Anders

I have about the same preferences as you I would think.It seems to me like you would be blown away by a Fender superbassman,or a Mesa/Boogie all valve amp.Maybe an Orange AD200MK3 with a good cab.(Not Orange cabs in my opinion),or an Ampeg SVT. I can't understand how just about all the promo videos of the Superbassman only focus on the distortion.The clean sound is really "uncoloured",fat,clean,big and transparent in a way.Great sound. I have an Orange AD200MK3 and an Ampeg SVT Classic,they are both a little bit coloured in the sound,especially the SVT,but I like the sound of both of them.I really like the power tube compression from the Orange.

A 4x12 with 3 12's in a stack facing forward and one facing right ,for the drummer.This is an idea I heard from a tech here in Sweden owning a bass/guitar repair shop. Maybe not behemoth enough? Maybe 4x15 with the same layout?

[quote name='donslow' timestamp='1428832552' post='2744902'] .......store and transport your heads?! Just acquired a (new to me) SVT 2 pro head and as you know, it's a beast of an amp, I got a flight case as part of the sale but am reluctant you use it for several reasons It's heavy as sin and doesn't help with transporting the head itself being heavy and awkward to carry It's not side vented and I have read that this can cause overheating issues when using the amp So my question is this, what do you guys use for transporting and storing yours?! I've been looking at rack bags as I figure it can be slung over the shoulder for transporting which may make things marginally easier but again, the side vented issues are a concern and I haven't found one with vents in the sides...........yet I have also considered getting just a regular, sturdy yet padded bag for transport and storage and using the head outside of anything From anyone's experience, what are good, bags / cases for these heads that can be carried over the shoulder or as a back pack or similar, really looking for an easier way of transporting whilst keeping it protected but if I can get something like that with side vents, all the better Thanks in advance [/quote] There are some cases like this one: I've seen some owners taking the handles away for better ventilation,but others that hasn't.It's built by Ampeg so it should work with the handles in place I would think.

My experience with NOS tubes is that some amps are built for the tubes to make a difference in sound and some not so much.I haven't owned or switched tube in a Mesa walkabout,so I don't know what new tubes will do.Also,I would recommend TAD's premium tubes.Send them an email and tell them what you want.They have given me the most honest answers ,and I have bought from watford valves and alot of others.At least that's my experience regarding tubes.

Hi I've bought some valves from Watford valves,preamp and powertubes.If you're looking for sound differences to non-treated tubes,I doubt you will hear any difference.Perhaps they live longer. I find the TAD tubes just as good or better.They test the tubes in many ways that ensures a long life and above all ,what they recommend works in my experience.They know what they are talking about when you're looking for a sound or a character. http://www.tubeampdoctor.com

I use a Tecamp M115 4Ohm cab at the moment.I'm sort of into the same kind of thinking as you I guess,a powerful amp and a small cab(or two if needed). I have heard the same thing from a very respected tec in Gothenburg,Sweden-you can use a single 8Ohm cab with the Ampeg SVT-CL as long as you're not pushing the amp near full volume.It will make your powertubes wear out faster though. I'm now selling a L410 8Ohm cab which I used a little bit,and I have used a rental rig which had a single svt210cl 8Ohms without problems. If I were you I would look for a 4Ohm cab with fullrange sound in the end. For the sound part,I always crank the Volume to 10 and then adjust the output with the gain-knob.In my experience I have tried many Gain/master settings but never noticed a big difference between the hi gain distortion vs the poweramp-distortion on that amp.I have used plenty of different preamptubes and 6550 Sovtek and 6550 JJ.The sound is different in every setting but it's hard to say if it's the preamp or the poweramp distorting.

If by better cab you mean a cab that actually works better I would not go with Ashdown that's for sure,from the ones i've tried.I would wait for the right one which may be a bit more expensive to come up.

[quote name='dave74200' timestamp='1405375276' post='2501468'] The 2 pro is better than the 4 IMO but it's ludicrously heavy. [/quote] I agree. If you can find out how well that 2 pro has been taken care of.If it's been serviced lately I wouldn't hesitate.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1397751028' post='2427103'] Nah...I've heard that...its more than that, plus tube life, the way it is tested, the age of the amp, all make a difference. You get a fantastic warranty with Orange as well Not knocking Matamp, as they are obviously superb, but if you like the Orange, you may as well just get one. [/quote] I agree. If anything I find the AmpegSVT CL and Orange AD200MK3 are more alike in sound character.Fat, meaty sound,Matamp is a different sound,more Mesa/Boogie,actually very much like Mesa Boogie Bass400(non plus)-Mesa/boogie Buster200.IMO. When using a clean sound,or next to,I think maybe the Ampeg has more tonal possibillities in the midrange-top.The Orange has more one clean sound in midrange and top,just more or less midrange and more or less top IMO. Also,next time I'm buying an amp,cab or both,if I would hear the combination I like in a decent room I will buy those very things and NOT something like those things.Exactly the same specs,and save tons of time and money.But that's me.

