There are a lot of us who just want the pedal preamp nowadays - all my gigs have been ampless for a few years now - a bass amp is something I have absolutely no use for (even though I have a few on my shelf).
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New Ampeg Venture Series
- Thread starter Jtown690
- Start date
There are a lot of us who just want the pedal preamp nowadays - all my gigs have been ampless for a few years now - a bass amp is something I have absolutely no use for (even though I have a few on my shelf).
That's a whole different use case than "pedal preamp with rack-mounted power amp driving a cab on stage", which is what my comment was addressing.
I don't think I can answer your questions exactly because I haven't tried what you are asking. But for guitar oriented overdrive pedals on bass I've had some success with a Timmy, a Green Rhino (Tube Screamer circuit type but suitable for bass), and a Walrus Audio Ages (because of the dry blend). Ultimately though, I'm always much happier with bass specific overdrives for bass.
I returned my V12 to Ampeg for replacement. Luckily it was still under manufacture warrantee. The final straw was a gig where I had the master volume completely maxed, flat EQ, compressor off, going through a 4x10 and I still struggled to hear/feel it. I went back into Guitar Center (where I had bought it in January) and everyone agreed a cranked V12 should have been melting faces. And no yet faces were melted at the gig, including mine. It sounded fine at lower volumes. No distortion, dropouts or crackles.
Finally, I'd like to use a good old trick and also play my guitars in the amp to get a high headroom clean tone, do the V3 and V12 react well with guitars ? (please don't throw stones at me)
I bought a used ES 335 clone (Grote) and upgraded everything except the pickups. I put 12s on it and play it with a slide in open-C. It sounds good through my Ampeg RocketBass 210. But sounds like a bass, not a typical guitar. Maybe it's somewhere in the small space between a baritone guitar and a short scale bass. I occasionally get gigs for my solo bass/vocals act, and I'll use this guitar to still keep a bassy vibe but add a bit of variety.
A bass amp doesn't react like a guitar amp. IMO you just won't get guitar amp crunch. I'm not sure you get a best of both worlds solution with a bass amp, but rather have to accept compromises because a bass amp is a bass amp. That's just my opinion, and yours may be different.
Yes, but it is a use case that is growing, and in the future will be driving more and more of manufacturer's decisions. We may someday see separates return - if enough people are doing ampless gigs, reducing the need for bass amps, there won't be a compelling reason to make instrument amps - as the market for amps continues to dwindle, eventually those few folks wanting to drive a cabinet on stage may need to buy a power amp to use with their pedal - MI manufacturers will make the pedals, PA folks will make power amps.
Did you get the replacement yet? How does it perform in comparison to your original one?
Not yet. They actually sent me an SGT-DI by accident the first time. The packing slip inside the box even said V12. A bizarre warehouse screw up. But they are letting me keep the SGT-DI, on them. I was REALLY annoyed at first. I had planned to take the new V12 to my gig the next day. But I have to shamefully admit free stuff does convey certain soothing properties... :-D
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Yeah, that sucks they screwed up, but that was very cool of them to let you keep the DI. Hopefully, after all that the replacement will work out.
Yeah, I agree. I told them it was a kind and generous gesture. Mistakes happen and I remain an Ampeg fan.
Nice consolation prize. Been using my SGT-DI in the studio and absolutely love it. I was looking at the V7 but decided to pick up a power amp instead to use the SGT-DI live and will get to test it Thursday & Friday.
Nice! I did exactly what you are wanting to do. DI went to FOH and pre-amp out of the SGT-DI when into effect return of my GK MB-800. FWIW, here's a video of that setup that has bass tone from downbeat.
Good luck Thursday&Friday!
Sounds great, and thanks! My gigs on Thursday & Friday will be quieter sit-down shows but I can't wait until we have larger outdoor venues where I can use the power amp on my GK 1001RBII. I bet that will shake things up.
thank you for your replies.
When I looked into the Venture series I was interested by the V7 (the V12 is over my budget), because it has the compressor (which I should leave off when pushing high volume judging by this topic previous pages), and also because of the preamp-out, which I would like to send to my Torpedo Live and run cab sims, for use either in home recording (I live in an apartment with thin walls, I could re-amp later in a studio) or some live situation, on top of DI out either in post or in pre.
But previous replies kinda tickled my interest back on the SGT-DI, since is has those features, with the three cab sims, minus the 700w at 4 ohms, and the fact you don't have an FX loop.
Does the XLR out on the SGI is strictly pre or post EQ ?
At half the price of the V7, even though it's not the same gear philosophy, the SGT-DI is appealing...
and Ampeg clearly copied that circuit for all it's venture series which seems to sound really similar to the pedal.
