The Steel Guitar Forum

Could someone please tell me whats the difference between a Nashville 400 and a Session 400?
Thanks.....Darrell

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Electronically, a bunch. Don't have schematics in front of me, but the preamp and power amps are both very different from each other. Oddly, the NV400 and Session 500 have almost identical power amps.

I think the Session 400 and the Session 400 LTD have the same dimensions, and if my s400LTD is any indication, the Session has a substantially bigger cabinet to the sides of the speaker. The whole amp is significantly wider than the Nash is. Don't know what difference that makes acoustically, but it sure makes it harder for me drag through doorways on a handcart

Electronically they're quite different. The old Session 400 uses all discrete (individual) transistors in the preamp and power section. The midrange control operates differently in that you can't boost, you can only cut the selected midrange frequency. The old Session 400 also has a different tone, it's got more character and growl, perhaps a bit more musical grit in the sound. They've got a real natural sweetness and warmth to them. There is no power amp or speaker protection circuitry to speak of, other than a thermal switch for overheating.

The Nashville 400 is the newer preamp design that uses opamps instead of discrete transistors. The midrange control is an active quasi-parametric type. It lets you pick the frequency and either boost or cut at that chosen frequency. The power section of the Nashville has a peak limiter in it to protect the amp and speaker.

The Nashville 400 is a small cabinet whose proportions were originally based on the use of a 12" speaker. It doesn't have the deep full bass response of the larger Session 400 cabinet. No matter how much bass you add to the Nashville 400, it still wont give that fullness that only the larger cabinet can acoustically generate. It's smaller and easier to throw into your back seat. But, it is made of very dense partical board so it's quite heavy. I think it's about the same weight as the Session 400 or the new Nashville 1000.

Both great and extremely rugged/reliable clean amps that have proven to be timeless for steel players. I prefer the sound of the old Session 400.

Brad Sarno<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Brad Sarno on 02 April 2004 at 02:49 PM.]</p></FONT>

To answer your question in the simplest manner.... tone. The Sessions and Ltd's sound a lot better IMHO.

Yea, what Bob said.

Brad Sarno

I think the old Session 400's were the best amp Peavey has made to date for the PSG. The LTD was the same amp in a smaller cabinet and therefore less bass response. My second choice would be the Vegas 400. I've used the Nashvilles and never got what I wanted from them.