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amp vs Pa

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by tremor100, Dec 9, 2007.

  1. Dec 9, 2007 #1
    tremor100

    tremor100

    Jul 28, 2006
    hey wierd question... but whats better sounding and the cleanest... turning your amp loud enough to fill the room aka as loud as the pa would be. Or just letting them mic the Amp? A shows coming up and with my markbass i actually have the power to do this now, and my guitarist is using a mesa single recatifer. Is one better for guitar, and one better for bass? thanks
     
  2. Dec 9, 2007 #2
    irvinz

    irvinz

    Nov 23, 2006
    Australia
    has too much gas
    mic up everything if u want to get a good mix
     
  3. Dec 9, 2007 #3
    Nick Kay

    Nick Kay Guest

    Jul 26, 2007
    Toronto, Ontario
    Depends on the PA system and the room. In a little venue, you can fill up just fine with your bass rig - especially if the PA is basically just for vocals and the bass drum. In a bigger room, leave it to the PA, because the sound guy knows the acoustic properties of the room a hell of a lot better than you do.

    For guitars, run them through the PA whenever possible. The frequencies that guitars are especially active in are much more directional than bass. You get what's called the 'beam' effect when you try and fill up a room with a guitar amp: everyone in front of the amp will get blasted with treble and harsh upper mids, while everyone else in the room will be wondering why the guitarist didn't turn his amp on.

    Oh, and a DI before the amp is a hell of a lot cleaner than micing your cab.
     
  4. Dec 9, 2007 #4
    JimmyM

    JimmyM Supporting Member

    Apr 11, 2005
    Apopka, FL
    Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
    The way to do it is both of you turn your amps up to a level that is comfortable onstage but not too loud, and you mic the guitar amp and use the XLR out in the back of the Markbass as a DI into the PA. You can mic it as well, but if you're looking for clean and easy to set up, DI is the way to go. But don't DI the guitar...it sounds like crap.