want mostly cleanish tones) or have enough power to push the lower frequencies (I’m tuned to B0).

As for the Venture amps, I can’t speak firsthand, but more experienced folks on this forum generally seem to have good things to say about how close it gets to the “SVT sound”. Of course, as with everything in life, that sentiment isn’t universal.

 

[ClusterFlux]

FWIW, I'd just get an SVT plugin.

If you record using an amp head, then most of the tone, and the amp's position in the recorded track, is baked in.

With a plugin, you can alter the tone and sequence at will. You can use different amp settings, or different amps altogether. It's easier, and plugins these days sound excellent.

If for some odd reason you MUST use an amp, then I recommend you learn to reamp. That gives you all the benefits of a plugin, with the added expense and hassle of buying an amp head and a reamper.

 

[DougDougDoug]

The flipster pedal (preamp clipping design) is the Venture secret. It sounds very much like a overdriven SVT. It is great. It isn't exactly an SVT but it's got the same mojo. And it's more the player then the amp in the end.

Great lightweight option. Go for it.

I wasn’t aware of the Flipster. Thanks for the tip! And great reminder about the player mattering more than the gear. Ultimately, I want to make music. I feel privileged to be able to splurge on some new gear, but I also want to keep that consumerism in check and focus on what matters- the music. Cheers!

 

[DougDougDoug]

I got the SVT 4 pro with 2x 410HE's, I much prefer to record using my RB112.

Could you please elaborate? Curious why you prefer that cab for recording. And what style of music are you using it for?

 

[DougDougDoug]

FWIW, I'd just get an SVT plugin.

If you record using an amp head, then most of the tone, and the amp's position in the recorded track, is baked in.

With a plugin, you can alter the tone and sequence at will. You can use different amp settings, or different amps altogether. It's easier, and plugins these days sound excellent.

If for some odd reason you MUST use an amp, then I recommend you learn to reamp. That gives you all the benefits of a plugin, with the added expense and hassle of buying an amp head and a reamper.

Thanks for your thoughts! I just got a UA interface, so I do have the Ampeg plugins that came with it. Apologies for the rookie questions, but your top suggestion is plugging directly into my interface and then using an amp plugin, correct? Then, it sounds like your #2 choice is recording a DI and reamping. In that second scenario, would I still go straight into the interface to get as pure a tone as possible because tone coloring would then ultimately come from reamping? Or, for option #2, would I want to use some sort of preamp (so the signal would go bass to preamp to interface) for some tonal color before it eventually gets reamped?

And where would a pedalboard fit into all this? Bass to DI with a thru so the signal then gets split and a clean version goes straight to the interface and then a parallel signal goes through my pedals and then into a second input on my interface?

Haha sounds like I’m insisting on some “added hassle and expense” doesn’t it?

Thanks for any and all guidance!

 

[InhumanResource]

Thanks for your input! I’m new to bass, so I have a lot to learn. I tried looking up some videos on YT, but compared to the plethora of guitar gear videos I’m used to, I didn’t come across a whole lot that could explain the differences in the SVT Pro lineup. This is really helpful to know.

Also, is your icon a picture of Max Headroom? Nice!

Yeah it absolutely is Max!

You can get pretty far on minimal gear, especially if you’re going to use any modeling. I love the old Ampeg stuff and lugged around a 6 PRO for years but got rid of it all for a lightweight combo. Stuff is all really really good nowadays.

 

[baxter_x]

I think I might steer clear of the 4 Pro. Given that this is first and foremost going to be used for home recording, I don’t think I need that much power.

A 4 pro for home use is the definition of overkill. You can not need such an amp for that use.
For home use go the 3 pro or a software plugin. The plugin will perfectly do the trick, cheaper and nothing to move around

 

[elpancho]

Could you please elaborate? Curious why you prefer that cab for recording. And what style of music are you using it for?

As other have mentioned the SVT 4 pro is overkill. It's great for outdoor gigs with poor FOH. The RB112 has a baked in tone that sounds fantastic into the UA Volt 2. You can also use the plug-ins from Ampeg. I usually play funk, soul, jazz, chicano grooves.