Have you ever grown tired of your amp?

cybersnyder · #1 08-16-2010, 12:45 PM

I liked my amp setup of a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 and an 8 ohm Acme Low B2 II but last week I used it in a manner well beyond its capabilities. I used it at a practice session for the Raven's Marching Band at their indoor facility which is an indoor football field. Due to the size of the facility, it's like the outdoors with a reverb. No single cab could handle that situation, but the Acme's inefficiencies really became apparent. Before the Shuttle when I used my Acme I used a Carvin DCM1000 and a Bass POD XT Pro. A little more horsepower when bridged, but a lot more weight.

I'm not sure that the Shuttle 6.0 and Acme combo was ever a good match.

Now I need to decide what to boot, what to keep or just do a wholesale restart from scratch. Right now I'm leaning towards ditching the DCM1000 and picking up the lighter version that Carvin has in their current lineup. I like the Bass POD XT Pro even though it's big compared to mini amps now. A lot of versatility in sound and I use the cab modeling to make the Acmes sound like other cabs. I'd also add an additional Acme B2 to gain some more db through speaker coupling.

Cost-wise that would be a wash for the most part, so I kinda like that aspect. I'd also have a cheap but decent PA should I need one as I have a small mixer and outboard effects already.

I'd love to just get an SVT and a 8x10, but it's heavy and the 8x10 won't fit in my Honda Civic trunk. But 2 2x10s and a 4U rack case will.

Or maybe through my rambling I've answered my own question. Keep the Shuttle 6.0 for when I only need one cab. Swap out the Carvin amp for the lighter version saving 17 lbs, and buy another 8ohm Acme B2. Bridged that would give me 1000 watts into 2 B2s which would handle anything I could ever reasonably anticipate as needing.

noahw1 · #2 08-16-2010, 12:57 PM

I have a 6.0 too and use it with 2 2x10" avatar cabs and it gets pretty danged loud. I've seen you on the message boards talking about the 6.0 so I know you've read the threads but have you thought of pairing it with another cab at 4ohms to get everything you can out of it?
Isn't it possible to use the 6.0 as a preamp too? that way you could still get the tone.

trjazzluva05 · #3 08-16-2010, 01:12 PM

Hey man, I would say get rid of the Acme cab. Never played one, but from what I hear, they're not very efficient cabinets. Maybe get an Epifani, Bergantino or one of the Genz Benz Uber cabs.

BigOldHarry · #4 08-16-2010, 01:17 PM

This is not a problem with your rig - - your rig is doing EXACTLY what it's designed for, which is NOT to fill a huge space. You want to fill a big room? You need a bigger rig - simple as that. What you have is a very good setup for small to medium gigs.

cybersnyder · #5 08-16-2010, 01:32 PM

I think what's really holding the smaller rig back is the fact that I'm using a inefficient cab that's also 8ohms. Double whammy.

I'm really not expecting the combo to have worked where I tried it, but it was a "fail" that made me stop and reconsider what I'm using.

The other path I'm contemplating is going with a fEarful 12 6 as built by LDS since I have no tools to build a cab on my own. And I played a Markbass NY 604 and 1501 that sounded really nice together over the weekend. Deep and punchy.

SteveC · #6 08-16-2010, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybersnyder

...fit in my Honda Civic trunk. But 2 2x10s and a 4U rack case will.

It's amazing what you can get in the trunks of those little cars. My wife says she'll miss hers when we trade it in for an Odyssey and she'll get my new Accord Sedan - which also has a nice trunk.

KramerBassFan · #7 08-16-2010, 02:33 PM

Sure.

So i just bought another.

Now i have five lead sleds.

groove pump · #8 08-16-2010, 02:53 PM

Sounds as though you've got a good tone machine, but you're feeling limited in terms of your cabs and power.

I've got a Corolla that forced me to turn in my 4x10 for a pair of 2x10's, but my preamp/power-amp setup runs 1,400 watts bridged into 4 ohms. I don't need or want any more in terms of cabs or power, but the clean channel on my preamp has a really simple 3-band eq., and it's not even semi-parametric or anything.

