car amplifiers for bass?

BassChuck · #1 01-10-2011, 08:05 PM

Anyone try using a car amp to play bass? Seems like the power and specs are good. Is there something I'm missing?

elgecko · #2 01-10-2011, 08:10 PM

They run on 12V?

will33 · #3 01-10-2011, 08:11 PM

D/C power, hugely inflated power ratings, I'm sure there's more, assuming you're using it as the poweramp with a external pre and real instrument or live sound speaker, not car subs or stereo speakers.

johnk_10 · #4 01-10-2011, 08:14 PM

this topic comes up about once a month on talkbass. it can be done, but i guess the question is, why?

also, about once a month someone asks if they can use car sub speakers for bass.

lpdeluxe · #5 01-10-2011, 09:53 PM

Here's the crux of the biscuit:

Have you LISTENED to the bass you hear from car amps?

If you STILL want to try it, are you nuts???

maevinj · #6 01-10-2011, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnk_10

this topic comes up about once a month on talkbass. it can be done, but i guess the question is, why?

also, about once a month someone asks if they can use car sub speakers for bass.

More like once a week.

T-Bird · #7 01-10-2011, 10:30 PM

Hi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by maevinj

More like once a week.

It used to be less frequent, but there's been a more threads lately. By the same OP IIRC though.

I guess every DIYer has tried, or at least thought about it, but quickly the reality hits

.

Regards
Sam

Ski3223 · #8 01-10-2011, 10:34 PM

Haha I regularly use a headphone amp through computer speakers to jam with my brothers at my parent's house when I'm visiting so I don't have to drag my amp around. Doesn't sound incredible, but its perfectly functional. Actually, cuts through like a knife too!

dougie · #9 01-12-2011, 03:34 AM

Tried it using 2 x 500w car subs,sounds total ****,frequency ranges arnt low enough despite the makers claims.

OOZMAN · #10 01-12-2011, 03:47 AM

My experiment...
Making an amp out of a car amp + a cab.

Have you connected the REM to the power wire?

Blacksack · #11 01-12-2011, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Bird

Hi.

It used to be less frequent, but there's been a more threads lately. By the same OP IIRC though.

I guess every DIYer has tried, or at least thought about it, but quickly the reality hits

.

Regards
Sam

everyone is feeling the pinch of the world economy this year you gotta save pennies where you can hence the increase in Damage It Yourself'ers even i've picked up the hammer and nails recently to try and save a cab most would of binned

OOZMAN · #12 01-12-2011, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blacksack

everyone is feeling the pinch of the world economy this year you gotta save pennies where you can hence the increase in Damage It Yourself'ers even i've picked up the hammer and nails recently to try and save a cab most would of binned

Punctuation, man...

dougie · #13 01-12-2011, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blacksack

everyone is feeling the pinch of the world economy this year you gotta save pennies where you can hence the increase in Damage It Yourself'ers even i've picked up the hammer and nails recently to try and save a cab most would of binned

Very true....im using a Hartke 2x10 recovered in cloth nicked from work and a peavey 1810 covered in cheapo cord carpet...

mophead · #14 01-12-2011, 06:24 AM

I would rather carry an amp power cord than a DieHard and booster cables.

And don't forget to bring lots of 8 ga cable to power the car amp. Be sure you have a good ground also, just drive a steel rod in the stage through the slab and into the earth. Should work fine.

"Hey Dude, Can you pull your van close enough to the back door so my cables will reach. Thought I could do the whole gig on one charge."

dogofgod · #15 01-12-2011, 06:34 AM

Good luck! BTW, Why not just buy a cheapo practice amp and overdrive it like a mother. I bet the sound will still be better than the cars amp. Just a thought...

GCool · #16 01-12-2011, 07:04 AM

here use this one only $1799 and 20kwatts!

http://www.audioque.com/aq/?page_id=261

T-Bird · #17 01-12-2011, 10:02 AM

Hi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blacksack

everyone is feeling the pinch of the world economy this year you gotta save pennies where you can hence the increase in Damage It Yourself'ers even i've picked up the hammer and nails recently to try and save a cab most would of binned

Exactly.

When I did my experiment in the 80's the usable W/€ ratio between car amplification and MI amplification was about 1:5 (new or used, doesnt matter), and still we thickheads did it.
It's now something about 1:10, and yes, there's still some people who insist on trying.

Nothing wrong with trying, especially if the equipment is dumpster-dived, but the numbers unfortunately don't lie.
There's also nothing wrong with being thickheaded, just makes life more "interesting".

Regards
Sam

billfitzmaurice · #18 01-12-2011, 10:15 AM

Most who ask this question think that it's a economic way to get an amp. It isn't. Car power amps are cheap because they have no power supply, no pre-amp, no road worthy case. Add those all in and your out the door price is no less than what you would have paid for a bass amp, and you had to cobble it all together yourself.

D-Nut · #19 01-12-2011, 12:08 PM

After you're done hooking everything up, wire an aux send to a DVD player and record yourself playing so you can watch it later.

OOZMAN · #20 01-13-2011, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogofgod

Good luck! BTW, Why not just buy a cheapo practice amp and overdrive it like a mother. I bet the sound will still be better than the cars amp. Just a thought...

So, so wrong, my friend.

To all who say it is not drastically cheaper, you have obviously never tried it.