Are bass amps obsolete?

[alembicguy]

If folks can't control their volume, they will be obsolete for them. This volume thing has gone way out of hand. Amp builders aren't helping either. Who needs 1000w-2000w?! Seriously!! FOH companies are just doing damage control. This is what separates the big boys from the little boys. No reason to be loud just to be loud.

The truth!!

 

[DWBass]

Makes no damn sense to demand no amps on stage without a contingency plan. Either IEM or excellent monitor stage wash (I have only experienced this once in my playing career of over 40 years where I actually turned down my amp). IEM's are expensive and take getting used to. Many hate them (me included) due to the isolation. Most low level sound people cannot dial in your 'sound' and won't spend the time to do so. So....stage amps will be around for quite some time. Not going anywhere.

 

[gregmon79]

Not at all. Sure it's really easy to be able to play gigs and do studio ampless. But there will always be a place for amps and cabs. It's just the way things are now. It's pretty cool. It's like this newer band I've been playing with, we use IE's for practice. I would much rather use amps and cabs and crank it. But there are advantages to using IE's too. But I do see your point OP.

 

[Brian Licinski]

My whole band is now on pedals and the alessis e drums and i love it yes its different and i miss the rumble beind me but you can hear everything so clearly and we sound better. Embrace the dark side

 

[BurningSkies]

Get your favorite amp in a DI-Preamp and send that to FOH or demand they take the DI from your amp if yours' has one. No matter what amp you have, I'm sure somebody is making a DI preamp that will get you close.

You must be super fun and chill to work with on stage.

 

[gregmon79]

If folks can't control their volume, they will be obsolete for them. This volume thing has gone way out of hand. Amp builders aren't helping either. Who needs 1000w-2000w?! Seriously!! FOH companies are just doing damage control. This is what separates the big boys from the little boys. No reason to be loud just to be loud.

Eh, it depends on the type of band you're in. I get your point. But you try telling that to the doom and stoner rock guys. Not happening. That's part of the appeal of the music, seriously crank, rock, bang. There isn't much room for compromise there. But I get what you're saying.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Not in my area. It's mostly small to medium sized clubs, without P.A.s. There's a couple of big halls, but they don't provide a P.A.s, either. I'm completely fine with it, I'd rather have my amp behind me. Even the odd times that I've had P.A. support, my amp was my onstage monitor; I don't think they ever put my D I. send through their monitors.

 

[Hambone70]

Running the sound, I find FOH SO much cleaner when there's no bass bleeding into every stage mic. Combine a silent stage with a quality digital mixer, relatively inexpensive powered speakers, musician-controlled IEMs, and a decent engineer, and it can sound like a giant hi-fi for the audience (room acoustics notwithstanding). All at volumes appropriate for the venue and style of music.

It's the future... at least until we have the brain implant thing!

Then again, we do still have some dinosaurs roaming the earth...

 

[Rodslinger]

Curse words! Curse words! No!

 

[hardtop]

Maybe amps are obsolete for people who don't care how they sound? My amplifier shapes and colors my tone, and it's integral to how I want to sound. Of course, most venues will take a DI signal after my board, but if I can get them to mic the cab instead of or in addition to, I do. Also, stage volume can offset a poor sounding PA in a small venue.
I have a Countryman DI which goes between my head and cabinet, so at least I'm getting my amp character to the PA. I'm fortunate enough to work with our own dedicated sound guy on most occasions, and he confirms the sound is vastly superior than that coming out of my pedalboard. He also mics my cab and blends the signals as he see's fit (I'm spoiled)
That being said, when I am unable to play my own gear, for fly-out shows or festivals, I'm looking at a preamp pedal (ideally with a cab simulator) so I don't have to count on the quality or reliability of the backline amp. This is a compromise we have to make when there are things out of our control, but I never intend to take my amp out of the signal path if I can help it.... I like it.

 

[Charlzm]

In every situation I have played in the last several years FOH has controlled the bass, volume and tone. My stage amp, when I have occasion to use one, serves as my personal monitor. This is not only on big stages but also in small clubs when band leader provides sound and mix. FOH always wants the stage volume down so they can control the mix. And yet, it seems almost every day, a new bass amp is out.
Thoughts?

Must be nice to not play rehearsal rooms, garages, patio parties, dive bars, Etc...

Seriously, though, I still see lots of bass amps on the stages at places where I see music.

 

[pigpen1]

Bass amps are not simply about convenience and/or practicality (or the lack thereof) for many of us.

I simply enjoy hearing myself through speakers. When I can, I will bring an amp. If I can get away with it, I'll bring an Ampeg SVT. The sound of that heavy beast makes me smile.

