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Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

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  • Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

    Does anyone know the specific differences between these two amps? I have a line on an SS140C for a good price and I wanna know if it'll do what I was hoping to get out of the VH140C....Is it a totally different amp? The reviews at HC make it sound like it has way less gain but on the HC boards people seem to use the two amps interchangeable so I'm hoping someone has some first hand experience with both of them and can give me some insight!

  • #2
    Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

    The SS140C is solid state 140w (70w per side true stereo). It has reverb and stereo chorus. Its 2 channel with an effects loop. It has a fantastic clean channel and a scooped very heavy gain channel. Great for palm muting and chunk. It absolutely sounds like a SS amp which is not a bad thing but it must be mentioned. I gigged with one for around 2 years with a Beatles tribute band and an occasional classic and 80's metal band. It had a VERY hard time competing with a 100w tube amp live. The gain channel would literally dissapear into the mix. i tried everything to get that great tone out where people could hear it live but I had no luck. Then it started smoking during a gig and it crapped out. I had it repaired and eventually sold it and bought my first Mesa Boogie amp.
    Nuff said...
    I believe the VH140C is the tube version of the SS140C.
    Ampeg makes great guitar tube amps but I think they do a better job with bass amps.

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    • #3
      Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

      Hey thanks! I know for a fact that the VH140C is solidstate as well, so that is where my question comes from! But from the sound of it, the SS140C probably has at least the same preamp section....The HC reviews made it out to sound low gain in comparison to the VH140C but you make it sound like theres a ton of gain at your disposal....Damn I wish Ampeg would just email me back with the info!

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      • #4
        Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

        the VH140C is solid state as well. I've heard they're very very similar; there's a VH150 as well, I think the difference with that was that it was a single 150 watt power amp, vs the two 70 watters in the vh140

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        • #5
          Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

          I guess that makes sense. You need to try one. I liked mine enough to buy it and use it faithfully and repair it when it burnt up. SS is not for everybody but it sure has its place. There is also a SS70C so maybe there is also a VH70C. I thought the SS140C that I owned had plenty of gain that was very smooth and articulate. It just didn't cut it live when put along side of a 100w Marshall tube amp. Not by a long shot. When I used it in a 1 guitar band doing Beatles and 70's classic rock it was fine. When I joined the 80's metal cover band it didn't cut it.

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          • #6
            Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

            Got an email from Ampeg....The SS140C and VH140C are pretty much identical, apparently the VH140C preamp is slightly more refined if anything, but the difference is more or less unnoticeable...

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            • #7
              Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

              So I guess the VH140C also has reverb and stereo chorus.

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              • #8
                Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

                even the ss 140c changed it's sound in it's production...i own two heads from two different years...both have the sparkly blue cloth but different ampeg logos...and they sound quite different...a few of my friends have had the vh-140c...the biggest difference i heard was a little more low end and the reverb is more prevalent...my .02 ...d.m.
                http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Devane.ASP

                http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Torquestra.ASP

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                • #9
                  Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

                  i just bought a VH-150, just came in today...recorded a clip if anyone's interested in hearing: http://www.digitalsoundplanet.com/Me..._000029302.mp3

                  this is with the gain at 5, btw

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                  • #10
                    Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

                    nice!!!! fuck yeah,love Death!!!!!!! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] someone is selling a VH-150 for 275 bucks...is that a good deal?

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                    • #11
                      Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

                      any way you can do another clip for more gain?

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                      • #12
                        Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

                        haha you need more gain? at 5 there's a ton, and it really doesn't noticeably increase that much any higher....i'll probably do another recording with it sometime relatively soon, but that could be as much as a week from now....i doubt i'd get around to it much sooner.

                        i paid $400 for mine, btw, and it's the older style with the knobs on the top, not the more marshallish-looking one. for $275 i'd say go for it!

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                        • #13
                          Re: Ampeg VH140C vs. SS140C

                          [ QUOTE ]
                          haha you need more gain? at 5 there's a ton, and it really doesn't noticeably increase that much any higher....i'll probably do another recording with it sometime relatively soon, but that could be as much as a week from now....i doubt i'd get around to it much sooner.

                          i paid $400 for mine, btw, and it's the older style with the knobs on the top, not the more marshallish-looking one. for $275 i'd say go for it!

                          [/ QUOTE ]

                          ahhh!! if only I had the cash!!! but thank you for the clip,that so made my night!

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                          • #14
                            I have an Ampeg VS 140 C that has a problem with the volume balance between the "Chorus" mode and the normal mode. The normal signal is about 20% compared to the "chorus" signal. There is a gain control located on the chorus PCB. But in order to even use the amp it needs to be set on "10". There is something going on in the chorus board I believe. I have tested the (2) power amps and they are both equal in output. Has anyone else had this same problem with either the VS 140 C or the SS 140 C?
                            Thanks for any help!!!
                            Ed at EFEX Electronics

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                            • #15
                              the chorus circuit on my main ss140c has had to be repaired on three separate occasions...definitely something not quite right about it...as for yours? mine never did that...best bet would be to try and find a schematic or a really great amp repair shop that has a little bit of experience with them (wizard electronics in atl worked on mine twice and it was another shop, logical audio, that actually finally fixed the issue)...what they did i don't know...d.m.
                              http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Devane.ASP

                              http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Torquestra.ASP

                              Comment

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