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New Ampeg Venture Series

#726
Just in case you're curious about the innards of a V3...

20231125_115937.jpg


I'm not keeping it. Good tone and set of features, but sounds underpowered indeed (my Trace Elliot GP7SM250 seems to produce more sheer volume at its clean limit).
Traded for a Terror Bass, both I and previous owner are happier.
 
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#727
Hi folks :)

Jim C said:
Nearly 15 minutes of chat without the MF'r playing a bass line.
What a genius
Click to expand...

and talks and talks and talks and...

Well? The video isn't for bassplayers!

It's for "Bass Musicians" :D

Kinda perfect for Talkbass. Not so much for play bass!!! :laugh::roflmao:


Back on topic: The new Yampeg Ventura V12 (the flagship? of the Vetura line)

First thoughts after seeing this and other videos:

What a front panel :crying::crying::crying:

The "Ultra Low" (cut/ boost) is above the compressor which is to the left of the SGT section both left to the

classic Gain, Bass, Mid freq, Treble, preamp section.

The "Ultra High" switch is not too far away from the treble pot; it's just above the mid freq selector.

The preamp peak LED is next to the mute switch (which has two other LEDs)

right above the poweramp volume. (mind that should it blink, you have to adjust the Gain)

The compressor LED must feel very lonely :D so far away from its friends (it's next to the compressor).


The good news is that Ampegs don't have graphic EQs.

Highest freqs to the left, basses in the middle and mids all over the place,

with the slots for the sliders crossing each other. :laugh:


end of rant (not really finished yet but ranting makes thirsty!)


cheers

Wise(b)ass
 
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#729
A few observations from testing with some tones & noise:

The unit adds about 3 dB of gain, just by plugging into the input and then going direct out in pre mode
Unity gain when in post mode is when the gain knob is about 1 notch past 12 o'clock.
Flattest posible response (on my particular unit) is the bass knob backed down slightly, not quite 1 notch.
The clip light starts to light up with -6dB of headroom before actual clipping occurs. The clip light is more sensitive between 40-50Hz.
Putting broadband noise through it, the SGT circuit level is at equal output at about 1:30 for the SVT setting and about 3 o'clock for the B15 setting.
It seems like there is a gentle roll of under 30Hz.
Without the SGT engaged, the unit is exceptionally clean, adding no harmonic content (when not clipping) so can be truly flat.
 
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#730
Bobbadfinger said:
Just in case you're curious about the innards of a V3...

View attachment 5266805

I'm not keeping it. Good tone and set of features, but sounds underpowered indeed (my Trace Elliot GP7SM250 seems to produce more sheer volume at its clean limit).
Traded for a Terror Bass, both I and previous owner are happier.
Click to expand...
Well, that answers that question. ICEpower AS1 series.
 
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#733
BluesOnBass said:
In what way? I love the Ampeg tone and don’t care for either the Aguilar or the Mesa tone.
Click to expand...

Well then maybe this amp is for you....if you can figure out which Ampeg tone it is.
I used to play the SVT-CL and V4B and both were killer. The SVT3Pro was great but seriously underpowered. The Portaflex, SVT7 and SVT 5 were all misses IMO. Over time I realized how much I was missing using Ampegs when I started playing Ashdown.
I switched to Mesa because it can do ANY of the Ampeg tones as well as Ashdown and it's own stuff. So if you like Ampeg and not Mesa you prob just haven't spent a lot of time with the Subway series because you can certainly dial in some Ampeg tone if you'd like. I found that I prefer not to after seeing how many other great tones I could get out of the Mesa.
 
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#734
BaltBass5 said:
Well then maybe this amp is for you....if you can figure out which Ampeg tone it is.
I used to play the SVT-CL and V4B and both were killer. The SVT3Pro was great but seriously underpowered. The Portaflex, SVT7 and SVT 5 were all misses IMO. Over time I realized how much I was missing using Ampegs when I started playing Ashdown.
I switched to Mesa because it can do ANY of the Ampeg tones as well as Ashdown and it's own stuff. So if you like Ampeg and not Mesa you prob just haven't spent a lot of time with the Subway series because you can certainly dial in some Ampeg tone if you'd like. I found that I prefer not to after seeing how many other great tones I could get out of the Mesa.
Click to expand...
I am a BIG Ampeg fan, but what you have said is very interesting to me regarding the Mesa Subway series and getting that Ampeg tone and more. Is the Deep and Bright switches on the Mesa equivalent to the Ultra Low and Ultra High on the Ampeg? Secondly, how can you dial in the "Grit" on the Mesa? The Ampeg now has the SGT switch to add the Grit and added volume. I was in the process of going to purchase a Mesa 800+ Subway and then the Ampeg Venture V12 came out and had me rethinking. So please, enlighten me as much as you can. Thank you! -Bill
 
