This is a great sounding amp, and it has plenty of umph for a spirited jam session. The only issue I had was after about 18 months of pretty much daily use, the power switch failed (couldn't turn it on) - I thought I was outta luck due to it's age, but Sweetwater swooped in and provided me with warranty coverage (thx Alex!). Great amp and even better support from Sweetwater!

This "beast" of an Ampeg, is perfect sound that is definitely just a slightly smaller package It sounds amazing deep punch with clean highs.

This thing sounds awesome, has just enough oomph to play a small gig, plenty of options, line out for running through the PA, FX loop, highly recommended if you still want the SVT tone but don't want to lug around the full size tube amp

Firstly, I only use the head along with the matching 210-AV cabinet, so I can't speak to the performance of the amp head alone.

I have only had it for a few weeks now, so my opinion is not fully formed yet. But, my first impressions are:
It's quality made and doesn't feel cheap. Yet at the same time it's unbelievably light in weight. I mean for a bass amp head, it weighs like nothing! The cab has "some" heft to it, as it should with the 2 Eminence 10's in there. Which by the way, is what I think makes this amp sound as good as it does. I'm really glad I went for this version of the micro over the cheaper one they make for about half the price. I doubt those are the same quality of speakers in the cheaper version.

The tone controls while very basic, work well. I was concerned about the absence of the Ampeg midrange frequency switch, but after using it for about 4 band practices so far, I don't miss it. The Micro VR head and 210-AV cab have a pronounced midrange voice that really brings out the fundamental tones of the bass guitars I own. The Stingray sounds undeniably Musicman, more than it ever has to be honest, with high mids and a punchy bottom. The Warwick 5-string with active single coil pickups sounds rich, deep and clean.

I started playing in a Latin lounge band, I'm going for a clean and warm, kind of smooth Mowtown tone that I think will work well in this genre. With the bass flat at 12 o'clock, Mids cut to about 9 o'clock and Treble cut to 10, this gives the bright sounding Stingray a deep but still articulate sound. I have the Treble turned down all the way on the bass itself with the mids and bass set flat. It sounds perfect!

There are conflicting reviews about this amp as a combo being able to get loud enough for a full band setting. (You can get a second cab for it and then the amp puts out 200 watts as opposed to the 150 watt single cab setup).
I'm using it in a band with a fairly loud full conga percussion section, full drum kit, keyboard and two vocalists. With the gain set at 3 o'clock and the master somewhere between 10 and 11, it is plenty loud and sits very nicely in the mix. Though we are practicing in a living room of a home and not a big auditorium, I'm sure it's filling that entire house with warm bass. I feel confident that when we start playing events it will be perfect. The other thing about this amp, is the quality of the sound. I bought it for it's portability, but then I soon realized I had just purchased another great amp that totally stands on its own as a killer bass amp for any occasion! It really sounds great! My 4-PRO 4X10 combo sounds very "hi-fi", it's unremarkable actually, not much coloration. It just puts out whatever you put in. Which is a good thing. But the little Micro has tons of character. It sounds a certain way. With the pronounced high mid thing that begs to be turned up and pushed to see where you can go, lol.

I'm super happy with it! My main Ampeg 4-Pro weighs like 60lbs alone and the Ampeg 4x10 cab weighs like 75lbs. I cannot lift either one of them by myself.

I can effortlessly put this new micro rig in my hatchback along with my basses and pedal board etc, and I'm good to gig!

Oh and the fan, yeah it's a little on the loud side, but I don't think unreasonably so, not for a band situation anyway. Even when we're not playing I don't hear it.

Some have said their Micros have failed after only a year of use. That worries me some. My 4-Pro has NEVER failed in all the 20 whatever years I've owned it. So time will tell in this new purchase.

Coolest thing ever since...

