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"Elevating" my sound?

TimBosby

TimBosby

Somewhere in middle America
Gold Supporting Member
Dec 19, 2004
11,931
10,240
47
Omaha, NE, USA
#1
OK, I need a crate of some sort. Not anything from Crate, the manufacturer, but something to get my cabs up off the floor a bit. I use an Eden WT-330 amp through 2 Aguilar GS112 cabs (330 watts at 4 ohms) plus a Boss GEB-7 Equalizer pedal. I used to have an Ampeg 4x10 cab which made for a nice little stack with an Aggie GS112 and the Eden on top of it. Plus the wheel casters were nice. But I sold the Ampeg in favor of another Aggie for more power and because it just barely did not fit in the trunk of my Corolla. So now I have two great 112s but they're kind of low to the ground. A local bass guru told me the most important piece of equipment is a $5.00 crate from Target to keep your cabs off the floor. I was wondering if I should go that route (it would have to support about 100 lbs between the two Aggies and the Eden head...not TOO much but probably too much for a cheap plastic crate) or find an "amp stand." I was looking around Musician's Friend and Ebay for "amp stands" and found some interesting results but most of those things look like they're designed to hold combos...not two Aguilar GS112s. I don't really want them angled too much (if at all) because of pure physics (the Eden would slide off.) But I definitely want to be elevated, maybe a foot or so off the ground...anyone want to build me a moveable box with wheels that doubles as a storage bin for my cords, pedals, etc..? :)
 
#5
Maybe if your'e handy and have a circular or jigsaw, a cordless drill, and some room to work with, you could build your own stand. A plywood cube and some black spray paint would probably work fine. Real milk crates are pretty tough too. Where I used to work there would be boxes of bottled beer stacked taller than me sitting on top of milkcrates, they can take the weight.
 
#6
I'm completely NOT handy and anything that involves sawing or drilling I am going to rule out because of that. Although I would not mind learning how to piece together my own basses someday when I own a house rather than rent. But anyway, I came across this Ampwedge device and I don't quite get how the angle is adjusted. It says "Up to 20 degrees" implying it can be less. Would a 20 degree angle be too steep for two 112s and a rather small Eden head? I just don't want to buy it only to find my stuff is tipping over backwards.

Thanks again everyone.
 
#7
Dude................

no crate or elevation needed.

2 things..........1st , try bumping a little high mids as the aggie 1x12's are a bit shy in that area

2nd, place them on their sides to make the stack taller - you'll hear a huge difference.
 
#8
rockstarbassist said:
I was going to start this very same thread. I'd like to have my Schroeder 1210 a little higher up so I could hear it better on stage. What does everyone else do? What do those guitarists who play with combos set their 2x12 amps on top of? That they usually have the black cloth over, etc..? Makin' any sense?
Click to expand...

This past weekend on a gig I took my 1210 and put it on it's side with the 10" speaker firing "up", and put my head on top. Looked a little funny, but I could hear everything great on stage (kind of like a mini-monitor), and the cabinet was still coupled to the floor, which helped keep the low end.
 
#9
uglycicles said:
This past weekend on a gig I took my 1210 and put it on it's side with the 10" speaker firing "up", and put my head on top. Looked a little funny, but I could hear everything great on stage (kind of like a mini-monitor), and the cabinet was still coupled to the floor, which helped keep the low end.
Click to expand...

I agree that when the cab is coupled to the floor it keeps the low end, but sometimes that can be a good or bad thing,... totally depending on the club.

I always put my 2x10 vertically, meaning one 10 on top of another and 90% of the time I slip a round mic base (without the mic stand) underneath the front end of the cab. I always put my 2x10 vertically, meaning one 10 on top of another. There are usually extra ones lining around and it's a lot cheaper then buying that $39.99 AmpWedge.
 
#10
Big Benner said:
I agree that when the cab is coupled to the floor it keeps the low end, but sometimes that can be a good or bad thing,... totally depending on the club.

I always put my 2x10 vertically, meaning one 10 on top of another and 90% of the time I slip a round mic base (without the mic stand) underneath the front end of the cab. I always put my 2x10 vertically, meaning one 10 on top of another. There are usually extra ones lining around and it's a lot cheaper then buying that $39.99 AmpWedge.
Click to expand...


That makes a lot of sense. I see lots of guys who have a 4x10+1x15 setup put a little wooden or something or other wedge between the two cabs to angle the top cab more up towards the player. I just need to make sure my rack won't slide back off if I prop up the cab some! Although, I guess I could just set it on it's side (the rack) or on a chair or stool or something. Who knows. Will test out some stuff this weekend. I'm playing with it right now vertically (the 1210) and it has been helping some. With that 12" right on the floor, whew does it bump. I can't wait to rock it out.
 
