New SVT Fridge vs Vintage SVT Fridge

The best Ampeg 810 is the newish Heritage SVT-810E. It sounds like the original flatback but can handle a lot more power. New also comes with a warranty which is a plus.

The new SVT's are better because they use readily available tubes, don't thave any issues that many vintage amps could have, and come with a warranty. Sound wise, very close to the originals, many feel that they sound exactly the same.

 

Point-counterpoint Beans is right but I've had 70's heads and cabs for years including two flatback cabs and almost always only use one cab and I've never come close to blowing them out and the heads last and last with minimal maintenance. But to tell you the truth if I were going out today to buy a new SVT I'd probably get a new VR too. You've got to be an animal to blow out flatback cabs. I used to blow speakers back in the 70's but the bands were a lot louder back then and I stopped blowing them when I started using two cabs which was the norm back then (and Ampeg spec'ed since those old cabs are only rated at 240 WRMS). But they all sound good

 

The SVT-CL (classic) is the most popular and is used in a lot of backlines. It has a single channel and a master volume. There is also the Heritage CL. Pretty much the same amp with a grille that matches the Heritage 810. It goes through a better quality control process.

The SVT-VR (vintage reissue) is based on the original SVT design that dates back to 1969. It has two channels, no master volume, and offers a bit more tonal flexabity because of the two different channels. It also costs a bit more. Both versions use the same power amp with the exception that the VR has a power tube balance pot. It can allow the amp to operate quieter if the power tubes are not perfectly matched. A nice feature but a small detail.

Both of these all tube amps sound fantastic.

Of course, there are other SVT models that have different feature sets.

 

The CL and VR are both made in China. This isn't a problem, the quality is there. As I understand it, the Heritage has an extra QC layer of inspection and testing in the US. Not sure if final assembly of sub sections made in China is still being done in the US. For example speakers and wiring harness installed in the US, vinyl covered cabinets produced in China. In the case of the Heritage CL, transformers, chassis, cabinets are built in China. Circuit boards are assembled in China, they are installed in the chassis and hooked up in the US. Perhaps Jimmy can clarify.

cc: @JimmyM

 

The Heritage CL is "assembled" in the US. If I was going to buy a new SVT I'd buy one but just for the extra quality but Ampeg half-hearrtedly trying to pass it off as USA-made is LAME. Except for the very first year of production, SVT's all have 6550 power tubes. Jimmy has always said, and my experience led me to concur, that all-tube SVT's all sound about the same. I have changed my tune on that since I got my 1969 SVT. It's a whole different animal than my CL or any of the other SVT's I've played through.

Here's a list of SVT's in order of appearance and from what era:

SVT blue line, Linden, 6146B's
SVT blue line Linden
SVT blue line Magnavox
SVT black line Magnavox
SVT-HD MTI black panel
SVT-HD SLM black panel
SVT-HD Skunkworks SLM black panel
SVT-II SLM
SVT-CL SLM/Loud
SVT-2pro/premier edition SLM
SVT-CL-AV SLM
SVT-VR SLM/LOUD
SVT-CL Heritage Loud

When the 810 cabinet came out, Ampeg was naming cabs the same as the amps they were meant to be used with so the 810 was designated "SVT". At first they had CTS drivers, then Eminence. The flat back was phased-out and the towel bar/wheels cab phased-in over a period that spanned 1973 and 1974. The cabs were rated at 240 watts until MTI put out one that could handle all the SVT's power. I don't know what its power rating is exactly but every 810 made since then has been up to the task although there are some different models with different characteristics.

 

At one time, there were quality issues with some of their amps mad in china. I had a Vietnam made SVT-VR that was a mess. All that is long behind them. No need to get hung up with where it's made. There never was an issue with the 810 speaker cabs.

 

If given the choice, the VR. You can chain the two channels together which is nice. Channel two is very similar to the B-15 design, different tube but sounds the same. Well coupled with a 300W power amp. The main reason why I like it is that it looks like the vintage one. I guess I'm funny that way.

As I said earlier, they sell more CL's than VR's. A lot of people like the CL.

The front grille cloth frame of the VR will not match the cloth on the Heritage 810. People have bought Heritage cloth from Loud and redone the frame to match. You can see the differences on the Ampeg site.

I currently have a '71 SVT that I restored to better than new condition.which amp you would like is a personal decision. If at all possible, try to check them out in person. That isn't always easy to do.

 

Ampeg has never tried to pass it off as USA-made, only assembled.

Really? I'm telling you I can't tell a lick of difference between my Heritage SVT-CL's and my 69 SVT when I plug into ch. 1 normal. What do you hear that I'm not hearing?

A comprehensive list, but you missed one...there were two models of MTI SVT's...one with the oddball tubes that the Linden and Magnvox SVT's used, one redesigned with more common tubes.

 

Both are terrific, and both have advantages over the other. As Beans said, the two channels can be useful. Back in the days before distortion pedals were actually made for bass, I would use both channels in my 69 SVT and run ch. 2 as an effects channel and run ch. 1 clean. The bright inputs are cool if you're into brightness, too. There was a time I was. But any more, I just use ch. 1 normal when I use it, and I can get the same sound by diming the master on my CL and using gain to control volume, and I loved the look of the Heritage, so I went for it instead. People will argue with me whether it's the same sound or not, but I can't tell the difference and that's all I care about And I like that you can get a little compression and preamp overdrive at a reasonable volume by cranking the gain and using master to control volume, though I don't do much of that on gigs. Only way to get overdrive out of the VR is by cranking the volume past 11:00, and while it's awesome power tube drive that sounds better than preamp drive, it's going to be at a volume that will explode your spleen.

Anyway, just to be clear, there is very little difference between the black SVT-CL and the Heritage on the inside. The biggest difference is the tubes...the black SVT-CL and SVT-VR come with Sovtek tubes, the Heritage comes with JJ's that have been given a 24 hour burn-in to try and weed out the obvious bad ones.

Some people have already quoted me as saying that all SVT's are good as long as they work, and I still believe it. Just depends on what you want.

As for cabs, go Heritage. Not even a question about it. The regular 810e sounds quite good, yes, but the Heritage is a step above. Has the sound of the early flatbacks but takes almost 4x the power of the old ones. They use different American made speakers than the Chinese 810e's and av's.

 

The warranty on the Heritage amp's tubes is longer as I recall. But you can buy burnt in well matched sets. See tubesandmore.com for example.

 

@JimmyM and @beans-on-toast habe chimed in. Nutn for me to say except you're in good hands.

 

I wouldn't let it be a deal breaker if you're set on the VR.

 

I realize they have never outright misrepresented that aspect. It seems like they're trying to have their cake and eat it, too. Either it doesn't matter where the amp is made or it does - and the Heritage doesn't stand for either.

I can't fully stand by the assertion until I've spent some more time with it. So many differences in the controls and tube complement. It might be that they DO sound the same when they are dialed-in to. I just plugged-in and played without much fiddleing, so there's that. My effort to describe it is going to come-off like platitudinous trope, but it was more SVT: just bigger, ballsy'er, growly. The distortion was different. More concentrated in an area of mid-range, maybe? Really I should do an A/B with my CL and twist all the knobs.

Oh! That's right. Good catch. Driver or pre-amp tubes? I forget. You remember the specifics? Then I guess the early SLM-era SVT's followed suit....