New Ampeg Venture Series

[lowendrv]

More a friend of a friend, technically. It's hilarious that you say that because he's the only person I've seen light a cigar with a $100 bill, on a dare.

And no matter how bad the cab sounds after his mod. Bet he will tell you he improved the cab's performance. And sounds better than stock. I spent 45 years in the automotive industry. Most folks think throwing parts at a car will improve its performance. It very seldom does. Some engineering knowledge is needed first.
All that matters is he has fun doing it.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Why ruin a perfectly good cab ?

Because that's how some humans roll?

 

[Feinkevi]

V3 out on the gig this afternoon. Sounded great and honestly was plenty of power for stage volume with the two 2x10s though we fed a bit back in the monitor anyway because why not.

 

[Jim C]

That's like woman dating a guy, telling him he's perfect the way he is, marrying him and then not understanding why there's challenges to changing him to suit her new needs.

Wait; I think that IS the norm...

 

[JimmyM]

And no matter how bad the cab sounds after his mod. Bet he will tell you he improved the cab's performance. And sounds better than stock. I spent 45 years in the automotive industry. Most folks think throwing parts at a car will improve its performance. It very seldom does. Some engineering knowledge is needed first.
All that matters is he has fun doing it.

I guess, but time there’s no fun in mods that don’t do anything or make things worse. Especially if you void a warranty.

 

[Cesar D-H]

Don't be afraid of that clipping light, it's perfectly fine if it's flashing.

Yep, as matter of fact, the peak led can light up at four stages ; from the input, after the SGT grit/level, after the EQ gain and after the FX.
The most concerning one is the input, so I make sure my signal isn't clipping on the clean setting even when digging hard, and if it's fine, all the other indicators are kinda safe.

 

[Cesar D-H]

So, after testing with my Torpedo live and messing with it a little bit here's what I've noticed on the Venture ;

Like before, with a cab the volume difference between the clean setting and the SGT circuit is quite obvious.
HOWEVER, when using the DI out or the preamp-out, the amp reacts as you would think, which is the SGT or over-driven setting is being louder than the clean setting.

the interesting bit is that while the DI out doesn't evolve the master volume, the preamp-out does, and although when playing through a cab you need to roll back the volume when you switch to the clean setting to not rattle your eardrums, when played through a device such as a torpedo live or other sound IR's, it behaves as SGT louder then clean quiter.

(when using the preamp-out in that configuration, I simply leave the master volume at full, switch from presets on my torpedo with different input gain)

So, there's something Ampeg doesn't tell us about their gain stages when using cabs.

As a side note, don't use the SGT circuit with the integrated DI.
the SGT circuit is really made to work along with an IR or a real cab, otherwise it sounds like crap.

 

[JimmyM]

V7 Review…finally!

About a week ago, I got an RB110 and V7. The combo was great, but I didn’t have an NL2 speakon to 1/4” jack for the V7. Took two tries to get the right cables, and they came yesterday. Been able to give this amp a good thrashing into an SVT 210av and good headphones, but not through the DI since my new ancient home in NC is getting renovated and I have nowhere for a full setup yet.

The EQ doesn’t stray from the basic formula of the PF500 and 800, although this is the first series of Ampeg amps that uses a sweepable mid selector instead of a few fixed choices. Works for me. Sounds like Ampeg and has high levels of oomph in the down theres.

There’s an SVT/B15 switch included in the SGT circuit, and it sounds to me like the SVT setting is the clean amp sound with high frequency cuts above 5k (not sure about the lows) to sound like an SVT 810, whereas the B15 setting is a bit darker and quieter. My switch will be frozen on the SVT setting. If you want to use it just for the SVT or B15 freq cuts, turn the level up to match it with the SGT off and leave the grit knob down.

Now what’s cool about the SGT is that as long as your clean volume without the SGT is the same as your clean sound with the SGT on, you can pretty much have your way with the Grit knob and it’ll have a volume and frequency response that matches your clean sound. That was the one big drawback to the Scrambler in the SCR DI and BA amps, but they fixed it in the separate Scrambler pedal, and they do something similar with the SGT. It’s less harsh and edgy than the Scrambler (although I’m a fan still), and while it’s not capable of fuzz, it’s fairly forgiving of small knob position errors, making it easy to dial up on the fly.

They shaved a lot of weight off from the PF series, which is good, but the one slight beef I have is with the very small and short amp feet. I will be using it with a 210av, with the strap handle on top, and it doesn’t come close to clearing it. Easily fixed, but does seem like an odd choice.

