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Ashdown vs Ampeg

#21
i_got_a_mohawk said:
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 :p

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 ;)
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Are you deaf?
 
#27
I had an ashdown mag 1x15 307w and it sounded like crap, no power and no punch. I haven't played a "real" ashdown but I have only heard good things about them.
But I am an all Ampeg man and love them.

Go with the one that sounds better to your ears.
Also ask yourself: is the ampeg worth the extra money?

Go Ampeg!
 
#28
cnltb said:
Well... what else can I say:rolleyes:
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It would be far more useful to the rest of us if you explained your opinion. For example: do you dislike Ashdown because of the tone? Reliability? Customer service? Combination of the above? What are the circumstances that led you to your opinion? It would also be useful to know how much experience you have with Ampeg and Ashdown amps, and which (if either) you have owned.

Without an explanation, some of us might simply assume you're an Ampeg user who is out to trash anything besides Ampeg whether you've used it or not... or maybe just a troll. With a proper explanation, the rest of us will take the time to carefully consider your opinion. See?
 
#29
i_got_a_mohawk said:
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.
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Just for the practice room, but we practice a hell of a lot. I've never had to bring my own amp to a gig, as their are always bassists/headliners there who have better/bigger amps or stacks, or some bands are simply located closer to the venue!

I've been considering this as it's well within my budget and big enough to handle mot gigs we are asked to play-http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_artikel-193327.html

But are MAG's in the Ashdown range like the equivalent to the Rockbass's in the Warwick range or something? I#d rather get a decent reliable amp over a cheap copy. If it costs more, then so be it. Getting a cheap copy would just cost more in the long run anyway.
 
#33
i have an ABM500RC EVOII going into an ampeg svt610.

oh my.

TONS of power and punch, clarity, and tonal possibilities. and it's got a sexy chrome faceplate.

i'd tried an svtII a couple times (in my opinion, these sound better than the svtcl, even without the eq section on... unless you've got an OLD svt classic. those are bomb.), but ultimately went with the ashdown. i like the tighter sound, personally, and the fact that you can dial in some tube-grit. the sub-octave is cool, too, but i use a POG for all my octave needs.

oh, and the ABM500RC weighs about half what the svt2 weighs. i can't lie, that was one of my reasons.
 
#35
Ed2Strings said:
I think it's up to what sounds good to your ear and your wallet. I currently have an ampeg svt 350 classic with an ashdown 4x10 cab, and I'm quite happy with the sound, I get the right amount of growl as well as a good amount of bite. Best of both worlds. Plus I remain within my budget.
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There's a problem...
my ears like things,which my wallet doesn't like quite so much.:hiding:
 
#36
I've been playing an Ashdown EVO-II 500 for the last two years, and I recently got an SVT 4 Pro. I am not looking back yet. To me, the Ashdown always sounded too wimpy and I didn't like the EQ section. The SVT4 has way more balls and the EQ is much more versitile. The SVT4 sits in the mix much better in my rock band. I think Ashdowns sound smoother and work well with mellower music, but I prefer the SVT4 all the way for rock. I bought the Ashdown used on ebay (US) for $700, and the SVT 4 also on ebay for $750, so the price difference really wasn't a factor. Now I'm GASing for an SVT II Pro (tube + EQ = awesome).
 
#37
As others have mentioned, the only truly sensible way to go is with the setup that sounds best to you.

I've owned vintage SVTs (even had one of the odd-ball "Japanese" SVTs paired with a V-9 cab for a spell), solid state gear, etc. I currently run an Ashdown ABM 500 EVO II with Avatar NEO 4x10 cab and absolutely love this rig. Admittedly, it took me some time to dial in the ABM to my liking, all the while wondering if I had made the right choice. However, I will say this about the Ashdown: its EQ is very powerful and very interactive, and small tweaks on selected bands can make a very large difference in terms of how you sit in the mix. Now that I've arrived at my ideal setting, there's no reason to look back. I also have to agree that the lighter weight and greater bang for the buck offered by the ABM (and the Avatar, for that matter), are very nice asides.

There's no denying the appeal of the SVT sound. However, I've now come to expect a greater degree of flexibility and articulation from my rig, and the Ashdown just does a better job in those departments.
 
#39
Surely I jest, knowing that price is an issue most of the time. But over the years I've been able to acquire both a '71 SVT and an Ashdown RPM / 1000 watt Crown set up. I also play in a variety of projects, so I can use different sounds per the gig. They both sound different. They are 2 of the most unique sounds out there right now. The SVT is really hard to get a bad sound of. Leave everything flat, and you sound great. Atleast I sound great. The Ashdown takes some tweaking to get the right sound IMO. But once you find out how, it's a solid, fat sound w/ the option to growl. But it's not a tube power section, and so it fills the space differently. I like them both and am a huge fan. Though I will say that my SVT is noisey, and is in the shop. But it's old man, that's the compromise. I plan to get a SVT-VR in the next few months. This one was actually made in the USA. I want the reliabilty, and it's close enough in tone. in the meantime it's just me and the Ashdown. Did I mention the Ashdown sounds killer w/ a Sansamp BDDI in front??? And if I'm using the SVT in a smaller room, I use the BDDI, Fulltone Fat Boost, and send a driven signal to the pre. It works for me, w/o blowing away the back of the house or singer.
 
#40
syciprider said:
Does anyone make a modeling amp that cops an Ashdown? No? But everyone wants to model an Ampeg.
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In addition to digitech, Line 6 does as well. Not bad for a company that has only been around 10 years. There's also more Ampegs modelled than Hiwatts, but to my ear, a Hiwatt blows away an Ampeg any day.

I get to play Ampeg and Ashdown regularly. I play SVT-CL, SVT 350, and SVT-4 at my church all the time and I have an Ashdown ABM 900 EVO. Each is unique and with just some tweaking I found a tone I enjoyed on the Ashdown that the Ampeg couldn't create. In the same manner, the Ampegs give me a tone that I enjoy as well right out of the box, but I think it leaves something lacking to my ear.

Get what sounds best to you and works with your budget.
 

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