Class D - What's next?

[bucephylus]

My question would be is if and when the market will want to hear bass as it's heard in EDM and car audio, that massive lumpy subwoofer-ish type bass from keyboards: When my generation of Flintstones is no longer a market driver, is that where it will head as youngsters raised on that stuff thru earbuds and EDM rooms want 'that' sound ?

Already happening. I just walked out of a major touring act show two months back, where the young sound engineer had the FOH set exactly that way. I reject that type of sound engineering, because it is ignorantly invasive on what the artist is trying to project from the stage. But, I also believe there is a growing car stereo educated audience that will have it that way anyhow. Audio FUGLY.

 

[JimChjones]

a pedal that would make a bass guitar sound exactly like an upright

Isn't that pretty much achievable now with a midi guitar and a sampler?

 

[bucephylus]

The thing that cracks me up about the so-called “Class D problem” for bass players is that somehow bass players think the amp technology revolves around bass amps. LOL

In fact, Class D technology is and will continue to be driven by Pro Audio needs; which folks are more than satisfied with Class D, thank you very much. Bass amps are more or less an afterthought. The question for bass players isn’t a debate about whether or not to use Class D. That ship already sailed. The question for bass players is what is required to get the Class D amps to do what we need them to do. Which is a work in progress. But, there have been significant strides in the past 10 years, with more progress on the way.

 

[Rockbobmel]

Wireless electricity

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

At some point the market will morph into something new. Or even old. Any guesses? It took some years for class-D to catch on. In part due to quality, but also unfamiliarity.

The bassist keeps getting smaller and lighter while the guitarist just tucks a laptop under their arm. At what point does the consumer start getting curious for the "real thing?" Or will it be the "next thing" - where the bassist wips out the ol' dumbphone and plays virtual bass uke through the nearest available PA?

Throat bass, tongue bass, thought bass. The three Ts of the future

 

[bdplaid]

Pat Quilter and the BB800 might give us a glimpse of the future: New ways to think about and use EQ. The BB800 sure is different, and very useful IMO.

 

[bherman]

I guess the obvious question is "what do YOU want from new technology"?

I think that the work guys like you are doing on amp/speaker technology is first-rate and has been heading in the right direction for the past 5 yrs, as you state in a later post, will continue. I think the future is in user-friendly, very flexible "pedalboards" that are essentially a single pedal (perhaps with multiple switches) that give you much more flexibility on the front end, be it tone shaping, OD, effects, etc. My pedalboard (albeit small) at this point weighs as much and is as large as my amp. And it's rigid, ie, I have 5-6 pedals that do what they do, and if I want something different I have to swap something out. An iPhone-type interface that allows you lots of user-selected choices without being over complicated would be a game changer.

 

[StatesideRambler]

Yes and no IMO. Some of the improvements have resulted in major changes in performance, the simple transition from electromagnetic magnets to permanent magnets was one such monumental change, others include things like edge wound voice coils, inside/outside wound voice coils, stronger motors with deeper gaps, differential drive motors, cloth surrounds with unique geometries, linen-Kevlar spiders, polyamide insulation systems, Kapton and fiberglass bobbins, epoxy adhesives, polyester filaments within tinsel wire, advancements in cone materials, double spiders, demodulation rings, vented motors etc. All of these improvements have contributed to speakers with 1/10th the unintended distortion and close to 50x the power handling of earlier speakers while maintaining within 3dB of the best sensitivity of the day.

Good question. Based on my perspective, class D will continue to evolve, become more reliable, more efficient, wider bandwidth, greater power, etc. Looking forward 10 years, I don't see any major changes, though if my crystal ball is correct, we may see algorithms that allow digital audio directly to class D under DSP control without going through the discrete PWM conversion that may simplify amplification for the guys working strictly in the digital domain (modelers and profilers).

