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Bass amp as synth monitor??

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by LittleBassChops, Jul 23, 2013.

  1. Jul 23, 2013 #1
    LittleBassChops

    LittleBassChops

    May 13, 2013
    New Jersey
    Hey folks,

    I am a bass player with a HA2500 amphead and a Hartke 410 cab.
    I also use this setup to play music from my ipod throughout my house(who needs an ipod dock when you have a rig???). I also use these speakers to listen to final mixes of my own recorded music.

    My and my music partners have been looking to purchase a new synth in order to record into various different programs. I, myself, am looking at the roland gaia; as i have seen it in action and was very impressed (especially with the low bass analogue sounds)

    I would like to find out if it is acceptable to play keyboard through my bass head into the speakers?

    Would playing heavy bass synth through these speakers cause any damage to the speakers or amp head?

    Thanks all
     
  2. Jul 23, 2013 #2
    nojj

    nojj Guest

    May 20, 2013
    I totally fried the XO in one of my cabs doing just that.
     
  3. Jul 23, 2013 #3
    JimmyM

    JimmyM Supporting Member

    Apr 11, 2005
    Apopka, FL
    Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
    It will if you turn up your cab to the point it causes damage, or run a real nasty and loud distorted patch through it with the tweeter on. Otherwise it should be fine.
     
  4. Jul 23, 2013 #4
    BbbyBld

    BbbyBld

    Oct 13, 2005
    Meridian, MS
    Word. One thing though. I made the mistake of creating too many patches using an extra bass rig as a monitor, and the patches sounded like garbage running through a real full range monitor.

    Off topic, but also check out the M-Audio Venom. You can get great bass sounds out of it and it works well live. Also, if this is for use with a computer, check out the Minimonsta VST. It sounds great.
     
  5. Jul 23, 2013 #5
    paganjack

    paganjack

    Dec 25, 2007
    Los Angeles, CA
    You should be fine generally, but yeah watch out for the tweeter/x-over as they are a lot more sensitive than the woofer itself.

    Playing synth bass through a bass amp makes plenty of sense to me, certainly for live purposes and possibly for recording too (micing the cab for tone-shaping/ambience, not so much as a monitor)
     
  6. Jul 23, 2013 #6
    Downunderwonder

    Downunderwonder

    Aug 26, 2009
    New Zealand
    Most bass cabs can't produce the lowest octaves of synth and die trying.
     
  7. Jul 24, 2013 #7
    goran

    goran

    Dec 17, 2002
    Croatia
    Endorsing Artist: Bartolini
    There is something I don't understand. Most synth players I know rely on house-provided monitors, since they never (and never will) owned their own amp.
    They get the same monitors that we, the bass players, loath and describe as "farty", "bad"....
    And I've never heard that synth player blew up one.
     
  8. Jul 24, 2013 #8
    Downunderwonder

    Downunderwonder

    Aug 26, 2009
    New Zealand
    Yet you wonder why those same monitors sound like arse?
     
  9. Jul 24, 2013 #9
    RickenBoogie

    RickenBoogie

    Jul 22, 2007
    Dallas, TX
    A Roland KC 350 is a better choice for a synth, and I play synth all the time. I've used my bass rigs, and so long as you know what you're doing, that can work, but a good keyboard amp or PA system is what you really want for this.
     
  10. Jul 24, 2013 #10
    dave_p

    dave_p

    Dec 20, 2005
    CT
    there is no crossover to blow in a hartke 410, or tweeter for that matter.

    I run an alesis micron into a HA2000 and 210xl cab all the time. I dont get all the sub bass the micron is capable of, but it still sounds pretty decent. so, for now, yes that rig should work just fine.