#12
TimBosby said:
OK, I need a crate of some sort. Not anything from Crate, the manufacturer, but something to get my cabs up off the floor a bit. I use an Eden WT-330 amp through 2 Aguilar GS112 cabs (330 watts at 4 ohms) plus a Boss GEB-7 Equalizer pedal. I used to have an Ampeg 4x10 cab which made for a nice little stack with an Aggie GS112 and the Eden on top of it. Plus the wheel casters were nice. But I sold the Ampeg in favor of another Aggie for more power and because it just barely did not fit in the trunk of my Corolla. So now I have two great 112s but they're kind of low to the ground. A local bass guru told me the most important piece of equipment is a $5.00 crate from Target to keep your cabs off the floor. I was wondering if I should go that route (it would have to support about 100 lbs between the two Aggies and the Eden head...not TOO much but probably too much for a cheap plastic crate) or find an "amp stand." I was looking around Musician's Friend and Ebay for "amp stands" and found some interesting results but most of those things look like they're designed to hold combos...not two Aguilar GS112s. I don't really want them angled too much (if at all) because of pure physics (the Eden would slide off.) But I definitely want to be elevated, maybe a foot or so off the ground...anyone want to build me a moveable box with wheels that doubles as a storage bin for my cords, pedals, etc..? :)
Click to expand...

i use this:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=key/search/detail/base_pid/450384/

i stack a GRAMMA pad then my Eden 112 then my Aggie 112. if i wanted too, i could put my tack on top of it, but i really don't want too, i prefer the rack under the table so i can concentrate on the music and not tweeking every 20 seconds (which i don't have a problem with :D )

when i have cabs off the ground, i can hear better and don't need to play as loud. with them on the stage, i usually have to turn up (and get bitched at by the FoH guy).

one this the i wouldn't mind getting (just to to how it works) is the AmpWedge..

:)
 
#15
I put a spring loaded handle on the bottom of my top cab to angle it back. I also have one on my Epifani 310UL as well.
I think the Aggies have the spring loaded kind on the side correct??
They make two different styles of handles. One has a large plate that has to be recessed into the cab (read: cutting holes) the other, which is damn near the same but without the plate (thus smaller) justs bolts down with 5 screws (I assume it doesn't hold as much weight, but I'm not using it as a "handle").
You may have to put some rubber feet on the bottom of your cab, which isn't a bad idea anyway, to clear tha handle, but having the top cab angled up when/if you want it is pretty killer. If you don't want it up the spring holds the handle tucked up underneath the cab.
BTW, the handle is like $6. Any music store should have them, but I know Low Down Sound (www.lowdownsound.com) has them in stock. They put them on the bottom of their custom cabs.
 
#16
NJL said:
i use this:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=key/search/detail/base_pid/450384/

i stack a GRAMMA pad then my Eden 112 then my Aggie 112. if i wanted too, i could put my tack on top of it, but i really don't want too, i prefer the rack under the table so i can concentrate on the music and not tweeking every 20 seconds (which i don't have a problem with :D )

when i have cabs off the ground, i can hear better and don't need to play as loud. with them on the stage, i usually have to turn up (and get bitched at by the FoH guy).

one this the i wouldn't mind getting (just to to how it works) is the AmpWedge..

:)
Click to expand...

THAT'S what I was lookin' for! Sweetness. I wonder if I ordered today, could I get it by Thurs... Hmmm...
 
#17
So now I have two great 112s but they're kind of low to the ground.
Click to expand...
Here’s a novel idea: Since you have two 112s, why not put one of them out in front of you and tilt it back at you like a stage monitor? You’ll be amazed at the resolution you get once the sound is actually hitting your ears and not your butt.

I must confess I don’t get the whole “bass firing at the back of my knees” thing. When was the last time you saw a singer say, “Move that monitor back behind me so I can hear it better?” Anyone here listen to their stereo with the speakers at the back of the room?
:hiding:

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 
#18
WayneP said:
I must confess I don’t get the whole “bass firing at the back of my knees” thing. When was the last time you saw a singer say, “Move that monitor back behind me so I can hear it better?” Anyone here listen to their stereo with the speakers at the back of the room?
Click to expand...

Yes, as a matter of fact, my subwoofer is hidden completely out of sight and it sounds fine. Low bass is non-directional, and in fact whatever low bass you hear from most cabinets came off the back of the speaker cone, then through the port(s). If I move, say 4 feet in front of my cab, which is on the floor, I am well within the dispersion pattern of the tweeter, and moving the speaker up will make no difference to that. What it will do is reduce boundary coupling, and that may increase intelligibility, or not. Depends on which frequencies you key in on, and a bunch of other factors. Some of us key in on the low range, and decoupling the speaker cab from the floor is a bad thing in that case. Getting closer to the speaker is actually counterproductive to hearing the low end in many cases as well. I can often hear what I need better at 8 feet away than at 2. But many people key on higher frequencies, and raising the cab so that it is nearer to you helps if that's the case. If you don't have a tweeter, you're going to want to be right on axis if highs are important to your monitoring joy. Make sense? :cool:

Bass cabinets firing from in front and in back at the same time are a likely recipe for phase cancellation. If you like that sound, go for it.
 
#19
Do the plastic stand at Target and get the cab's higher. I have a couple of plastic stools that do a great job. I have stacked my 6 sp rack on a 97 lb Music Man cab and it handles it fine. The legs are sort of 'C shaped' so they don't move much and won't collapse. For peace of mind, I no longer keep the electronics up there, they sit on another stool. I get about 18" of 'stack'.

I am totally not into the coupling with the floor thing. Personally I'd rather hear the sound of the cab rather than the cab reacting with whatever building materials were used... but that's only me.
 

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