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AMPEG DIED!


facedown704

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HORRIBLE news since I'm planning on purchasing an SVT-4 pro very soon!

 

 

I'd think you'd be smart enough to take changing fact patterns into account and not be held hostage by decisions made with outdated information. However, based on your post, I doubt you have enough sense to make informed decisions anyway.

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I'm actually intrigued by how the change of ownership will change Ampeg's products...Anybody want to supply me with sufficient funds to buy pre-LOUD Ampeg amps and post-LOUD amps to see if there's any noticeable difference?
:D

 

Hahaha.

 

The only product in particular I have paid attention to is the SVT-VR. At first LOUD's plan was to keep the sourcing of the components to the original OEMs for that product. They have since changed their plan, are sourcing the components in Asia and are refining the components specs over time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with manufacturing in another country if you maintain quality control on the component specs. In this case, the specs aren't quite back up to the original design parameters. For example, I do not believe they have a good Asian transformer being built for that particular amp yet. Once they do (for that component and the rest), there will be no issues.

 

The design has not changed and it is solid, but the individual components may not be quite up to par yet.

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Hahaha.


The only product in particular I have paid attention to is the SVT-VR. At first LOUD's plan was to keep the sourcing of the components to the original OEMs for that product. They have since changed their plan, are sourcing the components in Asia and are refining the components specs over time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with manufacturing in another country if you maintain quality control on the component specs. In this case, the specs aren't quite back up to the original design parameters. For example, I do not believe they have a good Asian transformer being built for that particular amp yet. Once they do (for that component
and
the rest), there will be no issues.

 

I'm not stating an opinion either way (whether or not the product quality will change), I'm just curious to see if it actually does. However, I have personally experienced how the ownership change has negatively affected their repair/service department. I dealt with them a couple of times when SLM owned Ampeg and had nothing but good experiences. After LOUD bought 'em out, I've had nothing but problems with their service. Just my personal experience.

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I'm not stating an opinion either way (whether or not the product quality will change), I'm just curious to see if it actually does. However, I have personally experienced how the ownership change has negatively affected their repair/service department. I dealt with them a couple of times when SLM owned Ampeg and had nothing but good experiences. After LOUD bought 'em out, I've had nothing but problems with their service. Just my personal experience.

 

 

I think that is more than your personal experience. I think that has been the universal experience since the acquisition.

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Hahaha.


The only product in particular I have paid attention to is the SVT-VR. At first LOUD's plan was to keep the sourcing of the components to the original OEMs for that product. They have since changed their plan, are sourcing the components in Asia and are refining the components specs over time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with manufacturing in another country if you maintain quality control on the component specs. In this case, the specs aren't quite back up to the original design parameters. For example, I do not believe they have a good Asian transformer being built for that particular amp yet. Once they do (for that component
and
the rest), there will be no issues.


The design has not changed and it is solid, but the individual components may not be quite up to par yet.

 

 

Considering they weren't using the same circuitry as the original I don't think the switch from the original transformer OEMs means that much.

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Considering they weren't using the same circuitry as the original I don't think the switch from the original transformer OEMs means that much.

 

 

That's another argument entirely.

 

What I am saying is that the transformer originally being used with the first SVT-VRs is no long er being used. They are using a transformer of Aisian manufacture that does not meet the design specs of the original VR transformers. It is currently an inferior version of the amp that was being made last year.

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I think that is more than your personal experience. I think that has been the universal experience since the acquisition.

 

That's too bad, considering how smooth their repair/service department ran under SLM. Hopefully they'll get it right one of these days...

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What I am saying is that the transformer originally being used with the first SVT-VRs is no long er being used. They are using a transformer of Aisian manufacture that does not meet the design specs of the original VR transformers.

 

 

I'm curious as to WHY they are using a transformer that does not meet design specs for the amp? If it doesn't meet specs...then it shouldn't be used...right?

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That's disappointing...the transformer is the heart & soul of a tube amp.


Why are good transformers suddenly so difficult and expensive to make?
:confused:

They were crankin' 'em out like chicklets when I was a lad.

 

They aren't all that hard to do. Obviously it is costly to make custom electronics, so one offs or small runs are expensive, but for a large scale production it isn't that bad. The problem is the change in the supplier. It's a new supplier that needs time to ramp up and get the right product coming off its lines. The disappointment is that they are using the product coming off the lines before it is up to spec. That is, if my source is to be trusted. I trust him, but I am not in the factory and am not testing the units coming off the lines.

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