How you setup your amp?

Bluestribute · #1 01-08-2012, 12:11 AM

Just a general question, but when you play, do you angle your amp? And if so, why? I'm thinking about getting one of those angled pads (keep the amp on the floor =P) but I'm not sure if having the speaker angled up will improve the sound or not

will33 · #2 01-08-2012, 12:15 AM

Middle and high frequencies are more directional than lows are. Angling the amp upward points them more toward your ear so you can hear them better. If you're having trouble hearing yourself, try it. Many times it isn't needed, especially with a taller cab, they'll have a speaker up closer to ear level anyway but with a small cab sitting flat on the floor with the speaker pointing straight forward, a lot of that sound is hitting you in the back of the knees.

JimmyM · #3 01-08-2012, 01:51 AM

I either angle my small cabs up or I use a taller cab or stack of cabs. That way you hear it more as the audience would hear it, otherwise the highs and upper mids blow right past your ears and you don't notice how trebly it is.

Ibanez Bassist · #4 01-08-2012, 08:06 AM

If its available to you get a personal monitor or like a wedge just for you so you can hear yourself, then it wont matter that your amp is facing outward to the crowd..

Bluestribute · #5 01-08-2012, 09:23 AM

So it seems it would be better used for my guitar rig instead of my bass rig. Thanks!

MuzikMan · #6 01-08-2012, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluestribute

So it seems it would be better used for my guitar rig instead of my bass rig. Thanks!

Not necessarily. Bass guitar notes are more than just low end. The mid and high end "overtones" of each note gives it clarity and character. IMO directionality is equally important with bass guitar and electric guitar.

bassplayer8953 · #7 01-08-2012, 09:53 AM

I use the 1x15, 2x10, & bass head that so many here seem to not care for. The 1x15 gives me the bottom end that sounds like bass (should sound) to me, the 2x10 adds some definition, allowing me to hear myself (and elevated to a closer-to-ear level) and of course a 1000 watter providing all the volume I can use. Personally I cannot stand not being able to hear myself in a live setting. And relying on sound guys for a monitor mix, well, good luck with that, IME... Our band plays out at basically the same volume we practice with, so we're kinda/sorta used to ourselves, and we already have a balance. IMO this is important to sounding good, playing out.

Steveaux · #8 01-08-2012, 09:57 AM

I run a DI to the FOH, so my rig is a stage monitor.

MB200 velcro'd to the top of my B210 Neo. It's angled so the drummer and I can hear it ...

wmheilma · #9 01-08-2012, 10:02 AM

If you are playing through a PA that adequately delivers your bass sound to the audience, then you can angle your cab however it sounds best to you. Long ago, I used to put a 4x10 up on something to get it closer to me which worked. Lately, I have been doing a bunch of gigs where the PA is a couple of powered speakers on tripods. The bottom end is not very present with the speakers up on poles, so I bring my own sub and run 1x15 with a 4x8 stacked on top. It sounds great (and fits in my little old Rav4 without any problem).

Bluestribute · #10 01-08-2012, 10:18 AM

I was also reading some other sites on this, and wouldn't having a stand eliminate some of the lower end? Which would make the angled pad better?

MuzikMan · #11 01-08-2012, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluestribute

I was also reading some other sites on this, and wouldn't having a stand eliminate some of the lower end? Which would make the angled pad better?

Tilting or raising a cab a few inches will not reduce the low end. It may appear so because you would be hearing all of the mids and highs.

DiabolusInMusic · #12 01-08-2012, 10:24 AM

Definitely worth it, I use a Fender 100w 1x10 with a slant, it never sits strait up... ever. My Roland 4x4" gets tilted back to the wall when I am jamming and my markbass 6x10, well that's got an SVT-CL on top so I don't tip it....

Bluestribute · #13 01-08-2012, 10:30 AM

This is some really great advice, so thank you all! Just one last thing though (I think I'm gonna go ahead and get something to angle my amp now), how drastically do you do it, or does it just depend on the height of the amp itself?

will33 · #14 01-08-2012, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluestribute

This is some really great advice, so thank you all! Just one last thing though (I think I'm gonna go ahead and get something to angle my amp now), how drastically do you do it, or does it just depend on the height of the amp itself?

Whatever you need to hear yourself best, maybe a little, maybe a lot.

A word about raising it. It may seem like you're losing lowend but your really not, you're hearing mids and highs better, making it seem like less lows by comparison. Listen to it from out in the audience and the lowend will still be there.

That much applies when it's relatively close to the floor, maybe up on a short stand or chair.

When the cab gets to 2 feet or so off the floor, or more, then boundry cancellations come into play that can take away some of your fat sound. At that distance, the cancellations start getting into the lowmid/bass, meaty frequencies. You can use that to your advantage in a boomy or dull sounding room. Others you don't want that cancellation.

Bluestribute · #15 01-08-2012, 11:14 AM

Oh, so as long as it's not too high, it'll just be different to my ears? That is really good to know.

will33 · #16 01-08-2012, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluestribute

Oh, so as long as it's not too high, it'll just be different to my ears? That is really good to know.

Yep.

JimmyM · #17 01-08-2012, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluestribute

So it seems it would be better used for my guitar rig instead of my bass rig. Thanks!

I was going to say, "Spoken like a guitarist turned bassist," but then you seemed to have straightened yourself out a few posts later

NOTE: I started on guitar, too.

Bluestribute · #18 01-08-2012, 02:25 PM

You'd be right though lol. Started on guitar, wanted to try bass, liked it so continued with lessons, and now I play both ^_^

Blankandson · #19 01-09-2012, 01:56 PM

A year ago a band I was subbing for in Boca Raton tilted the bass cab on stage up 45 degrees, and the overall improvement was wonderful. However, the sound guy said there was no change in the room. The only change was for those of us within 20 feet of it.

ksandvik · #20 01-09-2012, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blankandson

A year ago a band I was subbing for in Boca Raton tilted the bass cab on stage up 45 degrees, and the overall improvement was wonderful. However, the sound guy said there was no change in the room. The only change was for those of us within 20 feet of it.

Yes it is funny what you start hearing when the main sound waves hit the ear rather than the legs.