Do I need an amp? Does anyone need an amp anymore?

[darwin-bass]

I do not need an amp to gig. My one and only gig (by choice) is a couple of times per month in church. We're all IEM with full PA. I run bass through the HX Stomp into the FOH & IEM system.

Yet, I have an Ampeg Rocket combo amp at home for practice. I don't technically need it. I could practice using headphones, but I prefer using an amp.

So even though I don't need an amp, I need an amp. Make sense?

 

[dbase]

YES

 

[Geogio]

I spent 10 years with a band and with that outfit I was DI with IEM, basically a silent stage. I did use an early sansamp for a bit of amp and speaker emulation. It worked out great, plus I didn't have to hump an amp. Having good supporting sound system out in the house is a must. At this venue there was a rack of Crowns and ceiling mounted JBL's. Spoiled me rotten.

 

[Baker69]

in my band we all use IEM’s, we haven’t been using them for too long but we are fairly confident in using them now. All drums, instruments and vocals go through our own P.A. (which is the only P.A. we ever use). We do our own on stage IEM Monitoring.

At the moment the guitarist and I still use our backline amps, but the keyboard player has already ditched his. In reality I can’t hear my bass amp on stage through my IEM’s as they are fairly good sound isolating one’s, if I stand immediately in front of my combo I can just about hear it and to a degree I can just about feel the bass through the stage floor.

Although we don’t need the guitar and bass combo’s on stage (as we can’t physically hear them through our IEM’s), we feel the sound they generate on stage adds to the overall sound, feel, mojo whatever you wish to call it. We don’t have these amps at normal ‘gigging’ volume levels.

Are we wrong in still using the backline amps, are we being a bit silly/over the top? Does an ‘amp-less’ stage sound too sterile?

I don’t need to use my bass combo, I love the sound of it, but I don’t need it for gigging. I use a Sansamp VT 21 Bass DI unit before the amp so the omission of my amp wouldn’t affect my FOH sound at all.

 

[NeonVomit]

I'm in a bit of a pickle.

I joined a new band just as COVID hit and haven't had a chance to gig since. The BL wants to start again in January.

The problem is I don't have an amplifier anymore.

At home, I play through headphones or monitors via an interface. We rent an equipped studio for rehearsals.

I haven't gigged with an amplier in years...

Should I buy an amplifier or spend the money on a great preamp/DI?

Dors anybody need an amplifier anymore?

Need? Strictly, no.

But many venues I play at don't just have a PA good enough to adequately do the whole band's sound through the monitors. I could just about get through playing at one of those with no amp but it'll be less fun. Most venues however do have a house cab for this exact reason, so I just put my class-D head on top of it and we're set.

One of the acts I'm playing with is considering going full IEM and that might be interesting to do. I'd set up a rack with a preamp, bass wireless, IEM, and tuner and be set, really.

 

[rashrader]

For the situations I experience, I can’t imagine going without an amp. The funny thing is that I can easily do it though…. I run a pedalboard based preamp (Darkglass AO Photon) into a Crown Power Amp and that into my cabs. I could easily just show up with my pedalboard and I’d be good to go. Flexibility is the thing.

 

[Zak TMD]

I can only speak from my own experience, but I would not feel confident not bringing an amp (unless there was a specific backline) at most places we play. Part of this is we're not using IEMs yet. Some places we play have full / quality sound that could support IEMs and likely carry everything, but an awful lot do not, and when you're on tour playing new places, you never quite know what to expect.

The other issue is we play big, loud music which includes things like feedback and harmonics that can require big, loud amps... it's kinda part of the thing.

By way of example, we're doing some recordings right now using a few guitar heads and an Ox. The Ox sounds great! I could see using it live too, because it does a really convincing job at sounding like a cab with various mics. But without an active cab, realistic feedback and some stuff that goes along with playing through loud amps, just isn't possible. On this session, we're going to have to do some additional tracking with live amps.

Granted, I realize many many of you aren't in the above scenario, and solid monitors / IEMs will do the trick. But unless you're playing a specific spot on the regular that you are comfortable with the sound system - or managing your own IEMs / Sound for every show, you're gonna need something to make some noise.

 

[sleepingEB0]

Id argue the class D stuff is so affordable and reliable and East to move and has DI out that it’s easily worth getting over a pre amp or direct.

the good ones are designed to be plug and play for mixes. The cab is nice for monitoring. So my rec is a good class d amp with DI out and a small 1x12 cab you can point at your ears. And if you need to you can just play through it.

 

[NeonVomit]

Are we wrong in still using the backline amps, are we being a bit silly/over the top? Does an ‘amp-less’ stage sound too sterile?

I don’t need to use my bass combo, I love the sound of it, but I don’t need it for gigging. I use a Sansamp VT 21 Bass DI unit before the amp so the omission of my amp wouldn’t affect my FOH sound at all.

Depends on the music you play and even more on the venue you're at.

On a huge festival stage having amps on stage will make little difference to the audience. In a smaller venue, it gives the music a much more physical and visceral feel. In the metal, punk and hard rock shows I play, that's a really big deal.

