After much agonizing... NAD!

[Zoot H Rollo]

i've been trying out different amps over the last few months

after upgrading my basses with J-Retro Preamps (both Jazzes), Aguilar hum cancelling (FSR Jazz), Fralin hum cancelling (Squier VM Fretless Jazz) and a Fralin split '51 P (Squier CV '51 P)... high mass bridges on all.

i decided i wanted something uncolored. i absolutely LOVE the sound of these guitars now. i even upgraded my strat and tele with hot noiseless (strat) and noiseless (tele). ASTOUNDING.

no "bass amp" was giving me a neutral tone with enough power afford-ably.

during a recent jam, i used a single powered PA speaker as my stage amp.

that was it. i was off and shopping.

i initially was looking at the JBL PRX 715. tried it at a local GC. was a little on the MEH.

then the sales guy plugged me into a QSC K12. holy crap! JBL = 1500 watts. QSC = 1000 WATTS.

the volume and tone of the QSC KICKED the JBL. even the bass sales guy came in (ampeg die hard) and commented on how good a Deluxe Jazz (closest to my FSR - CLOSE, mine's better ) sounded through a PA speaker.

i guess not many bass players come through wanting to try this. but, from some searches, i found it is fairly common.

this is exactly what i have been looking for.

i use a Boss GT-100 as a front-end. the volume and tone are perfect. the price was right too.

notes from the field.

QSC K12 - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

fred

 

[Jim Carr]

We want pics...and specs!

 

[BazzTard]

Hmmmm not such a crazy-stupid idea.....

I like my MarkBass amp coz I can leave it flat and get my tone from my pedalboard....which is what you're doing too.

Yes please post some pics.

 

[jongor]

Wow...you go straight from the GT100 into the QSC??

Love the simplicity of this setup!

How's the low end?

 

[Acoustic356]

A lot of people play using a direct box through a PA.... so it looks like you're just skipping the middle man.
Are you going to run direct or use a DI other than the Boss? (I always had an issue with the COSM sound from the Boss gear. Sounds a little too compressed and processed for my taste, but that's another thread...)

 

[Zoot H Rollo]

i really like this setup. the J-Retro pre's and Aguilar & Fralin pickups are key here.

i plan on getting a Boss GT-001 (desktop version) to velcro to the top of the K12.

the GT-100 is used JUST slightly for an amp pre model. i use the FULL RANGE preamp just to get some gain before the K12.

the flexibility with effects beyond the modeling is insane with the Boss.

AND with the K12, i can use it for ANYTHING! my strat and tele through the GT-100 into the K12 are in HEAVEN!

for the cost of a nice head, i got an all-around great solution. it's class D amplification, same as most of the new-gen micro heads floating around.

K12 features include:

• 12” Woofer; 1.75” diaphragm compression driver
• 75° Nominal coverage angle
• Maximum SPL 131 dB peak
• 1000-watt continuous Class D power modules in all models
• Onboard mixer with two combo XLR and ¼” inputs, and stereo RCA inputs, (three audio input sources); two direct channel outputs and single summed balanced output
• Extensive DSP enhances system performance
  • DMT™ (Directivity Matched Transition) provides for matched LF and HF coverage across the entire listening area, eliminating unnatural "dead" or "hot" frequency zones.
  • Intrinsic Correction™, first featured in our high-end line-array products maps 65–75 spatially-averaged measurements to IIR and FIR filters that actively adjust time, frequency and amplitude response to a maximally flat band pass target. The result is a speaker that behaves equally well across the entire sound field.
  • DEEP™ and excursion limiting allow for extended low-frequency response by actively managing low-frequency transients without degradation of the underlying signal or adjacent frequencies.
  • GuardRail™ protection protects both the amplifier module and your performance from unnatural and destructive clipping.
• Attractive and professional appearance
• Rugged ABS enclosures
• Functions as a monitor wedge
• 16-gauge powder coated steel grille
• Comfortable ergonomic handles
• 35 mm pole sockets with Tilt-Direct™
• M10 rigging points
• Eyebolt and yoke mount accessories available

i like the low end on this. with the DEEP DSP setting, it's pretty friggin' NICE! plus, i can add a sub or go through the mains for larger gigs and use this as a stage monitor.

i can also get another K12 and get a nice stereo field from the GT-100. stereo chorus, panning delays... etc.

FLEXI - friggin' - BLE.


oh, and this thing is LOUD!

 

[10cc]

Congrats on a badass monitor.

 

[Zoot H Rollo]

further...

there's NO EQ! i spent months dialing in these guitars to record the tone i wanted.

all the bass amps i tried after the mods just messed it all up.

so now, the tone i have in my studio is the tone i have live!

the Boss GT-100 is set preamp EQ all center UP!

any EQ'ing is all done through the J-Retro onboard preamp. I can't recommend this highly enough.

 

[drummer5359]

I have an all QSC PA that I love. I use K-12s as mains and monitors. I have a pair of K-subs too, but rarely use them. At a gig last fall a bassist that I gig with regularly had his old Fender BXP meltdown. He didn't have a DI with him and although I usually have a Countryman DI with me, I didn't either.

We run three K-12s as monitors, I grabbed one of them and had him plug directly into it. Yes, he thought that I was crazy. It sounded WAY better than I thought that it should have. With a decent preamp it would be very gig worthy.

 

[SteveC]

I am a big DI --> FOH guy and I use IEM's. I have tried to get a powered PA cab to work as my "bass rig" as that's how I like to hear myself. Never had any luck. No one here deals QSC but I wonder if the new powered Yamaha cabs (similar with built in mixer and 1,000 watts) would be worth a try.

 

[Acoustic356]

How heavy is it?

 

[Jim Carr]

...i decided i wanted something uncolored...
no "bass amp" was giving me a neutral tone with enough power afford-ably...

Looks like you found a winner with the QSC K12, Fred!
Now you know why the fEARful flavored Kool-Aid tastes so good.

 

[drummer5359]

How heavy is it?

The K-12 weighs 41 pounds.

 

[Jim Carr]

Not bad, considering you have the cab and the amp in hand—wait, isn't this just a combo with no preamp????

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Nice! This is something that I wonder about more bass players embracing in time. I'd imagine tone-shaping for a venue's PA might go quicker since your sound reference is that bad boy. I have a power amp coming in tomorrow, I might look at some of these cabs (passive) later on down the line. Good thinkin'

 

[Zoot H Rollo]

JC: more accurately, a combo without EQ. there is a preamp in the integrated system. AND a mic pre.

VT: great points!

just ordered the Boss GT-001 and the Gator roll around bag for this getup.

now for some high tech Velcro...

 

[SteveC]

Not bad, considering you have the cab and the amp in hand—wait, isn't this just a combo with no preamp????

Well, yes and no. The cab is certainly voiced differently. With the plethora of preamp/DI options out there, it's pretty tempting.

 

[Zoot H Rollo]

have to say, this may not be everyone's cup o' tea.

just another option I spent many MANY hours investigating - wanted to share.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Bob Lee from QSC posts here. Great gear!

 

[Omega Monkey]

I mean, cool setup and all, but I think it's kind of silly that you spent a bunch of money on pickups and wanted a "neutral" amp, but then you run everything through a cheap digital guitar multi-effects unit. If you are spending K12 kind of money, you might as well at least get one of those cheap dbx tube mic pre's or something to feed the QSC.