Thoughts on the Ampeg B500DR

They're brandnew; I guess there's nobody out there that already has this baby.

 

My local store has one. I have not had a chance to test it. They have been bitching because when you power up, it defaults to the gain all the way up. I guess they have had a few instances where a customer almost fried some speakers.

I will give it a go and make a report.

 

I was playing on this amp the other day. I never really cranked it, but the gain fluxuates (sp?) as you play. I'm actually looking into buying one because i change styles frequently mid song with my band. I'll try it again and have more info. I liked what i heard when it was quiet.

 

Not quite true ................

The unit defaults to the settings on preset 1 when powered up.

If you set up preset 1 with full gain, etc, well, it will come up on full gain.

Same thing if you leave the controls cranked on any amp.

The gain LEDS are a "VU" meter when you are playing..... that isn't the gain changing.

 

I gave it a try at Guitar Center on the day I bought my V4B (they took pretty long to ring that sucker up), and it didnt sound too bad.

Its definately a step above the B2R and even the B4R in the tone department, and its pretty flexible for a SS head.

However... it just doesnt seem like its got enough to live up to the $900 pricetag. Yes it would be BRILLIANTLY handy if your someone that plays in 2+ bands that vary in genre/volume/style amongst other things.... but at the same time your gettin 500Watts, which could potentially fall short if you get stuck at certain gigs with no PA support. I mean... I have a friend who is in a country band that plays bars, but is also in a loud Punk/Ska band that is playing Medium venues as well as local outdoor shows... so the digital memory feature would be magnificant, but the power would probably fall short. And for $900, you just want something that covers all ends, I would thing. But...... it could be the right amp for you if your in the right situation musically and financially.


Here's my suggestion to Ampeg:

MAKE ANOTHER PREAMP. I absolutely LOVE the idea of the digital memory in different types of amplification... but I just dont think your giving enough power and tonal freedom to warrant as many purchases as you could possibly get with a preamp.

Now... if you take the genral idea of the B500DR.... implement it in a tube preamp.... keep the digital memory and such. Take some hints from the Mesa Boogie Triaxis Guitar preamp... except not as expensive (I would hope). I could guarantee that some more people would show interest, because the price would probably be lowered and the possibilities of flexibility are way higher with a preamp.


$0.02 from an 18-year-old

 

Oh.... that makes alot more sense. I understand now.

 

go to www.bassnw.com
if you email them they will say 850 including shiping to anywhere in the lower 48 states.
they are the best bass store ever in terms of service in my very young opinion.

 

O/T

I have to agree with this statement. BassNW is the poop. AG500SC shipped to me for under $900. That is kickass right there.

 

Ok then...

To be politically correct: It does not live up to its $850 pricetag. Even though I'm sure there will be many more sales from Guitar Center, the hugest retail chain the nation... who sells it for $900.

500Watts and a SS preamp just doesnt warrant more than $700 new in my mind.... No matter how big the "A" in Ampeg is. The digital features are convenient, and it sounds nice and flexible for SS.... but its still a big giant price. If I'm dropping $850 on it, it better have a damn coffee maker built onto the side...... or at least some sweet Christmas lights or something.

 

i played one at the atlanta GC. i'm a fan of ampeg amps, but generally not of their cabinets. so i got to play this one through an ampeg cabinet and was not entirely impressed with its sound. i found the "VU" gain metering to be extremely distracting. i also did not find the thing to be particularly user friendly -- and i'm an engineer, so i know what they were trying to do with the features.

for what it's worth, i thought the PJB M-500 with a 6T/9B stack there was decent, but not incredible. so maybe you shouldn't listen to me at all.

robb.

 

I really liked the amp. It is just not enough to drive more than a 4x10.

that is really all i have to say.
slightly depressing.

 

i played one at GC, it was a bit too much at first. I dont see the point unless you are a milti band type of player, or you need to change your EQ mid set. BUt other than that it is just and overpriced ampeg.

 

I have to change between funk-rock slap and a sort of incubus style finger playing. I would really like multiple tones for one song.

 

My guitarist uses this technology in his Fender Cyber Twin a lot.

I think it's got a bit of a poor power rating though. I mean, come on, if it's going to be that much $$, at least make it a little more apealing.

 

OT

are you guys saying that i paid way to much for my mpulse 360?!??!

It was 800 USED and like 1200 new

 

No, because you gots yourself a very nice high quality amp there that can almost do it all

 

oh sweet i was getting scared hahaha

 

I have had good experiences with this amp. The 4 programmable presets solves all of my problems, as I am used to moving an EQ pedal around after different tunes. The only thing I don't like about it is the 500W (at 2 ohms). They forget to throw that in there, it actually runs at 375W at 4 ohms. I play this head through a SVT 6x10 HLF cab and a SVT 1x15 HE and I get a great sound. Gotta get the 2 ohms to really get the power out of this amp.

 

just bought one - really like it, especially the fact that you can program four separate settings, which are then activated with a nice big 4-button foot pedal. I do play in a cover band, so now I have a big, fat old style setting (for stuff like brown-eyed girl), a super bright setting for the 80s style stuff, a mid-setting for the modern stuff, and a "slap" setting for the funk. I am really liking this idea. I set my Bongo to all the midpoints on my EQ, and then just use the pedal for the different sounds.

It's got a very clean sound - a vast improvement over my G-K.

I paid only $450 for it from GC - it was a floor model. Considering that it costs $1000 new, I thought it a good pick up.