Digital AMPEG Head Coming?

[Mastermold]

All it has to do is sound good ENOUGH. Of course, "good enough" is a subjective term. Even @agedhorse would tell you his amps "sort of modeled after" early Mesa designs don't sound exactly like those amps. I'm here to tell you they sound PLENTY "good enough". In fact, they simply sound great. You, in a room with my new amp and one of the early originals might not feel the same way. Subjective.

The more generations who NEVER step in front of an Ampeg SVT with a fridge cab, or an old fliptop, or an old Fender amp into a flat sealed 215 cab, etc. the less they'll care about dead matching what those amps sound/feel like.

So, again, it's a logical progression.

Also, keep in mind that those youngsters might actually see the new amp as an improvement over the older tech. If you GAVE me a vintage Ferarri it would sit in my garage. I've had the "pleasure" of riding in one. It was uncomfortable to sit in and felt like a go cart to ride in. ANY new sports car is a marked improvement over that old tech. I have no use for one.

I don’t know if the car analogy works for this as much as the vegan “meat” analogy does. Close enough is okay for some folks but I’ll keep my genuine filet mignon please and thank you.

 

[two fingers]

I don’t know if the car analogy works for this as much as the vegan “meat” analogy does. Close enough is okay for some folks but I’ll keep my genuine filet mignon please and thank you.

We'll have time agree to disagree.

Some people see vintage Amoeg and other tubes Amos as "just old amps" that have been improved on since.


The same holds true for Manu vintage cars.

But we can also talk about pianos. Many clamor to get their hands on a turn-of-the-century Steinway. ANY modern piano can run circles around ANY 120 year old piano. A 1901 Steinway is "just an old piano". It will sound/play like garbage compared to a 1978 or 2022 Yamaha (for instance).

I'm not arguing that vintage tube amps sound bad. I'm simply saying that for a growing percentage of the population, there's absolutely nothing "special" about them.

 

[Passinwind]

We'll have time agree to disagree.

Some people see vintage Ampeg and other tubes Amos as "just old amps" that have been improved on since.

Some of us even think that about all old amps and bass guitars in general.

 

[Mastermold]

We'll have time agree to disagree.

Some people see vintage Amoeg and other tubes Amos as "just old amps" that have been improved on since.


The same holds true for Manu vintage cars.

But we can also talk about pianos. Many clamor to get their hands on a turn-of-the-century Steinway. ANY modern piano can run circles around ANY 120 year old piano. A 1901 Steinway is "just an old piano". It will sound/play like garbage compared to a 1978 or 2022 Yamaha (for instance).

I'm not arguing that vintage tube amps sound bad. I'm simply saying that for a growing percentage of the population, there's absolutely nothing "special" about them.

Funny thing for me is I went the opposite direction, been playing in bands since the 80s, never owned an SVT and never thought I'd need or care to own an SVT/810. But then I had a chance to try one at a NAMM show around 10 years ago, Ampeg had one set up on their room with a P-bass already plugged in. Suddenly I realized what I'd been missing all those years. Bought a new rig immediately afterwards.

 

[baxter_x]

might sound good when you're by yourself, but in a band setting there's no substitute for good ol' big iron and tubes

Gosh, it's still there again and again........
So wrong statement. I a blind test you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
I have owned and played only those "big Iron" amps and now play the Ampeg 7 pro. It just sounds the same in a lightweight package.
Stop listening with your eyes.

 

[Gurnmagic]

Funny thing for me is I went the opposite direction, been playing in bands since the 80s, never owned an SVT and never thought I'd need or care to own an SVT/810. But then I had a chance to try one at a NAMM show around 10 years ago, Ampeg had one set up on their room with a P-bass already plugged in. Suddenly I realized what I'd been missing all those years. Bought a new rig immediately afterwards.

There’s nothing like that tube “bloom”.

 

[The Massive]

Gosh, it's still there again and again........
So wrong statement. I a blind test you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
I have owned and played only those "big Iron" amps and now play the Ampeg 7 pro. It just sounds the same in a lightweight package.
Stop listening with your eyes.

