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Why are the Ampeg Portaflex amps so cheap?

Then you should understand that the amp is rated 500 watts @ 4 Ohms. It has nothing to do with the number of cabs, and everything to do with the impedance of the cab(s) connected.

All that information is laid out on Ampegs site, in the downloadable manual, and in the stickes (along with numerous threads about impedance load) in this forum. This isnt about what you believe, it is about what is easily known.

Are you kidding me? You act like I posted something stating "hey everyone listen to me this is fact". And why should I know that when I said I'm NOT an amp nerd I don't know! Geezuz people get a life.
 
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Are you kidding me? You act like I posted something stating "hey everyone listen to me this is fact". And why should I know that when I said I'm NOT and amp nerd I don't know! Geezuz people get a life.

Unfortunately it is statements like you original one, that lead people to believe things like, "I need two cabs to get all the watts out of my amp." And then you have threads that start out with, "My head caught fire, I hooked up two cabs to get all the watts, why did this happen?"

Your statement was looking at the number of cabs, not the impedance of the load on the amp. The number of cabs is not really important. You could run four cabs in parallel and still be safe, and have the full output of the amp. You could run two in parallel, and only see half of the output. Or you could run one cab, and have the full output.


None of that is personal, it is trying to minimize the voodoo and superstition that a lot of people run their rigs with. If you took offense, then I am sorry. If you understand how the amp works a little better, then I am not.
 
Unfortunately it is statements like you original one, that lead people to believe things like, "I need two cabs to get all the watts out of my amp." And then you have threads that start out with, "My head caught fire, I hooked up two cabs to get all the watts, why did this happen?"

Your statement was looking at the number of cabs, not the impedance of the load on the amp. The number of cabs is not really important. You could run four cabs in parallel and still be safe, and have the full output of the amp. You could run two in parallel, and only see half of the output. Or you could run one cab, and have the full output.


None of that is personal, it is trying to minimize the voodoo and superstition that a lot of people run their rigs with. If you took offense, then I am sorry. If you understand how the amp works a little better, then I am not.
Bull. If my statements that clearly stat I don't know for sure so don't go out and do it lead someone to do it than its their bad. Blow smoke buddy.
 
Are you kidding me? You act like I posted something stating "hey everyone listen to me this is fact". And why should I know that when I said I'm NOT an amp nerd I don't know! Geezuz people get a life.

16 out of 124, or 12.9 percent of the posts in this thread are from you. Just wanted to point that out as you take all of this personally and attack people that try to help explain how impedance works.
 
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Bull. If my statements that clearly stat I don't know for sure so don't go out and do it lead someone to do it than its their bad. And my only point in my original response to you was you could have got your point across like everyone else did by just replying with what is fact like I opened it up to but you have to add that I shoudnt believe everything I hear. Blow smoke buddy.
 
Are you kidding me? You act like I posted something stating "hey everyone listen to me this is fact". And why should I know that when I said I'm NOT an amp nerd I don't know! Geezuz people get a life.

16 out of 124, or 12.9 percent of the posts in this thread are from you. Just wanted to point that out as you take all of this personally and attack people that try to help explain how impedance works.

Since part of my job is handling metrics I'd say that's a relatively low percentage. However to you point I should not have used the word people.

At the time of this post, I have 7/129 posts, and you have 23/129.

You're commenting on my life? :woot:
 
I went from a GK1001RB (which I still have but I have to repair it) to a PF-500 over 2 years ago. The amp performs beautifully and I love it. I never bonded with the GK.

I have plenty of volume for any gig, and I use a 12/6/1 and 12 sub (not fEarful) and the 12's aren't very efficient, but go low. I usually have the gain around 11 and the master between 12 and 1. A small increase in the master yields a big increase in volume. I start with the compression around 11-12 and usually back it off as the evening goes on. Tone controls are around flat, but get adjusted to the room and tune.

I carry a backup amp. I recently got a class D power amp cheap and when looking at my preamp options, I found a PF-500 preamp board for $10. I'm building it into an old PV rack chassis. I just got the parts in for the power supply which needs +/-15v for the op amps and +52 volts for the jFet preamp. Loud was VERY helpful and generous with shematics.

I got to play a 7Pro at a 5 hour practice and found it so similar to my amp, I switched to my amp for the gig, which was in the same room. I saw no advantage with the 7Pro except the power, which I didn't need.