Bought one of these just to have in house for practice. It has a classic SVT sound not exact but close and satisfying. Remarkable bass response w the Eminance speakers!! Immediately bought another cab as I joined a surf band and wanted something with that classic look but needed more volume. Then thought one cab looked naked and I would be nice if I had a another head as a back up so I bought one. How road worthy are they remains to be seen but they look and sound great have great volume presence for what I need it to do. The sound though is classic Ampeg and I just love playing through this rig!! Cabs are 26lbs and super easy to move. Head is 10lbs. Would love to hear what two more cabs sound w a total of 8 10's!! In stereo!! I had a problem with feet on amp not lining up with holes in cab Sweetwater sent me a replacement and new shipping label and it was timely and super easy. Always a pleasure dealing with Sweetwater vs Musician's Enemy!

This head sounds great. I'm running it through an 115HE cabinet and it does everything I need. Can get very loud but also sounds great at practice volumes. It's relatively small and light, easy to transport.

I've been an Ampeg person for over 45 years. I can't believe it took me this long to try one of these. Classic Ampeg circuit in an adorable package. I leave it in a club where I have a weekly residency. Currently, I am using it atop a 4 ohm single 15 Portable rear-ported speaker cab with a Faital 400 pro. I could not be happier. If you love the Ampeg sound, this will be an excellent purchase for you.

fan is a bit loud other than that it sounds great

The head sounds really good for being totally solid state. It does sound very close to the ampeg svt3 pro I once had, and I like the small form factor as well as the DI out. For smaller gigs (i.e. coffee shop) this would do well. It may even work fine for a place with a nice stage system; however, I struggle to believe that this puts out 200W. I have another 1x8 ampeg ba amp, which is 25W, and this head barely pushes louder than that little amp. Perhaps with the volume AND gain cranked you could get loud, but everything clips like crazy when cranked. 4 stars for a little misleading info on volume (but my sweetwater rep did caution me about this exact thing). For my studio setup, this is perfect

I ordered the SVT Micro VR 200 based on the reputation of Ampeg bass amps and specifically the SVTs, to replace an aging Dean Markley 150-SB head and matching BC-115D cabinet that was popping and crackling. Hoping that the new head would solve my noise problems, I eagerly unpacked it, hooked it up the the cabinet, plugged in my bass and flipped the switch. Immediately, the fan noise was very noticeable, in fact, unacceptable. Not only would the fan noise drive my band mates nuts, it would be very noticeable and totally unacceptable in a recording situation as we do record at relatively low volumes. I was so disappointed that I returned the amp for a refund. I wound up ordering a new Legend 15" speaker for the cabinet from Sweetwater and then just cleaned the pots on the Markley amp with DeoxIT D5 and now, no more popping and crackling. In fact, the old amp sounds as good as ever!

Nice little. Simple, light weight and adequate for small to medium venues. Ampeg tone is there and the price is right.

I bought this amp and cabinets via a personal visit to Sweetwater's Ft Wayne campus over a year ago. I started with a single cab (SVT210AV) which provided plenty of volume for the man cave. With a 150W rating (single cab, 2 - 10") I had enough umpf - but soon added the second to get the full 200W. Why? I rarely play at high volumes, but soon experienced clipping when dialed past 2 o'clock. In my situation adding the second cabinet allowed for more output with cleaner sound.

Other thoughts - very light weight and portable with surprisingly good tone, especially with my ancient Rickenbacker. But in no way does the little amp approach the warmth of my Ampeg PF-50T. I am not a pro, and at this age my hearing range has decayed a bit - but I sometimes crave the difference between this vary capable SS rig and the sweet rawness of tubes. (My Lakland Skyline Hollowbody 34" w/flats has a very different personality with the '50T.)

In my opinion the SVT Micro VR perfectly suits most needs and has a place for almost everyone.

A big shout out to my knowledgeable sales engineer Greg Baum! Outstanding service by Greg and the Sweetwater team.

Soooo....... I've spent thousands on gear to get the right "tone". Custom cabinets, cool preamps, super clean power amps. Been gigging on a system for the last couple years that I thought was the most awesome rig on the planet! ...all the while, nobody comes up and compliments me on my tone... Then, I get this head... I'm not lying to you, The VERY FIRST GIG I used this on (coupled with the SVT 210AV) no less than 4 people come up to me and tell me how awesome my tone was!! Honest to God!! I guess I've had it wrong all these years. I had to run it through the PA for a little bit more power, but it sounded great! I've become a fan! My first for real Ampeg amp! I'll probably get a second 210AV to give me more air movement on stage, but yeah... This thing delivered! Now I have to go rethink my life and figure out how to buy more Ampeg. The wife is gonna kill me...

