• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

SVT3 pro vs SVT4 pro: HELP!!!!

G

Giantsinbloom

Oct 17, 2011
2
0
#1
Hey Gang! First post here,

I need an outside opinion on this. I've played both the SVT3 pro and the SVT4 pro quite alot and I've dialed in the sound I want on both. But I cant really decide between the two. The only Major differences I can tell are the Wattage and perceived loudness. And also that I was able to dial in a killer tone just a bit easier with the SVT 4.

Essentially I have both available at good prices around me, however the 4 pro is 200 bucks more than the three pro.

SO opinion time... should I just get the 3 pro and save some cash? Or should I just go all out for the 4 pro? :bassist:

Also, if i go with the 3 am i going to wish i had done the 4 pro?
 
#3
I own the 3Pro, but realize now I should have went with 4Pro or 7Pro for the extra headroom. However I've never had volume issues with my 3Pro, always had additional power on tap, so I don't know what I'm talking about. Generally though I have a "more is better" perspective on pretty much anything, and simply didn't do enough research and impulse bought the 3Pro on sale as its all that was available and I needed an amp for a gig that day.
 
#7
I've used a 3 Pro since the mid '90s and have never once felt like I didn't have enough power. That's with countless different cabs - mostly 8 Ohm - and I've never had trouble dialing in a good tone.

That said, I don't play in super-loud bands but I've played with my share of volume-hungry guitarists and was always able to hold my own with the 3 Pro.

If you want to save a little weight and a little cash, I'd say go with the 3.
 
#9
The 4 PRO has a clean/warm tone. While the 3 PRO can do nearly the same thing, but with the ability to get dirty sounding tube growl. Not full-on all-tube head growl, a but a decent amount. Both have a lot of tone features though. Very helpful in getting what you need for tones.

If you already like the 4PRO, might as well go for that. Lots of wattage at your finger tips. Keep in mind that 4 PRO in Bridge mode will require a "modified" speakon cable to deliver the power. It's easy to change though. Also, the 4 PRO's built-in tone contains a lot of low end between 30hz and 150hz. I suggest keeping those knobs flat or decreased somewhat in a live situation.
 
#10
I had an SVT3 pro and swap for a SVT4 pro cause I wanted more power and, the biggest point for me : I own a 4 ohms cab and wanted to plug an other 4 ohms cab... which you can't with the SVT3-pro...

I must say that even if they are almost similar, I like more the tone of the svt3 pro because of the additionnal tube gain that the SVT4- pro doesn't has... The svt4 pro is cleaner and the svt3 can be a bit more sweet and gritty to my ears...
But as you said that you prefer the sound of the svt4, I'll say go for it and for the extra wattage and everything, it will worth the extra 200$, the SVT4 is a very versatile amp... you'll never need more... lol

I'll may give a try for an all tube SVT2 some day...
 
#11
I have a SVT pro-3 that I use for small venues and practices and I have a SVT pro-4 that I use for larger venues.

The pro-3 can be used with a 4 or 8 Ohm speaker load. I use it with a 4-10 and a 1-15 ampeg speaker cabinets at 4 ohms.

I use the pro-4 with an ampeg 4-10 HLF and a 1-18 for a combined 2 Ohm speaker load.

I can carry the pro-3 in a two position rack bag very easily which is an advantage when moving equipment around. The pro-4 is in an ampeg RC3 rack. Much heavier.

They are both great rigs but the pro-4 gives you twice the volume as the pro-3. It really depends on the sice of the venue that you are playing in.
 
#12
When it comes to this discussion, I always have 1 thing to say:

4-PRO BRO!

People swear by the 3. But IMHO I think it's a rather terrible head. 3 of my friends had it and it either died, couldn't get the right tones easy enough, or something on it broke. A good friend that works at a GC near me said that something close to like 85% of SVT-3 heads that are sold come back for some reason. Even if they sell 3 of them and 2 come back, that's too much for me.

I'm GASing for the 4 myself.
 
#13
Thanks dudes!

You guys are giving me a ton to think about.

the one thing im curious about is the Tube gain knob on the 3. a few of you have mentioned you were able to get a tube growl, but I wasnt really able to discern that too much when i played one. Does it need to be at a fairly substantial volume to get that growl?

Also, I play in a technical Hardcore/ Punk band. We primarily end up playing house shows and basement shows for like 100-150 people but also are starting to play a few festivals here and there so the 4 pro is looking pretty enticing.... :)
 
#14
The tube gain knob change the voltage of the added tube that drive the amp after the preamp... it makes the amp more fast response when it's setted high and more squashed when it's setted down... you should try to put the preamp gain at max to make the preamp clipping and more distortion...
 
#15
if money isn't an issue id get the 4pro, ive had the 3 pro and it was never an issue with volume even with a weak jazz bass. The 3 pro is a good amp and can serve you well. I play bars and venues and such and a svt 3 pro would be perfect. Heck my swr workingpro 15 combo is more than enough for them.
 
#17
For me it's about the preamp.

The SVT 4 Pro has 4 tubes in the preamp section and has a more warm and tube-ish tone as the SVT 3 Pro with this lonely little tube, that's sitting somewhere in the preamp section, calling: "Hello? I'm down here! I'm alone! It is cold..."

Besides kidding, the 4 Pro sounds realy more as a tube amp. And it's more versatile, when it comes to different cabs. And it is the tremendous ammount of power, that comes with the 4.
 
#18
TheRealKong said:
For me it's about the preamp.

The SVT 4 Pro has 4 tubes in the preamp section and has a more warm and tube-ish tone as the SVT 3 Pro with this lonely little tube, that's sitting somewhere in the preamp section, calling: "Hello? I'm down here! I'm alone! It is cold..."

Besides kidding, the 4 Pro sounds realy more as a tube amp. And it's more versatile, when it comes to different cabs. And it is the tremendous ammount of power, that comes with the 4.
Click to expand...

The 3 PRO has 2 pre-amp tubes and 3 driver tubes and is based on the SVT 2 PRO's pre-amp at lower volumes. I owned the SVT 2 PRO and can attest to that one. In reality, the 3 PRO behaves like a SVT style tube amp more than the 4 PRO. The 4 PRO does not growl like the 3 PRO does at all.
 
#19
The 4 Pro can growl. All depends on the pre tube and how hot your bass is. I think they're both great amps...used to own a 3 Pro...but I'd probably get the 4 Pro if money was no object. Honestly though, I like the 7 Pro better than either of them. I'm more of a fan of the micro technology for copping tubey sounds. It may only have one tube, but the 7 Pro comes closer to copping the sound and feel of an SVT than any other SS or hybrid I've ever played. But if you're more into the big iron SS sound, I'd give a slight edge to the 4 Pro.
 
#20
Gearhead17 said:
The 3 PRO has 2 pre-amp tubes and 3 driver tubes and is based on the SVT 2 PRO's pre-amp at lower volumes. I owned the SVT 2 PRO and can attest to that one. In reality, the 3 PRO behaves like a SVT style tube amp more than the 4 PRO. The 4 PRO does not growl like the 3 PRO does at all.
Click to expand...

Awwww, my fault.... :hiding:

I must have mixed up with the 7 Pro.

It looks like the SVT 3 has the same preamp as my SVP Pro, I presume? I was told that this would be the same circuit as the SVT 2 Pro.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back