AudioKinesis Cabs Part VI...

[alaskaleftybass]

Good idea.

AudioKinesis Users

Click "Additions" at the top Right, and click "Add Marker - Simple". I suggest something like this for your markers:

Edit to add: if this becomes an actual "thing" that people user and get a lot of markers on, I'll offer up to @DukeLeJeune any assistance he may need ton getting a similar setup on his website as an "official" account. Otherwise, consider this unofficial etc. etc.

I'm in!

 

[alaskaleftybass]

 

[Interceptor]

I'm in. Birdhaus 46 prototype here. I own it, and have no skin in the game other than it is a cabinet I like, and am willing to let others in the area hear it.

I've got a decent arsenal to compare to as well. Greenboy 12/6 and a pair of SVT210AV cabinets.

 

[Marial]

In! Thanks, Selta!

 

[El Spearo]

In!

 

[Thumper]

I have a red composite 115 Thunderchild in Layton Ut if someone wants to hear/play through one.

 

[John D Harris]

DeeMan is great and local to me! He will likely be hearing from me very soon. The 1855 is so tempting I just wanted to make sure it was not a better choice based on what I have liked in the past.

Thanks for all the help!

I think any of Duke's cabs would work well with the Mesa D800.
The Hathors tend to be a bit more Rock aggressive with certain switch settings, but any should work great.
Do you prefer a one cab solution or two?

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I think any of Duke's cabs would work well with the Mesa D800.
The Hathors tend to be a bit more Rock aggressive with certain switch settings, but any should work great.
Do you prefer a one cab solution or two?

@lo-freq are you able to get a nice growly tone out of the D-800? Kind of overdriven classic SVT or 80's overdriven Peavey. I know, odd combination, but honestly those sounds worked for me many years. I would be tempted to try out the Mesa if it could get a bit wolly-fuzzy.

 

[Marial]

If you're looking for wooly-fuzzy, a TH500 will do the trick. I'm thinking of selling mine to get a D800 because I want a cleaner, deeper, tone.

 

[JRB]

I think any of Duke's cabs would work well with the Mesa D800.
The Hathors tend to be a bit more Rock aggressive with certain switch settings, but any should work great.
Do you prefer a one cab solution or two?

I want a single cab solution.

If you're looking for wooly-fuzzy, a TH500 will do the trick. I'm thinking of selling mine to get a D800 because I want a cleaner, deeper, tone.

The D800 does clean, deep tone wonderfully. If that is what you are looking for I thin you will love it.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I want a single cab solution.



The D800 does clean, deep tone wonderfully. If that is what you are looking for I thin you will love it.

I'm looking for 1980's SVT / Peavey overdriven tone. Not interested in super clean.

 

[Marial]

I'm looking for 1980's SVT / Peavey overdriven tone. Not interested in super clean.

Well.... if you decide you're interested in a TH500, let me know.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

Well.... if you decide you're interested in a TH500, let me know.

Thank you for the offer. I was referring to another post about clean output.

 

[Marial]

Dig it!

 

[tombowlus]

I don't think Tom had them both at the same time.

True story...

 

[Selta]

"...and bring the most accurate speaker you have!"

Selta grabs his TC118 and heads out into the night.

 

[Selta]

Alright, so to elaborate a tad more on my previous post...

Along with the annual PacNW Bass GTG, I host an event for modelers (Line6 Helix, Kemper, Axe-Fx II, AX8 and so on) every other month.

If you haven't messed with or read about modelers, let me give a quick overview then get back to the story...

Basically, a modeler "models" a give device (Amplifier, Cabinet, Effect etc) by using crazy complex math. What Solid State amps are to tube amps, modelers are to SS amps. Basically, you use the modeler (in my case, an Axe-Fx II, which is a 2U Rack unit - or an AX8, a floor unit) to setup your *entire* signal chain from input to output to FOH/recording desk. You have your input, to your amp, to your cab, to all of your effects in the modeler.

So, one very important aspect of these setups is of course your real amplifier and cab (if you use them - if not, then your IEMs). Basically, it is crucial that whatever you are using for monitoring on stage do absolutely nothing else to the signal other than make it louder. The modeler is handling everything else, afterall.