I bought, along with one of the matching 2x10 cabs, this for the reason that many did. I nice little practice amp and it is just soooo cute! I never had any misconceptions about trying to gig with it. This was for learning songs while sitting at the computer. I did take it to some quiet practices.

For what I mentioned above the rig was OK. Easy to carry about. The head is voiced a bit thin so don't be surprised if you have to adjust the bass a lot.

A year ago the band had a job coming up at a place where volume was just not an option. By this time I had gotten a second speaker. The forums mentioned that stacking the speakers on top of each other like a 4x10 column was successful. I can agree with that after actually trying it. However, this is where the forums also proved accurate about the short comings of the head. It can't really handle the 4 ohm load despite the manufacturer's power rating. It started running hot and I was not getting enough volume for what I needed. I also noticed that the red peak light is in no way accurate - by the time it comes on you are already well above where you should be.

So, the rig was retired to just tooling around in the basement.

Then last night it just died. I doubt it is covered by any type of warrantee.

Keep in mind that this is NOT a cheap amp! For the same price you can get an Ampeg Porta-flex 350 which is a lot nicer. And for not too much more the PF-500 with a lot more features...

The head is way over-priced. It doesn't have the mid frequency switch like better Ampegs have, the head phone jack doesn't switch off the power amp, it is voiced thin, the 200 watt rating is exaggerated and won't handle 4 ohms, the peak light lies, there is no direct out, and then it breaks.

For the money, and admittedly fantastic styling, Ampeg should really take this back to the designing board. Not as an entry level practice amp (the 100 watt mini fills that job) but rather something more upscale.

But - it is REALLY CUTE!! :-)

This is a quality product at a very good price.
We buy all of our gear at Sweetwater because they offer competitive prices on quality products and professional service. Nick Church (our rep) is Excellent!

I had a catalinbread sft going into a quilter 201. I loved the sound so much I decided to just get an ampeg. I was planning on spending more, but I just love the micro vr. I play in drop c and the eq seems to lend itself to that very well. I wish it had just a hair more gain on tap, but I have a pretty low output guitar and generally like higher gain. A boost pedal takes care of that. It nails the homme tone.

One of the Best Investments I've EVER made !!!

I had this for less than 2 years, Had to send it back to be repaired because there was no output. This happened to me once before but i was able to unplug the amp for 15 mins and plug back in and i think it "reset" some sort of safety feature, i don't really know for sure,but I know the last time there was no output that fix didn't remedy the problem. they ended up sending me a "new" one, and that one ended up just being a lemon to making HORRIBLE distortion right out of the box. Appears these things are built to fail. other than that it was a great little amp, very disappointing I will no longer be able to use..Just buy a full tube head if you are going with Ampeg

This little amplifier sounds great, but at high volume it breaks up.

I have a very tiny studio,but that wouldn't have stopped me from buying a full ampeg stack,thought I would save some money though, and bought this and the matching cab, and I record with the built in di that I have no complaints about,no noise or anything,and a sure Beta 52A on the cab, sounds amazing! Honestly a whole lot better using a smaller amp in my studio not having all those standing waves. I'm kind of an all tube guy when it comes to amps but this lil guy is a beast. You won't be disappointed ,and its very loud if you need it to be and can get a little grit if you need to as well. Sounds very tight and smooth,everything you'd expect from ampeg, defiantly recommend the matching cab for it as they designed it to be like a mini 8x10

At 9.9 pounds it surelu packs a punch. Yes it is solid state but it still captures that SVT tube tone. Great job Ampeg! I play through a large FOH system so I don't have to be loud on stage. I basically needed a great tone to be boasted out front and this little amp gets the job done. I strap on my gig bag and walk in with my head in one hand and my matching 2x10 Ampeg cabinet in my other hand and I'm set up in like 5 minutes, Sure beats the old 8x10 cabinets from yesteryear. Plus I can load everything in the back of my Hyundai Sonata. Can't be happier.

