How Powerful Must an Amp be to Accurately Produce Bass TOnes?

Beginner Bass · #1 11-09-2010, 06:28 PM

I'm looking at lower-priced practice amps, and am trying to find an amplifier that is not only lightweight, but can reproduce my bass's tones well, even if it's not terribly loud. So how large and/or powerful, in your opinion, must an amplifier be to accurately produce a clean, clear bass sound?

Jim Campbell · #2 11-09-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beginner Bass

I'm looking at lower-priced practice amps, and am trying to find an amplifier that is not only lightweight, but can reproduce my bass's tones well, even if it's not terribly loud. So how large and/or powerful, in your opinion, must an amplifier be to accurately produce a clean, clear bass sound?

for practice not too loud....if you plan on using it for playing with others ,then more.....if you want the least expensive option i'd grab one of those 50 buck peaveys that are always floating around on cl or pawns.....if you think you need more then i'd start with figuring out a budget

PhiDeck · #3 11-09-2010, 06:33 PM

Do you have a B string (or a drop-tuner)?
Do you care if the fundamental of your lowest notes is rolled-off?

Beginner Bass · #4 11-09-2010, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiDeck

Do you have a B string (or a drop-tuner)?
Do you care if the fundamental of your lowest notes is rolled-off?

I do use a 5-string. And what do you mean "Rolled off"?

diechris · #5 11-09-2010, 08:25 PM

it depends on how loud you want your amp to produce a note...

sjb64 · #6 11-09-2010, 08:26 PM

A minimum of 2000 watts DB.

PhiDeck · #7 11-09-2010, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beginner Bass

I do use a 5-string. And what do you mean "Rolled off"?

Roll-off refers to the non-flat (i.e. sloping) shoulders of the amplitude versus frequency transfer curve.

Rare is the amplifier-speaker combination that has flat frequency response down to E1 (41Hz), let alone to B0 (31 Hz).

If having the fundamental attenuated, relative to the harmonics, is acceptable to you, your choices are many. Otherwise they are few.

The latter is just as true for gig rigs as it is for a practice combo.

will33 · #8 11-09-2010, 09:45 PM

First things first, what's your situation. Are you practicing at home and plan to have a real band 6 months from now? Have you passed that point and have to get loud enough to play with a drummer, guitar player, singer? Do you have local bar gigs with an occasional "exposure" gig and need to sound good whilst being loud enough to do so?

Beginner Bass · #9 11-10-2010, 05:41 AM

None of the above. I have an amp powerful enough to cut through a full band (Hartke Kickback). I need an amp that I can use for my weekly private lesson. I need an amp that can keep up with keys. I've been using my Behringer, but one of the recurring comments in my lessons from my teacher is "That amp sounds like a cardboard box. You should get a new one." And I couldn't agree more. So I'm on the hunt for a new one. It just needs to be loud enough that it won't sound like crap when competing with an acoustic guitar or piano.

billfitzmaurice · #10 11-10-2010, 06:38 AM

It's not a matter of power, it's a matter of quality. With the gear currently available low power, low price and high quality don't coexist. One should be able to find a very high quality low power rig if one spent enough, but that doesn't fly as it's expected that a high price will get high power along with high quality.

Thunderthumbs73 · #11 11-10-2010, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beginner Bass

None of the above. I have an amp powerful enough to cut through a full band (Hartke Kickback). I need an amp that I can use for my weekly private lesson. I need an amp that can keep up with keys. I've been using my Behringer, but one of the recurring comments in my lessons from my teacher is "That amp sounds like a cardboard box. You should get a new one." And I couldn't agree more. So I'm on the hunt for a new one. It just needs to be loud enough that it won't sound like crap when competing with an acoustic guitar or piano.

Nice for the teacher to make recurrent complaints about your amp.

Acoustic guitar has a certain volume to it. An acoustic piano, depending on size and config of that piano, and whether the top is open or not also has a certain volume to it. I don't think something in the 80-100 watt range would be unreasonable to play with an acoustic piano, and would certainly be more than enough to play with acoustic guitar. Plus it would give you headroom to either get a little louder or run the amp comfortably at a loud enough volume while also not maxing out the rig.