Feet notwithstanding, I’m enjoying it a lot. The dirt is actually usable and I will like not having to bring a separate cab sim for the DI. Plus if any of the new bands I play with get scared of bassists with pedals, at least I’ll have some dirt for when someone requests Mustang Sally.

 

[DJ Bebop]

He said,“oomph in the down theres.”

 

[arepa_funk]

Hi everyone, hope all is well. New V3 user here, very much dig B15 tones and how it sounds through my 1x15 (no tweeter.) I'm looking into adding the AFS2 footswitch and wondered what folks here thought about it? Are there other options that work as well?

Thank you all!

 

[Feinkevi]

I'm looking into adding the AFS2 footswitch and wondered what folks here thought about it? Are there other options that work as well?

Any basic latching two button footswitch just like the traditional Fender tremolo/reverb switches will work. I like a smaller footprint and have a basic no-brand two button switch on my board, it takes a stereo trs cable from the switch to back of the amp and works great. I’ve actually bought two like this for my Fender amps and both work great on the V3.

Last one I bought was from eBay and took forever to ship from China but was built fine and worked great when it finally arrived - listing here: Guitar Dual 2 Channel Footswitch Switch Pedal Latching Or Momentary Amp Parts | eBay

Again key word is latching, I’d think any latching two button switch that uses TRS should work.

 

[mikecd1]

Well I'm on the bandwagon and ordered a VB-210 to replace an aging, heavy SWR and hope I made the right choice. Did not care for the new Markbass MB58 210 cabs they had at GC. Light yes, but the tone didn't do anything for me. I'm a little nervous about the 300 watt rating, but have other cabs I could add-on if this sounds good. I think the SPL said 124db so hoping for good things.

 

[arepa_funk]

Any basic latching two button footswitch just like the traditional Fender tremolo/reverb switches will work. I like a smaller footprint and have a basic no-brand two button switch on my board, it takes a stereo trs cable from the switch to back of the amp and works great. I’ve actually bought two like this for my Fender amps and both work great on the V3.

Last one I bought was from eBay and took forever to ship from China but was built fine and worked great when it finally arrived - listing here: Guitar Dual 2 Channel Footswitch Switch Pedal Latching Or Momentary Amp Parts | eBay

Again key word is latching, I’d think any latching two button switch that uses TRS should work.

Thanks you, that's really helpful! I might check in with Saturnworks to see if they've got anything that fits the bill too.

 

[mikecd1]

Well I'm on the bandwagon and ordered a VB-210 to replace an aging, heavy SWR and hope I made the right choice. Did not care for the new Markbass MB58 210 cabs they had at GC. Light yes, but the tone didn't do anything for me. I'm a little nervous about the 300 watt rating, but have other cabs I could add-on if this sounds good. I think the SPL said 124db so hoping for good things.

Got the cab and only got to try it out for a little while. Very light and it took a little bit of power to get some volume going, but it seems to have a nice deep bottom and clear mids. Horn selector set -6db. The speakons are dual purpose and will accept a 1/4 inch. My old SWR cover was not wide enough. I hope to be able to put some more time in playing it tomorrow and have a gig on July 4 that I'll get it going on. So far so good!

 

[LetItGrowTone]

The VB-88 seems to really make it's advertised -3dB @ 28Hz.
It also seems to meet its claimed sensitivity spec (102dB 1W/m) because side-by-side with a HSVT-810 (which claims 100dB 1W/m) it's a little louder overall, clearly louder at both 40Hz and 2kHz+, and where the fridge is strongest (100Hz?), they're about the same.

The fridge is more toneful at my mellow favorite freqs, but I need to gain experience with EQing the 88. It's "modern". This is with the tweeter off (of course!).

Sometimes, things work out just as you imagine:
Running in parallel with the fridge, the 88 really fills in the bottom, and the pair is "died and gone to heaven" good.
Mixing them with a stereo power amp, if desired, should also work.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

the pair is "died and gone to heaven" good

I feel a little embarrassed for spending so much money on those two cabs so I want to tell anyone who doesn't already know that a similar result (like a PA with subs, clean all the way down) can be had smaller, lighter and cheaper. As you go smaller, the *quantity* of this tone goes down (probably necessarily, because of physics), but its quality could stay the same.

