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SVT love

#21
SVT - I want to hate this amp (due to weight) but keep coming back to it.

Rod has given me his opinion over in the WA thread on the 7-Pro but would like to hear how others hear the difference.
I want a clean, warm, 3-D sound stage (like a CL set at input 12:00 & output close to full driving a mid size Berg cabinet. Not interested in heavy grind or distortion.
Do I need to keep carrying this monster....
 
#23
I'll answer you here Jim. I don't think the 7 pro does have the "3D" tubey type thing going on really.
It sounds CLOSE to my ex-SVT IINP , but that's more in it's tone & solid lows. Hasn't got that inherent tube 'give' that I so like. The Walkabout has a great amount of this for a hybrid (& small & light) amp, but again, NOT the feel of a power tube section. & the WA (imo) is THE closest to doing this.
I had a GB Streamliner for a few months & while many say it does this, I found it totally diffrrent to ANY tube amp I've used in my 37 yrs of gigging, didn't like it at all sadly.
The YBA 300 -so far, I've only had it 6 weeks- has the lovely tube response, the power, tone (it really is a plug'n play beast, unlike the YBA 200 ime) & features that suit me.
I'd like a chance to actually A/B it with an SVT-VR/CL. Hopefully one day soon I'll get a chance.
You also asked re the 7 pro v pf500 Very similar in tone, but imo, the 7 has more heft/solidity to its bottom end & a nicer overdrive. A fair bit more headroom too.....
 
#24
Jim C said:
SVT - I want to hate this amp (due to weight) but keep coming back to it.

Rod has given me his opinion over in the WA thread on the 7-Pro but would like to hear how others hear the difference.
I want a clean, warm, 3-D sound stage (like a CL set at input 12:00 & output close to full driving a mid size Berg cabinet. Not interested in heavy grind or distortion.
Do I need to keep carrying this monster....
Click to expand...

I personally found the 7Pro able to cop a familiar Ampeg vibe but to me, without that tube power section, you are missing the magic of the SVT. That alive, rich, lush, plush, tubey, 3D harmonically rich thing was missing (to me). I've only played out the SVT VR and the 7Pro in GC, but I did not find them as close as some others on TB seem to. With the deep switch in, it felt like I got some good stuff, but lost others - with the deep out, I just couldn't get a tone I liked. And I was ABing it with the Mesa WA - I wanted to like the 7Pro, but after switching to the Mesa, I had absolutely no problem walking away from it. After playing through the WA for a couple of weeks now, I find it much closer to the Ampeg VR than the 7Pro. The 7Pro takes it from a volume perspective and gets some Ampeg color from the preamp but the WA does a much better job of emulating the full rig. If I had both a WA and an SVT VR, I wouldn't even have a 7Pro on the radar. YMMV
 
#28
Thanks men.
Try as I might, it doesn't sound like there is any free lunch to be had regarding either a lighter SVT or a more powerful WA.
BTW, I rarely use an 8x10 and love both amps with a Berg or TL606 cabinet.
Just bought a 2x12 and expect the same gig results based on practice at home.

Funny thing about EQ; even a direct match does not sound the same and terms like "harmically rich, wide soundstage, bright without being strident, lush, tubey", etc. take on a whole new meaning when comparing the WA and SVT to 99% of most other amps.
 
#30
Jim C said:
Thanks men.
Try as I might, it doesn't sound like there is any free lunch to be had regarding either a lighter SVT or a more powerful WA.
BTW, I rarely use an 8x10 and love both amps with a Berg or TL606 cabinet.
Just bought a 2x12 and expect the same gig results based on practice at home.

Funny thing about EQ; even a direct match does not sound the same and terms like "harmically rich, wide soundstage, bright without being strident, lush, tubey", etc. take on a whole new meaning when comparing the WA and SVT to 99% of most other amps.
Click to expand...

True dat - I've now tried every bass amp I could find and these two are the only ones that spoke to me. It's like having a new Ferrari and a 67 Corvette sitting side by side in the garage. Have no real desire for anything else...
 
#33
Jim C said:
Thanks men.
Try as I might, it doesn't sound like there is any free lunch to be had regarding either a lighter SVT or a more powerful WA.
BTW, I rarely use an 8x10 and love both amps with a Berg or TL606 cabinet.
Just bought a 2x12 and expect the same gig results based on practice at home.

Funny thing about EQ; even a direct match does not sound the same and terms like "harmically rich, wide soundstage, bright without being strident, lush, tubey", etc. take on a whole new meaning when comparing the WA and SVT to 99% of most other amps.
Click to expand...

True dat - I've now tried every bass amp I could find and these two are the only ones that spoke to me. It's like having a new Ferrari and a 67 Corvette sitting side by side in the garage. Have no real desire for anything else...
 

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