What you need for your band is something else, quite possibly. Or maybe not.

Don't worry about what your teacher says about your amp. Use it for it's portability. That's it's purpose. Get a different amp for performing, and not for lessons.

JimmyM · #12 11-10-2010, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderthumbs73

Nice for the teacher to make recurrent complaints about your amp.

agreed, but in this case he's right

Dan55 · #13 11-10-2010, 08:26 AM

Find a used G-K MB150S. Lightweight, quality, enough balls for alot of situations.

http://www.gallien-krueger.com/products_mb_series.html

Dan

DuhBassMan · #14 11-10-2010, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beginner Bass

I'm looking at lower-priced practice amps, and am trying to find an amplifier that is not only lightweight, but can reproduce my bass's tones well, even if it's not terribly loud. So how large and/or powerful, in your opinion, must an amplifier be to accurately produce a clean, clear bass sound?

Best amp for the buck, size and tone is SWR Workingmans 12 combo amp...HANDS DOWN...

anonymous02282011 · #15 11-10-2010, 08:37 AM

The Hartke kickback is a nice amp.

If your teacher is complaining about your "lesson" amp or "practice" amp (or whatever you want to call it) invite him to bring one of his own or stop bitching.

I'm sure the Behringer DOES sound bad, but it's adequate for lessons.

You don't need a new amp.

Bass_Thumper · #16 11-10-2010, 08:47 AM

I picked up an Acoustic 260 Mini-stack for low-volume practice because I was really tired of my lower-powered, small-speakered practice amp not sounding anything like my gig rig. It's 100 watts and has a 10 in an oversized cab. With my Sans Amp BDDI, it produces a nice, full tone with nice punch. Go test drive one, it may be what you're looking for.

rmkesler · #17 11-10-2010, 09:02 AM

My teacher in college had no problems pointing out the inadequacies of the instrument and gear I brought to lessons and rehearsals. He was right and I learned from it.

WEB01 · #18 11-10-2010, 09:11 AM

I'm in a similar position as Beginner Bass. I'm just learning to play bass but my son has been playing guitar for 4 years and my daughter is an accomplished drummer. My son currently plays on a 15 watt Line6 amp but is eying moving up to a 'band worthy amp' and my daughter could be referred to as a quiet drummer. She comes from a classical percussion background and is not so concerned with just banging out a rhythm as loud as she can. I am learning on a Spector Legend 5 and would like to get an amp that would be able to handle the low B and provide a quality sound that accurately represents the notes that I am playing and would be capable of playing with the kids. I have no great aspirations of playing with a gigging band and I have a budget of about $650 CDN. The music that we are most interested in playing together ranges from Ozzy Osborne to Rush or Van Halen and ???

What suggestions do you have?

Thunderthumbs73 · #19 11-10-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmkesler

My teacher in college had no problems pointing out the inadequacies of the instrument and gear I brought to lessons and rehearsals. He was right and I learned from it.

Yeah. Complain about the inadequacies of a practice amp which is taken to practice, and is used how it is intended to be used? Money well, spent on lessons, I'd say.

The conversation about gear is an important one, but seriously, recurring complaints about the tone of a practice amp used for lessons? Seems like the teacher needs to learn something too...

You would dissagree?

rmkesler · #20 11-10-2010, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderthumbs73

Yeah. Complain about the inadequacies of a practice amp which is taken to practice, and is used how it is intended to be used? Money well, spent on lessons, I'd say.

The conversation about gear is an important one, but seriously, recurring complaints about the tone of a practice amp used for lessons? Seems like the teacher needs to learn something too...

You would dissagree?

I would hate to think that the teacher is harping on the amp to the extent that it detracts from the learning experience and the actual lessons.

The OP agrees with the teacher that the Behringer isn't getting the job done. Maybe it really is that bad.