Good point, very interesting. Models 210, 115 and 112 are all the same, except 112 has +15 treble instead of +16. Models 110 and 108 depart significantly on bass, mid and treble.
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Ampeg Rocket Bass Combos
- Thread starter kranahan
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Good point, very interesting. Models 210, 115 and 112 are all the same, except 112 has +15 treble instead of +16. Models 110 and 108 depart significantly on bass, mid and treble.
I, too, roll off bass & boost treble a couple of notches on my RB-112. I believe what I see in the freq. charts posted earlier, but think we are actually dealing with an exaggeration in low end when set flat, which is simple to tame--and definitely easier to wrap one's head around than the massive low-end cutting I became accustomed to when using a Rumble 100.
If any of the earlier conclusion that these combos "lack mids" came from feedback I myself posted earlier on, let me state that I do not believe this to be the case. My addition of an EQ pedal aims to expand my tone control to enhance mids higher than the combo's built-in 500hz knob -- specifically 900hz, 2.8k.
If any of the earlier conclusion that these combos "lack mids" came from feedback I myself posted earlier on, let me state that I do not believe this to be the case. My addition of an EQ pedal aims to expand my tone control to enhance mids higher than the combo's built-in 500hz knob -- specifically 900hz, 2.8k.
Thanks for the charts, by the way. Interesting to see that what I heard as a bass boost when engaging SGT is really more of a high-end roll off.
Wow. Pink noise really is pink.
Here are frequency response plots of my RB-110 using a mic on the speaker. These three plots show the frequency response using pink noise input into the Aux In as compared to into the 0 dB amp input with and without the SGT engaged. As with my previous plots, I've noted settings on the left side of each screenshot.
The Aux In bypasses the preamp's EQ section and does seem to have a flatter response than going through the preamp.
I did not experiment much with the mic position, so the pronounced hump in these plots around 120 Hz may be the result of proximity effect from the close mic positioning. This hump may also make the mid-scoop appear more exaggerated than it sounds in the room.
Enjoy!
The Aux In bypasses the preamp's EQ section and does seem to have a flatter response than going through the preamp.
I did not experiment much with the mic position, so the pronounced hump in these plots around 120 Hz may be the result of proximity effect from the close mic positioning. This hump may also make the mid-scoop appear more exaggerated than it sounds in the room.
Enjoy!
It’s fun experimenting and trying to understand these sort of things! The mic frequency plot shows you how the mic affects these curves. But if you use this mic on your amp, you’ll know how it affects your sound. Note the low end drop off of the ‘57.
https://media.sweetwater.com/store/media/us_pro_sm57_specsheet.pdf
https://media.sweetwater.com/store/media/us_pro_sm57_specsheet.pdf
So I bought the RB108 and want to replace the 8" speaker with a 10". I find the 'A' note doesn't have enough 'oomph'. What's the best method/tool to cut the hole a little bigger without getting all crooked? I don't have a shop space.
Oh man. Not trying to be snarky, but I highly suggest you return it and buy the 110 you really want.
They don't have it here. They have the RB112 but I don't want it. Too pricey. Aren't the Rockets made to be modded just like the Rumbles? I got my jigsaw ready...
Wait for one. Cabs are sized to optimize the properties of their drivers. It’s a system.
I highly recommend you just buy the RB110 instead of the 108. These cabs are designed and built for their specific drivers. You'll need a bigger cab to house a 10" speaker.
You guys are right. By modding with a bigger speaker, my frequencies will probably be out of wack, rendering the amp useless. I'll keep it for now and save up for the RB110. Thanks for bringing me to my senses!
Just the one note? Maybe there’s a setup issue with your bass. I haven’t seen any similar complaints about the RB-108.
Acoustically, just the A note doesn't seem to be as strong no matter what bass I use. It doesn't do that on my BA 110 V2 or Rumble 40 V3, which both have 10" speakers. They seem to carry all notes evenly. I thought because the RB-108 has an 8" speaker a 10" would be better.
Different sizes serve different purposes IMO. The 108 is a bedroom/living room practice amp. The 110 same, but could do acoustic coffeehouse type jams. 112, could do lower volume rock jams, rehearsals, parties, etc, even stage gigs with PA support (and maybe a stand). 115, better for rock gigs especially with an extension 115 for the full 200 watt 215 rig. 210, plenty of guts for gigging by itself even without PA support. With extension, serious pro-style rig suitable for bit rooms and festivals.
I haven't played the two side by side, but several people have posted in the RocketBass thread that the 108 is louder than the 110.
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I find it hard to believe that a 30 watt 8-inch amp would be louder than a 50 watt 10-inch amp. I'd like to see some sort of test with a decibel meter.
The difference between 30 watts and 50 watts is really not that much at all. Consider that the cabinet for the 108 is larger proportional to the speaker, heavier (indicating that it's made out of MDF rather than plywood, therefore less resonant), and the fact that Dino M said that the 110 is voiced more towards the lower frequencies than the 108 (it's the lower frequencies that suck the most juice), I can easily believe that an efficient 8" speaker in a 30 watt amp can be louder than an inefficient 10" speaker in a 50 watt amp.
As I said, I haven't played them side-by-side myself. If you've done a side-by-side, or do one in the future, I'd be interested in your thoughts.
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That plus what the ear perceives as "loud" might not really be louder. TC Electronics seems to have tapped into what the ears hear (or the brain perceives) as well as anybody, if not better. They took a beating on their ratings with earlier amps, but even the famous Bass Gear amp tech Tom Lees admitted the technology in them was amazing and the amp was far louder than the actual power ratings. I think they did it with multi-band compression and/or filtering.
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