This is one area where the TC line, IMO, really shines bright.

Getting back to my event... basically, part of the event boils down to critical listening to see which brand offers the "realest" modeling. If I pull up a modeled Ampeg SVT + Ampeg 8x10 cab, does it sound like the real SVT + 8x10 sitting beside it?

So again, the cab has to basically get out of the way, and just make what the modeler is feeding it louder.

If I'm comparing the Axe-Fx II to the Helix, I want to compare those units against each other as ideally as possible. The TC makes this possible. It may not have ruler-flat response, but it really feels/sounds fairly close to.

So, tomorrow is the big main event. Tonight, a couple of us got together just to mess around a little bit, kind of like a pre-party. They were bringing their modelers, but not amps or cabs, and asked me to bring one. Tomorrow is the real deal, but tonight was awesome with it.

Edit: not tomorrow, Sunday.

 

[John D Harris]

Alright, so to elaborate a tad more on my previous post...

Along with the annual PacNW Bass GTG, I host an event for modelers (Line6 Helix, Kemper, Axe-Fx II, AX8 and so on) every other month.

If you haven't messed with or read about modelers, let me give a quick overview then get back to the story...

Basically, a modeler "models" a give device (Amplifier, Cabinet, Effect etc) by using crazy complex math. What Solid State amps are to tube amps, modelers are to SS amps. Basically, you use the modeler (in my case, an Axe-Fx II, which is a 2U Rack unit - or an AX8, a floor unit) to setup your *entire* signal chain from input to output to FOH/recording desk. You have your input, to your amp, to your cab, to all of your effects in the modeler.

So, one very important aspect of these setups is of course your real amplifier and cab (if you use them - if not, then your IEMs). Basically, it is crucial that whatever you are using for monitoring on stage do absolutely nothing else to the signal other than make it louder. The modeler is handling everything else, afterall.

This is one area where the TC line, IMO, really shines bright.

Getting back to my event... basically, part of the event boils down to critical listening to see which brand offers the "realest" modeling. If I pull up a modeled Ampeg SVT + Ampeg 8x10 cab, does it sound like the real SVT + 8x10 sitting beside it?

So again, the cab has to basically get out of the way, and just make what the modeler is feeding it louder.

If I'm comparing the Axe-Fx II to the Helix, I want to compare those units against each other as ideally as possible. The TC makes this possible. It may not have ruler-flat response, but it really feels/sounds fairly close to.

So, tomorrow is the big main event. Tonight, a couple of us got together just to mess around a little bit, kind of like a pre-party. They were bringing their modelers, but not amps or cabs, and asked me to bring one. Tomorrow is the real deal, but tonight was awesome with it.

Edit: not tomorrow, Sunday.

I'll be interested in your thoughts on the Kemper.
One of my band's lead guitarists has the Axe-Fx full blown latest whatever rack mount with the big pedalboard.
He seems to have it worked out pretty well, but I don't care for the powered cab he uses - it looks like a wedge monitor, I think it's by the same company.
For a while he was getting too much lower low mids out of it - might have just been EQing to sound good solo instead of in the band mix.
I've been interested in the Kemper since it first came out.

 

[Selta]

So, I have a fair amount (i.e. at least dozens of hours) of experience with the Kemper and the Fractal offerings, and only a little bit with the Helix. I'm hoping a used Helix comes up cheap that I can grab, but it'd be on hold no matter what since I'm hopefully buying a house soon.

Anyway...
The Kemper is a nice piece of gear. But, for what I do and how I approach my setup, it was not a good fit. The Axe-Fx has a lot of customization and ability to program things to sound how you want. Amp, effects and cabs all have as much (or as little) control as you want. You can change the output tubes on an SVT to EL84s if you want (among about a thousand other parameters). You can change the cab tuning, resonance frequency or even add a hi/lo pass to that 8x10.
So, of course, it's pretty easy to get lost in the Axe-Fx for awhile, until you learn it.

