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NAD Ampeg SVT Micro VR

ScoobyDoober

ScoobyDoober

Nov 1, 2023
94
244
#1
20240926_144001.jpg
Snagged one of these little guys for couch jamming and recording. Wanted one of these when I started playing again last year but I let the internet to convince me I'd end up needing way more power lol

Fast forward a year and a half worth of "my buddy never even plugging in his 5150/muffles never leaving the drum heads jam sessions" and trying to get my Hartke head to sound more vintage. (Got such a good deal on the LX8500 through Thomann) Grabbed this lil guy and couldn't be happier. Preamp sounds great and comparable to the real thing (close enough for my purposes). Definitely not super loud, as all reviews will tell you, but it pushes my little 210 hard enough, louder than necessary for couch jamming anyway. Gotta get it in the jam room and see how it works with the guitar combos and quiet drums but I've got high hopes.
 
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#6
"Definitely not super loud, as all reviews will tell you, but it pushes my little 210 hard enough,"
Just double it. Get a 2nd head and a 2nd cab.
The Micro-vr heads pair perfectly when master-slaved through the effect loop. No phasing issue, at all.
You like the sound and you'll get noticeably more 'whomph', and comfort.
It"s worth it I've been very happy that way for nearly 2 years now. Keep that option in mind it will keep poping up as a way to nirvana.
(I do it with the regular micro 210 cabs, you should be real fine with your own Hartkiz too..)
 
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#7
lOmnivore S said:
"Definitely not super loud, as all reviews will tell you, but it pushes my little 210 hard enough,"
Just double it. Get a 2nd head and a 2nd cab.
The Micro-vr heads pair perfectly when master-slaved through the effect loop. No phasing issue, at all.
You like the sound and you'll get noticeably more 'whomph', and comfort.
It"s worth it I've been very happy that way for nearly 2 years now. Keep that option in mind it will keep poping up as a way to nirvana.
(I do it with the regular micro 210 cabs, you should be real fine with your own Hartkiz too..)
Click to expand...

Another option to try.....

Just get a second, 8 ohm cabinet.

Run both cabs from one head.

With a single 8 ohm cabinet, the Micro VR produces somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 to 150 watts at 5% THD.

With two 8 ohm cabs (a 4 ohm load), the amp produces it's full 200 watts at 5 % THD.

If you go with two, matching, 8 ohm, 210 cabs to get the Micro VR's full power potential it'll be louder, fuller, cleaner and bigger sounding.

Try placing the cabs side by side down low on the floor for the coupling effect, then try stacking the two 210's as a vertical 410.
See which stacking method works best for your ears.

(Stacking as a vertical 410 works great in a live, loud band mix. Getting one of the 10" drivers up near ear level makes those 200 watts seem even louder!)
 
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#9
Having two 8ohms cabs with one single head, to get down to 4 ohms overall, well, I've tried... With the Ampeg svt-210 cabs at least it was disappointing. Mostly because any setting above noon made it enter cracking noises territory. So no real increase in sound power in practice, and a danger emerging permanently.
It seems the Micro svt head simply prefers working on 8 ohms. At least with the svt-210s cabs. That's my experience.
Then I bought a 2nd head and everything went real fine.

No, I'm not running after big loudness, but with a healthy drummer you need some power and area to shake air. And keep your sound nice and full.
It all remains affordable and easy to carry around. Looks great.
 
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#10
Lots of good takes here for anyone that actually needs the extra volume. I'm not seeing a scenario where I'll ever need that volume again but I'd definitely look into running a 2nd one of these heads/cabs if gigging again was something I'd ever consider (not frickin happening lol)
 
#11
ScoobyDoober said:
Lots of good takes here for anyone that actually needs the extra volume. I'm not seeing a scenario where I'll ever need that volume again but I'd definitely look into running a 2nd one of these heads/cabs if gigging again was something I'd ever consider (not frickin happening lol)
Click to expand...

It's not necessarily about being louder...

The use of two, 8 ohm cabinets to allow full power from the amp and making the system "capable " of being slightly louder is just one of the advantages that you can...but don't have to...utilize.

Using the two cabinets and the extra headroom also allows for a bigger, fuller, clearer sound/tone at low volume levels also.

Try the two 8 ohm cabs approach.....let your ears decide.

Picture is my gigging and at home ((with the volume control turned down at home)) combination. I'm spoiled from the sound enough that I always use both cabinets, no matter the circumstances or volume levels.


(Sorry for the bad pic.)

20240907_185322.jpg
 
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#12
lOmnivore S said:
"Definitely not super loud, as all reviews will tell you, but it pushes my little 210 hard enough,"
Just double it. Get a 2nd head and a 2nd cab.
The Micro-vr heads pair perfectly when master-slaved through the effect loop. No phasing issue, at all.
You like the sound and you'll get noticeably more 'whomph', and comfort.
It"s worth it I've been very happy that way for nearly 2 years now. Keep that option in mind it will keep poping up as a way to nirvana.
(I do it with the regular micro 210 cabs, you should be real fine with your own Hartkiz too..)
Click to expand...
Can you be more specific about this? So you plug you bass into amp 1 and then how do you connect to amp 2?
 