 

[FIREpunkMEDIC]

So the VB-410 came in & I ran it through the gauntlet last night. We play blackgaze. Another subgenre of metal/shoegaze if you didn’t know. Drop A tuning with heavy distortion. I play a 35” scale jazz bass with a .160 gauge string on that low A so everything is solid with zero flub or string noise. My current cab is a Genzler Magellan 212T. I absolutely love it. In my 33 years playing bass the Genzler is an absolute killer cab & in my top 3 rock cabs of all time. It took the place of my Ampeg SVT 212AV which is also in my favorite top 3. It just rolls off those lows too early. Now on to the juicy center. the VB-410 is a solid cab & super light weight. So much so I thought it wouldn’t be able to handle what I was gonna throw at it. That low A has decimated other speakers in cabs (I will not name). Using my “now trusty” Yamaha era Ampeg SVT 7Pro. I pushed a full 600 watts into the VB-410 with the high frequency driver in the “off” position. The VB-410 spit out exactly what I put into it. Deep, warm, solid heavy distorted bass. It handled distortion extremely well. It didn’t Flench when I dug into that low A either. The cab didn’t shake or rattle. No speaker flub, weird overtones or anomalies. It acted like it couldn’t bother to care that I was pushing it & so I pushed harder & it spit that right out as if yawning at my attempts. It definitely went down low. There was very little if any detectable roll off of that low A & it filled the room while at the same time giving my guitarist extra room in the midrange. So yes, it’s not as midrange heavy as the Genzler 212T or Ampeg SVT 212AV which have 2X12” speakers. But it is in no way midrange shy like the Ampeg SVT 410HLf. I could still hear every note I played just not as pronounced and “forced through the mix” as a cab with 12” speakers. The notes have a lot of heft behind them. The VB-410 is a beast of a cab that weighs very little, sounds amazing & can obviously handle anything you throw at it. That low 28HZ @-3db they put in the manual holds true in my book. Solid room filling bass that cuts through the mix like a butter knife not a scalpel. Will it replace the Genzler? No. That Magellan 212T is perfect for what I’m doing. At some point I need to get the Ampeg VB-212 & put it up against the Genzler. I really don’t know if I can ever go back to 10” bass speakers to be honest. 12” seem best for me. The Genzler has a throatier growl, cuts through my two midrange eating guitarist better & handles distortion better than the VB-410.

Picking up an old thread, but I'm between the ampeg 212av or vb410 to use with my ampeg v4b reissue. Play power-pop infused punk rock and wondering which of the 2 cabs you recommend more highly?

Cheers!

 

[BassVibes]

I had a 212AV and now own a vb410. I play early punk music and the honest answer is both are great amps. In my experience of playing live the 212 has more top end and cuts through the mix like a knife, whereas the 410 has more low end thunder and pushes a bit more air. There is also the weight factor and having a 410 which is ridiculously light is a massive advantage.

The one thing I worry about is that the 410 is possibly not as robust as the 212 for moving about - the finish is definitely more fragile. If you go for the 410 you have to buy a padded cover which is not cheap to protect it.

 

[pisces_bass]

So I’m liking the sound of the demos of the Venture series, particularly the heads. Seems like a good set of features for my needs. A few questions for folks using them out on gigs:

1. is it practical to switch between the B15 and SVT voices without a big volume change? I see myself using the SGT circuit full time with mild grit levels on either voice.

2. are all the speakon connections on the amps NL2? How does that work connecting to a cab with NL4 connection?

3. I would run a Tech21 SH-1 in the effects loop for the tunes with clank and high gain mayhem. I assume I would want the mix control for the loop fully wet for this?

 

[longjourneyhome]

1. is it practical to switch between the B15 and SVT voices without a big volume change? I see myself using the SGT circuit full time with mild grit levels on either voice.

The voicings don't change your rig into either an SVT or a B15, so there's no volume change. The switch is a fairly subtle (IMO) EQ change. I don't think changing the voicing during a set is going to give you what I imagine you are imagining based on what I'm imagining is the basis for this question. You can hear the difference between the voicings (just like if you moved EQ knobs) at low volumes, while playing alone. IMO the best use of the voicing is setting it to what best helps you cut through with your rig, your cab, and your band. I enjoyed the B15 setting at low volume when I first got my V12, but very time I play it out with one of my 3 bands, it's always SVT.

3. I would run a Tech21 SH-1 in the effects loop for the tunes with clank and high gain mayhem. I assume I would want the mix control for the loop fully wet for this?

Probably whatever mix you like best. Another idea to try is to set your SGT circuit to mayhem levels of grit and use a foot switch to turn if on for these tunes. I have the gain up on my V12 and, because I had it already, a mildly set Darkglass VMT in front. Even without the VMT, I still prefer the gain knob over an always-on-mild-SGT-grit. Of course that's just MO and YMMV