Damn I still haven't pulled the trigger but stuff like this makes it seem inevitable!
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Talk to me about the Ampeg PF-50T
- Thread starter BassGreaser
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- ampeg
Damn I still haven't pulled the trigger but stuff like this makes it seem inevitable!
I think that if you were pleased with the output of the Micro-VR, then you would also be pleased with the output of the 50T. It pairs up really nicely with the 210AV's!
I am pretty excited on getting the PF-50T! I love tubes and this seems like the perfect amp for the stacked 210AV cabs.
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If I had guaranteed, good PA support at every show, I'd love to play a PF-50T, either with a speaker level DI or a mic'd up cab.
Sounded pretty great on the one I tried. Classic Ampeg tone.
The next dude who tried the amp went for a much cleaner sound, all knobs set flat (I was watching, cause he was randomly a really good funk player), sounded nice and warm.
I'm not sure how much "clean round fat tone" you will get out of this amp in a live situation. If you want gritty and your band is not too loud then sure, this is a good choice but there is a reason in the manual it's stated watts leaves out the RMS and minimum continuous watts
Here is what the manual says:
50 watts @10% THD (total harmonic distortion)
Opposed to the SVT CL specs which is rated at 300 watts rms minimum continuous @ <3% THD
You gotta wonder why they use 10% THD for one and 3%THD for the other, don't you? and why say 300 watts min continuous for one @3%THD then leave out the continuous for the other that is rated @ 10% THD?
Is that because it can only reach 50 watts @ 10%THD burst power?
What is it's clean output power wattage ? That's what I want to know
If you're going to have good PA support, who cares?
I'd gig a 5 watt amp if I was guaranteed decent PA support. Maybe not with my doom metal band, but certainly with the folk/rock one.
Numbers shmumbers. Its also been said, using those "numbers", that while a 500 watt amp is 10 times more watts, it can really only be about twice as loud as a 50 watt amp (not a direct quote, and im using it as an example). How many times do you turn a 500 watt amp ALL THE WAY UP? I understand that some people enjoy having head room, but in the REAL world, and in my experience, cabinet selection will have more impact on your stage volume than watts. Ive gone from 500 watts, to 100 watts, to 50 watts or 30 watts with the B15 and ill never look back. Next purchase will be a rack power amp when i dont have FOH, and more speakers.
Give the little amp a shot. The absolute worst thing that will happen is that you wont like it. Satori has it right. This amp does require having a FOH to get the tone to the masses. Thats also what the amp is all about...TONE. If you want volume, hook it in line with a power amp of your choosing, anywhere from 300 to 3000 watts. Better have a cab that can handle it. Better yet, just send the signal to the mains and start melting faces.
Give the little amp a shot. The absolute worst thing that will happen is that you wont like it. Satori has it right. This amp does require having a FOH to get the tone to the masses. Thats also what the amp is all about...TONE. If you want volume, hook it in line with a power amp of your choosing, anywhere from 300 to 3000 watts. Better have a cab that can handle it. Better yet, just send the signal to the mains and start melting faces.
The PF 50T does sound great. It won't go as loud as I'll sometimes need it to so I'm going to try the transformer line out into a 400w SWR class D power amp I just remembered I've got. Introducing the SWR into the signal chain will give the volume but I've got no illusions it will be as thick and juicy as a V4B. But the PF 50T is one helluva tube preamp so I doubt it's gonna sound any worse than any other class D bass amp and mayb.....{sigh} ok, so I'm probably just stumbling around lost on my way to another SVT.....stop laughing at me!
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LOL! Well in all seriousness I'm on the other side of that, have two SVT-CLs and thus wonder whether I'd ever use a V4B or 50T despite wanting both ... a lot! Between these two I've been telling myself I'd probably use the 50T more since it has more home/recording application being small and fan-less. I'm expecting I'll have some coin this summer to find out.
With two of the big'uns already I'd bet you're right about the 50T over the V4B....maybe even a 20T if it's just for home. But the 50 for me is definitely the best downsizing compromise in terms of schlep-ability and apparent volume. I got lots of gigs these days it's perfect for. And the older I get the less inclined I am to play loud on stage so it's likely to be a practical investment.LOL! Well in all seriousness I'm on the other side of that, have two SVT-CLs and thus wonder whether I'd ever use a V4B or 50T despite wanting both ... a lot! Between these two I've been telling myself I'd probably use the 50T more since it has more home/recording application being small and fan-less. I'm expecting I'll have some coin this summer to find out.
If money is a thing, I say save up and go big. I bet that amp sounds awesome, but if you need or want more volume at some point, you're going to be wishing for tubes to get you there. On the other hand, there are probably way more opportunities to stretch the legs of a 50w tube amp than a 300w tube amp.
A tough decision, especially when you have two SVT's already. The V4B is a walk in the park compared to an SVT, but it's still almost the same physical size and requires a cab. But don't sell the PF50T short in the volume game. Through a big enough cab it can put out some decent volume. No question the V4B is louder. The feature set on the PF-50T, though...man, that's pretty great.LOL! Well in all seriousness I'm on the other side of that, have two SVT-CLs and thus wonder whether I'd ever use a V4B or 50T despite wanting both ... a lot! Between these two I've been telling myself I'd probably use the 50T more since it has more home/recording application being small and fan-less. I'm expecting I'll have some coin this summer to find out.
