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NAD! SVT7 Pro (also comparing it to my Streamliner 900)

#781
12bass said:
From what I understand, SMPS and Class D technologies are already decades old. I'm not sure it is technology itself or merely the particular implementation that is at issue here. QSC, Crown, Peavey, etc... have had Class D in the pro-audio field for a long time now. Has long-term reliability been more of a problem for these amps than Class AB?
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I've talked to some pro audio guys about this because I'm not the most knowledgeable about it, and it does seem that they are built more solid. But pro audio guys also learned the limitations early on and they use them a lot more wisely than bass players do. You will never ever see pro sound people buying a class D power amp and running it as hard as they possibly can like you see bass players do. They grossly overbuy class D wattage for that exact reason. Consequently, their amps last longer and don't cut out on them.
 
#782
IntrepidCellist said:
I'm not sure I agree. I've pushed the heck out of my TH500 on 8 and 4 ohm loads without issue on hot days and in bars with somewhat questionable power. It's performed just as well as my Eden WT400 ever did, and gets louder with just as much "solidity" and "weight to the notes" with less risk of releasing the magic smoke due to improper gain staging or use of EQ.
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No experience with it but I believe you.

While we'd love for a $1500, 20-lb. amp to be three times better and more reliable than a $600, 5-lb. amp, the fact is that cost and weight are not always 100% indicative of quality of manufacture, quality of design, and/or quality control. Indeed, many modern lightweight amps are built better than some of the amps in their effective price bracket were 10, 25, or 50 years ago.
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I don't know that I believe that.

There are other concerns at work, too. With the lightweight amp craze comes the lightweight cab craze, which means that cabs are often smaller and less efficient. Put an SVT atop an 8x10 and you don't have to push it too hard to get LOUD. Put a 500w micro atop an 8 ohm 2x10 and suddenly you're pushing both amp and cab much harder to get the volume you want.
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That one's not a matter of belief...that's a fact.
 
#783
Great points all around...maybe our expectations run a little high in these micros. For what it's worth, I have run my Genz ShuttleMax 12.0, wide open at a big outdoor gig in the hot sun without a hiccup...their idea of running two 600watt 4ohm loads was a great way to get power without the meltdown potential, though it can be a drag if you aren't running two 4 ohm cabs
 
#784
For those of you keeping score, I had my first gig with the 7 Pro and it kept switching off on me. Not momentary cutting out, actually all the lights went out and I had to turn the switch off, wait, and turn it back on to get any sound out. I assumed the amp was faulty, but now I'm not so sure. In my hazy recollection before the sound check I thought I heard/saw a rhythmic thumping/flashing and saw my amp turn on and off several times. I wasn't close enough to unplug, and I'm not positive what happened. Now I'm wondering if that might have caused the cut-outs that happened later. So, maybe it was just bad power at the venue.

I've taken the 7 Pro to several rehearsals since the gig, and I can't get the darn thing to hiccup no matter how hard I push it. How can I tell if my amp is faulty/damaged? Should I exchange it just in case, even if it seems to work at home and at rehearsal?

Also, even though I like the mid-focused voice of the Ampeg, it sometimes seems a bit TOO mid-focused. I can't get much clean deepness out of the sound, even the bass control sounds like it adds upper bass as opposed to the deep bass I hear from my Streamliner or the GK 1001RB at the practice space. In the mix, the 1001 sounded dull and muddy because it had too much deep bass and was scooped. On the other hand the 7 Pro had a great mid sound, but I couldn't get the thick lows of the GK, more of a mid-bass boom.

I would like to be able to dial in the deep bass of the GK/Streamliner, coupled with the rich mids of the 7 Pro. If I got a graphic eq, would I have better luck boosting mids with an MB800, or adding lows with the 7 Pro?

So, am I in the group asking too much of a micro? If so, I don't even know what amp I should be looking at for the sound I have in my head... I don't mind a non-micro, but I don't want a 90-pound monster. And I have a budget, gotta stay under $1000, preferably well under.

Should I be looking at Carvin for their high-power offerings? My impression was that they are unreliable and perhaps bland sounding.
Pre/power setups? I have no knowledge of the area.

Getting discouraged in my amp search... :hmm:
 
#785
Have you tried the Shuttle Max 9.2? The eq is extremely flexible and the global shape filters let you keep it tight or extend the low end for more depth. It's quite a bit different than the STM900, not quite as thick but great punch and mid presence with as much depth as you need and plenty of power. Everything at noon is a good easy starting point too. As long as your in the mood to play the field and compare this would be a good one to throw in the mix.
 
