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Double Bass Amp Placement? (DB forum thread)

peterpalmieri

peterpalmieri

Supporting Member
Apr 19, 2005
7,887
5,603
Babylon, NY
#1
Hey guys I know this might be somewhat of an elementary question/comment but I'll post it anyway.

For many years I've placed my amp behind me, let's say maybe two feet back and slightly off to the side. This is typical in tight quarters and such. I don't command large stages where I can be seated 10 to 15 feet forward from my amp.

About six months ago I went to see a really great player who I had studied with a while back. He had set his amp up on the opposite side of the drummer (an older AI combo) and had built in a small shelf underneath his stool for a sansamp which aloud him to control the amp from far away. He had lots of obvious reasons for doing this, which for me seemed to have little effect sitting in the audience.

Now that I've got my EA Doubler which is super tiny I decided to give this a shot. Placing the doubler close to me while putting my VL108s on the opposite side of the drummer (running a long speakon cable), it really helped to get that me only louder feel with much less of the in your face I'm playing through an amp tone to be hitting my ears.

Is their much of any concern with dispersion issues with this type of setup? Or any other reason I shouldn't be doing this?

Am I behind on this are many of you doing this already?

Pete
 
#2
I put the amp behind me because, the better I can hear myself, the better my intonation is. It also helps me with dynamics (I don't overplay,... as much!). From the posts of yours that I've read, it doesn't sound like you have either of those issues.

Conceptually, putting your speakers on the other side of the drummer, makes a lot of sense to me. It seems to me that it's got to give you a better sense of where you're sitting in the overall mix (I'm assuming that there is no house PA).

As far as dispersion goes, I don't see any issue there either. Low frequencies tend to be omnidirectional anyway. with that prejudice, I don't see how that removing yourself from in front of your amp is going to make a difference.

For what it's worth, on the few occasions that I've needed an extension cab, I always put it on the other side of the drummer.
 
#4
Makes tons of sense for a guitar player..

How mahy have played with a guy wanking on a twin reverb.. he cranks because you can't hear as well as 10+ feet away.

If live wondering why they're not doing better wedges or inears and turning down.

After learning more and more about pro audio.. the more I'm beliving I'm not that bright for owning a large supply of cabinets and amps.
 
#6
MNAirHead said:
Makes tons of sense for a guitar player..

How mahy have played with a guy wanking on a twin reverb.. he cranks because you can't hear as well as 10+ feet away.

If live wondering why they're not doing better wedges or inears and turning down.

After learning more and more about pro audio.. the more I'm beliving I'm not that bright for owning a large supply of cabinets and amps.
Click to expand...

I'm starting to think I didn't post in the DB side...
 

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