Got the idea from you. The board I/O got in the way of a good standing position for the guitar, so the Bassrack™ is going to get a bit nuttier than it already is. <cue maniacal laugh>
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Big E Speakers Part 4 - Quadraphenia
- Thread starter kesslari
- Start date
Got the idea from you. The board I/O got in the way of a good standing position for the guitar, so the Bassrack™ is going to get a bit nuttier than it already is. <cue maniacal laugh>
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,230
- 45,090
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
Hey guys looking for amp head pairings. MarkA and I have both said the Kustom KXB 500 plays well with MAS. (jammed mine last night with the 46).
No affilliation with the sellers but 2 are well priced in the classifieds.
No affilliation with the sellers but 2 are well priced in the classifieds.
Meant to comment on this earlier.
I'm fond of that little KXB -- it's an impressively punchy little head with some grit to the sound and a tone that strikes a nice balance between supporting and cutting in a live mix -- it's easy to drive a band with that head. I wouldn't go so far as to call it the second coming, though. I've had it for awhile, now, and played it out with the 112, the Flex, and the 46 (though only once or twice with the 46). The Flex was my favorite cab with that head, the 112 a close second, and the 46 (for me) came in third. It might be that I just didn't get it dialed in right with the 46, but the extremely clear mids of that cab, for me, exposed some of the limitations of the head. Sounded a bit strident, a bit thin up top. I probably could've fixed that by dialing back the treble and mids some or flipping the mid switch on the cab to its less aggressive setting. The Flex (again, for what I was going for) just bumped that head up in all the right places -- made it sound like a more expensive amp -- and drove a loud funk jam with horns, singers, multiple guitars, and keys like nobody's business.
I like the KXB through the 112, but I haven't used that combo on anything really loud. It's been plenty for the medium volume stuff I've done with it -- still dynamic with headroom -- but my 112 is 8 Ohms and the Flex is 4 Ohms and more efficient. The KXB uses the little 125 ASX2 Ice module, so I'd expect it to hit its limits well before the cab does (and, indeed, some people have reported running out of steam with it when pushing an 8 Ohm load hard). Seemed to me to go about as loud as the Markbass F500 I had -- maybe a bit louder, but I'm not sure -- never tried to max them out head-to-head. The F500 had a more flexible EQ and was a little smoother and more full up top, but the KXB was more articulate and I liked the grit in its tone more. I took both heads to two consecutive gigs and ended up keeping the KXB. Prefer it to the Aggie TH500 I had briefly, too -- tighter and punchier than that head. Strikes a nice balance between the Markbass and the Aggie, actually, with more solid lows than the Markbass and less wool than the Aggie.
Somewhere in the KXB thread, about a year back, I recorded some clips of it, the F500, and a Mesa Walkabout through my MAS 112 (I think I posted one in this thread, too). The clips are limited by being recorded in my apartment -- couldn't open up the 112 properly and let it breathe -- and by my lack of mic-ing technique -- but they should still give some rough idea of the relative characters of the amps.
To be clear, I never got any complaints playing the KXB through the 46 -- it was clear, articulate, easy to hear all over the stage, and people said it sounded good -- but I didn't feel as pocketed-in-the-mix as when playing it with the Flex or 112. I'll give it a shot again here, before too long, and see what I think.
EDIT: Here is the post with the clips: NAD: The BEST Amp I've Ever Heard!! Kustom KXB500
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MarkA, you should be a bass mag reviewer! Very comprehensive input. Thanks! I have only used mine, thus far, with the 46. (blues/flats). I am trying to move gear and downsize and my band leader is not well so I am building another blues band, with a savant harmonica player. I will take it out with the Flex some day if I have not sold the Flex. (Gotta sell stuff). I remember when the KXB thread started out, people were saying the blow out price on MF was worth the price for the Bang and Olufsen modules alone. (never can remember how to spell the 2nd name) Cheap IMHSO. for a very capable micro. Shrigg said he likes it better than his Puma 900 in the KXB thread. If I had a MAS and a little over 300 bucks I would buy one as a back up at least. But I have no dog in the fight. Just alerting MAS guys to my experience. I loved the SVT 7pro through my 48 but it took the terminal dive as so many have. Just sharing.
Sorry to hear about your BL. Hope things turn out well, there and with your new project. A good harp player can be a lot of fun! And not bagging on the KXB - I consider it the best bargain I've come across in a micro.
Neat. What's the reasoning behind elevating it like that?
