I'm thinking about getting a new amp to lessen the load I've gotta carry into gigs. Right now I'm rolling with an SWR SM-400 w/Goliath 4x10 and Peavey Firebass 700 II w/matching peavey Tour 4x10 (heavy as hell). These rigs are great but pretty goddam heavy and I keep seeing more and more compact, ss amp heads the size of external hard drives. Are these worth checking out or should I just keep saving my pennies for an Ampeg V4B with the 212 cab? Even that rig would be much lighter and would sound amazing.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
Welcome to TalkBass! Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Just to be clear, is that an and or an or for each gig? If you're running two amps and two 4x10 cabs I don't think a V4B/2x12 is going to cut it. I like those new 2x12 cabs, I have a pair of the single 12s and use those frequently instead of my 8x10. With a 100 watt head it works for some, not for everyone. Sounds great sure, just depends on how my clean volume you need.
With size comes tone. It's really up to you, if you are cool with the tone difference for the size difference.
I have yet to play any lighter/compact amp that sounds or feels like a hefty all-tube amp.
I have yet to play any lighter/compact amp that sounds or feels like a hefty all-tube amp.
I love the tone of the all tube Pegs. Plus the 212 is half the weight or less of my 4x10s. And that's what I wanted to know. There must be a catch 22/trade off with those tiny 800-1000 watt hard drive sized D-class SS amps.
I love my Markbass LMIII. I play it through an 810. The second choice is my SVT4. Then the GK 1001rb II. The SVT Cl comes in after those. All heads sound great! I don't feel bigger or smaller always makes a huge difference. Listen to your ears.
Well, the V-4B/212 is a great sounding rig, IMO. I enjoy the hell out of mine.
And yes, you are correct on the lighter cab. I was moving from an Orange AD200b (just shy of 60lbs) and 4x10 cab (pushing over 90lbs) to the V-4B (41 lbs) and SVT212AV (66 lbs.)
As far as a catch 22, I wouldn't say that's necessarily the case, just different. I don't mean to imply that bigger sounds better, or smaller sounds bad. But I can tell you that my Ampeg PF800 doesn't have the same guts that my 100 Watt V-4B does. And the Terror Bass 500 I owned, did kind of sound like a wimpy little brother in a side-by-side to the AD200b, even though they were supposed to have the same preamp. Also, that "tube emulation" and actual power tube response, sound and FEEL very different.
I agree with @steveinohio, though, in that it's up to your ears and your own personal tone preferences. There are some widely praised, smaller class D's that people love on here.
My vote is for the v4b (I'm biased as its my current gigging setup) been their done that with SS heads, hybrid/ class D...ex...I always come back to the all tube heads! I will say there are great sounding non tube heads, my last hybrid was the fender bassman 500. Really good sounding head, very tube like but lacked that push behind every note. Good luck on your choice!
If you are using FOH support, I recommend going light. If not, go modular with that v4b...it supports a 2 ohm load, right? Plenty of flexibility in multiple smaller cabs there.
I love my v4b but the svt blows it away. But the svt is twice the weight
Same. I use to use hartke lh500 and lh1000 heads, a 800 watt carvin, a 500 watt v3 rumble. My 100 watt v4b is the bigger sound and always enough.
If people can get by with a sans amp I don't see why people complain about getting a great sound from a tube amp and micing it IF needed.
Burwabit
Likes guitars that tune good and firm feelin women
Love my V4B and 212AV. If you are leaning that way, I say GO FOR IT!!!
I've done hybrid, I've done all tube iron behemoths, and am now doing the class D thing.
My advice:
Try before you buy. Because so far I've found I can get great sounds out of my 4lb head just like I could out of my 65lb head. I still sound like me.
My advice:
Try before you buy. Because so far I've found I can get great sounds out of my 4lb head just like I could out of my 65lb head. I still sound like me.
When I was shopping for amps a couple of years ago, the V4B and one of those 212 cabs was one of the best rigs I heard. I don't think there's any doubt that its worlds better than any of the super lightweight class D heads. Does it have enough juice to deliver what you need?
As someone who has both, no doubt I prefer the V4B tonally, but I do like having an 800w head that weighs 12 lbs, even though I never even come close to using all of it when I use it. Hell, I don't even use all the V4B can give me!
Love V4Bs. I prefer them to SVTs. But they're still too much for me to want to schlepp around. Give me small, modern, and lightweight any day for around town gigs. I can get the grunt with my Xotic BB stomp. I was using a Markbass LMII with the BB and it sounded killer--got many comments on how "tube-ampy" it sounded.
I loved my V4B tone but it simply ran out out of gas. Loud band tho. If you need headroom think twice.
Depends on how clean you want to be. The v4b breaks up around 11 o clock on the gain with the master dimed. For me thats about as loud as our drummer so thats perfect. The svt breaks up in about the same spot but is alot louder.