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Best all round rig .

rumblejunkie

rumblejunkie

Guest
Nov 19, 2011
247
500
Falkirk
#1
Ok this has probably been asked a thousand times but I really need your help . Ive been playing in a five peice covers band since March this year . The previous bass player left due to travelling distance and work commitments . At the moment I am a stay at home Dad and Im responsible for the home and taking the kids to school and making meals etc... I also looked after my daughter until she started school recently , so funds on my part are tight . When I joined them , after about two months , I bought a 180watt 1x12 combo with a Di out , intending to use it as a monitor and Di through the PA or sound system . Up until a couple of weeks ago this was what was happening , until the drummer convinced the rest of the band that I would blow the 1200 watt PA that they owned . Were ready to gig any time now and Im worried that Im not going to have enough dig to cut through the mix of an acoustic drum set and two guitars . The guitarists both use Blackstar 40watt valve amps . I would also like to cut the weight down a bit as my basses are all pretty heavy and my main instrument is around 11-12 ibs and the combo is 60ibs ! I have been looking at class D compact amps such as the Ampeg portaflex 500 and maybe getting a 2x10 and 1x15 but Im confused by the two power ratings at either 4 or 8 ohms . Can anyone recommend a decent portable setup and explain what ohms are best ? Or do I just keep at it with the combo ? Any help or advice would be massively appreciated . Many thanks for reading .
 
#2
Ohms are a measurement of impedance, similar to resistance. With regards to music gear, it is a rating given to speakers, that affects how an amplifier will output power. Tube amplifiers require exact matching ratings, and most require a load at all times. Solid state amps will operate fine with higher-than-rated impedances. At the place you are at right now, just know this, and get to the other stuff soon: Adding speakers makes ohms go lower. Most solid state amps will run at 4 or 8 ohms, and put out a more power at 4 ohms than 8. Two 8 ohm cabinets will "show" an amp 4 ohms, but you can also just use one 8 ohm cab and be fine. Amps don't have ohms, just a minimum rating, meaning don't drop below or bad things.... Almost all speaker connections are parallel, meaning that using more than one connection is lowering ohms. Series connections are a very specific way to wire things, and few amps or cabs have any speaker connectors that will run in series without modification or a special cable. If a cabinet has two connections, it is almost always a daisy chain, meaning you are lowering ohms using both.

Speaker area is more efficient than power to get louder, so consider a pair of speakers with modest power. Height is also a good way to be heard, so often a pair of 210 cabs, stacked as a single column of speakers, is better than a single 410 cab.

As far as amps go, just play until you find one that does it for you tone wise, and scale up. I would suggest minimum 100 watts and a 15. The go-to reply is typically "find an old used Peavey TNT". Solid advice.

You may be ok with a 210 combo in the "300"watt range, but if there is a speaker connection on it, it will only be "300" watts when that speaker connection is being used with another cabinet. With pairing speakers, it is safer to match them, eg two identical ones, or with a combo amp and same brand and line ext cabinet with the same size and number of speakers.
 
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#3
You will get tons of replies.... Just hang in there. There's a lot to learn, but you'll be fine:) soak it all in and take notes. A couple questions to you, OP- budget? Genre? Location? New or used? Transportation restrictions? All these things can factor in with suggestions.
 
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#7
Thanks for the reply , its much appreciated and a lot to take in :). At the moment budget is zero but I would be working on that to get where I need to , so obviously the cheaper the better but I still want decent and above all reliable kit . Im in Scotland and the Portaflex is available for around £250 ish which is very reasonable and pretty light which is also preferable for lugging it around . They can be picked up second hand even better but I hadnt a clue how the speaker/ohm thing worked , and yes a 4x10 would be ideal but probably just as heavy as I have just now . The 180 is pretty loud especially even though its a cheapo (Behringer) its also completely silent with no hum or buzz from the transistors . The biggest issue I can see is it only having that one 12" speaker and no option to add another . Its got Di and line out and effects send and return , footswitch etc but no extension out . Mores the pity . Thanks for the advice ,
Ill work on funds first and then take it from there but at least Ill be a bit more clued up so to speak .
 
#9
I use the PF 500 with a 210 cabinet in my 3 piece rock cover band. We are loud. I run my bass through the PA, but we send the signal to a powered sub. The output of the amp and cab (300 watts) is enough for stage volume. I do have a second 210 that will give me a total of 500W but have not needed it with this band.

At our last bar gig the sub failed and my rig filled the room just fine. Never took the Gain or Volume past noon.
 
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#10
regards the drummer , he could be on his way out depending on whether he puts in an appearance at tomorrow evenings rehearsal :D . The original drummer is coming over on Sunday and we will see how that works out . He again left originally due to shift commitments but has now settled into a new job . Ive not met him yet bit hes supposed to be a nice guy . Im hoping grade 8 guitar player come part time drummer gear snob will get the heave ho ;)
 
#16
Stumbo said:
What speakers are being used for the PA?
Click to expand...

Im sure they are Yamaha 15" and a Mackie mixer . It does sound really decent . The thing is , most of the bars and clubs in our vacinity that put on live music and even in the main cities , Glasgow and Edinburgh , the venue has its own sound system . The halls weve used have been pretty big and high ceilings so a combo is going to be lost in that but a normal smaller bar gig , it should probably be ok . Im going to get some cash together then Ill see whats available and go from there .
 
#17
rumblejunkie said:
Ok this has probably been asked a thousand times but I really need your help . Ive been playing in a five peice covers band since March this year . The previous bass player left due to travelling distance and work commitments . At the moment I am a stay at home Dad and Im responsible for the home and taking the kids to school and making meals etc... I also looked after my daughter until she started school recently , so funds on my part are tight . When I joined them , after about two months , I bought a 180watt 1x12 combo with a Di out , intending to use it as a monitor and Di through the PA or sound system . Up until a couple of weeks ago this was what was happening , until the drummer convinced the rest of the band that I would blow the 1200 watt PA that they owned . Were ready to gig any time now and Im worried that Im not going to have enough dig to cut through the mix of an acoustic drum set and two guitars . The guitarists both use Blackstar 40watt valve amps . I would also like to cut the weight down a bit as my basses are all pretty heavy and my main instrument is around 11-12 ibs and the combo is 60ibs ! I have been looking at class D compact amps such as the Ampeg portaflex 500 and maybe getting a 2x10 and 1x15 but Im confused by the two power ratings at either 4 or 8 ohms . Can anyone recommend a decent portable setup and explain what ohms are best ? Or do I just keep at it with the combo ? Any help or advice would be massively appreciated . Many thanks for reading .
Click to expand...
I suggest a GK 400RB-IV and two Bag End S15-D cabs.
 
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#18
The drummer is an idiot. Just use your combo and di plan. The combo is your monitor, the PA does the heavy lifting.

Rooms with sound support will thank you for having a reasonable stage volume. Rooms without PA will thank you for an overall reasonable volume.

I'd bet dollars to doughnuts your know it all drumtard is too loud, all the time, and can only groove at his one volume. Over the side he goes.
 
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