What Sounds Like An Ampeg B-15?

[lyonaudio]

Just spitballin' here but what current amp (combo?) would come close to sounding like an Ampeg B-15?

I'm assuming that a 15 inch speaker would be needed so an Ampeg PF-350 w/1x 15 cab? An Ampeg PT-50 (their tube head) with the same cab? A Fender Rumble 200? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[gh0st42]

Just spitballin' here but what current amp (combo?) would come close to sounding like an Ampeg B-15?

I'm assuming that a 15 inch speaker would be needed so an Ampeg PF-350 w/1x 15 cab? An Ampeg PT-50 (their tube head) with the same cab? A Fender Rumble 200? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

Try your luck at scoring a Broughton P-15 Preamp, and route that into the effects return of any decent head or combo to bypass the Preamp, or plug into a power amp, plug that into a 15 inch speaker, and you'll be good to go.

It's kinda crazy, but the Broughton SV-Pre and P-15 Preamp smoke every Ampeg I've ever heard at coping the tones of either of those classic rigs.

 

[disssa]

I own and play a Invalid Link Removed and a Invalid Link Removed. Both amps are very close to a B-15

 

[lyonaudio]

Try your luck at scoring a Broughton P-15 Preamp...

Thanks for the idea but that pre-amp, all by itself, runs $650...

 

[lyonaudio]

Any suggestions for a currently available amp?

 

[gh0st42]

Thanks for the idea but that pre-amp, all by itself, runs $650...

It ain't cheap, but it is amazing. If you already have an amp, lots of folks have reported great B-15 like tone just by plugging into the effects return of whatever amp you already have.

 

[JimmyM]

I would say the pf210he sounds a little closer to a B15 cab than the 15s. The 15s go very deep in the lows.

 

[pie_man_25]

The new PF stuff apparently does a good job at mimicking the old portaflex amps. I say apparently because I use a pf500 into an old Traynor cab with a newer eminence driver. I wouldn't really know exactly what an old b15 sounds like, of course I've heard a million recordings - but have never played one I'm person. I HAVE played both my pf500 and the pf20t heads into a pf210, and they both sound great. I can tell you that back when the pf series was new some people were saying it's about as close as you can get without getting tubes into the mix somewhere. I can imagine the Broughton pre is also great.

I dunno, kinda depends on your budget and exactly how much in your signal chain you want to change.

 

[JimmyM]

The new PF stuff apparently does a good job at mimicking the old portaflex amps. I say apparently because I use a pf500 into an old Traynor cab with a newer eminence driver. I wouldn't really know exactly what an old b15 sounds like, of course I've heard a million recordings - but have never played one I'm person. I HAVE played both my pf500 and the pf20t heads into a pf210, and they both sound great. I can tell you that back when the pf series was new some people were saying it's about as close as you can get without getting tubes into the mix somewhere.

I still stand by that assessment, too. The tube amps are certainly better sounding to me, but I have no complaints about my PF350 and 800.

 

[pie_man_25]

I still stand by that assessment, too. The tube amps are certainly better sounding to me, but I have no complaints about my PF350 and 800.

I forgot that was you, tbh. At any rate, good amps.

I'm sure other amps can cop the vibe or at least get in the ballpark, tbh. I just don't cycle through a heck of a lot of gear and can't go on about much in that regard.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

This.....

 

[Briton]

A tube amp like the Ampeg PF-20T should suffice!

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Ampeg B100R Rocket Bass combo amp. It’s 100 watts. Only available used. I think they stopped making them in the early 2000’s. But there are lots out there for sale.

Consider that part of the magic B15 tone was that is was 25 watts. When things are lower in the SPL scale, there is more subtle definition your ear can detect. When you try to push the SPL into gigging levels, those special nuances just aren’t there anymore, and you ear is busier being overwhelmed by high SPL to boot.

 

[pbassnut]

Just spitballin' here but what current amp (combo?) would come close to sounding like an Ampeg B-15?

I'm assuming that a 15 inch speaker would be needed so an Ampeg PF-350 w/1x 15 cab? An Ampeg PT-50 (their tube head) with the same cab? A Fender Rumble 200? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

The Ampeg B-100R Rocket Bass 100 watt 1x15 combos do an amazingly good imitation of a B-15 ... especially considering the fact that they are completely solid state. I see them for sale used from time to time for fairly reasonable coin ...

Ampeg Rocket Bass Model B-100R 100-Watt 1x15" Bass Combo | Reverb

 

[HotelX]

Try your luck at scoring a Broughton P-15 Preamp, and route that into the effects return of any decent head or combo to bypass the Preamp, or plug into a power amp, plug that into a 15 inch speaker, and you'll be good to go.

It's kinda crazy, but the Broughton SV-Pre and P-15 Preamp smoke every Ampeg I've ever heard at coping the tones of either of those classic rigs.

I second this. The P15 can make a mediocre amp (like, in my experience, a Fender Rumble) sound amazing.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I like my Mesa WD-800 plugged into a 1x12 cabinet or this B-15 double baffle cabinet I had, doing nothing that I put an Eminence Kappa PRO 15 into that also wasn't doing anything. It sounds like a B-15 only bigger.

 

[JimmyM]

I forgot that was you, tbh. At any rate, good amps.

Well it wasn't JUST me, but yeah, I have said that. Got to keep some perspective about it and realize you're judging $300 and $400 amps against the most sought-after bass recording amp of all time, but yeah, good amps.

 

[lyonaudio]

The Ampeg B-100R Rocket Bass 100 watt 1x15 combos do an amazingly good imitation of a B-15 ... especially considering the fact that they are completely solid state. I see them for sale used from time to time for fairly reasonable coin ...

There's one listed on LeBonCoin (The Right Place - the French equivalent to Craigslist) for €250 ($275). The problem is that we're locked down pretty tight over here. Maybe it'll still be available when this **** is over.

 

[Sparuto]

I feel like we as humans tend to oversell things just because they’re old. In no way am I bashing a B-15 or anything like Ike that. Trust me I WANT one too!. But we tend to put these things on a pedestal as if they’re unmatched in quality by today’s. In a 100 years time I wouldn’t be surprised if players speak glowing about the HIGHLY sought-after vintage solid-state amps from the early decades of the 2000s. It happens every time. P.S. I’m not bashing vintage instruments or equipment I’m a ‘vintage guy’ myself...just an observation.

 

[40Hz]

I still stand by that assessment, too. The tube amps are certainly better sounding to me, but I have no complaints about my PF350 and 800.

The B100R gets pretty close as far as my ears seem to think.