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have the D's toppled the SVT's?

#61
I don't know, i sure see a lot less tube amps than I used to. For a lot of people they seem to have turned into studio gear now instead of gigging gear.

I've played a few over the years SVT and Mesa 400. Played through a peavey tube amp in a store but never owned one. Tube amps are great but new technology is getting better and better. There's plenty of great DIs like the reddi and Avalon u5 floating around. I know for me the combination of my sans amp RBI and Darkglass b7k ultra just has what I want. And neither of the two amps I've considered buying lately (Darkglass 900 and tech 21 dug 1000) have any tubes in them.
 
#62
There are a couple of ways to look at this question. But, to me here is the bottom line: SVT's and similar quality large tube amps still work VERY well, and if a player has a preference for that sound, they will NOT change over. So, no, Class D isn't going to eliminate the large tube amps. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

That said, when I had a recent gig that required SVT equivalence, I went with a Demeter VTBP-201 into a Crest Pro-Lite 3.0, perched atop two Bergantino AE212's. Don't get me wrong, I like what the SVT does. A lot. But, that rig I just described produces the same (or greater) grunt and stage presence at less than half the weight. And, I don't feel like I'm giving up anything at all in the tone department. So, there are legit Class D alternatives to the big tube amps; and the question gets down to a matter of personal preference. I would NEVER question why a cat prefers an SVT. Perfectly fine. What Class D does offer is a legit alternative.
 
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#63
CatSquare said:
When I finally played through my first all tube amp this year I was amazed at the difference when compared to my class D. I'm not exactly a fan of carrying around something that weighs so much, but it's a small sacrifice for such a massive upgrade in sound. I don't necessarily believe in tube amp supremacy forever, but class D isn't going to be the SVT slayer.
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But if you're ever going through FOH, your tone is still all at the mercy of the sound guy.
 
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#65
MJ_Sotti said:
With the ToneHammers and Subways, has the big iron fallen?

There's CLs and older models for sale everywhere and nothing seems to move, yet the D's fly off the shelves like hot cakes.

Preamp/poweramp is popular (I've used it, it's great)

Ampless is getting more and more popular too...
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There's no stopping technology. There's no doubt that some amp company will soon (if it's not there already) make a box you plug into that has a iPad docking station running all forms of amp and effects modeling software. From there, you run into a class D powered cabinet and your good to go. The next logical step is to then put all the processing in the bass itself and use a powered speaker or in ear monitors. No doubt we will see this soon and no doubt I will be bummed when it happens. Takes all the fun out of it for me. Kind of like walking into a recording studio and seeing nothing but a computer running Pro Tools with plug ins. Sure, that setup is perfectly capable of recording fine audio, but no huge console with a million knobs? No vintage outboard gear? No 2" tape machine? Totally bums my trip right out! At least I can always enjoy my "vintage" gear and be happy turning real knobs powered by real tubes.
 
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#67
Kukulkan61 said:
You dont see many if at all SVTs in the classifieds but you do see many class Ds, this should answer your question..
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Compare the cost to ship a class D amp vs SVT, then add in total number of units sold. That should answer your answer to the question. Other than 42 that is...
 
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#68
Funkinthetrunk said:
I have both. But, you just can't replicate the sound of an all tube amp when pushed to its limit. If that's not your thing, then Class D are awesome these days, which is my preference. But sexiness never goes out of style.

Ampeg_zps9a72b793.jpg
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Awesome!!!! I've never seen white!!! Love it!!!!

Also love the bass hook!! Is that something you made or bought.
I've had that idea in my head lol. Or under it I guess for years.

I want one. Please let me know the deal.

Cheers,
Nate
 
#69
As much as it hurts to understand everyone here owns a piece of the understanding. New stuff is new and will be replaced by newer tech. Old stuff the good stuff is classic and will live on.

The real deal is what makes the sound you want. It matters not if it's everyone's fave if it doesn't sound like I need it too. Some on this forum listen to a narrow range of musics where SVTs are the stage prop while there are a lot of gigs happening in every city in the world on other bass tech.

Also loading out at 2:00 regularly is more exertion than owning these pieces as home relics.

Personal note. I grew up hearing how warm and phat tubes can sound while being extremely hifi. The adults around me had McIntosh tube amps for stereo. I find the unclipped clear big bottom super highs, fat mids, wide frequency response of a Sunn 2000s and more so the Hiwatts to be my preference. All of the great amps existed for at the same time so we could easily compare a Sunn 2000s, an Acoustic 360, an SVT, a Marshall Major, Traynor YBA3 and the Hiwatts. They were all flavors of great but distinctly different.
 
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#71
nostatic said:
If you're seeing SVTs, it likely is a house or rental backline. They want to get their money's worth, so they'll use them until the break.

Whenever I've had a house backline with an SVT I've always found it sounded worse than my own rig but I've got a certain sound I like. Ymmv. But at this point with the quality of the new gear an SVT is either legacy or for "the look." Eventually both will fade. There is are good reasons for guitarists preferring tube amps (especially low power), much less justification for bass players beyond sentimentality.

But play what you dig. No way I'm hauling anything beyond 10lbs around for a head but knock yourself out ;)
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Tell it like it is brother.
 
#72
I respect anyone with the strength to carry an SVT and plays in venues big enough to hold them. In NY pretty much all the clubs have rigs. I bring my Tech 21 VT Deluxe and get a sound that for my ears resembles an SVT. For Westchester gigs I bring my Markbass combo and it suits my needs. Love the idea of the Subway but, I already change basses enough. Can't start swapping out amps for the latest craze. Even though those little guys sound awesome
 
#75
quickfix said:
I agree with everything you said except for the last statement. The all tube has already been slain by solid state class D. Even the lowly hybrids outsell the full tube amps by a wide margin, and solid state class D outsells the hybrids again.
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that's like saying the sports/muscle/gt car has been slain by the wagon/minivan/suv/crossover. they're similar but different products for similar but different purposes.
 
#77
nostatic said:
If you're seeing SVTs, it likely is a house or rental backline. They want to get their money's worth, so they'll use them until the break.

Whenever I've had a house backline with an SVT I've always found it sounded worse than my own rig but I've got a certain sound I like. Ymmv. But at this point with the quality of the new gear an SVT is either legacy or for "the look." Eventually both will fade. There is are good reasons for guitarists preferring tube amps (especially low power), much less justification for bass players beyond sentimentality.

But play what you dig. No way I'm hauling anything beyond 10lbs around for a head but knock yourself out ;)
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SVT's will fade at the same time P basses fade: Never.
 
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#79
bass151 said:
Comparing 40 year old SVT's to the other guys amps at jams doesn't exactly seem like a fair comparison. Most of the jams I attend, which is hardly any anymore, mostly because the host bass players bring small low quality amps for everybody to beat the crap out of. There real gear stays safely at home. My current band hosts two jams a month and we do very well, parlty because I use a decent 410 with a very good 900 watt class D amp. That rig will peel paint off the walls and a lot of the local bassists attend because they get to play through a good rig. But compairing SVT'S to most guys jam rig is not a good reference point.
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Most of the Jams around here have good amps, Markbass, GK, one guy brings different class D amps to his jam every week with expensive modern cabs. I'm not knocking them as they all sound good but none of them have the tone an SVT has and I'm not talking about playing it so loud it knocks holes in walls, SVT's at any volume just have a warm all encompassing thick tone that others lack at any volume, all tube Ampegs have this tone to me.
 

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