Why do you "need" an Amp??!??

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

I have a similar question. Why do people who think that THEY don't need an amp, feel the need to question everyone else on the subject? Is it for approval? Validation? These questions get asked about twice a month, sometimes more, and the only answer is, do what works for you. It's not a one size fits all world, nor should it be.

Exactly...


- georgestrings

[bassbully]

It won't matter what you play thru at home nobody will ever hear you anyhow.

[Wallace320]

Originally Posted by georgestrings

With you on that one - I don't fully enjoy bass unless I'm playing in a band format... Don't get me wrong - I don't mind getting my practice time in, but that's aimed towards proficiency to gig...


- georgestrings

+1
More: I really don't know...
I normally play 4ers thru pedalboard in my personal rehearsal room (where all my 22 basses are stored) and at public rehersals with my bands, but whenever I play 5ers I use a Korg multifx instead. Same Korg multifx allow me to play with just earphones (so no amp, no DTS at all) being it in my livin' room, my bedroom... I use to act like that whenever practisin' pre gig or durin' an openin' act prior to us.

So, in those cases only, no amp, no HT, nothin' more than your bass, your processor, your fingers and your ears... so what?

Sometimes I really don't get it...

Cheers,
Wallace

[topo morto]

Originally Posted by georgestrings

Because what you play it thru definitely makes a difference - and you didn't describe anything that a 5er would sound good thru - frame of reference can be pretty important...


- georgestrings

I have things I can listen to notes down to a low B on, produced by sources other than my basses, and they sound good. I don't like the sounds of the low B's on the basses I've tried, 'sall.

[pklima]

Me, I need an amp mostly so I can put a mixer in front of it and use it as a mini-PA for rehearsals - amplify keys, electronics, bass, and guitar in one band, vocals and bass in the other. Well, bass sometimes... tbh I'm usually too lazy and just play DB because I don't have to plug that in. Sometimes as a PA for a gig in a really small bar...

[mcnach]

Originally Posted by mmx6

Currently I do not have an amp

I am using my Fender Jazz 60s with my Vox AmPlug Bass hooked up to my Denon receiver going into my Home Theatre 7.2 system 1400 Watts RMS

Set the AmPlug on overdrive and set to gain to an 8, the output is extremely clean and so bassy the whole house shakes when on the lowest note lol

Also the definition of the plucking is realistic and very clear on the higher frets


At lessons, the teacher only got an 15W and 30W Fender Rumbles

They do not have much low frequencies and output is not clean

Why do you need amos for practice at home??? Amp is useful for gigs especially 100W or so since it is not io big or heavy.

I guess you don't really need an amp at home, as you illustrate.
I still like to have a good sounding portable amp though, as I can take it anywhere and I personally feel it can sound better than any stereo or home theatre system, from the ones I have experience of. Also cheaper.

You don't need an amp for gigs if there is a decent PA as well. I still like an amp near me even if it's just as a monitor.

We are fortunate that these days we have many options. Some people would prefer certain options over others, without any one option being the absolute best.

[xroads]

I think you need to be careful running an instrument through a home stereo/theater system. You can easily kill the speakers if you overdrive the system with your instrument. An instrument is much more dynamic than a music reproduction (they compress dynamics in the studio...). I would at least put a compressor/limiter in front in order to control the input signal.

[TRichardsbass]

The Grateful Dead never really used "amps" as we define them thanks to Wickersham and Turners wall of sound. So you dont "need" a bass specific amp.

But yes if you gig a lot having a product designed for your ease of use is great. And the Fender Bassman is still revered by guiarists. BAss amps are more about power then sound as to be able to compete with guitar frequencies at 30 watts you need at least 3x that power in the same setting. Which is the biggest reason in most cases you need an amp.

[Steve Dallman]

I practice with the same head I gig with, except I use a small sealed car cub that I put a 150 watt 10" bass speaker in. It sounds great, is representative of the speakers I use gigging, and sounds better than the bass practice amps I have, and I have several.

[Wallace320]

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

The Grateful Dead never really used "amps" as we define them thanks to Wickersham and Turners wall of sound. So you dont "need" a bass specific amp.

