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On Stage Cab Placement

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mam1862

mam1862

Gold Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Nov 10, 2008
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Roaming Shores, Ohio
#1
I had the guys in my band ask me to do this and it never really has crossed my mind so I thought I would ask the question on TB. With two matching cabs, are you better off stacking them on top of each other or is it ok to place them in the same place on opposite sides of the stage (One on each side of the drums as an example)? Which way and why?
 
#5
mam1862 said:
I had the guys in my band ask me to do this and it never really has crossed my mind so I thought I would ask the question on TB. With two matching cabs, are you better off stacking them on top of each other or is it ok to place them in the same place on opposite sides of the stage (One on each side of the drums as an example)? Which way and why?
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There are no rules. Put them wherever you like - or where everyone likes - even under the drum riser if that‘s what everyone wants - there are no rules - just put them wherever you and your band mates like. And experiment - stage amp and monitor placement will greatly affect your hearing so in return it could make or break your performance. Personally I like my bass amps behind me (not on each side of the drums).
 
#6
I’ve actually aimed a second cab sideways in the past so the guitar player and drummer could hear me better but we didn’t have good monitor support in that case. Didn’t cause a problem for me because my main combo (a GK which I usually stacked on the second cab) was a tilt-back combo with plenty of power. Obviously this would reduce phase cancellation because the second cab was pointing to my left instead of straight out.
Situations are different. In most cases I never used more than half of what the rig was capable of because soundmen don’t like huge stage volume.
 
#7
There's theory and there is real life.
Experiment to find what sounds better and works better for you.
Stacked is theoretically correct - and the best way, but I have had excellent results side by side and also on both sides of the drums.
Sometimes, well, probably most times, it depends on the room. Low ceiling, high ceiling, type of material used on the floor and walls - etc.
Experiment and have fun!
 
#9
It depends on what your goals are. If you need to project into the house, then stacked is what you want. If you want to use a cab as a drum monitor and you're not loud enough to effect what's going on in the house, then by all means turn a cab...I personally stay with stacked and use a cab that's got good dispersion. If I can have my rig at or behind the drummer's position it helps him hear my amp when its facing forward.
 
#13
Joe Louvar said:
lol - sometimes I just go direct and use in-ear-monitors too. I'd like to see your rules - and I’m sure others here would too - please post your stage sound formula rules here. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Issues in comb filtering an phase problems are well documented in acoustics, especially in the lower frequency range if you're using multiple low frequency sources with any horizontal separation.
 
#14
Joe Louvar said:
lol - sometimes I just go direct and use in-ear-monitors too. I'd like to see your rules - and I’m sure others here would too - please post your stage sound formula rules here. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Search boundry cancellation, phase cancellation, room modes, dispersion and comb filtering......then read.

Depending on who needs to hear what, what PA support there is, etc., I'll either stack them both pointed at center audience, top one pointed forward and bottom sideways facing the drummer, or currently with pa and myself mixing from stage, I'll place the rig side stage with the whole thing facing sideways playing to the band, the PA takes care of FOH, but always stacked, never separated.
 
#17
mam1862 said:
I had the guys in my band ask me to do this and it never really has crossed my mind so I thought I would ask the question on TB. With two matching cabs, are you better off stacking them on top of each other or is it ok to place them in the same place on opposite sides of the stage (One on each side of the drums as an example)? Which way and why?
Click to expand...

Never side by side, this is why:
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Never split, this is why:
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And if your band has subs never split them either, for the same reason.
 
#18
I got the same advice here a while back about separating cabs. I have (2) 412s. I stacked them and for the first time, well, ever, I had speakers at my ear level. I actually heard my bass! Even when I went off axis and wasn't standing right in front of the cabs I could still hear it. I wasn't even running that much power but because the top cab was at head height I had NO problems hearing myself. For years I played with an 810 and 215 and still couldn't hear myself even running @ 1000w. I was running at about 350w with the full stack and heard everything clear as day. Even though the top cab was technically beaming sound over the crowd's head (we were on a stage) the bottom cab took care of what they heard.

For anyone who can't hear their bass on stage I suggest biting the bullet and configuring your cabs so they are at head height. You won't be disappointed.
 
#20
No one here knows what the conditions are where you are playing, and you probably don't know where you'll be playing next month. So anything anyone writes will change every week (except the Physics - those are real). IF your soundman (or someone else who goes where your band goes ) plays bass, have that person play your equipment on a song, and you need to walk all around the room. That way YOU will have a much better idea of what everyone here is talking about. A review of a Stones tour many years ago in Recording Engineer/Producer magazine documented huge phase cancellation of the bass all across the lower 'standing room' area, but said the bass sounded great in the upper reaches of the arena. It happens to the best of us.
 
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