Bugera BVV3000I review

[Lindex]

Even more months later...yes, still up and running.
A bit over 2 years old now and no real issues so far.

One of the Bugera 6550s seemed to run out of its specs after some 18 months, Infinium showing a constant red light on that LED.
So I decided to completely swap out all of the tubes and go for JJs, not only in the power section, but also all of the preamp and sound control department.
Unfortunately one of those JJ 6550s had a bad bulb, so after a 3h rehearsal it drew air and died and the amp wouldn't go off standby anymore.

Replaced the tube with a new JJ 6550, had it repaired, and since then all is fine.
Sounds even a bit better now, a bit more clarity and warmth and even more oomph on the low end side.

I really love this amp, in my opinion it doesn't sound 100% like an SVT, the Bugera is a little more on the warm and clean side where the Ampeg has just a tad more dirt in the mids.
Quite similar, yes - but equal, no.

 

[RoadRanger]

No two SVT's sound exactly alike anyways. One of the great things but the Infinium is that you only have to replace the bad tube, no matching required . OTOH I think the bias is a little on the cold side vs a "real" SVT so that various tubes can be used and so that they will have a long life. This would make it a bit less "in your face" - on Marshall guitar amps many people like them set up as hot as possible, just shy of instant tube destruction. That's why there's the "myth" of tube amps needing new tubes constantly.

 

[Lindex]

This would make it a bit less "in your face"

Yes, it normally sounds smooth and clean, warm...whatever.
Lately we completely over-did it in a rehearsal session and the guitars and I started that funny who-can-crank-it-up-more kinda game.
Really digging in on my passive 5-string-J with Delano PUs with gain and master set to about 1h, tone controls: bass to 1h, mid 12h, treble 2h, both boosts active - this baby started to scream!
Holy cow, I didn't expect it to get that aggresive when pushed a bit.
Didn't sound like in pain at all, more like "Spank me harder, bass-tard! Rawr!"

My little S/M-plifier...lol!

Fifty shades of Bugera...

 

[RoadRanger]

Lately we completely over-did it in a rehearsal session and the guitars and I started that funny who-can-crank-it-up-more kinda game. Really digging in on my passive 5-string-J with Delano PUs with gain and master set to about 1h, tone controls: bass to 1h, mid 12h, treble 2h, both boosts active - this baby started to scream!
Holy cow, I didn't expect it to get that aggresive when pushed a bit.
Didn't sound like in pain at all, more like "Spank me harder, bass-tard! Rawr!"

My little S/M-plifier...lol!

Fifty shades of Bugera...

Well, now you know what the SVT mystique is all about . Unfortunately you can't get that sound with just the preamp overdriven . IME a V4B comes a lot closer to "that sound" at semi-sane volumes vs an SVT with the master turned down - and you can use a power soak with one, not something easy to do with a 300w SVT . I just picked up an Ashdown CTM-30 and it's plenty for rehearsals through an efficient 8x10 - but something with 100W would be a better choice for gigging with I'm sure. That new Fender 100T with the 25w mode might be the best of all .

 

[Lindex]

Unfortunately you can't get that sound with just the preamp overdriven

True...that sounds more like...a wet fart...?

 

[RoadRanger]

True...that sounds more like...a wet fart...?

Kinda tuba-ish. I've gotten used to it enough that the CTM-30 sounds too smooth to me - hopefully it'll grow on me .

 

[Johnny Crab]

Really tempting me.
Used an SVT with two 8x10's for about a decade in the long hair and spandex days.
At 59, I still get to move 75 LB bags of feed out here that don't have handles and the Bugera would not be going to a lot of shows.

BTW, the SVT I had did not get really great-sounding until the volume was at about 10 o'clock(no master in those) but then it would project a teardrop-shaped cone of sound from the cabs.....a sort of magical field of sound that worked well with 1964 T-Birds(vibrated the bodies) and made them play themselves(notes got more alive). It also did bark, snarl, growl, and bite when pushed. During that period, night school for electronic tech taught me to fix my own(service once per year, added a fan to it b/c the XFMR got too hot to my liking). Guitards also brought their amps to me to install master volumes in them(none in those days from the factory, so I learned how).