 

[Baker69]

Depends on the music you play and even more on the venue you're at.

On a huge festival stage having amps on stage will make little difference to the audience. In a smaller venue, it gives the music a much more physical and visceral feel. In the metal, punk and hard rock shows I play, that's a really big deal.

I think what you’re saying sort of reinforces how we are thinking?

We play rock and pop covers and in small to medium size rooms only, we wouldn’t consider ourselves to be a particularly loud band. We think having the backline amps gives the music a bit more feel and atmosphere.

 

[Plain Old Barry]

How about? "If you have to ask, you need an amp."

If you're in a situation where you can run completely ampless every gig and rehearsal, you'd already know.

 

[Blue Moose]

In the band I joined this year, both guitars run direct with fly rigs. Keyboard player runs direct. Everything goes through PA with subs. Keyboard and drummer use IEMs. I have the only amp onstage, although I run a direct output from my fly rig to the board. Even if I switch to IEMs, I'll probably still bring my Rumble 100. It gives me a backup route, plus it makes a handy table for beer and such. And I am so accustomed to feeling those low frequencies that I'd feel odd without it.

 

[Passinwind]

Should I buy an amplifier or spend the money on a great preamp/DI?

Dors anybody need an amplifier anymore?

I almost never play in situations with a PA any more. In fact my bass is often the only amplified thing in the room, which is awesome. Do what you need to do in your specific situation, just sayin'.

 

[NeonVomit]

I think what you’re saying sort of reinforces how we are thinking?

We play rock and pop covers and in small to medium size rooms only, we wouldn’t consider ourselves to be a particularly loud band. We think having the backline amps gives the music a bit more feel and atmosphere.

I couldn't be bothered to read 3 pages lol just wanted to give my 2cents.

This really hit home for me when I saw Katatonia opening for Paradise Lost at the Roundhouse in London, not exactly a small venue. I was up at the front. Katatonia were 100% IEM, and their sound was super super clean and ultra tight. They're fantastic musicians so of course they would be. The problem was it was a bit TOO clean - if I closed my eyes and someone had just played a CD through the PA, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.

Paradise Lost then came on, with their Marshall stacks and Ampeg 8x10 and what have you, and you *felt* the first power chord. The music wasn't just something you heard, you truly felt it. Was it as perfectly crystal clear as Katatonia? No, but they have a good sound guy and they're pros and the sound was definitely very, very good - just a lot more powerful. That made a big difference to me.

 

[sleepingEB0]

I’d argue the digital live sound we endure in the modern live era is jsut bad and not good.

Band like Polyphia brings a laptop and plugs it in to the PA and play the track and then do guitar kareoke over it.

all that modern production and what we is played over the speakers. It’s not live music man. It’s very sterile, very boring. First saw that type of gig ten years ago or so. Now it’s everyone.

i just couldn’t be less interested and based on the amount of cancelled tours from low ticket sales people aren’t interested either.

live music is supposed to be a performance and a living thing that’s unique and once it’s over it’s gone.

now Live music is 95% prerecorded backing tracks.
anyway, best concert I’ve seen in years is the jazz trio that show sup at Ruth’s Chris every Thursday.
Those dudes can play. I don’t bother with many pro artist gigs these days. I can listen to the midi files at home for free thanks.

 

[jdh3000]

I can't imagine not having an amp. Maybe just my age but I need to hear/feel my amp behind me; not in a monitor nor IEMs. Especially if I'm the only one not amping and I have a screaming guitar amp next to me.

I've played gigs without one but didn't care for it. It may work in some situations but where I normally play, it's essential to have an amp.

 

[chuck1073]

My band is completely ampless. Many of the rooms we play have house sound. Otherwise we bring on a contractor or do our own. That said, I still own an amp for those rare occasions or fill-ins.

 

[alex1fly]

We need more information to give you an accurate answer.

Do you have another way to amplify the bass?
If no, you still need an amp

+1

Have an amp. At least a small combo to fill in when there isn't a PA. Or heaven forbid the PA doesn't have subs or breaks or whatever else. Or you want to jam literally anywhere there isn't a PA.

 

[Avezzano]

I've always heard the MB200 is a formidable little unit.

Yes it is: light and really loud. Basic configuration, but it's fantastic. It's not a case that of the G&K MB series the MB200 is currently the only unit still in the catalog.

MB Heads — Gallien-Krueger

P.S.: if the choice is having only the bass with me or the bass AND a portable, little, powerful head plus a 1x8" or 2x6" box in the trunk of the car... I have no hesitation. Definitely.

 

[funkmaster p]

I have spent a lot of money on in-ear monitors over the years. Many of them were purchased based on rave reviews by bass players. The resulting sound was unsatisfying to my ears. I wanted to love them, and I am by no means a technophobe or someone resistant to change.

So it will always be an amp for me. I have even gigged with no amp with my bass through the PA mains only and have been more satisfied with the sound over IEMs. I'm weird, I guess.