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Peavey VB2 questions...

#21
AlexanderB said:
For dislikes?
I will give you some... :D

I had one (new) at home to see if it was right for me. It was not.
Compared to my small amp (LMII) it lacks the last half bottom octave even with a four string bass, it has a lot of ground transmitted noise and hum, it is not stellar at both boosting low lows (to compensate for its lack of bottom) and adding a bit of 100-150Hz at the same time.
My unit also rattled inside and not just from the tubes.
I ran the amp in a "healthy" electrical enviroment; no harmonics from SMPS, dimmers, motors etc. Tried into various cabinets, EBS and Ampegs.

I am not impressed.
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Thank for the info. I noticed you are in Sweden. You run 220 over there correct? Did you need to use any kind of voltage converter or does it come with a switch to go from one to the other? Just curious.
 
#22
Sundogue said:
Thank for the info. I noticed you are in Sweden. You run 220 over there correct? Did you need to use any kind of voltage converter or does it come with a switch to go from one to the other? Just curious.
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Mine has the same exact issues as his, I honestly think ours were just part of a bad batch that went out a year ago. I learned to live with it because it DOES sound good (to me). It also helps to move it to a room with less EMI. I highly doubt yours will be less than perfect :D (if you decide to get one)
 
#25
Bobby (the Peavey tech on TB here) mentioned that some VB2's were shipped out with the wrong preamp tube. He said that if the sound was less than stellar, you should try swapping it out for (whatever tube he recommended in another thread) and it made a HUGE difference.

I'm not defending it, nor saying that's the case with either of yours. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

I always use my Zoom B2 as a pre to any amp I use and I have some EQ control beyond whatever amp I use too.
 
#26
Sundogue said:
Bobby (the Peavey tech on TB here) mentioned that some VB2's were shipped out with the wrong preamp tube. He said that if the sound was less than stellar, you should try swapping it out for (whatever tube he recommended in another thread) and it made a HUGE difference.

I'm not defending it, nor saying that's the case with either of yours. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

I always use my Zoom B2 as a pre to any amp I use and I have some EQ control beyond whatever amp I use too.
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Yeah you should be fine, as long as the place you order from has a good return policy you have nothing to fear. Bobby was more than helpful to me
 
#27
Tucked in to me is the combination of some restriction in both the frequency response and dynamics (compression) in the low frequency range. Like the sound that many sealed cabinets have or a bass has once the average studio engineer gets their mitts on it.
 
#29
Interceptor said:
Tucked in to me is the combination of some restriction in both the frequency response and dynamics (compression) in the low frequency range. Like the sound that many sealed cabinets have or a bass has once the average studio engineer gets their mitts on it.
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From what I have read that is what the Resonance control is for...more full on, more like a sealed cab. Dial it back for a looser low end. That's what I'm getting from the description and what Bobby had mentioned about it.

I'm only speculating based on the manual, a few users explanations and what Bobby has said.

I'm not opposed to adding a dedicated graphic EQ to my rig either. Every other amp I've used had one. And a fEARful isn't a cab that lacks in the low end with that mid-range hump baked in either like most commercial cabs.
 
#31
Sundogue said:
From what I have read that is what the Resonance control is for...more full on, more like a sealed cab. Dial it back for a looser low end. That's what I'm getting from the description and what Bobby had mentioned about it.

I'm only speculating based on the manual, a few users explanations and what Bobby has said.

I'm not opposed to adding a dedicated graphic EQ to my rig either. Every other amp I've used had one. And a fEARful isn't a cab that lacks in the low end with that mid-range hump baked in either like most commercial cabs.
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The lower the resonance the tighter the low end is, the higher up you crank it the lows start to get boomier and pillow out. I had it all the way off for my P bass but with my 4003 I have it up about half. The presence knob is neat too, it really shines when it is half way - 9. Its a pretty versatile amp, the mid freq. shifter is nice too.
 
