BUILD A RIG

[GODSBASSMAN]

If you have this equipment available in your portfolio of ownership: cabs: 2 Fender Bassman 2x15, 1 Mesa Powerhouse 1000, 1 Hartke XL 4x10, and 1 Hartke XL 1x15.
Now you have 2 heads: Fender 800 Pro and a Hartke LH500.
You have a Hartke Attack DI, also. All instruments are run through the house mixer for output into a 800 seat auditorium. The bass sound is boomy to the bassplayer's ears but is nice in the seating area for the audience.
Here is THE mission. Make the player happy as well as the audience.

 

[T. Alan Smith]

Personally, I would grab the Mesa PH1K & the Fender 800Pro, set the EQ flat(if using active basses, be sure their EQ is flat as well) and start from there; making only minimal tweaks. If it's still too boomy onstage, try cutting the lows a notch. Run the bass signal from the instrument into the DI, taking one signal to FOH and the other to your rig.

 

[GODSBASSMAN]

Thanks. We will try that.
Anyone else?

 

[ba$$player]

I would use the fender head and hartke 4x10. Run to your DI, and use that for FOH and to your rig. For my stage monitor I run my Eq with the bass dialed back some(around 10 o clock), mid bass up (around 2). This gives me the frequencies I want and none of the boomy stuff. I also bought a seperate EQ so that I could change the frequencies of mid bass that I boost. This allows me to EQ for every room/stage. You may or may not need that though. For me at least the low bass notes are not what I need to hear, thats for the audience. I love a slight boost around the 100 to 180 hz range depending on the room. Lets me hear the bass, but not feel the bass and muddy up the stage mix. I hope this helps as these are my preferences and not neccisarilly suggestions.

 

[Robby Hoinsky]

If it is boomy, then it is either coming from your amp/monitor, the FOH system, or room modes. I would first turn down the low EQ on my amp so that all the subbass is coming from the FOH system. Any of the equipment you listed is more than adequate as a stage monitor, so it up to your preference what you want to carry and what you want to hear.

If eqing the bass out isn't the remedy, I would turn down the level. If that isn't the cure, then I would move my position on stage. Also talk to the sound guy, if it is the room then he has probably heard that complaint before. If I were him, I'd consider moving the location of the subs. To a corner most likely.

Robby

 

[GODSBASSMAN]

This is all good input to this problem. I really see some different perspectives here. Keep it coming if you would. It is much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Stumbo]

Possibly getting the bass cab off the stage may help.

Here's a link you may want to check out: Isolating Head/Cabs from stage/each other

 

[GODSBASSMAN]

Thanks. Already sitting on carpeted concrete floor though.

 

[tedcrop]

for me my levels are crucial. i like to play the bass a little hard and if I am too loud or boomy my performance is not going to be a good one and I will be frustrated and a sad camper

I personally would get my levels and eq good from a monitoring perspective and then let FOH yell at me if they are too loud or causing them problems. then adjust accordingly.

player happy =good performance
good FOH and good performance -= happy audience

 

[GODSBASSMAN]

DI out in pre mode and amp controlto speaker cab did most of the cleanup, now to get the sound men to back off the lower frequencies FOH and it should be just grand.

Thanks, guys.