So, I’ve had a Saturday afternoon to myself and I’m thinking that the future “amplifier” will be integrated into the transducer (a.k.a. “speaker”) and we will merely link the instrument to the transducer in some way resembling the current Bluetooth idea. (Sure, it’s akin to a powered cab. I’m no revolutionary.) I don’t envision an isolating IEM approach because this is for a social event. IEM could work for business conferences or seminars, though. When you need greater coverage or loudness you’d link to more transducers. A given transducer wouldn’t be exclusive to a given musician or instrument; mixing of multiple players/singers would be inherent in the design, though you’ll still need a mediator/sound guy for FOH. It would optimize itself to the instruments, the players, the venue, the musical style, and anything else we’ll think of between now and then. And it’ll fit into a Smart car if it isn’t already universally integrated into all public gathering places. It’s not entertainment by mental telepathy but how’s that?

 

[Ric Vice]

Microcabinets perhaps? Developing a way to get a great sound out of a single 8" neodymium driver?

The MAS 1/8 is pretty great.

 

[IngloriousOz]

I guess the obvious question is "what do YOU want from new technology"?

Affordable, high quality valves that don't need to be biased and last a decade

 

[alaskaleftybass]

Microcabinets perhaps? Developing a way to get a great sound out of a single 8" neodymium driver? Also, IEMs for audience with personal volume controls. Like silent disco, but less gimmicky.

I remember about five years ago I mentioned using 8" speakers for bass cabs and nearly got laughed off TB. Now MAS and Trace Elliott are successfully building 1x8" and 2x8" cabs that sound great for the size. I'm hoping more bass manufacturers follow suit. Even more 10" cabs would be great.

 

[Red Planet]

One of the coolest versions of new gear (not technology) I've seen in a long while is Hartley Peavey's little Elf head. I purchased one new when they came out and I'm getting a fair amount of use out of it. I also got the little 2x8 cab and converted it to 4 ohms. My loud blues band was begging me to turn that thing down. Imagine such a cool piece coming from a source like PV, they pulled off a cool one at that.

 

[Ric Vice]

Trace Eliot Elf?

 

[Fingerer]

I guess the obvious question is "what do YOU want from new technology"?

As a sometimes guitar player, a Boogie Mark IIc+ pre-amp pedal. I don't think you'd be able to keep up with production. (Now I'll run and hide since I probably just crossed a line).

 

[St_G]

Awww, thanks for noticing! I've been doing more cardio.

The bassist keeps getting smaller and lighter...

 

[whero]

Lo, the great prophet Neil Peart has foretold that music shall be outlawed by the year 2112, on decree by the High Priests of Syrinx, or whatever.

Didn't Frank Zappa, er... the Central Scrutinzer, say the same thing in Joe's Garage?

 

[MVE]

I think the ADA revolution is the next big thing and it’s already happening with Bergs B-amp, Fender Mustang guitar amps, and there is another guitar box that is super powerful (I can’t remember the name).

Anyone who has used DAW plugins like UAD and Waves, knows how powerful they can be.

Heck, I would love to have my bass plugged into my computer DAW with zero latency going to a bass cab.

That’s the future boys.

Kudos to Berg for being the first to bring it to the bass world.

 

[mikewalker]

A Mesa Subway head that sounds "exactly" like my old Mesa Carbine M-6....Hope....Hope....Fingers crossed!!!!

I'd be very happy with a Subway head that incorporates the M9 carbine compressor circuit...

 

[two fingers]

I guess the obvious question is "what do YOU want from new technology"?

Yeah, designers are aiming at moving targets these days.

 

[two fingers]

I think the new micros will settle in for a while like early solid state did after tubes.

The next big thing in bass? Modeling just like guitars. I'm piddling around with a friends Line 6 Helix using powered QSC stuff in my jam room. I reeeeeeally want to hate it. But, I have to admit, it's pretty dang good. MILES ahead of the old kidney bean era Line 6 stuff.

He owns half a dozen boutique hand-wired tube combos and small stacks. He rarely plays them these days. He says he has a "herd of one-trick ponies" while the Helix has all of them, hundreds of effects combinations, stereo, two bendable channels, etc. To him, a tube combo is a 4X4 truck while the helix is a garage full of vahocles all designed for different uses. He just grabs the keys to whatever he needs to drive right this second.