Looking to thin my heard a bit to fund a new cow So I'm wondering if anyone is interested in my SVT 2 Pro. 300 watts (all tube), power tubes have about 15-20 hours on them and were just replaced early March. It's a USA made blackface unit.
The main reason I'm selling is I have several Ampeg tube preamps that I use more than this, so I feel it is being neglected. It's a gigging amp that would serve anyone quite well.
I'm looking to add a Mesa 400+ to my amp racks since I don't have anything worthwhile representing that company yet. So I will definitely consider a trade that involves one of those (plus a bit of cash from me). I also would consider: outright purchase (make an offer), basses, or special speaker cabs (you'll know if you have one).
Last edited by JackANSI on Tuesday Mar 31, 2015, edited 1 time in total.
I have a 2 non-pro as well as the SVP-Pro (preamp of the 2-Pro) so this seems redundant for me to keep. Overall I like the 2-Pro mostly as a "complete package" that can do anything (great pre and great power). I don't think you could get fired for dragging one of these into any gig. You're going to be able to get a good tone out of it for any type of music.
I use the power section of the non-pro with all the Ampeg, Alembic, Yamaha, etc preamps I have. Less wires to move around that way. The non-pro is next on the bench for new tubes.
I guess I'm a quasi tube freak... I don't think I can fit in the "pure tube freak" category because I won't think twice before grabbing a solid state power section for any of my tube preamps. I'd get my tube freak card pulled for that blasphemy in a second.
I can't speak for the Pro, but the nonpro is definitely one of those tube amps that benefits from higher quality NOS tubes. I currently have some RCAs in the pre section of mine. I recall swapping the RCA in V1 for a Sovtek, and the difference was night and day. The RCA was fuller and much more harmonically complex, even at living room jamming volumes. I have other amps where it doesn't matter if there's a $10 Groove Tubes or a Telefunken in the circuit; there's no discernible difference.
"He's the electric horseman, you better back off!" - old sKool making a reference to the culturally relevant 1979 film.
After the $15 a tube (12ax7) mark I can't hear any difference going up in price. I mean I ~think~ I hear a difference in the moment, but when I listen to the recordings to A/B them I don't hear what I thought I heard anymore.
I know that going by price means I'm basing my opinion on tubes on someone else's "evaluation" (opinion) of the worth (tonal quality) of a tube but it has proven to be an effective method for me (both cost and result based).
I put a new compliment of factory tubes in the pre of this 2-Pro last year, and new factory power tubes earlier in the month. I think the factory tubes are pretty well balanced. I doubt Ampeg would put tubes in that wouldn't appeal to a majority of ears out there.
Yes there are "better" tubes, but tube swaps are pretty personal things. Everyone likes their own tubes. I prefer the gold pin Electro-Harmonix (12AX7-EH). I know plenty of people that hate the top end clarity of them. To use their terms: they aren't as "warm" as many tubes and almost sound "transistor-like" at "clean" drive levels but still have the "tube sound" when pushed. I like the fact they have a seriously tight bottom end with no bad "boom" on the 5 string.
P.S.
Yes I feel I have to quote a lot when talking about tubes so that people know its more of a quote or opinion than an actual fact. e.g. I've learned while shopping for a quality set of headphones that one person's "warm" sound is actually "muddy" to me.
I have both EH preamp and power tubes in a couple of amps and I have been impressed with their reliability. For newly manufactured tubes, I usually gravitate towards JJ. I find them to have a "glassiness" that appeals to my ears. Some my interpret that as lack of warmth, but as you said, this really gets subjective. Their power tubes seem to have more headroom than other tubes, but that could be all in my head.
If you're hunting down a 400+, I urge you to try swapping out the stock 12AX7 in the driver position for a 12AU7. The 400+ is an inherently less clean amp as compared to an SVT. The 12AU7 swap brings down the gain a little bit and allows you to get more clean headroom by pushing the Master. I've gone back and forth on the driver tube in mine, and each has its benefits. By itself, Channel 2 has too much gain for my tastes, but I really like mixing in a little bit of it with Channel 1 for styles of music where a little bit of hair is desirable.
"He's the electric horseman, you better back off!" - old sKool making a reference to the culturally relevant 1979 film.
I'm actually searching for the 400+ because of its drive. I have almost nothing but "clean" amps and preamps. The tone out of the 400+ is generally to my liking and I've exhausted all other options in that vein except to just finally try to get one
If that's the sound you're after, then you definitely have to get one. There are lot of other amps, emulators, and pedals that can get you very close to an SVT or Bassman in terms of sound, but I haven't come across anything that sounds like a 400 series.
"He's the electric horseman, you better back off!" - old sKool making a reference to the culturally relevant 1979 film.
There is no replacement for certain tones. I've tried a few "SVT" pedals and found none of them capture the tone in the entire range that a real SVT can produce. For certain situations certain pedals are too close to call, but that same pedal just doesn't cut it across the board.
When I got my first real Ampeg I wondered why I spent almost as much on buying and selling "emulators" when I could have just had the real thing and the entire range of tonal possibilities.
I know the same thing is true of the 400+ which is why I need to just get one instead of trying to find an emulator that gets "close". Will be a lot cheaper than spending money on emulators that aren't quite the same.
So I'm wondering if anyone is interested in my SVT 2 Pro. 300 watts (all tube), power tubes have about 15-20 hours on them and were just replaced early March. It's a USA made blackface unit.
The non-pro is next on the bench for new tubes.