But yes if you gig a lot having a product designed for your ease of use is great. And the Fender Bassman is still revered by guiarists. BAss amps are more about power then sound as to be able to compete with guitar frequencies at 30 watts you need at least 3x that power in the same setting. Which is the biggest reason in most cases you need an amp.

+1
Infact I found that 300w head (then thru a 4x10" cab) fits perfect with bandmates 100/120w electric guitar heads

Cheers,
Wallace

[petrus61]

I don't use a traditional amp at home. I use an Vox Amplug with a Keeley compressor with my iPod, running into some ART headphones and it does the job very well....at home. I don't think I would get the EQ options I needed running that through some type of PA, in fact I would find it severely limiting. My live and band rehearsal rig is a GK 700RBII with a GK Neo1x15 and an SWR S.O.B 15 and provides 1000 times more flexibility then a headphone amp ever could. So for my needs, yes I need an amp.

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by unclejane

I have a strange kind of hearing damage that renders amps with more than about 10 watts useless to me... In the rare event that I play through my GK gig rig, it's always at a very low volume, since I can't make out bass notes at volumes past a certain rather low point.

Just curious, have you tried earplugs?

[mmx6]

Originally Posted by 1958Bassman

If you ever play in front of people, you'll learn immediately- the first time playing with a bass amp after only using your stereo, you will have no idea how hard to pluck the strings, how to get the sound you want, you probably won't be able to hear yourself and won't be able to blend with the other instruments.

In order to hone your sound and ability for live gigs, you need to practice using the same equipment that will be used for the gig unless you have played through enough different equipment that you know how to get "your sound" with anything.

Also, Denon doesn't make 1400W anything. The only thing that comes close is their $6000 power amp.

Denon is just acting ads receiver, I have a separate preamp for it as well as the speaker's own amp.

If I need a more sterile sound and less bassy but more string definition, I turn the AmPlug FX off and gain down and only play with the volume on the AmPlug set to 5 or do and that goes the same with the pickups on the bass

I will turn the volume on the speakers up and turn the subwoofer to a lower volume



This gives me more choices for the EQ I need, either treble boost or bass boost or even a clean output that is sterile or a dirty output etc


I am liking it especially for my practice.

[bassgod0dmw]

Whatever work for you.

[mmx6]

Originally Posted by petrus61

I don't use a traditional amp at home. I use an Vox Amplug with a Keeley compressor with my iPod, running into some ART headphones and it does the job very well....at home. I don't think I would get the EQ options I needed running that through some type of PA, in fact I would find it severely limiting. My live and band rehearsal rig is a GK 700RBII with a GK Neo1x15 and an SWR S.O.B 15 and provides 1000 times more flexibility then a headphone amp ever could. So for my needs, yes I need an amp.

I am pretty sure the AmPlug bass has a built in compressor
Correct of I am wrong

[Kryptos]

I use a Roland Micro Cube RX. Adequate sound, built in effects, very portable, battery or plug in power.

I enjoy sitting outside and practicing, having a small portable amp makes that possible.

[petrus61]

Originally Posted by mmx6

I am pretty sure the AmPlug bass has a built in compressor
Correct of I am wrong

They say it does but they also say it has a bass boost, which happens to be the same switch. If it is a compressor, it hardly functions as one. Even if it did, a built in comp on a $50 headphone amp isn't going to do what the Keeley can, plain and simple.

[jlepre]

Why is this in the BASS section? 57 posts, and nobody noticed this should be in the AMP section?

[topo morto]

Originally Posted by jlepre

Why is this in the BASS section? 57 posts, and nobody noticed this should be in the AMP section?

Cause it's all about having a bass but no amp...

[toddoutloud]

Needing an amp on stage is not always a necessity. It depends on what the job calls for. I've played in casino lounges that did not allow stage volume of any kind- everyone ran through preamps and used in-ear monitors (drummer used Roland V-Drums) and there was a PA designed for that room. Then again, I've played large outdoor stages that require a high-wattage amp and multiple cabinets. For most gigs, I run an Acoustic Image Ten2- a 600-watt 2x10. For practice at home, I play through my interface, computer, and studio monitors. There is no right or wrong answer, despite what people tell you- depends on the situation.