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Are Ampegs Over-Rated?

#81
:cool:

Hell-No.
If you dig the Ampeg tone, there great.
I have owned a.
B15N (1966)
SVT Classic
V4B (1972)
B50R
B100R
V4BH
And Just bought a B15R. (waiting for delivery)
Still looking for a nice B25.
I guess I like Ampegs.
 
#83
johnk_10 said:
i've measured my SVT's and they put out more than 300 watts before any distortion. see Tom Bowlus' new issue of BassGear magazine. i believe that Tom Lee's '74 was measured at around 318-328 watts rms.


that's strange. my experience with them is the opposite. my '69 SVT and SVT-VR feel alot more powerful than my GK1001RBII, and all 10 of the 800RB's that i've played thru and serviced weren't anywhere near as loud as my 1001RBII.
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Well I don't know about ratings, I just speak from experience.
Like I mentioned in my post: IMO, IME.

I also said "MOST" Ampegs I have owned, played, tried.
The all-tube amps seem way better, but every SVT3, SVT4 and Ampeg combos always seem underpowered to ME.

Your experiences may vary and for Ampeg's sake, I hope they do because I really spent years using their products and wont use them anymore.

Maybe you should take it as me saying that GKs are more powerfull than what their rating appear.;)

PS. Tone-wise for recording, I adore the B15 tone. I now have an A-Designs REDDI which gives me that tone in a lightweight package.
 
#86
People who love 'em just love 'em and have to have 'em. Others think it makes them look more "professional". Personally, I run GK 700RBII head to an Ampeg B115e and/or Ampeg B410he (each speaker is only rated 200 continuous). I like the light, solid state GK head (also have a Backline600 for a spare) and love the Ampeg cab tone (and the weight!). My 410 weighs just 60 pounds, compared to the SVT410he which is over 90.

Lugging around a 80 lb head and a 190 lb 8x10 is not for the light of heart (and weak of back!).
 
#87
saturnbythree said:
put it this way, you see fenders, gibson, marshall, ampeg why? they are the most versatile guitars/basses/amps out there, classic sound, user friendly and they have character. the newer ampeg versions are not like the 60's 70's models, i have a 76 SVT and its the best amp ive ever played. you can do anything with a old ampeg it molds to your sound, and becomes more than just an amp.
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I dont know about that. If I was playing guitar and wanted a versatile amp, Marshall is the last I would choose. Marshall cleans just don't do it for me. Mesa MKIV OTOH is a pretty damn versatile amp. I can have a clean, a rhythm and a lead. Not that Marshalls aren't their own awesome sound, they are surely classic. But again, Marshall, Ampeg, Fender, Gibson. They are all iconic and classic. Heck so are VOX, Hiwatt, Ric's Gretsch etc. There are lots of classics!
But versatile? An ampeg (tube at least) always sounds like an Ampeg to me. A fender Jazz/Precision always sounds like a Fender etc. Gibsons, I love Gibson guitars, just do not let that thing ever tip over! Head-stock-snap! Gibsons arent very versatile at all either, they are just good thick tone.
Not a bad thing, those brands, those are great tones that built rock and roll, funk etc but if those brands were so versatile and perfect there never would have been room for the better ones that came around, like Alembic, Tobias/MTD, Modulous, Musicman, G&L(some Ibanez even). Or in the amp world GK, Mesa, SWR, Traynor, Acoustic, Eden etc.
There is no best, only best for you. And heck when I was poor and couldnt afford to have any good amps I somehow was always able to get my tone with whatever was at hand. PA heads through PA cabs with a fuzz box. It worked!
 
#88
I definitely thought they were overrated based on my very limited exp w/them (never owned one....just played through them every once in a while) UNTIL I traded my GK for a 90s V-4B. Now I don't think they're overrated at all....loving the tube tone I'm getting from this 100watt little beast.
 
#89
johnk_10 said:
i've measured my SVT's and they put out more than 300 watts before any distortion. see Tom Bowlus' new issue of BassGear magazine. i believe that Tom Lee's '74 was measured at around 318-328 watts rms.
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Technically, that is my '74 SVT :smug:, but Tom Lees did do the technical review. And yes, the SVT rated out at 328 watts "steady state" and 340 watts "burst" on Channel 2 (Channel 1 rated at 319/323, respectively). FWIW, those power tubes have some miles on them, too.