It delivers without question. Ampeg has stayed in the arena with everyone else when it comes to lighter weight, good power and big sound. Go to a local store and check one out. Awesome rig. Very satisfied

This no frills "micro" bass head from Ampeg seems like a winner so far. It solidly delivers that classic Ampeg thump in a very portable package. I was tired of lugging my 400lb bass rig everywhere and was looking for a small amp to use at practice, small venues and studio settings. This baby does the trick and is very light and portable. I added the 2x10 cabinet that Ampeg pairs with the micro head and the package rocks. This amp does have it's limitations though and it would be easily overwhelmed in anything bigger than a small venue or practice studio. But what it was designed for, a smaller very portable and lightweight package that sounds great , it succeeds hands down. Now, the real test with any amp is how it holds up over the years and I've owned this three weeks now so we'll see.

It's like carrying your lunchbox around, so light and manageable as compared to most heads of comparable watts. It produces great sound with a nice amount of room to dial in your perfect tone. If you play fairly aggressively it will clip quite frequently (almost constant), but I guess that's what clipping is designed to do. Besides the benefits already mentioned, it is a totally cool looking rig when sitting upon its counterpart speaker cab. It looks like someone put a full size stack in the dryer for too long, lol.
I would definitely recommend this over a combo all day for someone in the 200 watt market.

My Fender Jazz Bass sounds excellent through this little baby. Both of my Taylors with the Expression System (added a bit of analogue chorus through the loop) are incredible.

And as far as a "surround sound" system for my plasma panel, I mike it with a SM-58 on a boom stand and run this through the VR, two 2x10s and a 4x12 1967 Bandmaster elongated cabinet. BadAss.
Thanks. Have not used an Ampeg sine 1980. My friend had a V-4. Miss it. K.M.

This little amp is amazing! Very light to carry, Tons of tone and lots of power. Sounds good with one or two of the matching cabinets! This amp has worked great in small and medium sized clubs. I have even used it outside and it worked well. If you are looking for a system that is compact, light and easy to transport don't hesitate to purchase this amp!

Great solid state tone. Very lite weight. Pairs well with my Mesa Rec as a Stereo Baritone guitar rig.

Killer little practice amp. I love it! Has a great little sound for a 200 watt bass head. I have never played it very loud, I use this as a practice amp in my apartments with its matching 2x10 cab. At low volumes it sounds like an old school Ampeg. If you want to play with a band, buy something else. If you are looking for a moderate volume practice amp with a solid punch, buy this.

It is a great sounding amp, but it holds it's own during practice only if you have two cabinets plugged in.

I'm considering a second one.

I needed a practice amp that would work for small to medium gigs. I'm a old school type of guy, keep it simple. This amp is prefect! Great looks, solid sound with that svt look without the weight. I can't wait to try it out at the gig! Again, sweetwater is the best! P.S. thanks for the candy!

This is a very good head especially considering the size and price. This little guy is just as at home driving full size 4x10 and 8x10 cabs as it is powering the matching 2x10. While running it through an 8x10 it only gets slightly warm (the gk head i had before it would always run very hot). The sound is pretty good but even so i run it through a pretty extensive rack rig to get my perfect ideal sound (a slightly driven svt type of sound with a little more balls)

This is a very nice lightweight amp. I also have a 1970's Ampeg B410 combo and this amp sounds much better (played through the B410's speakers, so it's a good comparison). Also much louder than I expected, so don't think it's just a toy. My only complaints are that the fan is a little loud if you're playing softly and the tolex could be a little more scratch resistant.

very cool product to use as a practice amp, demo recording, or small venues. i have it in combo with the cab, its about 2 feet tall but sounds remarkably like a real svt. not recomended for use with driven guitars and drums, but an acoustic set would be fine. its perfect for an apartment when volume is an issue.