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Running Three SVT's w/Three 8x10 cabs together
- Thread starter Steve Bernal
- Start date
It's been decades since there has been a gig anywhere that "required" such a rig; such a rig is only "required" by stubborn bass players. Still, OP stated the exercise is for giggles, so "rock & roar!"
That's crazy cool. Would love to hear that beastie play next time I'm down that way.
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I have a question; I've never played through an SVT before, but if a guy had one solid-state 450 Ampeg and two tube SVTs...
how much of the SVT tone magic comes from the preamp, vs. the power amp? And how well did Ampeg succeed in achieving SVT preamp tone in the SS 450 head?
If the preamp part of the SS 450 head is decent sounding, and Steve wants to use all three amps (!!!because three big-ass amps!!!) what about this: if the main magic of the SVT comes from pushing the power tubes through the 810E cabs, maybe the SS450 head could be the master and the two SVT heads could be slaved off its line out...thus contributing a big pile of 6550 tube leg-humping fun and also giving the SS450 head something useful to do...?
how much of the SVT tone magic comes from the preamp, vs. the power amp? And how well did Ampeg succeed in achieving SVT preamp tone in the SS 450 head?
If the preamp part of the SS 450 head is decent sounding, and Steve wants to use all three amps (!!!because three big-ass amps!!!) what about this: if the main magic of the SVT comes from pushing the power tubes through the 810E cabs, maybe the SS450 head could be the master and the two SVT heads could be slaved off its line out...thus contributing a big pile of 6550 tube leg-humping fun and also giving the SS450 head something useful to do...?
Wow!
And here I was all excited about finally getting my simple dual rig up and running.
(slinks quietly back to rehearsal studio)
And here I was all excited about finally getting my simple dual rig up and running.
(slinks quietly back to rehearsal studio)
First of all, I’d be worried about the circut breaker tripping. If you can find a 30 amp circut, I think you might find it rather loud, but that’s just a guess...
LOL...come on, dude!
The only thing that the SVT 450 and a real SVT have in common are the cosmetics.
I don't want to even think about looking for parking in the vehicle it would take to haul all of that to one of my gigs.
I'd sell the 450 and one of the 810's, use one SVT to power two 810's, and keep the extra SVT head as a backup. One SVT is loud enough for any band at any gig in the world. In fact, one SVT and one 810 is loud enough. You can always place them side by side on stage and only use one SVT and one 810. The other stack providing eye candy for your audience and is a backup that is ready to be fired up with a flick of the switch in case disaster strikes. Don't forget your Power conditioner. You can buy a good one and have plenty of dough left over after selling the 450.
LOL...come on, dude!
You seem to feel that the SVT's preamp is a significant part of what's desireable in an SVT's sound, and the 450's preamp does not approximate that.
What got me thinking about that was the idea that some people like Music Man amps, in a Fender Twin kind of way, even though they have solid-state preamps driving a tube power section. I thought maybe if the 450's preamp architecture--at least from an EQ/tone-shaping features standpoint--was similar, maybe that head could serve as the tone shaper but by slaving the preamp signal through two actual SVT tube power stages, you'd still get the magic.
But the only Ampeg bass gear I've tried to date is a PF500 head and a SCR-DI, and my understanding is that neither of these would be a good approximation of an SVT either...
Look up the way Tim Cummorford of Rage Against the Machine runs his triple SVT rigs. Clean, dirty, dirtier, in an additive way, I believe.
One of the very few Ampeg amps I don't care for. That said, the OP seems happy and I'm happy for him, but still...
Eh...you're way better off using one of the tube SVT's pres and slaving it into the 450. Or replacing the 450 with another SVT-CL
Actually I have a PF800 and an SCR-DI, and both of them do a very reasonable job at it for solid state gear.
One of the very few Ampeg amps I don't care for. That said, the OP seems happy and I'm happy for him, but still...
Eh...you're way better off using one of the tube SVT's pres and slaving it into the 450. Or replacing the 450 with another SVT-CL
Interesting. So the SVT's preamp must be a pretty major part of "the sound." It's not strictly a compressing , lightly distorting tube power stage thing.
Man, I have to find me an SVT to play through and get my head around what they do. I know I like how they sound when I see them up on a stage, but who knows how much amp I'm hearing vs. FOH in that kind of situation. I want someone to turn me loose on one for a few hours in a big room where I can turn it up.
Or, you know, maybe turn me loose on three of them in a big room for a few hours. That'd be okay with me too.
