Gallien - Ampeg mixing kinda vibe

[Soma666]

Hey kids, long time no post

Anyway, I just want to hear what everyones thoughts on this is. I have been tinkering and think i may have stumbled on a monstrosity of an amp configuration

I have a Gallien Krueger 700 RB and an old Ampeg SVT III. Not an SVT III Pro like the new ones. I cant find an online manual for this guy, but I can tell you it has a valve pre amp. Now what I have done is I connected the input of the GK into the effects send of the Ampeg, and effectively, I think, using the nice sounding valve pre from the ampeg and its awesome low down-ness and the solid state clarity from the GK. Took some messing around with settings to realize how it all works, but it sounds enormous!!

What do you all think about all that action, huh?

 

[JimmyM]

What does the GK power amp give you that the SVT III power amp doesn't?

 

[Soma666]

I have found that the Ampeg power amp doesnt have the clarity of the GK's. Also, doing this gives me so much versatility. I can drive the SVT III pre amp so hard that it almost clips and farts, and then clean it up a bit with the extra controlls I have on the GK. I dunno, its hard to describe, theres so much it can do, pumps out so much sound and tone and growl, its almost ridiculous

 

[stiles72]

Have you tried different settings of the "Tube Gain" control on the 3-Pro? That control is a tube gain for the driver tubes that feed the MOSFET power amp section. It doesn't affect the preamp out signal. When you set the tube gain at low levels, it makes the power section sound "warmer" and "softer". When you crank it up all the way - you get more definition and more clarity. Ampeg describes the low setting as sounding more "tubey" and the hotter setting as sounding more "solid state". Sometimes it may not sound like a big difference in tone, but be sure to crank your input gain so the red light is flickering and boost your 9band EQ overall output if you use it so your're getting a strong signal to the power amps ection - and you should start hearing the difference. Just something to try...

 

[countshockula]

Have you tried different settings of the "Tube Gain" control on the 3-Pro? That control is a tube gain for the driver tubes that feed the MOSFET power amp section. It doesn't affect the preamp out signal. When you set the tube gain at low levels, it makes the power section sound "warmer" and "softer". When you crank it up all the way - you get more definition and more clarity. Ampeg describes the low setting as sounding more "tubey" and the hotter setting as sounding more "solid state". Sometimes it may not sound like a big difference in tone, but be sure to crank your input gain so the red light is flickering and boost your 9band EQ overall output if you use it so your're getting a strong signal to the power amps ection - and you should start hearing the difference. Just something to try...

I believe the op has an earlier, "non-pro" SVT-III, which, if it's like mine, has no "tube gain" knob

 

[Soma666]

Yeh no tube gain knob, just a graphic eq that I cranked and push pretty hard so the tube can work nice n hard