Ashdown vs Ampeg

[browner]

'Ow do?
Right, i've been investigating both these manufacturers to get a new rig and i've picked out the Ashdown ABM 900 EVO II with the 8x10 cab and the Ampeg SVT-AV with the 8x10 cab. However the Ampeg rig is £800 more expensive. So what I'm asking is, is the Ampeg that much better or are you just paying for the name? I've tried looking at the specs but it's all japanese to me!

 

[brothernewt]

specs don't mean much... buy which one sounds best to you. If you like the Ampeg better, spend the extra 800 squiggles...

 

[Melvin7822]

Go with the Ashdown unless you prefer the sound of the Ampeg. Over here in the states Ashdown is more expensive because it's made in the UK. Ampeg is a name and a sound. Ashdown is more versatile.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Meh, i love the ampeg sound and cant stand the ashdown sound, you can claim the ashdown is more versatile, but it still doesnt sound good to my ear. Its all down to personal pref

Also, the SVT-AV is just the same as the CL, and im pretty sure the CL is usually bit cheaper (they are just asthetically different). However, you might want to give the newer SVT-VR a shot

 

[jokerjkny]

ashdown all the way. articulate, gritty, fat.

sick of the muddy, congested ampeg sound.

but yea, like it was said, go with what sounds good to you.

 

[browner]

Cheers chaps! Next stop, denmark street! Time to start practicing some 'show-off' riffs to impress the staff!!

 

[God of Rapture]

Ampeg.

 

[bassicinstinct]

Nah - Ashdown every time.

 

[Low D.]

Ashdown. \m/

 

[chaosMK]

I'd go Ashdown... better value if you ask me. You are paying for the name with Ampeg. Same with Mesa/Boogie too, but that's why I buy everything off ebay!

However, I'd suggest the Ampeg 8x10.

 

[Techmonkey]

My only experience in this is comparing a Mag 2x10 combo... to an SVT-4 with 8x10 rig.

I enjoyed playing through both of them, but the Ampeg just had that perfect sound. I found it was a naturally scooped sound though, so I had to boost the mids a fair bit to get it to cut through.

 

[Plain Old Me]

If you want an SVT, get a real vintage SVT or maybe the new VR. I like a real SVT cranked more than the sounds I could get out of the Ashdown EVO-II that I used for a while, but I much prefer the Ashdown to the CL and AV. But I don't like the cabs that either company makes...

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Or an SVT-II, cheaper than an older vintage and bloody close in sound!

 

[bugbass]

If you are only going to use one 810, you should pick the EVO500II, cause the 900 can`t be bridged, so you wont be able to use more than one half of the amp.

 

[getz76]

Excellent point, bugbass.

Also, Ampeg makes two categories of gear, in my opinion:

Vintage-ish
-SVT-CL
-SVT-AV
-SVT-2 Pro
-SVT-810E
-SVT-410HE

Modern-ish
-Everything else they make, including the hybrid heads and ported cabinets.

I had an Ampeg SVT-CL years ago, and while not up to snuff to a vintage SVT, it still rocked it to Russia... it is a midrange mash of mayhem when paired with a sealed Ampeg cabinet. It will not be clear or singing tone, it is more of a bootheel in the chest kind of sound.

I sold the rig because it was too heavy and overkill for nearly any gig I was doing at the time.

 

[Jereth]

Hah, I was just considering which make of amp I shall be getting for my next amp. I won't start another of the same thread so I'll just post my questions here.

I'm looking for a new amp with at speaker that's at least 15'' to combat my guitarists new 150 watt 1X12 Hughes & Kettner in the practice room. Preferbaly a combo siince I'm doubtful I could afford both a head and cab and/or anyhting else that you might need to operate the two of them together.

I play a Warwick Corvette $$ and I'm going for a tone with plenty of rumble and growl. I'm in a metal band and I'd also like a tone that hit heavy whenever I slapped(I just love that effect). It's defninatly a more modern than Vintage sound(although, the Ampeg SVT Pro 2 and 4X10 cab I plugged into yesterday didn't sound too shabby at all). I'm leaning towards the Ashdwon side but do Ashdown even make combos? I'd rather not save for both a head and cab. If I did, I'd go for and Ashdown head and a different cab, maybe SWR or something.

One of my favourite bassists uses an Ashdown head through a 4X10 cab, and the tone just crushes. He plays with a Warwick Thumb 5-String.

Thoughts?

 

[bugbass]

'Ow do?
Right, i've been investigating both these manufacturers to get a new rig and i've picked out the Ashdown ABM 900 EVO II with the 8x10 cab and the Ampeg SVT-AV with the 8x10 cab. However the Ampeg rig is £800 more expensive. So what I'm asking is, is the Ampeg that much better or are you just paying for the name? I've tried looking at the specs but it's all japanese to me!

I strongly recomend you to try a Eden WT800B with an Ampeg810, that rig will blow your socks off. The Eden is louder than both the Ashdown and the Ampeg head, and in the same pricerange.

 

[cnltb]

Most certainly NOT Ashdown!!

 

[Figjam]

Most certainly NOT Ashdown!!

I enjoy your bold statement, completely free of any support for your argument.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Hah, I was just considering which make of amp I shall be getting for my next amp. I won't start another of the same thread so I'll just post my questions here.

I'm looking for a new amp with at speaker that's at least 15'' to combat my guitarists new 150 watt 1X12 Hughes & Kettner in the practice room. Preferbaly a combo siince I'm doubtful I could afford both a head and cab and/or anyhting else that you might need to operate the two of them together.

I play a Warwick Corvette $$ and I'm going for a tone with plenty of rumble and growl. I'm in a metal band and I'd also like a tone that hit heavy whenever I slapped(I just love that effect). It's defninatly a more modern than Vintage sound(although, the Ampeg SVT Pro 2 and 4X10 cab I plugged into yesterday didn't sound too shabby at all). I'm leaning towards the Ashdwon side but do Ashdown even make combos? I'd rather not save for both a head and cab. If I did, I'd go for and Ashdown head and a different cab, maybe SWR or something.

One of my favourite bassists uses an Ashdown head through a 4X10 cab, and the tone just crushes. He plays with a Warwick Thumb 5-String.

Thoughts?

Is it just for practice, or is it for gigs aswell?

What you could always do, maybe not viable right now, is, if you have a bigger cab for gigs, and a smaller one for practice (hell, you could probably get by with just the smaller one), but, if you did have 2 seperate cabs you would only need to take the amp head to practice.

I dont know tho, just an idea.