I had the chance to play in church yesterday and was quite disappointed by how I sounded and I don’t know exactly what was different. The amp I used was a darkglass infinity 210 combo. By itself it can put out 250/275 watts. The bass used was my Dingwall Droc 5 string. While we were practicing I was told that I was too loud and my speaker was rattling. I never heard a rattle but I turned down. My master volume wasn’t at halfway either. I’ve kept it at that volume since I’ve had the amp and nobody ever complained while we were practicing. It was time for us to play and the only thing different was two backup harmony singers and the congregation. I could barely hear myself. I turned myself back up halfway again and I felt like I could barely hear myself. My guess the extra vocalist may have drowned me out. The acoustic rhythm guitar player is playing plugged up to a 15 watt amp now. That may have done it too. The last time we played at church I used the same amp with an 18vt active bass and didn’t have this issue with the volume on the amp at the same exact place. If these two women are going to be a regular thing with the group, do I need the 210 extension cabinet to go with this combo? I had been looking at the Gallien Krueger mb 212 combo. It’s rated at its full 500 watts. I want a combo amp that can handle these situations and the Gallien Krueger mb 212 looks like it can do it. The combo amp is lightweight and easy to load in and out. I know the issue isn’t the Dingwall Droc. I know what that bass is capable of.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Disappointed in my tone
- Thread starter Cory rich40
- Start date
would you consider IEM to hear yourself, and let sound guy determine the mix to audience.
I wouldn’t assume that the amp volume should stay the same between 2 different basses, especially with one passive and one active. The active bass may be putting out a hotter signal, changing the total volume, all else being set equally.
It might also be worth clarifying whether you were actually too loud or if something was rattling and they just assumed it was the bass. Your initial settings may have been fine but something else in the room is loose.
It might also be worth clarifying whether you were actually too loud or if something was rattling and they just assumed it was the bass. Your initial settings may have been fine but something else in the room is loose.
FYI a thousand things in the room could be rattling due to the sound.
That rattle could be something in the room. Who said you were too loud? Do you hear vox over monitors?
This Bass is exciting things more than your other Bass, now they are hearing you "more" that before.
Adjustments will need to be made. Cut some lows.
Adjustments will need to be made. Cut some lows.
And you believed him? Seems like that source may be slightly biased, lol.
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
2 main things come to mind: speaker placement and sympathetic vibrations. If the amp is not behind you far enough, or pointed at you so you can hear it more on-axis, it's hard to judge volume in general. Try and get your amp a few feet behind you and tilt it back, and sound-check with a cord long enough so you can get out front and hear more of what the audience is hearing, so you can compare how it feels/sounds out there vs on stage. Usually what sounds good out front sounds semi 'meh' on top of your amp. Placing yourself somewhere in between is the best compromise.
Re: the rattle/buzz - that could come from ANYWHERE. So many sources, including the room/building itself.
On my duo jazz gig on Saturday, in a room we've played 3 times prior, I had to make amp adjustments that I didn't normally have to make in the past. There is also a rattle in the room from something in the ceiling or wall that my bass aggravates. I kept thinking it was something on/in my bass, but it wasn't. Sympathetic vibrations can be a real problem if you can't isolate the source.
Re: the rattle/buzz - that could come from ANYWHERE. So many sources, including the room/building itself.
On my duo jazz gig on Saturday, in a room we've played 3 times prior, I had to make amp adjustments that I didn't normally have to make in the past. There is also a rattle in the room from something in the ceiling or wall that my bass aggravates. I kept thinking it was something on/in my bass, but it wasn't. Sympathetic vibrations can be a real problem if you can't isolate the source.
Last edited:
Sometimes I had the feeling my amp was ratling, because there was a nasty sound when I was playing the E string, but it wasn't the amp, it was something ratling in the drum kit each time I was playing the E string. In that case, we take five minute to investigate, find the guilty element, and move it until the nasty sound stops.
Gotta be able to hear yourself. If not there already try to get your rig near(your)ear level, sitting or standing. A HPF maybe could help after other things get sorted out.
I've never had an amp or cab rattle. Closest thing might be the sound of a dying 9v but that doesn't last long lol.
Last edited:
So you don’t think a 212 combo would solve anything? I used to have a peavey 115 combo. I never could hear myself. I don’t think it could keep up much with anything. I could hear myself really well with the Fender rumble 500 combo that had 210’s. I could hear myself whether I was using an Ernie Ball Stingray special or a fender passive jazz bass. With the darkglass combo it felt like my old peavey combo. It felt like I was struggling to fit anywhere in the mix. I will admit that the amp has a lot of features I don’t fully understand yet. I feel like if I were to get the 800 watt GK legacy combo then it would definitely be too loud. The 500 watt mb 212 combo would probably be perfect. I’m wanting something more compact than a head and a cab which I have as well. I’ve never got any complaints on that being too loud and it’s a fender bassman 800 head and bassy610 cabinet. I know that was a lot louder than this darkglass combo. Here is everything this combo is keeping up with. PRS swamp ash special with 3 pickups.(more powerful than the guitarists fender telecaster he used to play. Fender twin reverb amp(212 speakers). Acoustic guitar plugged in to a fender low wattage amp and he used to always play unplugged. Plus 2 very loud female harmony singers. I suspect this darkglass 210 combo just can’t keep up. Well it could but I know if I turned the master volume up any louder it will be too loud. It’s harder with this amp to find that happy medium. Honestly it seems like I don’t have this problem with active basses that use 18vlts. I used an active 9 vt Ibanez btb that sounded very puny and weak with this amp. And it wasn’t the battery. When we are rehearsing in the house the amp sounds great regardless of the bass I’m using. Maybe I could definitely use some lessons on sound. At this point I’m sure I would be a lousy sound guy
lead guitarist be lead guitaristing
I don’t think your amp will be the problem. 250w into a 210 is a fair amount of horsepower if you’re not miking the drums. I remember as a kid being shut down by the wallopers a number of times with an old valve 100 head into a 4x12 cab. Lack of horsepower is unlikely to be your problem. I’d run the mids up a bit to help you hear yourself and tell the guitarist to get a life. However if you’ve got your heart set on a new amp………… this is talkbass after all.
In 99% of the cases, rattling is not in the bass cab.
It's been a long time since I had trouble hearing myself - but when I did, my solution was to sit upon my amp cabinet. This sends my bass signal straight up my spine, and it would be impossible for me not to hear it.
