No love for the Peavey Vypyr?

[micguy]

26452547[/URL], member: 294160"]And you know it lacks low end how? Have you played it or are you just making assumptions? I posted a video of it handling the B on an active 5 string bass just fine. There are plenty of closed back bass amps that fart out on that.

2 things:

1) I know the Physics behind all of this. The back and front waves from a speaker cancel - there is no way around that. I've also played through open back cabs.

2) in the video, he does play a bass through it. It sounds nothing like a well designed bass reflex cabinet - there is no fundamental. It doesn't fart out because it's either a guitar speaker (a stiff suspension that rolls off low end) and/ or it's high passed in the electronics driving it. It "handles" bass by not trying to generate low end.

 

[JimmyM]

Guys, he's using a Bass VI and probably wants it to sound like a baritone guitar more than a bass. It's going to be fine for that.

Tic tac away, just don't blow the speaker

 

[John Patten]

I have one but have most often used it with headphones when play bass through it. Through the speaker, the bass sound is not very full - probably due to the lack of fundamentals mentioned above…
But for practicing through headphones, the Trace Elliot settings are quite nice.

 

[Isaac_James]

I haven't tried one of these new models, but a friend has an older Peavey guitar combo amp that has a lot of similar features - different amp models and built in effects.

Most of them sound pretty awful. It's very much a "jack of all trades, master of none" design. Peavey amps are pretty decent when they don't try to do too much, but I suspect the Vypyr is not one of those.

 

[Space Pickle]

i am unhappy with the name

 

[mbell75]

Guys, he's using a Bass VI and probably wants it to sound like a baritone guitar more than a bass. It's going to be fine for that.

Tic tac away, just don't blow the speaker

Nah, I want it to sound like a bass and I'll play it thru the bass settings. Again, its not just a standard guitar amp Im trying to run a bass thru. Its designed for bass as well as guitar, so I wont blow anything

 

[BT3]

My Sweetwater Rep steered me away from it. You can always play guitar through a bass amp and make it sound decent

 

[Ekulati]

About 7 years ago I tried one of the early ones for the same purpose. Not great for bass and frankly for me, too damn convoluted for guitar. I prefer simple straightforward controls, the modeling and other stuff wasn't worth it for me.

 

[Egg250]

My stereo has a bass knob, but it's not a bass amp either.
Seems like a great choice for people who don't need an actual bass amp, but if it works for you, then great.

From the Vypyr manual "On the VYPYR X1, you can input an electric, an acoustic, or a bass guitar. There are amp models for all 3 instrument types. Once you plug into the amp, you select the instrument type to the right (item 1). The amp then changes its input sensitivity and gain structure to match your selection."

This digital modeling amp optimizes the signal, depending on the instrument selection. It helps to understand the piece of gear before criticizing it. I don't own one but I took a few minutes to learn a bit about it.

 

[ardgedee]

Nah, I want it to sound like a bass and I'll play it thru the bass settings. Again, its not just a standard guitar amp Im trying to run a bass thru. Its designed for bass as well as guitar, so I wont blow anything

"Designed for bass" does not necessarily mean "will reproduce well-balanced bass frequencies". At a minimum the phrase means that you can't damage it by playing bass through it.

 

[steelbed45]

The Century 100 head I purchased in 1987 was also marketed as a product for either guitars, bass or keyboards.

Peavey has been rolling along with this MO for decades now.

 

[ardgedee]

The Century 100 head I purchased in 1987 was also marketed as a product for either guitars, bass or keyboards.

Peavey has been rolling along with this MO for decades now.

Heads are different -- a guitar head can be used for bass and vice versa, as long as the speakers are appropriate. A combo amp limits you to the capabilities of its built-in speaker.

 

[Medicine Man]

I worked with a sub guitarist who played one. Sounded just OK, but blew up mid gig. I can't imsgine what my spikey bass playing would do to one.

 

[Redbrangus]

It helps to understand the piece of gear before criticizing it. I don't own one but I took a few minutes to learn a bit about it.

Despite your presumptions, I actually did take a few minutes to read the manufacturer's marketing hype and manual before I posted -- I understand the physics involved in reproducing bass frequencies, so I'm not going to be swayed by their hyperbolic verbiage. It appears to me that it's a guitar amp with some bass amp emulations. It looks to be an OK product for those who believe effective modeling can be had in a $300 combo, but I'm not buying into that premise either.

 

[micguy]

I worked with a sub guitarist who played one. Sounded just OK, but blew up mid gig. I can't imsgine what my spikey bass playing would do to one.

Sub Guitarist?? Please enlighten me on what that means?

 

[Redbrangus]

Sub Guitarist?? Please enlighten me on what that means?

I assumed it meant substitute, but now that I think about it, might it be someone who is even dumber than a regular guitarist?

 

[Medicine Man]

Sub Guitarist?? Please enlighten me on what that means?

Yes, a substitute. I would never besmirch the good name of bassists by calling them a "sub" guitarist.

 

[JimmyM]

Nah, I want it to sound like a bass and I'll play it thru the bass settings. Again, its not just a standard guitar amp Im trying to run a bass thru. Its designed for bass as well as guitar, so I wont blow anything

Well then I wish you luck since you will need it.

 

[Brother Goose]

Fond memories of my father dropping me off for my first hs "band" rehearsal with his peavey special 30 open backed combo amp.

It sounded great until I blew it up.

Your results may vary if you don't turn up past 3 or compete with other instruments.

 

[steelbed45]

Heads are different -- a guitar head can be used for bass and vice versa, as long as the speakers are appropriate. A combo amp limits you to the capabilities of its built-in speaker.

That wasn't my point. The point is that Peavey has been rolling out items they claim are usable for multiple instruments for a long time.