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Anyone else NOT into lightweight mini rigs?
- Thread starter Rambazamba
- Start date
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- lightweight mini
I'm 69. I started appreciating class D and Neo about 15 years ago. In the 1970's and 1980's big gear made sense. Now in the days of smaller clubs and older audiences, small is king.
- Feb 12, 2006
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- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Even if the Neo drivers are WAY more heavy duty than the "heavy duty stuff"? (It's much easier to make really heavy duty Neo drivers because of the location of the magnet material and the ability to incorporate push-pull mechanics with true dual voice coil technology (see JBL's differential drive), and easier to incorporate double-spiders.
I don't bring a rig; I let the PA do the heavy lifting.
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99.99% of our audiences don't give a crap about the bassist's tone. Great as it sounds, I'm not hauling out my big iron to gigs for that 0.001% anymore. If any of you want to volunteer to load it in and out for me, let's talk. Otherwise Class D/Neo crew checking in.
I like my svt cl and two 410 HEs for everything.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
Given the choice, I still bring an Acoustic 360. Best choice? Who cares! It's what I like playing through. It's not that hard to move, either.
So do you just ignore the sound man telling you the mix is subpar because your stage volume is making it hard to do his job? Genuinely wondering...
Idle curiosity: What is the carbon footprint of a fridge rig vs. a Class D neo 112?
I’d love to get my hands on a 360/361 rig. I live in an apartment and don’t need that kind of volume. But it’s on the bucket list for sure.
"Made in USA" has always meant bigger and better than the rest of the world - automobiles, trucks, aircraft, ships, tanks, bulldozers, bombs, interspace rockets, skyscrapers, hi-fi's, bass amps, speakers and national debt - to name just a few.
Seems like the lightweight bass gear fans have given up and are becoming like everyone else - is a pity
Big rigs give me all the exercise I need - saves going to the gym
"Yeah, big rigs are cool, man!"
I used to play with a blind keyboard player with the best ears I’ve ever encountered in a human being.
He could not tell the difference.
He could not tell the difference.
I use my SVT-CLs most often and when I can't I use my Genz-Benz Streamliner (best Class D for my tubey tastes). For smaller gigs I use my Mesa WA Scout. I've been using these amps for several years now and am very happy with all of them.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
Depends whose moving the gear really.
I have a couple of really nice DIs, a tiny Acoustic Image hatbox size amp that's packs 650W, I have an Aguilar AG700 and a pair of Aggie 1x12s all of which sound great and are easy to carry.
I also have a 60s Traynor YBA3 and a pair of matching Traynor 2x15s. The amp is only 100W or so and weighs a metric ton, but it sounds awesome.
There's also an Aguilar DB369 and an Ashdown 8x10.
As much as I love the big iron, I don't love schlepping it around. I'd rather show up, plug into a DI and play with decent monitor support, or at least be able to do loadin/getout in one trip with a smaller amp.
Pay for my roadcrew and I'll get a bunch of Big Berthas though
I have a couple of really nice DIs, a tiny Acoustic Image hatbox size amp that's packs 650W, I have an Aguilar AG700 and a pair of Aggie 1x12s all of which sound great and are easy to carry.
I also have a 60s Traynor YBA3 and a pair of matching Traynor 2x15s. The amp is only 100W or so and weighs a metric ton, but it sounds awesome.
There's also an Aguilar DB369 and an Ashdown 8x10.
As much as I love the big iron, I don't love schlepping it around. I'd rather show up, plug into a DI and play with decent monitor support, or at least be able to do loadin/getout in one trip with a smaller amp.
Pay for my roadcrew and I'll get a bunch of Big Berthas though
It’s comparing apples to oranges.
I think the problem with class d Amps is people want to compare specs of class d and to all tube amps. “My $2000 300w SVT smokes this $250 300w class d head.” ya think?
The silly thing about class D imo is that the technology is cheap enough and weighs so little that every class D bass head in my opinion should be 1000w or more. My class D crown power amp cost me just over $300 and is rated 1550w@4 ohms bridged and it still weighs less than ten pounds so why bother building these low spec class D bass Amps? We’re talking ounces in difference of weight. Is it all about profit margins? My rig suffers none of the stuff I hear people complaint about with Lower spec class D bass heads. Granted my preamp/DI is class AB if I remember correctly.
As for cabs. I dig ampeg classic cabs. I’ve pretty much owned all of them with the exception of the ones with 12s. I did swap the speakers in my 410. A lot of Neo loaded bass cabs I’ve tried weren’t that great but some high end builders (barefaced, greenboy Audio, etc) are using NEOs and getting a lot of love. I think the difference being they aren’t The same cheap $40- $50 Neos like the ones in the production cabs.
I think the problem with class d Amps is people want to compare specs of class d and to all tube amps. “My $2000 300w SVT smokes this $250 300w class d head.” ya think?
The silly thing about class D imo is that the technology is cheap enough and weighs so little that every class D bass head in my opinion should be 1000w or more. My class D crown power amp cost me just over $300 and is rated 1550w@4 ohms bridged and it still weighs less than ten pounds so why bother building these low spec class D bass Amps? We’re talking ounces in difference of weight. Is it all about profit margins? My rig suffers none of the stuff I hear people complaint about with Lower spec class D bass heads. Granted my preamp/DI is class AB if I remember correctly.
As for cabs. I dig ampeg classic cabs. I’ve pretty much owned all of them with the exception of the ones with 12s. I did swap the speakers in my 410. A lot of Neo loaded bass cabs I’ve tried weren’t that great but some high end builders (barefaced, greenboy Audio, etc) are using NEOs and getting a lot of love. I think the difference being they aren’t The same cheap $40- $50 Neos like the ones in the production cabs.
Live in a city of 15+ million...if it doesn't fit on my motorcycle or the subway, that iron stays home.
TE Elf and 2x8 works great...larger gigs have PA...
Heck, I am not even bringing the mini rig on Saturday. 2x4 song sets repeated 3 times in 2 settings within a city expo hall setting...
Just bringing my Zoom B1on.....will have a Joyo UD and and Moen Buffalo in gig bag as back up.
TE Elf and 2x8 works great...larger gigs have PA...
Heck, I am not even bringing the mini rig on Saturday. 2x4 song sets repeated 3 times in 2 settings within a city expo hall setting...
Just bringing my Zoom B1on.....will have a Joyo UD and and Moen Buffalo in gig bag as back up.
That being said, were I in a different setting, I would be completely on the heavier is fine bandwagon...so many wonderful amps for low cost in the used market these days.
Some aren't even that heavy...GK800RB, Peavey Nitro/Firebass, Hartke HAs and LHs love em all..
