And I've seen guys with all sorts of fancy gear and pedals who flat out wail and sound awesome, and I've seen guys with a beat up bass and simple combo amp that sound like crap. The musician makes the gear, true enough, and that's why your comparison is a false one.
Here's the deal...bigger is better for bass...always. Notice I didn't say "sometimes"...I said "always." It is physics. This is why people who buy a little cab usually end up buying two of them, and this is why tiny little PA systems with tiny little undersized subs are rarely seen on pro gigs. That is not to say little stuff can't sound good...it can. But even the best and most efficient little stuff always sounds better when it's doubled up...always.
I play both sides of the fence on this one...at 56, I've come to appreciate a nice sounding small rig because I can't do a string of one-nighters lugging an SVT and 810 to all of them, and one-nighters are about all I play anymore. I also have gigs where there are line of sight issues that require something smaller as not to block off the audience's view or hide people onstage behind me. But would I rather have the SVT and 810? Always. It just plain sounds better than my small rigs, even if I'm playing at a low volume that my small gear can easily handle. That's why I still lug it to my gigs on occasion, and it's what I always request when I do a fly gig and have to rent an amp. It has sod-all to do with impressing an audience with visuals and everything to do with creating an environment of comfort for myself onstage. The look is just a bonus. But hey, if it makes you feel better about yourself to assume otherwise, knock yourself out. Just realize I couldn't care less what anyone else thinks, least of all other bass players.