#13
shoot-r said:
It's not necessarily about being louder...

The use of two, 8 ohm cabinets to allow full power from the amp and making the system "capable " of being slightly louder is just one of the advantages that you can...but don't have to...utilize.

Using the two cabinets and the extra headroom also allows for a bigger, fuller, clearer sound/tone at low volume levels also.

Try the two 8 ohm cabs approach.....let your ears decide.

Picture is my gigging and at home ((with the volume control turned down at home)) combination. I'm spoiled from the sound enough that I always use both cabinets, no matter the circumstances or volume levels.


(Sorry for the bad pic.)

View attachment 7049632
Click to expand...
Naw, I'm good. You do you though
 
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#14
Nunovsky said:
Can you be more specific about this? So you plug you bass into amp 1 and then how do you connect to amp 2?
Click to expand...
Have a pedal-standard little jack you plug out of the "send" (effect loop) of the 1st head into the "return" (effect loop) of the 2nd head.
That's it.

You plug the bass into the first head, that's the master. You get all your pre-amp settings on this head (gain, bass medium etc.)
The 2nd head (slave) is just for power amp, its preamp doesn't operate. It gets the sound of the master's pre-amp and simply amplifies it, with its power section ("master volume".)
[edit : then of course you just plug one cab out each head ("speakers.")]

BOTH power amps ("master volume") are working ! (Not the case of every heads, sometime that effect loop plug cuts the power section of the master head (*) ; so it'd be useless. Not the case of the Micro vr head luckily, power sections ("master volume") operate fully in both heads with that configuration.)
No phasing issue, I can tell. (that was the big worry, bought an ABY pedal to try another config just in case : useless.)

That's all. Enjoy !

(*) : more precisely it is the lack of the return plug in that head that would cut the power amp, depending on internal wiring : but not here.
 
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#15
"I'm spoiled from the sound enough that I always use both cabinets, no matter the circumstances or volume levels."

Me just the same...

[edit : You seem to use another head and another pair of cabs, my input is just about the Ampeg Micro-vr and its svt210 regular cabs. They sound sweet, but I can assure (i'm not the only one) that 1 head +2 cabs in this case enters ugly crack noises territory way too easily for comfort. Also my 1st impression was that the sound, though more present, deteriorated a bit... didn't check that seriously. That's the only config I now. Kinda think it should be the good advice for any make of 210 cabs though. Keep the micro-vr work in 8 ohms.]
[You'll get rewards.]
 
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#16
lOmnivore S said:
"I'm spoiled from the sound enough that I always use both cabinets, no matter the circumstances or volume levels."

Me just the same...

[edit : You seem to use another head and another pair of cabs, my input is just about the Ampeg Micro-vr and its svt210 regular cabs. They sound sweet, but I can assure (i'm not the only one) that 1 head +2 cabs in this case enters ugly crack noises territory way too easily for comfort. Also my 1st impression was that the sound, though more present, deteriorated a bit... didn't check that seriously. That's the only config I now. Kinda think it should be the good advice for any make of 210 cabs though. Keep the micro-vr work in 8 ohms.]
[You'll get rewards.]
Click to expand...

Yes sir, I'm not working with a Ampeg head or cabinets, but the principal's we're discussing holds for either manufacturers amp/cabs.

I've a friend who plays in a moderately loud classic rock group with a moderately loud drummer. He's using two of Ampeg's 210AV cabinets driving them with a SansAmp BDDI V1 infront of a G.K. MB500 head.

His system sounds really good, I've never heard a ugly cracking noise with his set-up.

Could there possibly be problem in your amp or maybe a driver in one of your cabs? Since your operating the Micro in it's lower wattage, 8 ohm load, could the cracking be the Micro's limiter engaging?

Eden made a micro amp (WT260 I believe) that employed a internal, very low threshold limiter. It sounded great till it's limiter clamped down, it made a nasty, very audible crack when it engaged.



ScoobyDoober said:
Naw, I'm good. You do you though
Click to expand...

Not a problem, just trying to help...
 
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#18
lOmnivore S said:
Have a pedal-standard little jack you plug out of the "send" (effect loop) of the 1st head into the "return" (effect loop) of the 2nd head.
That's it.

You plug the bass into the first head, that's the master. You get all your pre-amp settings on this head (gain, bass medium etc.)
The 2nd head (slave) is just for power amp, its preamp doesn't operate. It gets the sound of the master's pre-amp and simply amplifies it, with its power section ("master volume".)
[edit : then of course you just plug one cab out each head ("speakers.")]

BOTH power amps ("master volume") are working ! (Not the case of every heads, sometime that effect loop plug cuts the power section of the master head (*) ; so it'd be useless. Not the case of the Micro vr head luckily, power sections ("master volume") operate fully in both heads with that configuration.)
No phasing issue, I can tell. (that was the big worry, bought an ABY pedal to try another config just in case : useless.)

That's all. Enjoy !

(*) : more precisely it is the lack of the return plug in that head that would cut the power amp, depending on internal wiring : but not here.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much!
 
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