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have the D's toppled the SVT's?

#122
simotek said:
Having used my pedal board i'd disagree there, it does have a 12ax7 preamp on it though.
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Having had Aguilar, Markbass, SWR, GK and a Mesa class D amps with tube preamps in front of them compared to Ampeg B15, V4-B, SVT and PT50 heads, an Alessandro Basset Hound and a Fender Studio Bass head I'd say you don't have enough experience comparing the two species to know what you're talking about.

The subtleties of a great tube amp are not something you necessarily hear or appreciate until you spend some time with one. Once you do hear it though there's no way you be saying it's something you could get with a stompbox. It's about a whole lot more than a preamp tube.
 
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#125
Jeff Bonny said:
Having had Aguilar, Markbass, SWR, GK and a Mesa class D amps with tube preamps in front of them compared to Ampeg B15, V4-B, SVT and PT50 heads, an Alessandro Basset Hound and a Fender Studio Bass head I'd say you don't have enough experience comparing the two species to know what you're talking about.

The subtleties of a great tube amp are not something you necessarily hear or appreciate until you spend some time with one. Once you do hear it though there's no way you be saying it's something you could get with a stompbox. It's about a whole lot more than a preamp tube.
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I've always believed that the benefit one gets as a bassist from an all-tube amp is insignificant compared to that a guitar player gets. All that great "tone" and "warmth" some bassists say they get is almost *never* heard by the audience, who are barely listening to the bassist anyway. But put a guitar player through 99.9% of solid state amps (even modeling amps) and folks *will* cringe.
 
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#128
SanDiegoHarry said:
I've always believed that the benefit one gets as a bassist from an all-tube amp is insignificant compared to that a guitar player gets. All that great "tone" and "warmth" some bassists say they get is almost *never* heard by the audience, who are barely listening to the bassist anyway. But put a guitar player through 99.9% of solid state amps (even modeling amps) and folks *will* cringe.
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I'd agree, my pedal board for bass can get me close enough without the need to own several amps but for guitar I still want a all valve head
 
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#129
SanDiegoHarry said:
I've always believed that the benefit one gets as a bassist from an all-tube amp is insignificant compared to that a guitar player gets. All that great "tone" and "warmth" some bassists say they get is almost *never* heard by the audience, who are barely listening to the bassist anyway. But put a guitar player through 99.9% of solid state amps (even modeling amps) and folks *will* cringe.
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Maybe this is truer at high volumes but at the lower bar/restaurant volumes I play at the benefits of tube amps are quite apparent.
 
#132
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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I had the exact same experiences; SVT is just not my thang and I wouldn't really want one if it weighted 5 or 500 lbs.
 
#133
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 cake


I have a swr super redhead that isn't for sale at any price. It is the best sounding am I got.

I got. An Eden that if I could figure out the used market would be someone else's for four hundred

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

Ampless is getting more and more popular too...
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#134
Jeff Bonny said:
Don't assume that "close enough" for you is good enough for someone else.
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I never said it was, in fact I said in my first post that there will still always be some around, but far less common so I guess in the context of this thread it depends on your concept of toppled, is more class D amps sold then SVT's toppled? is it only 1 SVT sold for 99 Class D amps toppled or is it Ampeg stops manufacturing them because its no longer profitable toppled I was going for the more middle range of those three as toppled. Or maybe for the majority of people in the majority of cases the benefits of a class D bassed setup outweigh those of using an SVT.
 
#136
I had a SVT rig decades ago. Loved the sound and look....but after having to schlep in up 2 flights of stairs for several gigs, I sold it for a smaller combo and ran a DI to FOH. At 58 years old now, I couldn't go back to a large heavy rig....but respect those who do.
 
#137
simotek said:
I never said it was, in fact I said in my first post that there will still always be some around, but far less common so I guess in the context of this thread it depends on your concept of toppled, is more class D amps sold then SVT's toppled? is it only 1 SVT sold for 99 Class D amps toppled or is it Ampeg stops manufacturing them because its no longer profitable toppled I was going for the more middle range of those three as toppled. Or maybe for the majority of people in the majority of cases the benefits of a class D bassed setup outweigh those of using an SVT.
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Cheaper amps will always outsell expensive amps.
 
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#138
I love all tube amps, but don't love carrying them around or travelling with them. Even my GK 700RB is too bulky to conveniently stuff in a suitcase and fly off to a gig or tour which is happening more frequently, and the convenience of sticking my amp into my gigbag pocket and going to practice/local gigs is hard to top. I love having a good sound, it doesn't sound as great as an all-tube rig, but it's really not worth the immense hassle and cost to me. If an all-tube rig is provided, awesome, I'll go with that. If not, I bring my own head. Hence class D it is.
 
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#139
SanDiegoHarry said:
Don't be so sure. Turn on your radio and check out what passes for "rock" these days.
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There's fantastic music being made in every genre. The good stuff is not on the radio, and historically it seldom was.

What has changed is easy access to inexpensive recording and far greater revenue streams for bands, so there's better and braver music being made in larger quantities than ever before. The kids are indeed alright.
 
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#140
I've owned SVT's, B15N's, Gallien-Kruger's, EA's, Fender Bassman's, various Acoustics, various Walter Woods, etc., with all sorts of cab configurations. The only rig I've ever owned that can give me very close reproduction of the sound of any and all of those amps is my current rig: Jule Amps Monique tube preamp > Jule Amps M2500 solid state power amp > one or two Greenboy F112's.

Just my experience, YMMV.
 

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