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Jad Freer Capo SVT / B15 Emulation.

Bassist96

Bassist96

Jan 13, 2013
199
51
Australia
#1
Hey!

I'm looking to jump onto the Capo train but sadly I can't afford more than one preamp to try multiples and have no where to try one out. Are you able to get a good B15 and or Svt ish sound dialled out of the Capo?

Or am I better off looking into the origin effects preamps? Would even wonder if you can make it sound close to a fender amp?
 
#2
Bassist96 said:
Hey!

I'm looking to jump onto the Capo train but sadly I can't afford more than one preamp to try multiples and have no where to try one out. Are you able to get a good B15 and or Svt ish sound dialled out of the Capo?

Or am I better off looking into the origin effects preamps? Would even wonder if you can make it sound close to a fender amp?
Click to expand...

I don’t have personal experience with the Capo but the origin ‘64 Bassrig is as fender as you could possibly get in a pre. I use that or the origin dcx bass when I want to color my Noble or not use the noble at all.
 
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#3
Bassist96 said:
Hey!

I'm looking to jump onto the Capo train but sadly I can't afford more than one preamp to try multiples and have no where to try one out. Are you able to get a good B15 and or Svt ish sound dialled out of the Capo?

Or am I better off looking into the origin effects preamps? Would even wonder if you can make it sound close to a fender amp?
Click to expand...

Maybe you get more enswers from Capo owners if you post the same question in the Capo thread.

I have a Capo, and as much as I love it, I don't think it's intended to give you a B15-Ampeg sound.
The Ampeg SGT di is more appropriate for that IMO:

upload_2023-12-17_7-22-59.png
 
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#6
Bassist96 said:
Defs not looking for the exact sound, I'm looking for something that is versatile and that can at least get me into the ballpark.
Click to expand...
Versatile? Yes. It has great EQ, and nice drive, but it is geared toward open, articulate sounds, with the ability to ease the top end response, making for a more pleasant direct sound without fundamentally attenuating upper frequencies. It is a very modern device with modern tone goals, and simply will not sound like vintage Ampeg gear, nor will it make you feel like you’re playing an amp of any stripe, because that not the design. If you want “my bass, direct to the board” with the ability to add some dirt and tasteful EQ, though, the Capo is great.
 
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#7
Smurf-o-Deth said:
Versatile? Yes. It has great EQ, and nice drive, but it is geared toward open, articulate sounds, with the ability to ease the top end response, making for a more pleasant direct sound without fundamentally attenuating upper frequencies. It is a very modern device with modern tone goals, and simply will not sound like vintage Ampeg gear, nor will it make you feel like you’re playing an amp of any stripe, because that not the design. If you want “my bass, direct to the board” with the ability to add some dirt and tasteful EQ, though, the Capo is great.
Click to expand...

We all answered that we love the CAPO but it has nothing to do with the Ampeg sound, but I think OP doesn't want to change his mind.

@Bassist96: buy it - you'll see.
 
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#9
I haven't heard the Jad Freer Capo.

I've owned a '69 B-15 and a few SVTs. Currently, I use SVT-II and an Origin Effects BassRig SuperVintage DI.

I've heard the Ampeg SGT-DI. The SVT voicing is pretty good, but the most outstanding thing about it to my ear is the B-15 voicing.

The Origin Effects BassRig SuperVintage emulates an actual SVT with 6550 tubes better than anything; I don't how there could be any emulation could be any more perfectly dead on. My conclusion is based on comparing the OE SuperVintage vs SVT-II going directly into my UA 276 interface.
 
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#10
I haven't tried to emulate an Ampeg with my Capo, but I feel like the real barrier would be cabinet simulation. The Capo has a LPF, but it's subtle and isn't really a cab sim; it's there to tame overtones with overdriven signals. I think the EQ on the Capo would be fine to get you in the ballpark of the head though, favoring the F circuit for the B15 and closer to the N blended circuit for the SVT with the 800hz mids boosted like you'd find in the actual amp. Run the A side into the B to get a kind of preamp into power amp thing going and it might work.

Just to reiterate this would be ballpark EQ to get the right amp sound, but the lack of the speaker eq curve is going to make it sound different.
 
#13
Smurf-o-Deth said:
Versatile? Yes. It has great EQ, and nice drive, but it is geared toward open, articulate sounds, with the ability to ease the top end response, making for a more pleasant direct sound without fundamentally attenuating upper frequencies. It is a very modern device with modern tone goals, and simply will not sound like vintage Ampeg gear, nor will it make you feel like you’re playing an amp of any stripe, because that not the design. If you want “my bass, direct to the board” with the ability to add some dirt and tasteful EQ, though, the Capo is great.
Click to expand...

Fully agree with this, there are plenty of preamps that get you that ampeg tone the Capo is not one of them
 
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#14
57pbass said:
Doesn’t the ACME Motown DI emulate a B-15 ?
Click to expand...

Nope, it’s meant to simulate the di (which had a specific transformer in it that’s no longer made as the components are carcinogenic) that was used in the studio, they had some weird 4 channel preamp thing and this is a part of that (supposedly)

I did a studio shootout and found a passive radial stagebug is about 98% the same sound, and that 2% for me wasn’t worth the extra size, weight and cost
 
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#16
TaySte_2000 said:
Nope, it’s meant to simulate the di (which had a specific transformer in it that’s no longer made as the components are carcinogenic)
Click to expand...
What transformer components are carcinogenic?
 
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#17
How could Ampeg miss simulating its own SVT amp? I find this hard to believe and for Yamaha to actually allow it to be released as such. I think they are just not hyping it enough plus they actually make the real amp. Boffins with a Brit accent sound more believable than easy go lucky American guys in the YT demos. In my [previous] line of work pre-silicon simulation, we do measure how RTL correct is your model (and usually it is way far off but the number and timing is measurable) but measurements here like 98% of the sound is kind of suspect. How did that get measured?

When I got the SGT-DI -- from memory and also going to a couple live shows where they had an SVT and a 810 at sound check. It did sound close compared to let say Universal Audio's model that I paid for., but I do not think I can put a number on how close - Heck I cannot even come up with a subjective criteria list of what to look for. I have not a heard a B15 up close in so long, so I would not know but what I know is that it is easy to use Ampeg's B15 model in a recording mix.

So I think you are better off with the Ampeg SGT-DI if you are going for the Ampeg sound. My opinion from owning that thing for about 10 days. I did haver an SVT-CL but no 810 cab. Have used the SVT+810 them as backline. or house amp.

Capo is it's own thing and you should approach it from that perspective.
 
#18
I have both the capo and the origin SV and the ampeg SGT.

The capo is hi-fi and much more modern sounding. The OD does not have vintage character to my ears.

if you want amp emulation, the SV or SGT are excellent.
 
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#20
TaySte_2000 said:
To be clear I’m talking about the Wolfbox of which the acme is modelled

It’s Molybdenum ‍♂️

I can’t find the original wolfbox story but you have this Wolfbox - Wikipedia

Either way, not a b15
Click to expand...
Molybdenum is a carcinogen only in situations unrelated to transformer applications.

Molybdenum is used all the time in the manufacture of tool steel, magnetic steel and also in lubricants.

I believe this is an internet myth perpetuated by a kind of mythology.
 
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