Also from that same issue, we rated my '66 B-15N (with two new JJ 6L6 GC's) at 36 watts "steady state" and 49 watts "burst" power. The only new Ampeg head tested in that issue was the Micro-VR, and it exceeded the rated specs of 150/200 watts by delivering 160 watts into 8-ohms and 259 watts into 4 ohms (both are the "stead state" measurements; burst power was very slightly higher at 162/260 watts).

IME/IMHO, Ampeg as a brand is not over-rated. I do caution anyone who tends to think that Ampeg is the only viable bass amplification company out there, and I do admit that some products are not as impressive as others, but on the whole, it has been and remains a very impressive brand, and Ampeg has brought us some of the truly ground-breaking and standard-establishing products in the industry.

Tom.
 
#91
What I know/think about Ampeg:

A- If you buy any Ampeg, you're going to get the "Ampeg Tone." You will share that tone with thousands to millions of bassists.

B- Pushed well beyond distortion on the amp, I have experienced a three-to-ten watt tube amp and an Ampeg 15" running 100hz and up easily keep up with an Eminence 18" low passed at 100hz with well over 500 SS watts behind it. My point? I've never heard a cranked SVT in person, but it must be loud as a rapture.

C- The Ampeg B-2 combo in this picture sounds excellent to me.
IMG_0099.gif
 
#94
What is the big deal? Either you like them or you don't.

I have to add this though -
I was trying an Eden 4x10 cab out with an Ampeg svt amp. It sounded very nice. Then I plugged my Eden amp into the same cab, and it sounded amazing. The sales guy came over and asked me where he could buy one.

What this means is that both myself and the sales guy liked the Eden better than the Ampeg. What you like may be completely different. But you should try everything you can get your hands on.
 
#95
Sgt. Rock said:
I bet that thing looks cool as hell on stage. You know that the easily amused (read: guitar players) will be jealous because THEIR amp doesn't light up.



Sure, but if you're going to compare gear, it's only fair to compare gear from manufacturer A to B in the same price point. You can't compare a Squier to a Cirrus and conclude that "Fender sucks".
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I don't think it's fair to compare Peavey to Behringer, either. Peavey has a reputation for durability, even if it's cheap and ugly. Behringer doesn't.
 
#97
Ampegs are OVER-WEIGHTED. Expensive, awkward and friggin heavy as hell. Other than that, they sound amazing and powerful as a god. I've been playing metal/hard rock for years and the guy with the SVT always stands out live. I have always had several GK heads and in the last few years have added an SVT to my lineup. I still love my GKs, but they don't quite have the "roundness" of the SVT. You just feel that huge round wave pushing on your body. The GKs have more punch in the ears. I agree that the 800RB holds up pretty well to the SVT, but the SVT still gets a more "full" note, ie roundness. When I run the 800RB and SVT together, my bandmates wince in pain and beg for mercy. I truly enjoy that.

I think it's interesting that Peavey's name comes up a lot too, as I have played a number of gigs with players using them, and they always sound great to me. I played a gig outdoors with a guy's Mega or Dynabass, not sure, and it was one of the loudest amps I've ever heard. I am eager to hear the VB-3. It could spark a weight revolution for tube heads.

I share a room with another band and the bass player plays a 'Nampeg SVT. Mine is a St Louis, mid-90s model. The 'Nampeg sounds fantastic to my ears.
 
#99
JimmyM said:
makes you wonder why ampegs never caught fire for guitar. their guitar amps have always sounded great to me. different, but great.
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Probably because the average consumer does not use their ears as the final arbiter of what is "good". Ampeg makes "bass amps", everyone knows that. They couldnt POSSIBLY make a decent guitar amp.

I had a mid 80's MIJ Fender when they were "inferior" to their USA manufactured counterparts.

Same for Peavey stuff sounding "cheap, but reliable". I always have to laugh at that.

Unfortunately, most people don't buy products. They buy the idea of owning said product.
 
#100
Sgt. Rock said:
Probably because the average consumer does not use their ears as the final arbiter of what is "good". Ampeg makes "bass amps", everyone knows that. They couldnt POSSIBLY make a decent guitar amp.

I had a mid 80's MIJ Fender when they were "inferior" to their USA manufactured counterparts.

Same for Peavey stuff sounding "cheap, but reliable". I always have to laugh at that.

Unfortunately, most people don't buy products. They buy the idea of owning said product.
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what's the difference?

:D
 

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