Speaker cabinet positoning: height, blocks, foam, etc...

[enjoytheband]

I know this has been beat to death and is very objective based on venue, stage, floor type, etc... I use (1) 4X10 cabinet that has casters. I normally remove the wheels and place the cabinet on a crate and cover it so it doesn't look too ghetto depending if I'm doing a bar, wedding, corporate event. I have another 4x10 but have just decided to really use 1 unless I'm playing a larger gig, outdoor, big stage, proper PA, room to load it.

I wanted to know based on the (1) cab useage, who leaves their speaker on wheels, removes them and puts it flush on the floor, raises it like I do to reduce boom, uses foam, carpet, etc...

Like I said, I know this is objective, but wanted to see what other heads find works best for them in their respective gig environment.

Thanks!

[Got2SadowskyNYC]

I hate coupleing. Other than the room, it's the main reason your amps sounds so different.

I have a tray style road case and leave it in the tray. very little coupleing that way.

If you really want to take it out and set it on the floor get and amp pad. These reduce the coupleing effects.

[JimmyM]

Raising a cab the height of casters does nothing to hinder floor coupling. You have to raise it like 2 1/2 ft to lose floor coupling. All it does is get your cab slightly higher and you can hear the mids and highs slightly better than before. Tilting a smaller cab back is the only way I can roll with a smaller rig. You still get the coupling, but you also get mids and highs pointed at your ears instead of blowing past your butt.

And for crying out loud, get rid of the crate! Covering it is only slightly better than using it plain. Get a proper amp stand or a semi-professional looking wedge of some sort. I use a piece of 2x2 painted black. Milk crates are the height of unprofessionalism as far as I'm concerned.

[jnewmark]

I raise all my cabs, no matter the size, or the gig at 18" usually. I hear no loss of low end.

[Marginal Tom]

Most amp stands tilt back, and I usually use either two 1x10" or two 1x12" cabs with a micro amp on top, stacked on a chair. If you know of anybody who makes an amp stand that doesn't tilt back that might replace the chair, please let me know.

[jnewmark]

Originally Posted by Marginal Tom

Most amp stands tilt back, and I usually use either two 1x10" or two 1x12" cabs with a micro amp on top, stacked on a chair. If you know of anybody who makes an amp stand that doesn't tilt back that might replace the chair, please let me know.

I have one made by On Stage, where the " arms " can be reversed to tilted, or straight up and down. Not sure of the model, but just google On Stage Stands.

[bassfran]

Different strokes, etc..

The only times I don't want coupling are on hollow stages or when it will mess with the p.a. subs. My go-to club cab doesn't even have feet so I can maximize the effect.

When necessary I'll use a Gramma pad to get on up.

[sanderic]

The best stand for a 410 cab is another 410 cabinet. In all seriousness try using a pair of rubber door stops under the front of your amp. They absorb vibrations, don't rattle, and fit easy in the cable bag.

[Baird6869]

I normally gig with 1 or 2 Berg AE210s and I always use a Auralex GRAMMA pad. Might be all in my head, but I like that my tone does not vary substantially from stage to stage.

I gig my Sadowsky SA410 quite a bit and it is on casters. I am too lazy to take them off, so I just leave it and gig it as it is.

[KeithAlanK]

Originally Posted by sanderic

The best stand for a 410 cab is another 410 cabinet.

No two ways about it, I prefer 8x10s but that is rarely condoned by the rest of the band or the FOH engineer, and since I'm a professional FOH guy myself it would be very hypocritical of me to run a full stack just to please myself if the situation didn't require it.
So I only use the top 410 cab most of the time, and it's close enough for me.

I leave the wheels on so that it's real easy to tweak my amp's position on stage--sometimes moving it a few feet and changing the angle will improve my perception of the sound 100%. Unless I've played the same club a few times, leaving amp position up to an educated guess doesn't cut it with me.

Where is the zone onstage where I can feel the kickdrum best? Okay, found it...nudge my amp a little with my foot...Nice!...damn, need more guitar...hand signals....Ahhhh yes! We don't soundcheck together--everyone else does a line-check whenever they're ready with me at FOH, and our soundman plays my bass so I can tweak it out front. A little unorthodox, but it works pretty well.

I'm trying to convince our guitarist to find an empty or cheap 412 cab to get his 212 Marshall cab + Bogner head up higher, so all of us can hear it better and the stage won't look so lopsided. When I was a shredder in the '80s my favorite rig was three 412s--2 stacked for the sound and another as a spare that held my heads and rack. Combo amps and single cabs still look a little silly to me, but of course sound is the most important consideration. I just feel that when you can have a killer sounding amp that also looks big and cool, go for it.

Coupling is overrated, unless your amp is right on the edge of "not enough", in my opinion. We have enough subwoofers, though, so I understand where you're coming from if the bass amp needs to fill the room.

[enjoytheband]

I like the doorstop solution. Also been thinking of the Gramma pad, but not sure it will be raised high enough. Not concerned about losing low end since my Eden rig is DA POWA. I really do not want to use a wedge as I keep my head on top of my cab and the tilt might make this solution pretty weak. Hey JNEWMARK, what do you use to raise your cab?

[jnewmark]

Originally Posted by enjoytheband

I like the doorstop solution. Also been thinking of the Gramma pad, but not sure it will be raised high enough. Not concerned about losing low end since my Eden rig is DA POWA. I really do not want to use a wedge as I keep my head on top of my cab and the tilt might make this solution pretty weak. Hey JNEWMARK, what do you use to raise your cab?

When I'm using my Roland DB 700 combo, I use a tilt back stand. For my larger cabs, I use one of these, cut down to 18 inches.
http://www.quiklok.com/catalog/?p=pr...0&sName=WS-540

Or sometimes I'll just use a milk crate ( sorry Jimmy ! )

[enjoytheband]

Ha, nice. Thanks, man! Might combo something like that and a Gramma...Trying to split away from the covered crate.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by enjoytheband

Ha, nice. Thanks, man! Might combo something like that and a Gramma...Trying to split away from the covered crate.

Good for you! Bad for JNewmark

[wcriley]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

And for crying out loud, get rid of the crate! Covering it is only slightly better than using it plain...<clip> ... Milk crates are the height of unprofessionalism as far as I'm concerned.

Aren't you the same guy who posted a photo of your band with concrete blocks under some speakers?

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by wcriley

Aren't you the same guy who posted a photo of your band with concrete blocks under some speakers?

Yes Bill, in 1979 when I was 18!!! But we had to put the monitors on the blocks because the flashpots had to go where we'd normally put the monitors.

[wcriley]

Don't get hard, I'm just playing with you.

(I've been waiting for a chance to mention the concrete blocks since I saw that photo.)

[JimmyM]

Those were the good old days...not really

[wcriley]

Sure they were. I still had a full head of hair in '79 and my knees and back didn't ache all the time.

[jnewmark]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Good for you! Bad for JNewmark

But, but, it's a nice milkcrate !