I'm going to guess that your guitarist is using an Atomic CLR for his cab. They're pretty true, so if he is getting mud or bad tone from it, it's because his own doing. I'm not trying to be harsh at all here, he just needs to dive in and figure it out. Also, if he dials things in at bedroom volume, then cranks things up for rehearsals/gigs, the Fletcher-Munson effect kicks in, which emphasizes the lows and highs. Tell him to use the EQ in the Amp Block to clean things up .

Back to your question... the Kemper profiles are nice, but you can go down a rabbit hole of spending money on them, assuming the amp/cab you want has been profiled (chances are somewhat high, but not an absolute). I'd rather have a selection of 200 some odd amps, tons of cabs and effects to be able to craft my tone instead.

Also, a 2U rack unit works way better for me than a toaster oven (or 4U rack setup) . When I don't want to carry my rack though, I grab my pedalboard with my AX8 (a floorboard version of the Axe-Fx II).

Tone wise, in a live setting I doubt anyone can tell the difference. When tracking in a studio, I can fairly easily pick out the Axe-Fx's over the Kempers. Axe-Fx has spent a TON of time working on their modeling - they release updates every few weeks and to my ears, is just a good bit closer to really nailing the way amps really sound and feel. The Kemper is no slouch, though, and worth checking out. If your guitarist is up for it, I'd say ask to borrow his Axe-Fx, and I'll give you some presets to start with and go from there too.

If you have other questions, please do ask away, I'll gladly answer them. This is a topic I'm pretty vocal about - I feel that bassists are missing the boat on one of the best amplification inventions right now. If guitarists, who are arguably way more picky about tone (especially tube and speaker breakup / tone) are jumping on these, I can't fathom why bassists don't

 

[John D Harris]

So, I have a fair amount (i.e. at least dozens of hours) of experience with the Kemper and the Fractal offerings, and only a little bit with the Helix. I'm hoping a used Helix comes up cheap that I can grab, but it'd be on hold no matter what since I'm hopefully buying a house soon.

Anyway...
The Kemper is a nice piece of gear. But, for what I do and how I approach my setup, it was not a good fit. The Axe-Fx has a lot of customization and ability to program things to sound how you want. Amp, effects and cabs all have as much (or as little) control as you want. You can change the output tubes on an SVT to EL84s if you want (among about a thousand other parameters). You can change the cab tuning, resonance frequency or even add a hi/lo pass to that 8x10.
So, of course, it's pretty easy to get lost in the Axe-Fx for awhile, until you learn it.

I'm going to guess that your guitarist is using an Atomic CLR for his cab. They're pretty true, so if he is getting mud or bad tone from it, it's because his own doing. I'm not trying to be harsh at all here, he just needs to dive in and figure it out. Also, if he dials things in at bedroom volume, then cranks things up for rehearsals/gigs, the Fletcher-Munson effect kicks in, which emphasizes the lows and highs. Tell him to use the EQ in the Amp Block to clean things up .

Back to your question... the Kemper profiles are nice, but you can go down a rabbit hole of spending money on them, assuming the amp/cab you want has been profiled (chances are somewhat high, but not an absolute). I'd rather have a selection of 200 some odd amps, tons of cabs and effects to be able to craft my tone instead.

Also, a 2U rack unit works way better for me than a toaster oven (or 4U rack setup) . When I don't want to carry my rack though, I grab my pedalboard with my AX8 (a floorboard version of the Axe-Fx II).

Tone wise, in a live setting I doubt anyone can tell the difference. When tracking in a studio, I can fairly easily pick out the Axe-Fx's over the Kempers. Axe-Fx has spent a TON of time working on their modeling - they release updates every few weeks and to my ears, is just a good bit closer to really nailing the way amps really sound and feel. The Kemper is no slouch, though, and worth checking out. If your guitarist is up for it, I'd say ask to borrow his Axe-Fx, and I'll give you some presets to start with and go from there too.

If you have other questions, please do ask away, I'll gladly answer them. This is a topic I'm pretty vocal about - I feel that bassists are missing the boat on one of the best amplification inventions right now. If guitarists, who are arguably way more picky about tone (especially tube and speaker breakup / tone) are jumping on these, I can't fathom why bassists don't

Thank you for the info.
I'll look into the AX8.