Since I once had an SWR SM-400 head and that nice preamp layout, I've grown tired of having an eq. that's too simple. I'm actually thinking about getting a low powered head with a flexible front end and using it as my preamp in the future when I need to make bigger sound.

ian_s · #9 08-16-2010, 03:28 PM

I saw that band at the Howard Co. Ag Fest a couple weekends back, and they said they wanted to add a bassist and guitarist. How is that going to be set up? Wireless to a stationary PA?

This is not an ordinary outdoor gig...

cybersnyder · #10 08-16-2010, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian_s

I saw that band at the Howard Co. Ag Fest a couple weekends back, and they said they wanted to add a bassist and guitarist. How is that going to be set up? Wireless to a stationary PA?

This is not an ordinary outdoor gig...

No wireless, too many other wireless devices running and they don't want any interference with the coaches' gear. We're going direct to the board and they'll have monitors for us.

SteveC · #11 08-16-2010, 04:20 PM

Who hasn't? Or tired of their bass, or pedals, or.....

BassmanPaul · #12 08-16-2010, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trjazzluva05

Hey man, I would say get rid of the Acme cab. Never played one, but from what I hear, they're not very efficient cabinets. Maybe get an Epifani, Bergantino or one of the Genz Benz Uber cabs.

With respect, if you have never tried one you really don't know what you are talking about.

In this business there's small, efficient and low. You can have two but never three. Acme cabinets sacrifice efficiency so they can go low. As amplifier power is so cheap (and lately light) that sacrifice is a small price to pay.

OP I agree that you need a second cab. Trying to fill an arena with a 2x10 of any manufacturer is simply not going to happen. I too rehearse with a single B2 in a big band but if I was to play a gig or rehearse in a place such as you describe, i'd use a pair. BTW I own four.

Paul

grovest · #13 08-16-2010, 04:57 PM

TR Jazz's response was very on point. And efficiency isn't something we need hands-on experience to talk about; it is objective.

Bmorefoozler · #14 08-16-2010, 05:05 PM

There is no replacement for displacement. Get another cab and then see what you need.

cybersnyder · #15 08-16-2010, 05:08 PM

Just to make sure I don't sound like the guy that wants to use his 15 watt combo to gig with, I never expected it to be loud enough to fill the arena. But I didn't expect for it to be almost silent when I'm standing next to it. At lower volumes I like this combo but when I was pushing it, it started to sound boxy.

cybersnyder · #16 08-16-2010, 07:19 PM

Problem corrected. Will post pics later tonight.

poorbassist15 · #17 08-16-2010, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybersnyder

Problem corrected. Will post pics later tonight.

What did you get? Tell us!!

cybersnyder · #18 08-16-2010, 08:31 PM

The pictures are sucking. I got a Markbass Tube 800 and a NY 604 cab to use with my Acme Low B2 in a mini vertical stack. It goes low and has a lot of punch. The 604 may overshadow the B2, so I may end up getting a cab to replace the B2 at some point. But I now have a setup that has more watts and most importantly, more decibels. Of course, it has to have tone.

cybersnyder · #19 08-17-2010, 08:16 AM

Playing a little more last night, I think the Acme is going to go and I'm going to get a 15 to go with the NY 604. I really liked that combo when I was trying amps earlier. Can't remember the exact model, but it's a 15 with a tweeter in the Markbass lineup. The 15 and the 604 are really nice together, IMHO. The Acme just isn't adding much when the 604 has a sensitivity rating of 100db and the Acme is at 90db. It's basically an amp stand for the 604.

Thunderthumbs73 · #20 08-17-2010, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybersnyder

Or maybe through my rambling I've answered my own question. Keep the Shuttle 6.0 for when I only need one cab. Swap out the Carvin amp for the lighter version saving 17 lbs, and buy another 8ohm Acme B2. Bridged that would give me 1000 watts into 2 B2s which would handle anything I could ever reasonably anticipate as needing.

No, I've actually never grown tired of my amps. Or cabs. At 2AM after a show, though, I can admit, I grow tired to lugging anything around at all.