Well, the board as is -just- fits inside the rack feet, but the board pwr and spkr cables get in the way, so elevated i can get my feet under as I stand right up to the stand to play. Also, attatched to the stand i can move it with the stand around the stage as needed during setup. Also because I could. Im really digging not having anything on my shoulder for 3 hour gigs.
Now that I have my medicare card, I should get one of those bass stands before I develop a problem. I am going to a local festival in June, where Kesslari should have his and I can see one up close.
If I am still playing 5 years from now my pre gig check list will probably include several prosthetic devices too.
There is a good bass player locally who plays in a wheel chair, in a really good band! Keep on truckin.
I dont know how stable the Mbrace feels on a mic tripod stand, but on this stand it would take a linebacker to knock it over.
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,230
- 45,090
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
Last week I received a Peavey Minimega to try out with the MAS112. So far I am very pleased with how it matches with the cab. I don't like everything about this amp, but the gain, general voice, EQ and power sections are very well done for a budget amp. It is very open and deep with a hint of grind going through the 112 and meets many of my tone goals fairly easily. Tonight I get to gig them together in a good sized room so looking forward to it.
Good to hear. A lot of people like them. You may be the first MAS owner to report on the head?
Had my first big show with the MAS112 last night. Again, mine is the faital 4ohm, and I used the minimega. There is something in the mids, high mids maybe, that I can't seem to nail down but is not to my liking, giving it the faintest boxy tone on the D and G strings - I definitely have some tweaking to do at the higher volume levels and I was not blessed with an great ear for picking eq points to address. I also pushed the cab pretty hard last night and it seemed to take it without complaint. One thing that really took me by surprise was the low end - it was way too low for me so I grabbed my empress and removed all from ~35hz down which cleaned it up really well. Luckily a few days ago I purchased a Fdeck V3 that should be here soon, that should work well for me I think. I was simply amazed at the ability of a 112 to keep up with the levels this band was playing at. Astonishing.
Even though I felt like "my tone" was not really there last night yet, I did get some very positive unsolicited feedback from some in attendance. My drummer was talking with a drummer from another band during a break, and without asking the guy just pointed at my rig and said "whatever that thing is it is awesome" - he said, as we all know here now, that the bass was just everywhere and all notes were clear and that it really brought out the rhythm section. Another group who comes to see us a lot was asked how our mix sounded. They said in general is was very good, but the bass was way clearer than they have ever remembered before and that they could hear it down the hallway. So even though I have some tweaking to get exactly where I want to be with it, I am really impressed by its performance.
Even though I felt like "my tone" was not really there last night yet, I did get some very positive unsolicited feedback from some in attendance. My drummer was talking with a drummer from another band during a break, and without asking the guy just pointed at my rig and said "whatever that thing is it is awesome" - he said, as we all know here now, that the bass was just everywhere and all notes were clear and that it really brought out the rhythm section. Another group who comes to see us a lot was asked how our mix sounded. They said in general is was very good, but the bass was way clearer than they have ever remembered before and that they could hear it down the hallway. So even though I have some tweaking to get exactly where I want to be with it, I am really impressed by its performance.
Cool Gab124, Do you think the big lows are in part because of the miniMega? Bbbybld said he builds em that way?
They very well could be, but since I have not had it to that volume in a big enough space with anything except the mM it is hard for me to be sure - I know these cabs extend way down as well, particularly the faital from my reading. At a more reasonable stage volume I think I would have kept some in there for the feel - but the band was excited last night as it was a final show with a particular singer so they turned up more than normal. Usually we have reasonable levels, but some nights...... I found it really fascinating that I could stand behind my rig (this stage was big enough that I have around 15 feet until a wall) and it was as clear as could be. The drummer was behind me and heard really well.
lelandcrooks
Commercial User
If I were to guess, and it's a guess for sure, it's the faital. Every faital driver I've used anywhere is hot in the upper mids. Not overly, just a smidge. Play with your eq and you'll get it.
Thanks Leland - I am not the best ear for eq points to target, but have played for 30 years and I think that is the area in question as well. Last night, with my wife's 10 minute window on patience, I brought up as loud as I could in my home and cut with a narrow q around 2 - 3.2khz and it did seem to even things out to my preference. I like the upper end to be juicy, full and defined and it was a little bit abrasive in that region at volume. Even without a tweeter version those small drivers put out a lot of upper frequencies. This cabinet really accentuates right hand position more than my traditional cabs I have noticed as well, which is very cool.
Does anyone know about what frequency the mid-switch is effecting?
