• 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.

Why do I like the 810e?

B

broughton.22

Dec 28, 2007
72
0
Columbus, OH, US
#1
Every time I go to a music store, the 810e is the best sounding cab to my ears! I've yet to figure out why. Even after trying nice, high end Edens, I tend to gravitate towards the fridge. Can anyone explain this? Here's what I can make of it:

-Most of the cabs that are available are crap
-The 810e is bigger, thus I find more presence and clarity (is that right?)
-The 810e has no tweeter, thus the shrill highs aren't there (I hate shrillness)

I really enjoy the clarity and presence of this thing, but I can't convince myself to buy a fridge. Is there a cab that has similar characteristics as this? Do these characteristics carry over into live settings?
 
#2
Berg NV610.

but if you're stuck on Ampeg, get the 6x10. It's fatter due to it being ported, you can shut the tweeter off, and it's relatively easy to carry yourself. The 8x10 is always a two-man carry or lift. I'm a pretty beefy dude, so I can move the 6x10 pretty much anywhere with ease. The Berg 6x10 is even smaller and lighter, but it sounds more true to the Ampeg 810E.

On big gigs, I leave my Ampeg 6x10 at home and rent a pair of 810E's to use with my 400+. The clarity of the Mesa coupled with the thick, colored sound of the Ampeg makes for a good couple.

Presence is due to the fact that the 810E pushes a TON of air. It kicks you in the chest. I've never really thought of it being a clear cab, unless you're using a head with lots of clarity, like a GK, Trace Elliot, or Mesa/Boogie. To me the traditional tube SVT/810E combination works well for rock, but gets a bit too murky for my tastes (mostly due to the head. There's much better SVTs than the CL). I digs my Mesas, though. :D
 
#5
also it has the penis extension factor.

not meant to be an insult.

I own one too :) and I am not going to lie, I love the sound of the cab.. and well it is an ampeg fridge one of the most recognized cabs in the music industry, even if you hate the sound you still know one to see it :)

I really wish a shop locally had the berg's so i could try one out though.
 
#6
heytrid said:
also it has the penis extension factor.

not meant to be an insult.

I own one too :) and I am not going to lie, I love the sound of the cab.. and well it is an ampeg fridge one of the most recognized cabs in the music industry, even if you hate the sound you still know one to see it :)

I really wish a shop locally had the berg's so i could try one out though.
Click to expand...

Being the maverick rebel that I am, I try my hardest to hate ampeg. I hate how everybody has them, and that they are made in China, etc, but I don't hate them for the right reasons! The simple fact is that I like the way it sounds, and that's all that should matter.
 
#7
See, I used to have an early 90's 810E (only had one 1/4 input), and it sounded fine, except I now have a personal policy on equipment- If I can't move it by myself, I don't need to own it!! That thing was so big, it was hard to move without scarfing the hell out of the tolex. So, if I need cabs that big, I rent.

As far as tone, I had mixed feelings about it. With my SVT4-Pro, it was clear and powerful, but not really tight or punchy. With the SVT Classic, it was very loud but really lacked definition and clarity. The growl was sweet, but the notes blurred badly and I could only get one sound out of the amp!

With my 400+, the 810E is very tight, clean, and punchy, but it still retains a lot of character. I plan on replacing my Ampeg 610HLF cab with a couple of Mesa or Berg cabs soon, but for large shows around here, I always rent Ampeg 8x10s.
 
#8
K-Funk said:
With my 400+, the 810E is very tight, clean, and punchy, but it still retains a lot of character. I plan on replacing my Ampeg 610HLF cab with a couple of Mesa or Berg cabs soon, but for large shows around here, I always rent Ampeg 8x10s.
Click to expand...

What SS heads do you think stay true to this clean character? You mentioned GK. Do you think the 1001 matches it well, or is the 810 supposed to be matched with a tube head?
 
#10
broughton.22 said:
What SS heads do you think stay true to this clean character? You mentioned GK. Do you think the 1001 matches it well, or is the 810 supposed to be matched with a tube head?
Click to expand...

Well, for the typical rock sound, I guess it's "supposed" to be matched with an SVT head; but keep in mind that the 400+ has a very clean, clear sound for a tube amp. It's got the character, punch, and volume of a tube amp, but with the clarity and definition of an SS amp. Which is why I'm totally in love with it:D

GK heads sound amazing through Ampeg cabs. I've had an old 800RB for a long time that I used through the 8x10, and it was big, clear, and loud! I'm sure the 1001RB would yield similar sounds.

Here's some analogies for you:

The Beatles ----> Rock/Pop music
JRR Tolkien -----> Fantasy Novels
SVT/810E rig ----> Bass amplification

it's just the biggest name in the field, you know? I love Tolkien, dislike the Beatles, and am undecided on the SVT rig. Everyone has tastes, despite what the big name in the category is.
 
#11
try a big ol mesa before you pull the trigger.i dk whered youd find one, but ampeg deff wins out in most cases because its everywhere. do a blind test with the ampeg and some other cabs if you can. but hey, i dont think anyone here will argue with you if you got for the fridge
 
#12
MarkMyWordsXx said:
try a big ol mesa before you pull the trigger.i dk whered youd find one, but ampeg deff wins out in most cases because its everywhere. do a blind test with the ampeg and some other cabs if you can. but hey, i dont think anyone here will argue with you if you got for the fridge
Click to expand...

Mesa is actually my first choice, it's the best I've played through, but it's very hard for me to find. However, I don't care for their "boutique snobbery". It just seems like with their high prices and their refusal to be sold in mainstream stores, they are really distancing themselves from the common working bass player.
 
#13
alot liek stated above depends on what style of music you play and what you dabble in, i play mostly punk/grind/gloom rock so the svt-av with the 810 is the sound i want.

