Anyone has experienced this?

[FunkyMan]

(Sorry, bad english) My working band has hired a new soundman, along with his own PA system, he uses the brand Nexus! Yesterday we had a gig, and i went to front of the stage at the soundcheck to see how my bass was sounding and WOW man it was unbelievable, my bass never sounded that clear, punchy and balanced on any bass amp, and i've played on Hartke, Ampeg, Markbass, Genz, SWR etc..

It was a different voice, impressive quality sound, and direct to the board, no EQ or effects, the point here is that honestly i always liked the sound of my bass through audio equipment more than bass amps/cabs.. It's like it always give you more, even with Peavey's SP 2.

I know there's several technical factors involved, but anyone has experienced this?

[domjohnson]

I sometimes put my bass through our PA at practise - but then the lead guitarist always complains its too trebley. (For the record, heres a recording - to be fair, it is quite trebley...Stargazing | Two Limbed Doll )

[TheRealKong]

This ist it! I have four different rigs, and all of them sound incredible good. But The sound of a bass develops in few meters distance to the cab. As You dial Your favourite tone for Your ears, it will just get to the first rows of the audience. After that there the high end gets muted, there is only low frequence. So You have only low end, but no tone at all. If You turn it up, it gets only worser and worser.

By gettin into the PA with a clean sound by DI-Box or symetric pre-EQ - DI-signal to the board (-this is the Sound of your preamp, with all characteristics You like, with tube and everything that's necessary-), You will give the tech a chance to create a great bass - sound out of the PA, that he can hear on his position - and the most people of the audience will be able to hear the same sound.

This is the difference. Take Your rig as the amp for Public Adress just for little gigs, where it's impossible to get over a PA. But in bigger locations with a good PA and a good tech it always is better to get directly into the PA, no EQ, just Your preamp - or use a DI-Box. Your amp, as expensive and well - sounding as it may be, is only "worth" as Your verry own stage - monitor.

A good PA has a huge ammount of power and a frequency-range, that no bass-amp can offer. Lots of people like bi-amping as they see a chance, to split the signal and get the sound they dream of. Even high-end bass-amps are more a compromise, they transfer the frequences You need and like to hear. As You know, bass-amps and -cabs try to sound neutral, cabs provide a nerly neutral sound - but some of them colour the sound. Like, let's say, Peavey 410 TVX. They sound a bit more accentuated in mids, this sounds more like "rock", more "heavy". Now think about a GenzBenz ShuttleMax, that has a verry clear, "hi-fi" - sound. In combination with a über-bass - cab You will have a clear sound, that You can color with the EQ-section of Your amp.

Guitar - amps and -cabs color the sound even more! You can't take the sound by DI from a guitar - cab, You always have to take a microphone in front of the cab to get a sound, the guitarist will be satisfied with. If the DI has a good speaker simulation, it is possible to get a good sound.

Try this - but be carefully, even verry carefull: Get directly into a stereo with a bass with neutral EQ - You will have a beautifull sound. Try this with a guitar and You will miss anything, that makes a good guitar sound. Not enough high end, and the distortion - if you talk about distortion sound by meaning guitar sound - will destroy the tweeters of the stereo.

[FunkyMan]

Originally Posted by TheRealKong

A good PA has a huge ammount of power and a frequency-range, that no bass-amp can offer.

This!! It's a shame, that type of sound is the one i hear in my head! Thanks for the info by the way!

[WingKL]

@TheRealKong, I think there are some misconceptions being repeated here. Bass sounds don't "develop". It's already there coming out of the speakers. The phenomenon you are referring to could be cancellation when reflected soundwaves from nearby walls combine with the direct sound coming from the cab destructively. It could also be caused by speakers not aimed towards the ear level and beaming it's midrange right pass at knee level. You can get PA quality sound from your bass rig if you use a PA quality rig. Check out BFM cabinets. Some of them double as bass and PA cabs and don't need a lot of power to get loud. Check out these videos

[TheRealKong]

Can't tell me, that Your sound is the same directly in front of Your speaker and a couple of steps away from it. The Sound has to develop, and if it's only the mix from the speaker and the reflexion hose (is this the right expression???) in your cab. Also it needs to get a ammount of air to swing which is not possible directly in front of the speaker.

Otherwise the high end gets damped earlier by increasing distance, and, as it is directed, the audience, standing deeper than the stage, has the high end over theyr heads. So they have only mids and low end. But they should have the whole spectrum, shouldn't they?

Here is a link to a german musicians board. You are invited to download the PDF-file on the page the link leads You. On page 39 there is a feature exactly what we are talking about, including graphics. You don't need to talk german to understand the graph.

Artikel: [FAQ] Grundwissen Verstärker + Boxenverkabelung

Although You are invited to take a look on german "Musikerboard"!

No need to look at gear I have to build by myself, I am not good at woodworking. But I took a proper look at BFM cabinets and other cabs that look nice with its its specifications like efficiency and frequency response, but using a horn or a foldet speaker is a matter of taste - and weight. PA's use good analyzers, equalizers, frequence splitting, big power amps (thousands of watt...), and there is a tech in a position where he hears the whole sound - not only that one of the bass, but the whole thing, complete band - and this is the point.

I have enough rigs in good "bassmans standart in a weight I can move, I need a good tech with a good PA and a good understanding of sound - as any of us does.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by TheRealKong

Can't tell me, that Your sound is the same directly in front of Your speaker and a couple of steps away from it. The Sound has to develop, and if it's only the mix from the speaker and the reflexion hose (is this the right expression???) in your cab. Also it needs to get a ammount of air to swing which is not possible directly in front of the speaker.

That's the way the phenomena of boundary reflections and room modes are explained by laymen who do not understand how sound waves function. It's very logical, but totally wrong. WingKL is correct.

[EpiRipper]

If bass sounds actually needed room to "develop", you wouldn't hear any bass in headphones