Ampeg got this amp right, especially the preamp. I would buy the PF-800 if I lost the PF-500 but so far, not even a hiccup. I've been playing bass since 1969 and my current rig is my favorite, and I had some great rigs (SVT, huge half/tube biamped rig in the 80's, GK1001RB with various cabinets including an 8X10, etc.) I just need to build actual fEarful cabinets to replace my compact, but too heavy DIY cabinets.
 
I suspect that this is something that was only available to US customers. In my part of the world, it's pretty rare.

Well - they offered these terms during a period when their financial situation deteriorated to a point where the decision was made to sell the Ampeg branch to Loud Corp. Since Loud took over, most of production was sent overseas and the warranty terms/period were reduced. This will hopefully keep the brand afloat - as this gives the consumer another option whether they are beginners (BA series) or pros (Heritage series - which is assembled in the USA and has a longer warranty period).
 
Well - they offered these terms during a period when their financial situation deteriorated to a point where the decision was made to sell the Ampeg branch to Loud Corp.
According to Jerrold Tiers, SLM was solvent and earning a decent profit at the time of the sale, and Gene Kornblum was just ready to call it a day after a very long time in the business. Not trying to bust you or anything, but that is what Jerrold said, so as chief engineer at the time, gotta go by what he says.
 
In some countries, the details of the warranty are mandated by law. Consumer protection can be a good thing.

Absolutely. And consumer protection here in Norway is really very good, but it can only regulate the customer's rights, and not the warranty provided by the company. For instance, if I buy an Apple laptop, Apple only has a 90-day warranty, but as a consumer, I can, by law, complain about a product for 2-5 years after a purchase, depending on how expensive the product is, and usually win out, unless it can be proven I have been negligent in some way. This is good protection of the consumer, but doesn't really affect the warranty, only the consumer's rights. So, as transferable warranties are at the discretion of the company, they don't usually provide it - there's nothing in it for them, and most consumers aren't interested enough to demand it.
 
Absolutely. And consumer protection here in Norway is really very good, but it can only regulate the customer's rights, and not the warranty provided by the company. For instance, if I buy an Apple laptop, Apple only has a 90-day warranty, but as a consumer, I can, by law, complain about a product for 2-5 years after a purchase, depending on how expensive the product is, and usually win out, unless it can be proven I have been negligent in some way. This is good protection of the consumer, but doesn't really affect the warranty, only the consumer's rights. So, as transferable warranties are at the discretion of the company, they don't usually provide it - there's nothing in it for them, and most consumers aren't interested enough to demand it.

Sounds like a complicated law as they all are.

Some countries or regions require that the cost of doing business requires a certain warranty period. The last time I bought an Apple product, you could see that some countries get a much better deal than others. In the case of the iPad, in the United States and Canada, Apple offers a one year hardware warranty. But the laws of any state or province can vary and they are more stringent, they override a companies warranty. It's the cost of doing business in those regions. Likewise, consumer laws stipulate that you can return a product for a full refund within so many days, back out of a contract, etc.

Sounds similar to Norway, only the terms and conditions vary.
 
Sounds like a complicated law as they all are.

Some countries or regions require that the cost of doing business requires a certain warranty period. The last time I bought an Apple product, you could see that some countries get a much better deal than others. In the case of the iPad, in the United States and Canada, Apple offers a one year hardware warranty. But the laws of any state or province can vary and they are more stringent, they override a companies warranty. It's the cost of doing business in those regions. Likewise, consumer laws stipulate that you can return a product for a full refund within so many days, back out of a contract, etc.

Sounds similar to Norway, only the terms and conditions vary.

Yep, the mileage varies. There's of course a difference between terms in the country where something is manufactured and somewhere nearly everything is imported. In the former, you can rely more heavily on the manufacturer, who will be more willing to service a product, honour warranties etc. because it's relatively easy to do. Overseas, it's different. I once had trouble with a laptop battery for a Powerbook, which Apple refused to service or replace because the 90-day warranty was up. A quick letter to the Consumer Ombudsman, copy Apple, and a new battery was at my door :)
 
Yep, the mileage varies. There's of course a difference between terms in the country where something is manufactured and somewhere nearly everything is imported. In the former, you can rely more heavily on the manufacturer, who will be more willing to service a product, honour warranties etc. because it's relatively easy to do. Overseas, it's different. I once had trouble with a laptop battery for a Powerbook, which Apple refused to service or replace because the 90-day warranty was up. A quick letter to the Consumer Ombudsman, copy Apple, and a new battery was at my door :)

Whatever the warranty, it and the currency exchange is factored into their price. That's why everything costs so much in Norway, except maybe skis. ;)