If i was to play jazz or alot of slap I would almost gurantee I would pick a "cleaner" more hifi sound.

In all honesty I really want a 400+ to have also :)
 
#14
MarkMyWordsXx said:
try a big ol mesa before you pull the trigger.i dk whered youd find one, but ampeg deff wins out in most cases because its everywhere. do a blind test with the ampeg and some other cabs if you can. but hey, i dont think anyone here will argue with you if you got for the fridge
Click to expand...

Yes they would :). They would yell at you for not getting the Berg. NV610 - which around here is touted as the "fridge killer," or so I've read...
 
#16
broughton.22 said:
Mesa is actually my first choice, it's the best I've played through, but it's very hard for me to find. However, I don't care for their "boutique snobbery". It just seems like with their high prices and their refusal to be sold in mainstream stores, they are really distancing themselves from the common working bass player.
Click to expand...

I guess there's two sides to that issue. It's an independantly owned company, so it's their freedom to make that decision. Think about it:

I know more people that own a giant, pro-level Ampeg rig that keep it in their bedroom or living room than people that use them in the situation they're designed for. It's lame. They buy an SVT-CL and 8x10 to play in their freaking bedroom. Ampeg's market is aimed at ANYONE that will buy.

If you have any experience in paintball, you may be familiar with the $1,500+ Angel guns. These were designed specifically for the very tip-top professional player, but I've seen so many 12 and 13 year old beginners with these guns, it's almost sad.

So, I guess they are limiting production and and marketing in order to maintain a "higher" status. It's not snobbery. They obviously aren't in a drastic situation where they needed the money, or else they would have expanded a long time ago. Think about it: Mesa doesn't offer any products that a professional/high-end player wouldn't honestly use. No value-minded gear, no B-Series, no second-rate affordable stuff. They either design stuff to be the best in the freaking world, or it doesn't see production. That's it.

In addition, there is nothing that Mesa offers that is "better" than anything else they offer. You buy the Mesa product that suits your need the best, because all of their stuff is really different. With Ampeg, you buy the B-Series ONLY because you cannot afford the Pro series. You buy the 3-Pro because you can't afford the 4 or 6 Pro (in most cases. The 3-Pro is an excellent recording and small-gig amp). Catch my drift? Sounds snobbish, but for all intents and purposes, it's mostly true.

Keep in mind that I'm speaking for the world of non-practice and non-beginner amps. I think it's great that Ampeg offers stuff for new players and folks who need a bedroom practice combo. I'm only referring to when things get taken a bit too far (such as the bedroom-SVT users).
 
#17
K-Funk said:
I guess there's two sides to that issue. It's an independantly owned company, so it's their freedom to make that decision. Think about it:

I know more people that own a giant, pro-level Ampeg rig that keep it in their bedroom or living room than people that use them in the situation they're designed for. It's lame. They buy an SVT-CL and 8x10 to play in their freaking bedroom. Ampeg's market is aimed at ANYONE that will buy.

If you have any experience in paintball, you may be familiar with the $1,500+ Angel guns. These were designed specifically for the very tip-top professional player, but I've seen so many 12 and 13 year old beginners with these guns, it's almost sad.

So, I guess they are limiting production and and marketing in order to maintain a "higher" status. It's not snobbery. They obviously aren't in a drastic situation where they needed the money, or else they would have expanded a long time ago. Think about it: Mesa doesn't offer any products that a professional/high-end player wouldn't honestly use. No value-minded gear, no B-Series, no second-rate affordable stuff. They either design stuff to be the best in the freaking world, or it doesn't see production. That's it.

In addition, there is nothing that Mesa offers that is "better" than anything else they offer. You buy the Mesa product that suits your need the best, because all of their stuff is really different. With Ampeg, you buy the B-Series ONLY because you cannot afford the Pro series. You buy the 3-Pro because you can't afford the 4 or 6 Pro (in most cases. The 3-Pro is an excellent recording and small-gig amp). Catch my drift? Sounds snobbish, but for all intents and purposes, it's mostly true.
Click to expand...

These are good points. I guess the current Rickenbacker trends are similar to this, and Rics are my favorite basses.
 
#18
broughton.22 said:
These are good points. I guess the current Rickenbacker trends are similar to this, and Rics are my favorite basses.
Click to expand...

kind of.... I personally feel that the nice basses need to be left at home :p I've had too many close calls with people trying to steal my band's instruments, so I just take my MIM Fender to all distant gigs, and use the Warwicks at home or for small, local stuff.

And Ricks do rock :bassist:
 
#19
I own an 810 with the svt-cl head.

I am not an expert on sound....but I did the same thing. Went to the store, played a bunch of cabs, and fell in love with the fridge. It is way too loud, and has a ton of thump. It does get kinda muddy...and if i knew more about my eq I could probably make this thing sound great. They have some suggested settings - like turning the bass knob to 10 for rock music, but I play with my bass setting at about 5. 10 is way too much.

It doesnt get twingy or whatever you called it with the highs, but if I want a higher sound, i tent to use the jazz pickup instead of the p pickup.

Also, I have to transport this thing twice a week. To be honest, I read a ton of posts on here before I bought it about how hard it was to move. Actually, what is hard to move is my 90 pound head...not the cab. The cab, as you probably know, has a shower bar for a handle, and rolls like a two wheel dolly. I think its extremely easy to move. It sucks if you have to go up stairs, but to me, asking the singer to put down his purse and help me with the cab isnt a big deal. I move it in a truck, and I can load it by myself into the back...it just pivots itself on the tailgate and i slide it right in. I am not a big dude either, about 160.

Just my 2 cents...get it.:bassist:
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back