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#735
Lemur Bassman said:
I am a BIG Ampeg fan, but what you have said is very interesting to me regarding the Mesa Subway series and getting that Ampeg tone and more. Is the Deep and Bright switches on the Mesa equivalent to the Ultra Low and Ultra High on the Ampeg? Secondly, how can you dial in the "Grit" on the Mesa? The Ampeg now has the SGT switch to add the Grit and added volume. I was in the process of going to purchase a Mesa 800+ Subway and then the Ampeg Venture V12 came out and had me rethinking. So please, enlighten me as much as you can. Thank you! -Bill
Click to expand...

Essentially the Deep and Bright switches are very much like the Ultra switches. Additionally the High Pass Filter works great for getting a nice punchy bottom end. The Subways have the Input Gain and the Master Volume. If you crank the Input Gain up and use the Master for volume you can get some nice grit! The voicing ranges from more vintage tubey feeling CCW to more modern CW. The best part about the 800+ is that you can control the High Mid and Low Mid Volumes as well as the Freq's. I went from the D800 to the WD800 to the 800+. I actually kept the WD800 but there's just something magic about the 800+.
 
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#736
BaltBass5 said:
Essentially the Deep and Bright switches are very much like the Ultra switches. Additionally the High Pass Filter works great for getting a nice punchy bottom end. The Subways have the Input Gain and the Master Volume. If you crank the Input Gain up and use the Master for volume you can get some nice grit! The voicing ranges from more vintage tubey feeling CCW to more modern CW. The best part about the 800+ is that you can control the High Mid and Low Mid Volumes as well as the Freq's. I went from the D800 to the WD800 to the 800+. I actually kept the WD800 but there's just something magic about the 800+.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I am a blues-rock bassist (early Led Zep, early Aerosmith, Band of Gypsys, Humble Pie, Johnny Winter, you get the picture) who uses a 2x15 and have always had "the vintage" sound with an Ampeg. But, I have thought about the Mesa Subway 800+, just a little gun shy to pull the trigger on it.
 
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#737
Lemur Bassman said:
Thank you! I am a blues-rock bassist (early Led Zep, early Aerosmith, Band of Gypsys, Humble Pie, Johnny Winter, you get the picture) who uses a 2x15 and have always had "the vintage" sound with an Ampeg. But, I have thought about the Mesa Subway 800+, just a little gun shy to pull the trigger on it.
Click to expand...

I play about 300 songs ranging from Classic Rock, Country, Pop, Hard Rock, Pop Rock, Metal. The Subway 800+ with Subway 212 has been my rig for about 2 years now and I wouldn't change it up for anything! (Aside from an ALL Tube head that weighs under 10 lbs.....So I won't be changing. LOL)
 
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#739
I was able to spend some more time with the V12 last night, and since I had my 7Pro handy, I decided to compare them a bit. I own a ton of Ampeg gear, and I have actually always really liked the 7Pro. Plus, it seemed like a fairly close reference point for the V12 (though I do need to find my PF500 for another comparison point). After dialing them both in a bit with the Venture cabs (115/112), I found the following settings to be in the same ballpark - and very good, for my own preferences, at least. I did most of my initial testing of the V12 with the Super Grit turned off, but I have to say, I really do like what it brings to the table, especially in "SVT mode." I will also note that while I preferred the tone with the Ultra Lo+ engaged when the Super Grit was off, at least last night, I preferred to not have the Ultra Lo + engaged when the Super Grit was on.

53366631693_2cb0f6dbed_b.jpg


I will also add that the fan noise on the V12 is basically non-existent, especially compared to the 7Pro.
 
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