Using powered PA speakers as a Bass Amp: what kind of power needed?

[Willem]

Hello all,

I'm looking for help.

I am on the fence about switching my 300 watt tube amp and 810 cab to powered PA speakers.
Why?
- So I have a more realistic notion of how my bass would sound FOH
- So I can show up with a good DI at gigs and not carry the heavy amp and cab
- So stage volume is limited
- So I don't ruin FOH sound with a too loud amp while hearing myself just well enough on stage
- So I didn't carry the heavy gear for nothing because the soundman asked me to turn down because I was too loud and I didn't hear myself on stage
- So I can get used to playing of off monitors

I was thinking of getting an aguilar tone hammer DI or a sadoswky preamp/DI and a powered sub and a powered loudspeaker.
Will this set up work? (DI out to sub linked to loudspeaker)
How much wattage is needed for the sub and the loudspeaker?
Do I need 2 loudspeakers?

The purpose is mainly rehearsal and sometimes bassguitar amplification in 100 person max bars. I have to stack up against guitar halfstacks who are loud but not deafening.

Thanks for any advice you can give me!

[fokof]

I am a big fan of PA stuff for bass. Can't play on "normal" bass amp anymore.
I use those for the same reasons you stated.
Also because I practice at home on "studio" reference (JBL LSR) so I need a flat/full range reference for bass too.

I got a Mackie SRM450 when they first got out and used it to death but now I'm on RCF wich are the best sounding plastic/light weight active boxes IME/IMHO.
They are made in Italy , you will be able to have some in Belgium for sure.
For your situation , it will depend wich one you choose and how loud you want to be.
If you get a Sub/top combo ( a good idea IMO) the sub have to be at least 500watts min , then you adjust the level of the top to fit.
If your sub have a Phase control in the Xover section, it can become very handy.

I use a single 10" (RCF ART310A ) box wich is 350watts/26 pounds. My goal was to get the best sounding/lightest/powerful enough/small footprint box and it's that one.
But it's not enough to play with a loud band , as would a small bass combo anyway. I use 2 boxes when I need more db.
Another advantage is that they can be rented anywhere , if you need one or two extra or if yours break on tour.
( I ordered one of these subs to use on bigger/louder gigs, still waiting for the delivery for two months now , the distributor here is in Toronto and is sleeping a bit;
http://www.rcf.it/en_US/products/pro...ies/art-902-as )

The new serie 7 from RCF are very nice , powerfull and light.
You have plenty of other choices to choose from but don't forget that like anything else , you get what you pay for.

As a preamp , there are millions of options out there. Question of $$$ and taste.
I used a TD100 for 6 years , got a VB99 last year , so I use that now.

[MNAirHead]

I do it.. but then again I'm not a snob.

The unfortunate thing is that the "cheapos" do not really work.

I've found some stellar old school Yamaha (not light or agile) that can reproduce a full spectrum sound...

I found the plastic boxes to rattle way too much... many of the new ones are engineered to be used with subs.. they do not go down to a low E

[Gizmot]

There isn't any technical reason whatsoever why a powered PA cabinet won't work well for bass. I have seen several people use them and have done so myself. However, many of the powered systems on the market don't use first-class drivers or good, solid built-in amplifiers. I've found that a wide-range sound reinforcement cabinet is more resolute than nearly all bass cabs.
I'd use a a preamp or a preamp/processor, a separate amp and an unpowered speaker. With new Class-D amps, you can get several thousand watts in a one or two rackspace unit. You can build a three rack package that will deliver more power and flexibility than almost any single amp available.

[waleross]

I have a rig with an 810E and a SvTCL. Not too long ago , I was pricing PA systems that can handle bass and the rest of the band. I already have a cheap kustom 100 watt pa and that's good for acoustic guitar stuff and vocals. After I priced other PA's I stopped and let the upgrade for my PA go. +1 on what has been said, it costs a lot of $$$ and you don't want an inadequate set-up. My suggestion is to go online and look at some DJ set-ups......Here is a link for a site that I go to from time to time to windowshop.....Of course I wouldn't go near the Behringer stuff but they have a good selection ....

http://www.planetdj.com/category_search_results.tpl


Good luck . . . .

[Ric5]

I have seriously considered using pa stuff for a bass rig. But I like my rig very much as it is. I have 2 ampeg b2r heads and one b3 head. I have 2 1x15 cabs, a 1x18 cab and 3 2x10 cabs. all of the cabs are 8 ohm. I can mix and match components to get pretty much any sound. And if I need a big rig then I can run one b2r with 2 cabs and a 2nd b2r as a slave amp also with 2 cabs. That's enoung to play pretty much any venue large or small. Also I prefer pa support for all but the very small gigs, and sometimes on small gigs I use no bass amp but simply run into the pa system.

[rockstarbassist]

I used one of the older (HEAVY) powered Mackie 215+horns for a gig once or thrice, as that was our PA and I borrowed it from our singer. Sounded good, but I don't think I'd use one as an amp.
I'd just get a pair of powered monitors, if this is JUST for on-stage monitoring/amplification and not a replacement of the PA.