Half-Stack?

[BoomHeadshot]

Why can't we get the same volume as guitarists? I mean, guitarist's pick up a 4x12 in this nice convenient square box and that's all they need as far as volume goes. If a bassist buys a halfstack (4x10, 1x15 or 2x12) we get half the volume. If we want a 4x12, it has to be in the same shape as an 8x10, which is a very awkward shape (IMO of course). Why can't we bassists have a square 4x12 cabinet? I understand why our cabinets need to be deeper, but why taller? Someone please enlighten me.

TL;DR
Why do we as bassist's have to deal with far bulkier cabs than guitards?

[DanRJBrasil]

i think the deal is with the frequencies , a guitarist only needs a 100 watts tube and we need 300 tubes, or 1000 ss to get even

[Martin89]

Originally Posted by DanRJBrasil

i think the deal is with the frequencies , a guitarist only needs a 100 watts tube and we need 300 tubes, or 1000 ss to get even

+1, they can push air easier or something like that...

[drewfunk]

High frequencies are easier to produce and more audible than lower frequencies.

[mustbampeg]

Originally Posted by BoomHeadshot

Why can't we get the same volume as guitarists? I mean, guitarist's pick up a 4x12 in this nice convenient square box and that's all they need as far as volume goes. If a bassist buys a halfstack (4x10, 1x15 or 2x12) we get half the volume. If we want a 4x12, it has to be in the same shape as an 8x10, which is a very awkward shape (IMO of course). Why can't we bassists have a square 4x12 cabinet? I understand why our cabinets need to be deeper, but why taller? Someone please enlighten me.

TL;DR
Why do we as bassist's have to deal with far bulkier cabs than guitards?

My 4x12 is in a square box.

[bassplayerbob]

My half stack has no problem running with the big boys on stage,,,,


I just got back from rehearsal with this one:


and my drummer had no problem hearing me over a Mesa half stack.

[GrowlerBox]

A lot more power and speaker excursion is required to reproduce low frequency sound than mids and highs, where guitarists live. While you can obviously get 412 bass cabinets in a square configuration, there are many advantages to having them in upright formation -- closer to your ears, for a start, and better dispersion of the mid and higher frequencies, so you can be heard from more than a few degrees off axis from the face of your cabinet. Of course, this applies to guitar cabinets as well -- if they were upright, they wouldn't have to turn up so loud to hear themselves, and we'd all be happier.

[username1]

Low frequencies need larger cabs and alot more power to produce the same volume levels as higher frequencies. Just look at any pa system, the mid bins and horns are alot smaller than the bass bins and only take a fraction of the power that the bass bins need. Its just the laws of physics.