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At what point should you stop buying combos?

#81
DougD said:
Op. Stop buying combos when you have no need for them anymore ( as some have stated ) As for me, Neo cabs and micro heads are the ticket. Many are lighter and louder than combos these days. The head fits in my gig bag, the cab is light enough to handle with one hand if I have to. But I always use a cart regardless of what I bring to the gig. I love the scalability of separates. But everybody has different needs/wants, so it's really up to you. What do you need or want? Skill level has absolutely nothing to do with it unless you have $10,00 worth of gear and cant play:)
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JimmyM said:
I say thank God for those who have $10,000 worth of gear and can't play. They're the ones who keep MI companies alive!
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I'm tired of spending $10G on stuff that doesn't make me able to play well; since I can't play on expensive stuff, where can I get gear for 10 bucks? :help:
 
#82
Feral Feline said:
I'm tired of spending $10G on stuff that doesn't make me able to play well; since I can't play on expensive stuff, where can I get gear for 10 bucks? :help:
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I believe Be*ringer has the package for you:

* 1000W Bass amp
* 16... no 32.... no 64... no 128 band graphic EQ
* built in mid-scoop since you know you want it
* 8x10 cabinet that is not a ripoff of a certain company that starts with Amp and ends with eg ;) ;)

All for $9.98!

Names have been changed to protect the [DEL]guilty[/DEL] innocent.
May not be exactly as described. And the rumor that the cab is made of recycled Kleenex has never been proven in court.
 
#86
The gear you need depends on where and what you play as well as if you DI into the system or not.
I play new gospel in buildings with anywhere from 100 to 400 people at times. My amp is a Fender Rumble 350 which I run as stage volume and into the system through the XLR output. The highest I've had to put my volume on the amp itself so far is 5. If I can hear myself good and the rest of the band can hear me then the combo is doing it's job just fine. If I ever need more(which is not likely) then I'll switch....and not one second before. :)
 
#88
DougD said:
Too true! Lol. A job making high end gear for collectors is still a job ;) I just wish they wouldn't drive up the prices so much :)
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The relationship between quality and collectibility/price is not constant. There's plenty of good stuff that is cheaper because it doesn't have collectible value.

I had a friend once with the most amazing wine cellar that cost him nothing except for time. The way he did it was to throw in a few hundred dollars and speculate on wines that would appreciate in value. The stuff that went up in price was sold to restaurants, the stuff that didn't go up in price was just as good but less saleable, and he drank it The wine that sold paid back his initial investment and for restocking of the cellar.
 
#89
i play full time 4-6 gigs a week and some touring.
I've played all over the states, europe and uk.
all with combos, no more than 2 to be exact.

from the koko in london to the greek in LA I've never needed more.

just sayin
 
#93
Wow - 7 pages of "it's a matter of personal preference"...gotta love the 'net!
My Mesa Carbine M6 combo has a removable head, so I can do combo (which has wheels and a handle), or slap it on top of a speaker cab anywhere.
Love it! MY personal preference... :)
 
#94
For me it was after my second one. I bought a GK Backline 115 and it died within 6 months. So I took the head out, bought a Hartke 3500 and later on bought a 4x10 when that 1x15 stopped being enough.

Ideally I would say after your first combo when you know this is something you will stick with.

I'm currently gigging with an Orange Terror Bass (11lbs), a rack with a power conditioner and pedals plus whatever cab I feel like lugging along for a monitor. All the venues here have solid PA's so I can bring a 1x15 if I don't have someone to help lug the old 2x15 and still sound great. I'm thinking about swapping my 1x15 out from a Kappa Pro to a Neo to lighten up that cab a bit.
 
#95
The only time you absolutely have to ditch combos, is if you develop a taste for exotic cab/head combinations that have no combo equivalent.

I have a bad back, and the only combo I'm aware of that meets my loudness AND weight requirements, is the G-K MB212 combo. The price is pretty sweet, too, but unfortunately it doesn't meet my durability, size, or tonal requirements. So, I'm still using separates.

If Genz Benz and AudioKinesis ever joined forces, I'd buy a Streamliner/Thunderchild 112AF combo in a heartbeat. If it featured a docking arrangement for easy head swapping, I'd probably pick up a Shuttle .2 head as well, just for a little variety.
 
#96
I love my 2x10 combo, so much that I rarely lug around my separate 2x15 and head anymore. If I need to hear myself better, I elevate the combo. If the audience needs to hear me better, I go thru the PA or run an extension cab. As long as you can get your tone, your audience can hear you, and you can hear yourself, it doesn't whether its a combo or separates.
 
#97
I bought a MB Powerhouse 115 cab yesterday - got a GREAT deal on TB!
I took the Carbine M6 power amp out of my 212 combo, and I'm using it with the 115 cab at my band's practice space as my practice rig.
When I play a gig, I'll put the M6 head back in the combo and connect the 1x15 cab as well.
I love it!!!
It's a shame that MB discontinued the Carbine M6 212 combo - it's a great combo to go from practice to gigs. The only down-side is the weight (110 lbs.). It's a tilt-and-roll amp, but stairs are a bummer, as is getting it in and out of some vehicles.
The new M3 112 combo they released is a great solution to the weight issue. The Carbine amps put out huge sound!
 
#99
I base the success of my gear by how much money it's made me without craping out. If it has paid for itself 10 times over, I consider it a good purchase.
Ito answer the op's question, I prefer separates because I can choose 2 specific areas of my sound: amp performance and speaker combining to make me and hopefully my audience smile.
Having said that, I played through a combo the other night and the sound was delightful to mu ears.
Let your ears give you the answer to your question as there are quality products in both.
 

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