Ampeg SVT-6

Lots of features, more thsn I need. But what a bad decision to buy this amp. Definitely not the volume I was expecting. Within a few weeks after delivery there was popping, scratching. hissing coming from it. Sent it back, got it replaced for a new one and that was ok, for a while. Then the same again. Then a constant hum & more hissing, popping farting etc. Very, very, disappointing! My first ampeg and I thought I couldnt go wrong with Ampeg!

Sounded good before all the other horrible noise started!

Maybe third time lucky....?

Yeah, they were helpful. But I want my money back.

Dont do it!

Ok, So I just bought this amp this morning. Dreamt about it all night go to the music store, buy it. I take it home with a NEW Ampeg 8x10 Classic Cab.
Plug it in, turn it on and WOW. Clicking, poping sounds along with fluxuating volume as I move the Gain and the Master volume. Clicking and poping continues, turn it down and still crappy sounds.... Try different working Speaker cable, different Bass, differnt bass cable. Still Crappy sound! CRAPTASTIC! Take it back to the Music store plug it in and test it still makes Donkey sounds! Not sure what the deal is here but I will say this. Its a little scary purchasing What is supposed to be the BEST and come to find out I had a bad unit. Hopefully this doesn't happen to anyone who orders online! You Will Be screwed! Buy from your local dealer so you can have some support when you are giving your arm and leg for an Amp now made overseas!
Damn this pisses me off to no end! KEEP things in AMERICA if its supposed to be American made (STAY TRUE) you corporate slobs, trying to cut costs and unemploying your fellow America is not the answer for quality!

Ok, So I just bought this amp this morning. Dreamt about it and researched for months. I go to the music store, buy it. I take it home with a NEW Ampeg 8x10 Classic Cab. Now mind you, this is a very trust worth music store.
Plug it in, turn it on and WOW. Clicking, poping sounds along with fluxuating volume as I move the Gain and the Master volume. Clicking and poping continues, turn it down and still crappy sounds.... Try different working Speaker cable, different Bass, differnt bass cable. Still Crappy sound! CRAPTASTIC! Take it back to the Music store plug it in and test it there. It still makes Donkey sounds! Not sure what the deal is here but I will say this. Its a little scary purchasing What is supposed to be the BEST and come to find out I had a bad unit. Hopefully this doesn't happen to anyone who orders online! You Will Be Screwed! Buy from your local dealer so you can have some support when you are giving your arm and leg for an Amp now made overseas!
Damn this pisses me off to no end! KEEP things in AMERICA if its supposed to be American made (STAY TRUE). Corporate slobs, trying to cut costs and unemploying fellow Americans is not the answer for quality! Music Store is rush ordering me a new one, so now the wait is on. I really hope it works. I will repost as soon as I have a working head!

I bought the Ampeg SVT6 Pro because I needed more power. I owned an Ampeg VT22 in the seventies and my appreciation for it probably influenced my choice. In terms of power, buying the SVT6 solved the problem. I wanted something fairly basic in terms of controls, and this amp seemed to be a good compromise. There are bass and treble controls, each coupled to a boost button, plus a four band quasi-parametric equalizer. There's a built-in compressor and a variable tube voltage function. It seemed to be a well thought out desigm

I play retro rock using two basses...a Jay Turser Beatle Bass and a one-off 25 1/2" Telecaster bass with three humbuckers. I was expecting the Ampeg to sound at least as good as my previous Peavey Mark IV, probably cleaner, as I'd been flashing the clipping indicators regularly on the old amp. Frankly, this amp is a disappointment. No amount of tweaking controls and experimenting with the parametric equalizer has yeilded anything worthwhile. The sound is muddy....a blurry rumble that sounds authoritively deep, but lacks any definition. My bandmates are telling me they can'y hear me, even though I can play at ear bleeding volumes with no distortion. I'm now considering going back to my twenty five year old Peavey and using the Ampeg just as a slave.

I'm reasonably sure this amp would be bulletproof. Although it's made in Vietnam (contrary to what Long and McQuade Music claimed as USA made) the construction and feel of the controls suggests good quality. I've only rehearsed with this amp a short time, but if it was satisfactory sounding, I'd gig it without a backup.

It's too new for me to have an opinion of customer support.

I've been playing guitar and bass for over forty years and build custom instruments as a sideline. I've always had a preference for Fenders. I went into the store asking for a Fender bass amp, and now desperately wish I'd walked away and found another retailer that stocked the Fender. If this amp was stolen today, there's absolutely no way I'll ever touch another Ampeg. This is the single most expensive piece of electronics I've owned, and I'm suffering buyers remorse bigtime. As csoon as the last payments made, I'll get something better and turn this one into a doorstop.

The Ampeg SVT6 Pro head is great! I bought it brand new in 05/07. It is american made. Once you learn how to use all of the features, this thing screams or else, shakes the place apart, or both, you choose. It has seemingly endless possibilities. I like the built in compressor and the variable tube voltage. I also like the parametric eq. The volume can be at full, but the power is derived by using the eq and the gain. I find that all the dials are important. It took a little while and I'm sure there is a lot more to find out about this head, but I think this thing is phenomenal!!!

I am playing a stock American Jazz Bass through the SVT6, into a home made cabinet with 2-12" Eminence, Delta Pro 12A's, at 400 watts RMS each.
The cabinet is a copy of an old West bass cabinet. These speakers handle the lows and high very well and the cabinet is boss.

The amp is very durable, but with any amp that has tubes, I think everyone should have a back up.

No troubles of any kind. Ampeg was very helpful answering all of my initial questions.

I started playing in 1970 but I took a long break from playing. If I had to shop all over again, I would turn to Ampeg first because I have always liked the sound of an Ampeg. Considering how much I like the SVT6 head, I think it is priced about right.

This is an American made 2006 model. It has a lot of knobs and a xlr direct out. Supposed to be 1100 watts, a 300 watt eden blows it away ! I used it at a medium size bar run through a 10,000 watt JBL system. I push a trace 4x10 and a ampeg 18.

I have a musicman Stingray 5 and an American Jazz 5. I play country, blues and Rock. This amp has a weak no balls sound, I am writeing this review to tell you save your money. I have an old 100 watt Ampeg SVT-100 and it will blow this out the back door of the club. I have played Eden, Trace, Peavey, Ampeg, Mesa and this has to be the biggest lemon Ampeg has ever made !!! Fakey colored no balls lost in the mix sound. The new markbass amp are'nt bad but I prefer Eden pr anything, a peavey mark 3 sounds better !! I am giving it a 6 for the supposedly 1100 watts, sounds like 50.

Ampeg's are built pretty good, USA models. They are helpful and courteous on the phone.

Pretty good warrenty and helpful on the phone.

I have been playing a long time and touring. I would never take this to a big gig, might make a good boat anchor !! I just think the Tone is really transparent and refuses to cut through the mix. Buy an Eden or Markbass or even a Mesa, this was an AMPEG disaster, terrible !!