• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Big Amps will come back one day!!!

#222
moon-bass said:
I can't help but think you're looking for an argument for some reason.

And yes, this is literally a conversation "about amps." Maybe you're in the wrong section or you're confused with you disdain for technology :) As I now have your "permission" to make comments, I'm going to assume that it's okay that I make comments outside your narrow view as to what you deem is acceptable.

I am curious as to if class D amps are inherently "too hi-fi," is there some sort of exception for FOH amops as opposed to bass amps? Do you have magic FOH amps that can get low fi? Or do you not care about such trivial matters as to how your band sounds to the audience?

So sorry to challenge your worldview with actual facts, and holy crap the projection is strong with you.
Click to expand...
How narcissistic of you.
 
#228
Jim C said:
Interesting chart and I agree with the premise that older technologies are often times less desirable.
But the idea of comparing a digital download and its sonic qualities, to a record or CD is not a great example.
I can not seriously listen to 95% of all digital downloads. The fidelity is just not there.
Based on this same thinking, the sonic difference between old bass amps and newer one are very close though.
Click to expand...

Depends entirely on the download.

Jim C said:
I think this is a matter of opinion.
We used a Bryston amp in our 24 track, 2" recording truck and it sounded fantastic with Meyer monitors.
When you get to that level, I think you are really talking about weight, flexibility, and reliability.
Click to expand...

Those speakers would sound “just as good” with a class d amp also.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Coot, Artman, sutarappa and 3 others
#230
agedhorse said:
Depends entirely on the download.
Those speakers would sound “just as good” with a class d amp also.
Click to expand...

Please suggest a service that can download high end audio; I am honestly not aware of one.
I responded to a post that said a Class D power amps are better. I think when you get to the top brand leaders, a double blind listening test can not prove one is "better". I am not aware that class D is any more reliable than pro level Class AB. Lighter and with more features for sure.
 
#232
Jim C said:
Please suggest a service that can download high end audio; I am honestly not aware of one.
I responded to a post that said a Class D power amps are better. I think when you get to the top brand leaders, a double blind listening test can not prove one is "better". I am not aware that class D is any more reliable than pro level Class AB. Lighter and with more features for sure.
Click to expand...
Oh, I didn't specify "sound" better, I was referring to "all around." Used by pros, and you point out lighter and more features. Sorry about that, I didn't mean to infer just "sound better."

I agree 100% that in a double blind listening test there's not a person that could tell the difference.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jim C
#234
Jim C said:
Interesting chart and I agree with the premise that older technologies are often times less desirable.
But the idea of comparing a digital download and its sonic qualities, to a record or CD is not a great example.
I can not seriously listen to 95% of all digital downloads. The fidelity is just not there.
Based on this same thinking, the sonic difference between old bass amps and newer one are very close though.
Click to expand...
I'm not comparing quality or anything beyond market share. The OP said big amps will come back like vinyl did. Vinyl's "comeback" means it went from 3% of total music revenue to 8%, as opposed to 1973 when it was over 70% of total revenue. Vinyl would still have to increase 875% from where it is now to come back to 70% of market share.

It seemed like the OP was under the impression that vinyl's "comeback" was some prolific thing and vinyl is back in full force, and likewise, giant heavy amps would take over the stages again. But if there is a "comeback" of big amps, it'll probably be just like the actual vinyl "comeback" numbers: not really much of a comeback at all. Maybe a small handful of die-hards buying a few very big amps & cabs from niche makers, and 80%-90% of the rest of the market being lighter smaller amps and ampless tech. The technology & power of small amps will eventually get to a point where making a big amp will mean making a small & light amp, and then arbitrarily adding size and weight that has no effect on the tone or volume, just for the sake of making it big and heavy. (Like Beats by Dre headphones added weights to make the product feel more solid and "professional." Literally just stuck metal weights inside the ear pieces.)

And your point about the new amps sounding pretty much like the old ones just kinda proves my point. The (incredibly small) comeback of vinyl is driven by the sonic difference and ritual of the physical media. When there's no discernible difference between new and old amp tone & volume, why would people pick the heavier one with outdated technology? There's nothing the big & heavy amps are offering more than the new light and small ones.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Artman, JMarkD, agedhorse and 2 others
#235
I don't know if these can be considered big; a Carvin MB15 combo with neo 15" speaker and a matching 115MBE, making 250w. The amp is 27.5 lbs, the cabinet is 24.8 lbs. I've used them for my uke group's larger and outdoor gigs, along with a Powkey powerbank.

Carvin rig and me 250.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Artman and Lance Bunyon
#237
jkalads said:
The Vinyl comeback is not small at all. Its huge and its mostly pre-teens that are interested and buying them. For real…what goes around around comes around. I stand by the original post I guess time will tell…
Click to expand...
Yeah, while streaming and downloads have basically taken over, vinyl sells more than CDs, and makes a ton more money. Records have also seen increasing sales every year since 1986.
 
#238
Jim C said:
Please suggest a service that can download high end audio; I am honestly not aware of one.
I responded to a post that said a Class D power amps are better. I think when you get to the top brand leaders, a double blind listening test can not prove one is "better". I am not aware that class D is any more reliable than pro level Class AB. Lighter and with more features for sure.
Click to expand...
We transfer high end native audio files all the time, at whatever resolution we want to.

There are also services that are much higher end than "average consumer quality", like Qobuz, 24bit96, ProStudioMasters. I haven't used these but they support many of the higher quality file transfer protocols.

My experience is that pro class D amps are in fact MORE reliable than the equivalent level of class AB amps. That's one reason that they have thrived in the touring pro audio world.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Artman, 60bass, Murch and 3 others
#239
Just had a call from one of my long time clients, he has 8 x 3 way trap cabinets all Eminence loaded, all working, set up for triamp operation on Cannon AP-6 connectors. They weigh about 75 lbs per box, fair cosmetic condition and he will take $800 for all 8. They were over $1k each when new. Any takers? Message me, this is less than 10 cents on the dollar for exactly the older technology that we have been discussing. He actually has 16 of them and will probably take $1600 for all 16...

I see deals like this all the time, but I'm pretty deep in this side of the business.
upload_2024-4-25_19-15-27.png
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bigmikebass, Guitalia, Artman and 7 others
#240
I think class D and neodymium speaker cabs ARE the big amps.
My new tiny Markbass combo is 26 lbs and if I really needed to get it's full 500 watts I just connect another 8 ohm Markbass 121 cab and it's a mini stack of doom.
You wouldn't believe the sound this thing pumps out.
Juxtapose that against the Ampeg stack I was playing in 1993, a pro III head on top of a 115 and 410. Each cab was 200 watts.

Who wants such inefficient amplification?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Artman and WI Short Scaler

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back