I also have a CL. I have tried a few different preamptubes.They all have given some kind of distortion with the gain-knob on full.I have noticed that it makes quite some difference what preamptubes you use,but I have never tried a 5751 for instance,or even lower gain. http://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/shop_Other_brands_OEM_Tubes_Preamp_doubletriodes/5751_GE_NOS_USA_3348 Maybe the previous owner put some very low-gain preamptubes in it.It's easy to check.Unscrew the 4 screws on top and carefully pull the frontplate out until you can reach the two preamptubes.

Hope it works fine,jonnpip.As I understand,those cabs are 3-way(or more?) I read somewhere or heard from someone that one 12 goes low but the other one is beneath that first one.I'm not sure which one you exchanged,the low or the lowest if that is the case.

I would suggest TKS. As you use a 5 string and still want to have a small and lightweight cabinet. I know there are plenty of good cabs around but Tommy at TKS have always helped me out and brought the best option when I wanted to get a specific sound from the rig.The best thing with his cabs I think is their verastility.Warm sound,deep controlled bass,a perfect mix of studio-monitor and rock/blues/metal bass cabs. www.tks.se

[quote name='indiegrungesound' timestamp='1375900244' post='2167199'] Just followed the Thomann link. The price does seem a little steep.:-S I'll just have to wait for that lottery win I guess!... ;-) [/quote] Eh,I guess you're right.Compared to prices of Bergantino cabs for instance at bassdirect it's not that cheap. I hope the prices will come down after a while.(Or ,not increase)I was comparing to the prices of Aguilar and others at Thomann. http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Berg_HD_112_210_410_212.html

[quote name='Icunningham' timestamp='1375831544' post='2166372'] Being an ampeg fanboy I'm really looking forward to the 2x12, I've been looking for a smaller cab and this one really appeals to me. I just hope it's not horrendously expensive [/quote] Agree. I have the same thoughts and the same plan. It's a pretty fair price at Thomann IMHO. On the other hand I wouldn't mind two of the some what bigger(total volume) SVT112.More lowend hopefully,and the abillity to split them for small club gigs. [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/ampeg_misc_bass_cabinets.html"]http://www.thomann.d...s_cabinets.html[/url]

Or could it be a preamptube or even the new 12ax7 tube? I'm not sure,but i've heard preamp tubes going bad making all sorts of different sounds,also bad cables(especially fried egg-sound).Just a thought.

I was going to write something but realised it was the 2226H i have experience from.

[quote name='Johnnyc' timestamp='1373528294' post='2138525'] Thanks Will definitely do a review but I'm gonna wait a couple weeks till I can gig it; next show is on the 26th so I'll get one done soon after that. [/quote] Excellent!

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1373452699' post='2137687'] They look very professional. Not heard of this maker before; is there a website for them? [/quote] I think his facebook page is in english. By the way,he makes fantastic cabs,I have two of them.(TKS212 and TKS2156) https://www.facebook.com/pages/tks-Engineering/154937774584383?fref=ts

TKS 112 ?

[quote name='Johnnyc' timestamp='1372412439' post='2125375'] Just resurrecting this thread to inform one and all that my 69'er will be arriving tomorrow! :0 Can't wait! [/quote] Review please! Can't get too many of those.Oh and congratulations by the way.

[quote name='Bobo_Grimmer' timestamp='1372431244' post='2125709'] Thanks for the advice guys. i had the valve tested and it is duff. Next thing is to find a replacement. Thing is i guess valves are in matched pairs. Now the new svt cl has two bias controls. one for the left hand set and one for the right hand set. now if they are in pairs how does that work? Does that mean i need to find out how they are paired and replace the pair or do i need to replace the three on the left? Can you get matched sets of three? I'm confused as to how this works... [/quote] I know the stores selling tubes advertise selling them in pairs for the SVT,and I find that confusing too.I don't know why for instance TAD does that.Especially as they are the best store I know when it comes to recomending the right tube for you,and keeping good quality,tested tubes. So,like Mr. Foxen said replace all three,is probarbly the easiest way to get them matched.You can ask the dealer about what info he needs.Or maybe you can even send the three tubes to be replaced.

If you like SVT 2 Pro I would suggest Orange AD200MK3 instead of Matamp,they have the same creamy,smooth sound with midrange warmth and bottomend punch as the Ampeg.But different flavour.You save about 20 pounds of weight and get a little less headroom,not much less.(And the Matamp is not louder than the SVT,atleast not when I tried them side by side) I know build quality is something else,but coming from that amp it's not so bad.Matamp is a better more well constructed amp but with a sound that is more similar to Mesa/Boogie with a Marshall-like distortion IMO. I have owned an amp like yours,a Matamp GT200,and tried several AD200MK3.The Orange sound better and meatier if you get your hands on one made recently IME.They have a slightly different Output-transformer I believe.

Micro VR stack? Atleast quite similar sound,very portable and sounds about the same on all volumes.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1364102906' post='2021907'] It's some sort of carbon fibre, I think. [/quote] It certainly looks like carbon fiber anyway,more so than the TE tolex.I'm it's high quality stuff.