Mr. Baxter X - I can assure you my eyeballs do not have ears attached to them. I have owned a 7 Pro, as well as multiple SVT's over the years and believe me when I tell you there is absolutely NO comparison between the two.

They both say ampeg on them and that's about where the similarities end. The grind and overdrive you get from an SVT along with the natural glassy highs and real tube compression is something that the 7 Pro will NEVER be able to achieve. It's just not possible.

Again though, if the 7 Pro does it for you, then that's great. There's nothing wrong with that amp or any of the other amps people are talking about on this thread. For my personal opinion from watching bands, playing in bands, bass tech-ing for a couple of well known acts, I can tell you there is a reason why if given the choice of any backline amps 99% of the time people ask for an SVT rig.

I'm not saying they are perfect or the only choice. I'm not any brands fanboy, but in my experience no modeling amp can hang with an SVT, or 400+, or a HIWATT. Again, this is my experience. If you feel differently, I respect that.

 

[groovaholic]

Modeling feels lifeless to me, it sounds good but there is just something missing IMHO

This was exactly my feeling...until I tried out an HX Stomp.
I'd borrowed a POD HD500 from a friend and while it recorded well and sounded great, I couldn't give it back to him fast enough.

But ALL the talk about the HX Stomp -- and the fact that its features matched my requirements perfectly-- made me give it a shot. And I was floored by how much it felt like an amp.

More recently, I got a GK MB800 (Class D) head as a backup for my well-loved 700RB-II, and while there were differences between them - those differences were smaller than I expected, and I'd be hard-pressed to say one was better.

So I think that modeling and Class D power have a lot to offer us; the technology is really good now, and there's no reason to expect that products in the future won't be even better.

 

[J Wilson]

When it was announced that Yamaha as part of their new American-based electric guitar/bass project included purchasing Ampeg, my initial feeling was that Yamaha would a) tighten up (raise QC and probably tweak the legacy designs with current componentry where smart) their product line, and then b) begin to carefully introduce Yamaha-engineered products that were very faithful to Ampeg's signature look and sound, but utterly modern. So when and if (!) they wade into the Class D and Neo world, I expect something very well-built and very Ampeg.

I think we're beginning to see just that unfold.

 

[seamonkey]

They should just release a SVT Suite version on Helix hardware.
Line 6 has the talent to do this right.

 

[logdrum]

I use Antelope Audio audio interface. Their approach is to use FPGA chips as well as DSP chips. When I was doing pre silicon modeling ( ASIC and SOCs) , as we go close to tape out, using FPGA is preferred and is more register/hardware correct. So what AA has done is measured each component on the hardware they are modeling and implemented the model in FPGA, based on those electronic characteristics rather than emulate the signal modification through filters and EQ. That is why their latency is crazy low. .9 ms at 192 lHz for example

Although Antelope does not have a lot of amp models , 9 guitar and 1 bass, they are useable models and prefer them to UAD

Also a digital device should have good electrical and analog implementation. I am hoping that Yamaha's quality that they employ in their pianos, drums and orchestral instrument is dominant and not Line 6's

 

[coy garcia]

This was exactly my feeling...until I tried out an HX Stomp.
I'd borrowed a POD HD500 from a friend and while it recorded well and sounded great, I couldn't give it back to him fast enough.

But ALL the talk about the HX Stomp -- and the fact that its features matched my requirements perfectly-- made me give it a shot. And I was floored by how much it felt like an amp.

More recently, I got a GK MB800 (Class D) head as a backup for my well-loved 700RB-II, and while there were differences between them - those differences were smaller than I expected, and I'd be hard-pressed to say one was better.

So I think that modeling and Class D power have a lot to offer us; the technology is really good now, and there's no reason to expect that products in the future won't be even better.

I used different modeling amps for over a decade and I loved them until.... my boogie 400+ was dusted off....I can't go back. Nothing makes me smile on stage more than burning tubes and bloom (even though most often it's a ampegpf50t now). In fact all 3 of the guitar players I work with in 3 different bands ditched their modeling amps in the last few yrs. I remember at one time thinking everyone would ditch their tube amps but it seems players move in different directions which is a good thing. Don't get me wrong if there is a decent backline at the gig I'll roll with whatever.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I would be very interested in something like this. I'm not going to hold by breath.

