Anyone doing no-amp setup for live metal?

[cchorney]

I know you're keen on rack mount, but remember you can probably do a pedal board for less money and less weight, and it doesn't need to sit on the floor in front of you - it can sit on the side or behind you too, on the floor or on other gear.

I ran ampless the last few years with my old band, pedal board ending on a BDDI Deluxe which sent a signal to the board, and I got my monitoring via IEMs. Worked great. Did feel a bit scary for the first several gigs but it worked and reduced a lot of common problems like boomy stages and reflecty walls and such.

 

[Nikoubis]

I've played plenty of metal in various venue sizes going G&L->Tuner->Compressor->Sansamp direct to board and using the bass amp as a stage monitor.

 

[SteveC]

I know you're keen on rack mount, but remember you can probably do a pedal board for less money and it doesn't need to sit on the floor in front of you - it can sit on the side our behind you too.

I ran ampless the last few years with my old band, pedal board ending on a BDDI Deluxe which sent a signal to the board, and I got my monitoring via IEMs. Worked great. Did feel a bit scary for the first several gigs but it worked and reduced a lot of common problems like boomy stages and reflecty walls and such.

All this.

Like I said, I have a Nano and it's so nice to have such a small "rig" to haul. If I had a Mono gig bag I could attach it to the bag via the "tick" or whatever they call it. I take my bass, Nano, Korg Micro synth, stand for the synth and guitar stand in one trip with ease.

 

[BrianVengeance]

I am fortunate in that we bring FOH to our gigs. When we do a gig with supplied FOH we usually know the company, and our sound guy works for them. We bring our mixer so we have our IEM's and we run a Main L/R send to them to run into their system. Our guy mixes via iPad, and we still have IEM control via phones.

Racks can be good. I have been tempted but I like having my pedal tuner/mute as it makes it so quick and easy to mute/tune/swap basses/etc that I'd have trouble not doing that.I am going away from effects so a small, light rack could work I guess but with a tuner, DI and IEM box on a Nano, it's had to get much smaller. lighter or more simple.

That’s pretty ideal, I’d definitely consider it with that much control over the reenforcement. The weight was annoying for sure, but the switching really was the thing that made it inconvenient and prompted the pedal board for me. It’s easy to walk back and press mute on the tuner, but effects begged a midi controller or something else on the floor.

 

[MCS4]

I echo those who have raised concerns regarding adequate monitoring and overall P.A. support. In my area (South Florida), the typical local original metal band plays a lot of gigs that IMO would be very difficult to pull off without an amp for those reasons. That isn't to suggest that the music itself is the problem (it seems reasonably popular for successful bands in the "djent" genre or other types of modern metal to go ampless), but just the realities of the types of gigs and venues you'll likely be playing.

 

[five7]

I would feel naked if I didn't show up with an amp with my current band. I can't trust the monitors when they aren't mine. Any other styles I have played would be no problem showing up with a sansamp and iem's but not metal. It sure would be nice though to just walk in with my bass and a bag.

 

[SteveC]

3 minutes with my IRM’s and if the omnican sim sounds like tris via FOH atvchurch im ordering on Monday.

 

[Mandavel]

Man guys, some killer responses here.

Alright, y’all have sufficiently pulled me back from the rack brink. Pedals do seem the way to go, and, now I am second-guessing the noamp rig. So far our PA support hasn’t been terrible and we are getting some quality venues these days, but you’re right, I shouldn’t necessarily be risking it without my own personal monitor. I’ll do some checking into amps, although IEMs, even a personal bass IEM setup is possible for me in the near future. I do like the idea of only carrying a pedalboard and bass to every show

+1 on the darkglass gear, really interested in those things.

 

[Being and Bass]

I couldn't really imagine playing without some sort of cab on stage behind me. That said, the DI + personal speaker is pretty successful. I run a giant pedalboard that connects into the venue but always have a Fender Rumble behind me for myself. It also helps for crap venues with terrible sound so you aren't left with nothing.

 

[AdamR]

Not planning on going ampless but Im seriously downsizing my rig and going pedalboard based. Wireless->Tuner->Clean DI->Compression->Alpha Omega Ultra->Noise gate->Radial DI. I also have an Fdeck HPF, not sure if it will make the board or not. Currently using a 212 cab and a GK 700RB, Plan on finding an amp with less color ir running a class D power amp.

 

[Crystalman85]

My brother and I have done an ampless gig and recording session before. we just bring our multi-effects processors along with a d.i box. if you're looking for something for ampless gig, preamp pedals or multi-effects processors might do the trick. if money is no option, check out the darkglass preamps.

 

[Rick26]

I know it's a bit late but I recently went ampless on stage. Great decision.

I'm in a symphonic metal band with seven members so stage space is usually limited and the sound is a mess as you walk from one side of the stage to another as you pass the monitors. This was the basis of my decision to go wireless.

I'm using a GK pre-amp with DI output and in ear monitors (one ear only and the other ear to hear everything else). It took a couple of gigs to feel comfortable with it but I've got my full set up (tuner, pre-amp and wireless in ear system) all on one pedal board which packs away into a box. Total set up time on stage is less than a minute and my accuracy improved because you basically hear everything you're playing. Ohh and no more heavy amps to carry!

 

[Nunovsky]

I have a friend of mine that uses a Helix LT and a powered speaker live with his metal band and other projects and sounds great with it.
I've bought recently a HX Stomp and I've tried it with a full range powered speaker and it sounds so awesome that I'll be starting to use it live more often.
I've seen a recent video from the guitar players of Cradle of Filfth and they went from full guitar rig to Kemper to using a Mooer Micro Preamp with the Mooer Radar live because of the portability and because it works.
With bigger bands and stages, you can see a tendency to reduce the amount of gear on top of the stage and with the types of choices that exist in the market today, it's easier to get a quality sounding ampless rig.