#32
JellinWellen said:
The lower the resonance the tighter the low end is, the higher up you crank it the lows start to get boomier and pillow out. I had it all the way off for my P bass but with my 4003 I have it up about half. The presence knob is neat too, it really shines when it is half way - 9. Its a pretty versatile amp, the mid freq. shifter is nice too.
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Yeah, I understand the Resonance is for the lows and the Presence is for the highs. Wasn't sure which way did what though.

With such limited tone control I like the idea of the mid shift. Remember I'm used to amps/pres that have both graphic and parametric EQ's (to varying extents), yet I understand the use of simpler tone setups.

My basses are both active with quite a bit of tone control onboard too.

Honestly, I love the tone of full tube amps so much that I'm kind of looking for something that is simpler to adjust. I think most of my knob fiddling on SS preamps was due to trying just to get as close to that "all tube" tone to begin with. ;)
 
#33
Sundogue said:
Yeah, I understand the Resonance is for the lows and the Presence is for the highs. Wasn't sure which way did what though.

With such limited tone control I like the idea of the mid shift. Remember I'm used to amps/pres that have both graphic and parametric EQ's (to varying extents), yet I understand the use of simpler tone setups.

My basses are both active with quite a bit of tone control onboard too.

Honestly, I love the tone of full tube amps so much that I'm kind of looking for something that is simpler to adjust. I think most of my knob fiddling on SS preamps was due to trying just to get as close to that "all tube" tone to begin with. ;)
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Oh there is plenty of knob fiddling on this amp, don't let the 3 band fool you! :smug:
 
#34
JellinWellen said:
Oh there is plenty of knob fiddling on this amp, don't let the 3 band fool you! :smug:
Click to expand...

I was just comparing it to other SS I own or have owned that not only had the three basic "tone controls", but also had Graphic AND Parametric EQ's, with some also having hi/lo/mid shift selectors, compression and even some with switches/knobs that allowed for quick mid-boost/scooped contour controls.

So long as I get the tone I'm after (which I can pretty much get with any amp really) I'll be happy. It's mainly that all tube sound I'd like to finally achieve that only an all tube amp delivers. I don't want "close" anymore. ;)
 
#35
For its price, it is a decent sounding tube amp. I have found that I'm personally not a huge fan of EL34 tube bass amps but this one isn't too bad. I think it reminds me of the Mesa Buster

The only gripe (and not to start a "safety battle").... like several Peavey amps, it has fuses soldered directly to the board.... Which means if you blow a tube, it will take out one of the fuses, usually. I have the know how to change them, but its a bit of a hassle vs most amps have replaceable fuse areas. I modded mine with a fuse clip instead and was, for the most part, happy with it afterwards.
 
#36
carbonfold said:
For its price, it is a decent sounding tube amp. I have found that I'm personally not a huge fan of EL34 tube bass amps but this one isn't too bad. I think it reminds me of the Mesa Buster

The only gripe (and not to start a "safety battle").... like several Peavey amps, it has fuses soldered directly to the board.... Which means if you blow a tube, it will take out one of the fuses, usually. I have the know how to change them, but its a bit of a hassle vs most amps have replaceable fuse areas. I modded mine with a fuse clip instead and was, for the most part, happy with it afterwards.
Click to expand...

How long have you had it, and did you ever blow a tube and/or blow a soldered fuse on it? Or was yours more just a "what if?" concern.
 
#37
carbonfold said:
For its price, it is a decent sounding tube amp. I have found that I'm personally not a huge fan of EL34 tube bass amps but this one isn't too bad. I think it reminds me of the Mesa Buster

The only gripe (and not to start a "safety battle").... like several Peavey amps, it has fuses soldered directly to the board.... Which means if you blow a tube, it will take out one of the fuses, usually. I have the know how to change them, but its a bit of a hassle vs most amps have replaceable fuse areas. I modded mine with a fuse clip instead and was, for the most part, happy with it afterwards.
Click to expand...

If the stock one blows have the tech put in a replaceable fuse.
 

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