 

[Lowbrow]

When it was announced that Yamaha as part of their new American-based electric guitar/bass project included purchasing Ampeg, my initial feeling was that Yamaha would a) tighten up (raise QC and probably tweak the legacy designs with current componentry where smart) their product line, and then b) begin to carefully introduce Yamaha-engineered products that were very faithful to Ampeg's signature look and sound, but utterly modern. So when and if (!) they wade into the Class D and Neo world, I expect something very well-built and very Ampeg.

I think we're beginning to see just that unfold.

Yes. Grab the future by the face.

 

[txhawaii]

I've said this before on TB...It will sound like the real thing until you put it next to the real thing. Modeling feels lifeless to me, it sounds good but there is just something missing IMHO.

But how would you know the difference if you’ve never played the real deal? There are new players who’ve never used a rotary phone let alone a svttube amp

All it has to do is sound good ENOUGH. Of course, "good enough" is a subjective term. Even @agedhorse would tell you his amps "sort of modeled after" early Mesa designs don't sound exactly like those amps. I'm here to tell you they sound PLENTY "good enough". In fact, they simply sound great. You, in a room with my new amp and one of the early originals might not feel the same way. Subjective.

The more generations who NEVER step in front of an Ampeg SVT with a fridge cab, or an old fliptop, or an old Fender amp into a flat sealed 215 cab, etc. the less they'll care about dead matching what those amps sound/feel like.

So, again, it's a logical progression.

Also, keep in mind that those youngsters might actually see the new amp as an improvement over the older tech. If you GAVE me a vintage Ferarri it would sit in my garage. I've had the "pleasure" of riding in one. It was uncomfortable to sit in and felt like a go cart to ride in. ANY new sports car is a marked improvement over that old tech. I have no use for one.

music is also produced and packaged so differently today than it was in the vintage years. why bother with an expensive amp when you can go straight into a computer...where it will end up anyway. you're just cutting out the middleman.

it would be surprising if many young musicians have ever dialed a rotary phone let alone play an svt with fridge cab. everything is a click away.

 

[Lowbrow]

I would be very interested in something like this. I'm not going to hold by breath.

Ampeg's marketing manager pretty much announced it on a company-run forum, so yeah, do not recommend holding one's breath longer than about 3 minutes so totally agree.

 

[Lowbrow]

They should just release a SVT Suite version on Helix hardware.
Line 6 has the talent to do this right.

Seems like we will see it as the front-end of an amp head.

 

[txhawaii]

I've said this before on TB...It will sound like the real thing until you put it next to the real thing. Modeling feels lifeless to me, it sounds good but there is just something missing IMHO.

but i do think artists from yesteryear would embrace today's tech. why not? lifeless or not. Old technology is old. it might be better to some but its mostly old. my father's '61 Impala doesn't have power steering. it would suck to park in today's small stalls. stylish but impractical today.

 

[Lowbrow]

but i do think artists from yesteryear would embrace today's tech. why not? lifeless or not. Old technology is old. it might be better to some but its mostly old. my father's '61 Impala doesn't have power steering. it would suck to park in today's small stalls. stylish but impractical today.

I wish there was class D and ultralight when I was hauling that oversized Yamaha (!) B100 and 2x15 cab for a decade and a half because in the '70s we had no alternative.
The old stuff sounded and sounds great -- the new stuff sounds great, and it will hopefully even improve in time.

 

[coy garcia]

but i do think artists from yesteryear would embrace today's tech. why not? lifeless or not. Old technology is old. it might be better to some but its mostly old. my father's '61 Impala doesn't have power steering. it would suck to park in today's small stalls. stylish but impractical today.

Everybody likes what they like and it's all good. I just got a newer lexus to replace my 81 el camino for my son to drive (better mpg easier to park)....he told me he didn't want it and preferred driving the impractical 81...go figure..lol