#786
what basses are you playing? Strings? Effects?
My Fender Jazz straight into the 7, into my bergantino hd410 is ridiculous. I was having a hard time dialing in super lows with my P, but the jazz with the active pre-amp blows doors...
 
#787
i can't imagine needing more low end than the 7pro has to offer, especially if you crank the bass control.

IMO, the 7pro has just as much low end as an SL900, it's just not as scooped in the mids.

here's an RTA of the SL900 with all of the tone controls at noon:

STM900-noon.jpg


and here's the 7pro's RTA. the vilet is with all of the tone controls at noon, and the blue is with the ultralo switch kicked in. with the ultralo, it is closer to the SL900 at noon, although the mids are scooped a bit too much.

Pro7-Violet-all-at-noon-Blue-ultrlo-in.jpg
 
#788
So the graph shows the SVT with ultra low selected, did you select the gain switch on the Streamliner or was that with it disengaged, seems only fair to use the full features of each amp, I would suggest that the SL graph would be dramatically different with the gain switch turned on as its like a built in Nitrous Oxide boost :D
 
#789
GRAHAM SG1 said:
So the graph shows the SVT with ultra low selected, did you select the gain switch on the Streamliner or was that with it disengaged, seems only fair to use the full features of each amp, I would suggest that the SL graph would be dramatically different with the gain switch turned on as its like a built in Nitrous Oxide boost :D
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actually, during my RTA tests, the SL's frequency response stayed pretty much exactly the same with the gain switch in or out.
 
#790
johnk_10 said:
actually, during my RTA tests, the SL's frequency response stayed pretty much exactly the same with the gain switch in or out.
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+1

More than any other SS or hybrid amp I've owned, the SL900's sound is more about dynamic response and "feel", than visible changes on a frequency plot.

When I was plotting mine for the Streamliner tone control thread, I was surprised to hear big differences in tone, without seeing changes of equal magnitude in the steady-state graphs.
 
#793
I certainly think if you are after a quite punchy tone but slightly less bass heavy (when flat) than the Streamliner, the Shuttlemax 9.2 is right in that ballpark.

I waited to get a Max 9.2 for a long time. Then a second hand ungigged amp came up, perfect condition with everything that should normally come with it, and I jumped on it.

It is a stunningly versatile amp. 2 Channels, one more clear and precise, the other more warm that will also allow some grit if dialed in. Both have semi-parametric high and low mids, and then there all also three filters for additional tweaking.

Gobs of mids available, lots of modern sheen or vintage warmth available (although the Streamliner tone is still unique) and as much low end as you need.

Quiet fan, very light, small for what it is, and the Genz customer service and design behind it.

Oh, and 900 killer watts as well. Its a loud amp. More than I willl ever need.
 
#795
The SVT-7PRO manual says that the Bass control is +/- 12 dB centered at 40 Hz, which is fairly low/deep. Perhaps a bit more EQ sculpting is in order.... maybe try dialing back the mids/treble to find the appropriate balance with stronger lows (subtractive EQ often works better than boosting). Very few amps share the inherent massive bass which is present in the Streamliner, so it is easy to understand why most sound relatively thin in comparison.
 
#797
just fyi, I sometimes have to *cut* the mids on my 7 Pro, depending on the room. Had to do it just this past Saturday. At other times, a little boost has been required. I find the mid control on this amp extremely powerful and useful. My bass sits at 2:00, my treble at 1:00 and those rarely change. I use the mid to dial in the room.

/rick
 
#798
Lazarus.Bird said:
Yeah, not sure where these claims of no low end from the 7 Pro are coming from. I crank my bass knob (to around 3:00) and that thing thunders. Then I add just enough mids and highs to sit well in the mix. The amp practically demands sonic space in the band mix.
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Maybe if ppl had a cab that suited the STL then used it with the 7 pro??
I know I was "considering" a cab that was mid forward & bass shy when I had a STL, but ended up keeping my cabs & flipping the amp.
This might account for a "perceived" lack of bottom end perhaps.
 
#799
RickC said:
just fyi, I sometimes have to *cut* the mids on my 7 Pro, depending on the room. Had to do it just this past Saturday. At other times, a little boost has been required. I find the mid control on this amp extremely powerful and useful. My bass sits at 2:00, my treble at 1:00 and those rarely change. I use the mid to dial in the room.

/rick
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ditto
 

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