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SVT-VR vs Mesa Prodigy

#21
CL400Peavey said:
Mesa under specs their transformers, and over rates their amps. Not going to have the booty your Ampeg does.
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I usually agree with you on things, but not here. That's definitely true of the 400+, but that's a different amp.

The Prodigy is a big sounding head.

That said, if I already had an SVT, I wouldn't dump it for the Prodigy except if I was going to use the switchable output power feature. Overdrive is important to me, but I recognize that it isn't, to many other people.
 
#22
Sartori said:
I usually agree with you on things, but not here. That's definitely true of the 400+, but that's a different amp.

The Prodigy is a big sounding head.
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I'll believe the Mesa's output when JGR gets one and puts it through his bench test. :D

Sartori said:
That said, if I already had an SVT, I wouldn't dump it for the Prodigy except if I was going to use the switchable output power feature. Overdrive is important to me, but I recognize that it isn't, to many other people.
Click to expand...

The switchable output of some of the newer amps is really attractive. It would be nice to see some of that tech end up on the big boys. Maybe not a VR, but I could see a SVT-CL with power switching being a selling point.
 
#23
CL400Peavey said:
The switchable output of some of the newer amps is really attractive. It would be nice to see some of that tech end up on the big boys. Maybe not a VR, but I could see a SVT-CL with power switching being a selling point.
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That would be extremely attractive and I'd think they would sell like hotcakes. Too bad Ampeg just seems so far behind everyone else when it comes to doing new things these days.
 
#25
CL400Peavey said:
I'll believe the Mesa's output when JGR gets one and puts it through his bench test. :D
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I believe the more recent era Mesa bass amps (MPulse series, Carbine series, Big Block, Triton) have all been independently reviewed and proven to be very honestly rated as far as stated power/output.

I also see that Tom B and Bass Gear Mag have got both a Prodigy and Strategy in the shop and will be doing one of their very complete/detailed reviews.
 
#26
CL400Peavey said:
I'll believe the Mesa's output when JGR gets one and puts it through his bench test. :D



The switchable output of some of the newer amps is really attractive. It would be nice to see some of that tech end up on the big boys. Maybe not a VR, but I could see a SVT-CL with power switching being a selling point.
Click to expand...

Apparently Bass Gear Magazine is doing a full review of the new Mesa heads w/bench tests in an upcoming issue. Very interested to read it, myself.

An Ampeg with switchable power would be great. Either a VR or a CL. SVT overdrive sounds great, but it's ridiculously loud in any genre outside of doom metal by the time it starts crunching.
 
#28
I like that MESA makes it easy to set your own Bias on these new Amps...
I own a few Mesa amps .. The Mpulse 600, M9, Fathom/M6 and Walkabout Scout.. Love the WA the most.
I have tried the Prodigy at the Texas Guitar show and it was slamin good. I can only imagine the Strategy..
I hope to but a stategy this summer.. Nothig like an all tube amp that can do clean.. !!! Then they top it off with a 1/2 power switch.. Great Idea!!
 
#30
ImageUploadedByTalkBass1392777150.440686.jpg

I did what I knew I should have done all along. Kept the VR and got the Prodigy. Now does anyone have a couch I can sleep on until my wife gets over it?
 
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#37
I'll be curious to hear your thoughts as well. I left behind my SVTs for a 400+ years ago and have rocked Mesas ever since. For me the Prodigy is my favorite amp I've owned yet all things considered! If you are really into the SVT stack though it is quite a tonal leap in my opinion- even EQ'ed to sound Ampegish the dynamics are much different.
 
#38
The little amp rocked but didn't seem to have that booty that the VR has. It did get that nice tube fuzz at a manageable volume though. This is my first Boogie so I'll need time to play around with it. My friend and fellow TBer Vic is gonna help me do a real shootout between these two heads next week. Can't wait to post it.
 
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