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New: Tech 21 VT-500 Bass Amp

#201
FXDB25 said:
im gonna wait and see what the new Tube preamped PF heads are like from Ampeg...
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There are a lot of nice amps as well as cabs being released now. Truly a fantastic time to be a bass player with the choices available to us.
 
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#202
bebass said:
Hi,

This will give a list of all the USA Tech21 dealers:
Invalid Link Removed

And for internet only:
Here is listing of dealers: Invalid Link Removed



Hope this helps.
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Just for the record, I don't think that list included bebass as he is one of their newer dealers. I'm sure he'd be happy to provide the contact info via PM until they update the list.
 
#203
I thought that this amp would do the same thing than VTBass DI -> power amp but it doesn't.

In my opinion the pedal sounds better. Pedal has better punch, the sound is more articulate, and od sounds better.

Am I missing something here? All the settings are same, I also tested cab sim on/off, neither sounded the same with the amp.
 
#205
jars said:
I thought that this amp would do the same thing than VTBass DI -> power amp but it doesn't.

In my opinion the pedal sounds better. Pedal has better punch, the sound is more articulate, and od sounds better.

Am I missing something here? All the settings are same, I also tested cab sim on/off, neither sounded the same with the amp.
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What power amp were you using?
 
#208
Hi guys, this post seems to have lost steam/interest. Has anyone used this amp and reported on results? Mainly concerned with output/headroom. Pretty sure sound quality is pretty good. Some other brands are getting a lot more attention, although they a more expensive. Thanks
 
#209
bass151 said:
Hi guys, this post seems to have lost steam/interest. Has anyone used this amp and reported on results? Mainly concerned with output/headroom. Pretty sure sound quality is pretty good. Some other brands are getting a lot more attention, although they a more expensive. Thanks
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Other than bebass & jars in this thread, its really tough to find any kind of review on this amp.
There is a discussion on another bass forum about it, but again, only one or two actual owners.
It probably doesn't help that apparently none of the usual big retailers even offer this amp. Which is odd because they all carry many Tech 21 products, including the new dUg Ultra Bass 1000.

***edit*** JUST saw for the first time that GC does have it, with a ship date of 10-16-15
 
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#211
bass151 said:
Hi guys, this post seems to have lost steam/interest. Has anyone used this amp and reported on results? Mainly concerned with output/headroom. Pretty sure sound quality is pretty good. Some other brands are getting a lot more attention, although they a more expensive. Thanks
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Hi,
I purchased one for a personal amp. In terms of output and headroom the amp is rated at 500w RMS. Are there specific questions I could attempt to answer?
 
#212
jars said:
I thought that this amp would do the same thing than VTBass DI -> power amp but it doesn't.

In my opinion the pedal sounds better. Pedal has better punch, the sound is more articulate, and od sounds better.

Am I missing something here? All the settings are same, I also tested cab sim on/off, neither sounded the same with the amp.
Click to expand...

birminghambass said:
Interesting. I have a VTDI and VT Deluxe and think they sound a bit different.
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I agree with birminghambass in that all of the Tech21 products sound a bit different to me. I tested an RBI, a VTdeluxe and the VTB500 and to me they all have a slightly different sound. I was able, though, to get very close to the same sounds through adjustments. I think each product design interaction is a bit different and the potentiometer setting is not indicative of a one to one relationship of one product to another.
 
#214
And from what I saw on the online VT500 manual, frequencies are not centered the same as on the VT Bass.
Lows are set at 55 Hz vs 120 Hz for the pedal and Highs are at 3 kHz vs 4 hZ (I'm not sure on this one).
That and the fact that the mids can be set at 500 Hz or 1 kHz vs only 1 kHz for the pedal may explain the tonal differences.

My main question regarding this amp is how loud can it be with the drive set low, but the blend not too low to keep the VT fatness present.
I have no doubt for good volume with dirty tones, but sometimes cleaner tone are useful :)
 
#215
When I played guitar, my go to amp was a Tech21 Trademark 60. Some of the tones were definitely more for recording direct than stage volume, but overall I found it to be very useful.

I placed my order from ebay today. When I get it I'll put it through its paces and see what it sounds like compare to my other heads.

I'll report in when I get it!
 
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#217
ticol07 said:
...
...
My main question regarding this amp is how loud can it be with the drive set low, but the blend not too low to keep the VT fatness present.
...:)
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OK. I used a Peavey Millennium AC 4 string with the pad of the amp turned "on". With the Drive (and Blend) turned all the way to the left, it was - and "loud" is subjective - too loud for me personally to stand in front of the amp and hit bass notes. Turning the blend between 1/4 to 1/2 and the drive to 1/4 it got what I would call ear hurting loud (I did not measure it). This of course was with the "level" of the amp turned all the way to the right. And with the Peavey bass volume turned all the way to the right. This was also with a pair of 12s. And of course one can turn the level down and the drive and blend to wherever they like to achieve whatever level of VT tone.
 
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#220
surprisingly good amp and it can get pretty loud through a SVT610HLF. I use the FX loop so I get 2 channel VT Bass amp together with my VT RM.

IMG_2743.jpg
 
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