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Lowering the volume for an SVT-CL

#21
JimmyM said:
Using a dummy plug on an early 70s blue line Ampeg SVT


First off, you can stack two cabs. Second, Ampeg's official word under LOUD is to not run at 8 ohms. I don't know what Yamaha's ruling will be. But Bill invented the SVT, so if he says it's OK, it's OK. Like I said, I've done it many times without incident.
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I used the dummy plug to bring my B25b down to 8 ohms so I can use modern cabs!
 
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#22
JimmyM said:
Using a dummy plug on an early 70s blue line Ampeg SVT


First off, you can stack two cabs. Second, Ampeg's official word under LOUD is to not run at 8 ohms. I don't know what Yamaha's ruling will be. But Bill invented the SVT, so if he says it's OK, it's OK. Like I said, I've done it many times without incident.
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Thank you for clarifying. I have done it to rentals but I always have been a little hesitant to run it that way on my own svts. For the past year I have been looking for the best way to down size but keep the svt so I may try this and see what happens/ hope for the best
 
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#24
somebrains said:
I have an SVP-CL and used to have an IPR as my "light SVT sorta" rig.
Stuff felt like it was popping in my back whenever I lifted by Blackline so something had to be done.

There is no replacement for a tube power amp, but that SVT dead lift tore me up.
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Lots of pedal options for getting that SVT tone without getting that SVT backache - Ampeg Classic, Scrambler, or SCR-DI, Tech 21 Sansamp BDDI or Sansamp VT Bass, Behringer BDI21 V-Tone (which is an appallingly obvious rip-off clone of the VT bass, or any of the Zoom multi effects (B2, B3, MS60), they all come with a ton of amp and cam emulations, and the SVT is always among them. Pick one that works for you and stick with your lighter weight amps.
 
#26
cchorney said:
Lots of pedal options for getting that SVT tone without getting that SVT backache - Ampeg Classic, Scrambler, or SCR-DI, Tech 21 Sansamp BDDI or Sansamp VT Bass, Behringer BDI21 V-Tone (which is an appallingly obvious rip-off clone of the VT bass, or any of the Zoom multi effects (B2, B3, MS60), they all come with a ton of amp and cam emulations, and the SVT is always among them. Pick one that works for you and stick with your lighter weight amps.
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Accept no substitutes!

(hides VT Deluxe and SCR-DI)
 
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#27
JimmyM said:
I think an SVT sounds just as amazeballs at a practice volume as a regular volume.
And it should be fine at 8 ohms...the inventor came on here a couple years ago and informed us that it's so overbuilt that running it at 8 ohms is no problem at all. I've done it on rented SVT's and never had a problem.
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Low volume works nice.
That's new to me that it works safely with 8 Ω. Do you remember who the "inventor" was ? Did he say that *all* SVTs accept 8Ω load (old and the new ones)?

PS. I now noticed the link. Nice to read Mr. Bill Hughes'es answers.
 
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#31
okabass said:
Low volume works nice.
That's new to me that it works safely with 8 Ω. Do you remember who the "inventor" was ? Did he say that *all* SVTs accept 8Ω load (old and the new ones)?

PS. I now noticed the link. Nice to read Mr. Bill Hughes'es answers.
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Hey man, been a while! Bill left Ampeg in the 70s so I don't know whether he only meant old ones or all, but they're the same basic design they've always been with comparable transformers and tubes, so I don't see why it would be different.
 
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#32
RoadRanger said:
The Tonehammer can get so close to the SVT sound that I'm wondering if it's the "optics" of the SVT you need for that project vs the "sound"? In any case just turn the master on the SVT down and the input gain up - but the Tonehammer's tone will blow away the SVT's at home volumes. In any case with an VST you DEFINITELY need a backup anyways so keep the TH500 :cool:.
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Ha. I had a good chuckle on this one.

(owned th500, ag500dc, currently own svt3pro and svt cl)
 
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#33
Unlike SS amps, valve amps normally have a switch to match the ohms of the cabinets and you don't get any more power running at 4 ohms than you do at 8. If I recall correctly (Jimmy help out here) those earlier SVT 810 cabs were literally made of two 410 partitions at 8 ohms each and had a separate input plug in for each section. So using both of them was a 4 ohm load. And let's be real, who here would just plug in half of an SVT Fridge? So running two 8 ohm cabs is really how it was designed to work...stack away!
 
#34
JimmyM said:
Micro VR is actually 150w at 8 ohms, 200 at 4. And I think it's a killer head. But it ain't an SVT.
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I used a Micro-CL for home practice for a while. It was okay. Then I upgraded for a PF-350. It was better. Then I upgraded again for a PF-50T and it's the best yet. Expensive for a home practice amp but I wanted to sound as good playing at home as I do with my SVT in the band.
 
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#35
beans-on-toast said:
Or 40 lbs each if two people are carrying the amp. Way less if you are using a cart.

I think that lifting the amp on top of a high cab such as an 810 is way over rated. If it’s necessary, a kid can always help.

View attachment 3062197
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Lifting an SVT on top of my 810 by myself does take some effort. But I mostly gig the SVT with the AV212 and it's easy street, stays waist high from the car to the stage and back.
 
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#36
JimmyM said:
Hey man, been a while! Bill left Ampeg in the 70s so I don't know whether he only meant old ones or all, but they're the same basic design they've always been with comparable transformers and tubes, so I don't see why it would be different.
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Mine was built in the STL factory while I was there in the mid-90s (shortly after SLM reintroduced it). I used to use it with an 8Ω 410 cab all the time, almost as much as with two stacked 410s. It was fine.
 
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#37
The Early 810's had that weird 3 prong speaker cable and only one input on the cab. I believe the current ones and have the split cab and the dual inputs so you can run it as a single cab at X ohms or two cabs at x ohms. I did not post the load because I am not sure that it is but I do know the early cabs and that there was and I think still is the dual 410 cab.
 
#38
We will have to agree to disagree on the Tonehammer (any model) having the weight note wise of a properly functioning SVT. And to answer your previous question yes the master was cranked and It did sound good but in no way was it a challenger to an SVT. As I said before everyone hears things how they hear them . Not knocking you or your amp or anyone's choice in amps. If we all liked the exact same thing there would only need to be one amp and one cab. Wouldn't that be fun.
 
#39
Nighttrain1127 said:
We will have to agree to disagree on the Tonehammer (any model) having the weight note wise of a properly functioning SVT. And to answer your previous question yes the master was cranked and It did sound good but in no way was it a challenger to an SVT. As I said before everyone hears things how they hear them . Not knocking you or your amp or anyone's choice in amps. If we all liked the exact same thing there would only need to be one amp and one cab. Wouldn't that be fun.
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Having A/B'd a TH 500 and SVT-CL several times in the same venue, I know they don't sound the same. As for preferences, I prefer the SVT but yeah everyone's taste is not the same.
 

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