I am more an amp&cab guy, so I'm more incline with the V7 choice, but it does make an argument with the SGT flexibility (although you could also use the V7 preamp-out to drive a power amp unit).
When I looked into the Venture series I was interested by the V7 (the V12 is over my budget), because it has the compressor (which I should leave off when pushing high volume judging by this topic previous pages), and also because of the preamp-out, which I would like to send to my Torpedo Live and run cab sims, for use either in home recording (I live in an apartment with thin walls, I could re-amp later in a studio) or some live situation, on top of DI out either in post or in pre.
But previous replies kinda tickled my interest back on the SGT-DI, since is has those features, with the three cab sims, minus the 700w at 4 ohms, and the fact you don't have an FX loop.
Does the XLR out on the SGI is strictly pre or post EQ ?
At half the price of the V7, even though it's not the same gear philosophy, the SGT-DI is appealing...
and Ampeg clearly copied that circuit for all it's venture series which seems to sound really similar to the pedal.
I am more an amp&cab guy, so I'm more incline with the V7 choice, but it does make an argument with the SGT flexibility (although you could also use the V7 preamp-out to drive a power amp unit).
XLR carries compressor, EQ, SGT, and cab sim (all of which can be turned off). There is also 1) a Preamp Out which includes everything except the cab sim and aux; 2) headphones out, which includes everything including AUX; and 3) a Through output that sends a dry signal.
I just bought a V12. I am loving the amp!
Its Ampeg and familiar to me.
I'm looking into buying a V115 cab but hesitated due to the 250 watt rating.
That rating seems low compared to many others that i see.
I don't really play loud at all.
Is the 250 watt rating on the V115 extremely conservative?
Its Ampeg and familiar to me.
I'm looking into buying a V115 cab but hesitated due to the 250 watt rating.
That rating seems low compared to many others that i see.
I don't really play loud at all.
Is the 250 watt rating on the V115 extremely conservative?
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Haven't played one, but considering it's a neo, probably is conservative. Plus you can just use the volume knob and your ears to keep from blowing it.
Anyone here currently rocking a V7 Head and a V212 Cab? Interested in this setup for an 80s Post-Punk/Darkwave gig and loved what I heard from the short 5 minute clips of randos playing the Venture cabinets and head
Wattage is not a measure of volume. 250 watts can be extremely loud. I believe you'll be find at very large volumes even with that speaker's rating. The only way you wont hear yourself with that cabinet is if you roll off the midrange in a band setting.
So, after careful though I've finally picked my choice.
The bass shop contacted me as soon as they received some units, I've tested one just to be sure, and I got mine today.
in the shop I've played it with a markbass 1x15, and I started to test it at home with the DI and I've noted a few things.
First off my bass (Ibanez SR300), as a really really high output. in the shop I've tested a Warwick active bass, and it's quieter than mine, and it actually clips even with the -15dB pad, but with some careful settings you can get around it.
The SGT once engaged a little too fuzzy for me when you push it, I'll probably gonna use overdrives or tube screamer if I really want to some grit, but on the edge of break-up it does sound nice.
The second thing that really surprised me is how big the volume difference is between the clean amp and the SGT circuit, I understand now why some people in this topic said that it lacked volume, because with the SGT yeah you really gotta push it to hear it loud enough.
However with the clean amp the volume is much higher and there's no problem for getting stage level output.
I'm looking forward to get some modulation pedals, to see how well it reacts, but so far a good investment for a solid state. It didn't try all the setup with my Torpedo live a reamping (yet), but so far so good.
The bass shop contacted me as soon as they received some units, I've tested one just to be sure, and I got mine today.
in the shop I've played it with a markbass 1x15, and I started to test it at home with the DI and I've noted a few things.
First off my bass (Ibanez SR300), as a really really high output. in the shop I've tested a Warwick active bass, and it's quieter than mine, and it actually clips even with the -15dB pad, but with some careful settings you can get around it.
The SGT once engaged a little too fuzzy for me when you push it, I'll probably gonna use overdrives or tube screamer if I really want to some grit, but on the edge of break-up it does sound nice.
The second thing that really surprised me is how big the volume difference is between the clean amp and the SGT circuit, I understand now why some people in this topic said that it lacked volume, because with the SGT yeah you really gotta push it to hear it loud enough.
However with the clean amp the volume is much higher and there's no problem for getting stage level output.
I'm looking forward to get some modulation pedals, to see how well it reacts, but so far a good investment for a solid state. It didn't try all the setup with my Torpedo live a reamping (yet), but so far so good.
