More watts = more volume?

iri5h_punk21 · #1 06-06-2010, 05:22 PM

So I've been in a band for about a year or so and it constantly seems I'm just endlessly upgrading my amps and cabs to keep up with our guitarist and keyboard.

The guitarist has a Peavey JSX
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...ELAID=26039971

The Keyboardist has an equivalent Roland in terms of power

and then there's drums (not amped or mic'd in any way)

I have a Euphonic Audio iAmp 600 with a MESA Powerhouse 1200 (a 600w @ 4 ohms head through a 1000w 4 ohm cab)

I have to turn up everything to the highest output on my amp to be "loud". My amp shakes the room and I can keep up with this rig..but I don't like the fact that I have to push it to it's absolute max to keep up.. am I doing anything wrong?

HEEEELLLPP!

Big chicken · #2 06-06-2010, 05:26 PM

turn up the gain and raise the pickup height you might get more hum by raising the pickups but it should get louder

SVTDOUBLEBUCK · #3 06-06-2010, 05:28 PM

Your not doing anything wrong, the other guys need to turn down, just because your amp has all the power in the world doesn't mean you have to crank it every time! tell them to turn down

lowregister · #4 06-06-2010, 05:31 PM

Especially if your ears ring after each practice. I've noticed room acoustics can make a difference of how the bass feels as well as where you stand relative to your cab.

All that aside, turn it down. It was surprising to me to learn the intricacies that I missed while playing blatantly loud.

iri5h_punk21 · #5 06-06-2010, 05:34 PM

We usually wear earplugs. our drummer literally does not now the meaning of "quieter". lol. I can't turn up the input anymore or it'll go into the red. The instruction manual says that going into the red is bad...

bluesrx · #6 06-06-2010, 05:40 PM

Not familiar with your rig... but one question. Where are you setting your eq?

Kipaste · #7 06-06-2010, 05:41 PM

The power you have should be enough for pretty much anything and honestly your band really needs to learn to turn down.

How do you eq your bass? If you have some kind of smiley face eq, that could be why you aren't cutting through. Try leaving the bass control flat and boosting the mids.

Scottgun · #8 06-06-2010, 05:41 PM

Are you using "smiley EQ" or a contour or scoop button? If so, put those vital mids back in. Yes, it sounds bad on its own, but it is great when it blends with the band. Plus people can hear it.

Mr. Foxen · #9 06-06-2010, 05:42 PM

I think you might need more speakers. Don't get the impression Mesa bass cabs are very sensitive.

ThunderousFunk · #10 06-06-2010, 05:44 PM

Sell your current rig, and get BBE BMAX-T Preamp, a Carvin 3800 Poweramp, and a Basson 810. You'll never hear again!

I mean, hear them again!

Just be careful your back.

Seriously though? You might wanna look into a bigger head.

Jazzdogg · #11 06-06-2010, 05:45 PM

More watts = more potential volume! Cabinets are where volume comes from. If you don't have enough cab, and you have abundant power, you may cook your speakers trying to get there. Provided that you have *enough* power to begin with, if you don't have enough volume, add speakers.

That said, your band is probably just too darned loud!

twangman · #12 06-06-2010, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVTDOUBLEBUCK

Your not doing anything wrong, the other guys need to turn down, just because your amp has all the power in the world doesn't mean you have to crank it every time! tell them to turn down

this was definitely the situation with my old guitarist...
i have a decent sized 100 watt practice amp.
i can turn it up at less than half and i will be heard, however, my ex guitarist feels the need to crank his amp at around 8, drowning out even the drummer.

Mr_Sore_Fingerz · #13 06-06-2010, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottgun

Are you using "smiley EQ" or a contour or scoop button? If so, put those vital mids back in. Yes, it sounds bad on its own, but it is great when it blends with the band. Plus people can hear it.

+1

If I can cut through with half that going into a 2x10's cabinet, it sounds as though its your EQ that is the culprit. Any scoop, contour, or slap knobs or settings need to be set flat or turned off and you need to boost your mids. I think you will surprise yourself how much more presence and cut you will have if you boost your mids up. I've heard myself over two guitarists with full tube rigs at 50% volume AND a drummer before...simply using a Peavey Max 110 combo and the right EQ settings (20 w combo w/ 10" speaker...no lie)

bongomania · #14 06-06-2010, 05:49 PM

To answer the title question, no: more watts do not = more volume. What gets you more volume is greater efficiency. Think about a car or truck, and imagine watts are gas. If you have a very efficient car, you can go either farther or faster than a gas-guzzling Cadillac land yacht. Sure the fuel (power) is needed to make the car move at all, but simply giving it more gas is not the best way to go faster/farther.

You can get a huge boost in volume by adding a second speaker cab. You can also get maximum loudness by cutting the lows and boosting the mids. I know it sounds wrong for a bassist to cut any of the low end, but honestly it works to your benefit onstage, in a loud mix.

somegeezer · #15 06-06-2010, 05:50 PM

2 8ohm cabs maybe? But mainly, those idiots should turn down.

Shadi · #16 06-06-2010, 05:50 PM

My dad (god rest his soul) played for 40 years using only his 1964 Ampeg B-15N...25 whole watts! He cut through a loud guitar player and miked drums....I've used my Ampeg B-100R for the last 10 years, cutting through a ten piece funk band with two guitar players, four horns, and a loud drummer. A lot of it is musicianship. Loud does not necessarily equal quality...I'd tell the others to turn down a little. You have more than enough juice to play in a stadium.

Cheers!

billfitzmaurice · #17 06-06-2010, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iri5h_punk21

I don't like the fact that I have to push it to it's absolute max to keep up.. am I doing anything wrong?

HEEEELLLPP!

Not enough/inadequate speakers.

iri5h_punk21 · #18 06-06-2010, 05:58 PM

Here are some pics of my current settings

iri5h_punk21 · #19 06-06-2010, 06:01 PM

and im not thinking and it's not working... here are links..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7150196@N05/4676302561/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7150196...n/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7150196...n/photostream/

Deluge Of Sound · #20 06-06-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

You can get a huge boost in volume by adding a second speaker cab. You can also get maximum loudness by cutting the lows and boosting the mids. I know it sounds wrong for a bassist to cut any of the low end, but honestly it works to your benefit onstage, in a loud mix.

+1.