They absolutely will be less common in a decade or so. We'll probably all have wireless basses with transmitters you can't see that send a signal directly to the computer used to run sound (that is the size of a pack of gum). Every audience member will be wearing headphones (tiny earbuds) that allow them to control the volume of their live band. Take out your earbuds and all you will hear are people talking and the sound of sticks hitting electronic drums pads. Your average bar will sound like a library until you put in earbuds.

So, not yet... but it's coming.

Lame. I got into live music so I could FEEL bass. Otherwise is rather stay home.

 

[Brian Licinski]

Maybe amps are obsolete for people who don't care how they sound? My amplifier shapes and colors my tone, and it's integral to how I want to sound. Of course, most venues will take a DI signal after my board, but if I can get them to mic the cab instead of or in addition to, I do. Also, stage volume can offset a poor sounding PA in a small venue.
I have a Countryman DI which goes between my head and cabinet, so at least I'm getting my amp character to the PA. I'm fortunate enough to work with our own dedicated sound guy on most occasions, and he confirms the sound is vastly superior than that coming out of my pedalboard. He also mics my cab and blends the signals as he see's fit (I'm spoiled)
That being said, when I am unable to play my own gear, for fly-out shows or festivals, I'm looking at a preamp pedal (ideally with a cab simulator) so I don't have to count on the quality or reliability of the backline amp. This is a compromise we have to make when there are things out of our control, but I never intend to take my amp out of the signal path if I can help it.... I like it.

That line 6 stomp is really great option for cab simulator

 

[BlueShox]

You must be super fun and chill to work with on stage.

I like to think so! I really only work with two sound guys, one of whom I've been working with for 6 years and the other for 2.

At any rate, I think the fact that some bass players on the forum get walked on and skimmed over by sound-guys because they either 1) aren't assertive about giving input on their tone or 2) don't bring the appropriate equipment to achieve said tone is a little bit disappointing.

 

[Stevorebob]

Amps obsolete? Not yet. But if we don’t keep up, we may be.

 

[Michedelic]

... and a decade or two later, there won't be any "bars" at all...

In a couple of decades, 'music' as we've known it for decades, maybe even centuries, may not exist, or otherwise universally dismissed/disregarded. Think about when millennials are the old farts, and what will motivate them to say, "what is that crap you're playing".
I applaud PauFerro's efforts...
My latest project -- promoting jazz to the next generation

 

[Hambone70]

I reckon it depends on whether you're into playing for yourself, or for the audience.

That's not to say that you can't do both, but it's much more difficult with low-frequencies spilling all over the stage.

 

[Bassndrums73]

They absolutely will be less common in a decade or so. We'll probably all have wireless basses with transmitters you can't see that send a signal directly to the computer used to run sound (that is the size of a pack of gum). Every audience member will be wearing headphones (tiny earbuds) that allow them to control the volume of their live band. Take out your earbuds and all you will hear are people talking and the sound of sticks hitting electronic drums pads. Your average bar will sound like a library until you put in earbud

I hope I die before this becomes total reality. Either that or I just won’t go anymore. How boring.

 

[BurningSkies]

If folks can't control their volume, they will be obsolete for them. This volume thing has gone way out of hand. Amp builders aren't helping either. Who needs 1000w-2000w?! Seriously!! FOH companies are just doing damage control. This is what separates the big boys from the little boys. No reason to be loud just to be loud.

I do. It's me.

I need an amp that's high wattage. Actually though 2500w, RMS...so more than you're considering unreasonable. What to I get? the ability to use that wattage in rooms that are under PA'ed or under Sub'ed. You'd be surprised at how often we have to tell them to pull the bass out of the FOH and let me handle it from stage.

You'd think I'd get lots of sound engineer complaints about my volume...but I don't. I make a point to talk to the engineer at ever gig and say "If I'm too loud up here let me know and I can adjust". I don't get taken up on that...really ever in recent memory. Guitar players are more often the offenders. A 30w amp screaming from stage. We're dealing with that issue on stage right now...

In the meantime, I have the ability to provide clean, clear, low bass tone in nearly any situation. Wattage translates in way more than volume as well. The players who have used my amp on stage notice it right away. Clean, fast, full transient response that can't be compared.

 

[matante]

Are bass amps obsolete?
Definitely not.
First, the idea of a full PA with wedges and a competent sound person is a luxury. I play many shows where the PA is for vocals only, and there are no wedges.
Second, what am I supposed to use when I practice at home or rehearse with my band.

Big touring artists can get away with only cruising around with a preamp or DI box because they are playing theaters, clubs, arenas, or stadiums that have full blown PAs. For the rest of us mere mortals you have no idea what you are going to walk into. Without my amp and cab I wouldn't be able to do anything.

And those big touring acts that can get away with not using amps will continue to use amps because the ampless look is cheesy for a lot of genres. If you're playing bass while dancing behind Britney Spears you don't need an amp, but going ampless in a rock band just doesn't look good.