Questions: With all that stage volume "pushing" all that bass, are you even mixed in the FOH? Are you wearing hearing protection?
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Everyone's downsizing these days..
- Thread starter I play metal
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BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,350
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- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
I'm guessing once I have a 15-sub fEarful under my 15/6 I could take that bet too.
Good point. I say bring enough rig for the gig, however much that is. If a small speaker or 2 fills the room and sounds good to your audience then a big cab is not an intellegent choice. Big gig, outdoors, aren't provided and/or can't afford full PA support by all means, indulge yourself.
I like good performance in smaller stuff, especially when that's what's called for but I don't mind shaking some stuff and feeling it as much as hearing if it's needed either, it's fun actually.
Not everyone NEEDS that kind of volume, either. I play in a surf band and the guitarists use 60W combos. I could overpower them with my G-B 300W, 3.75 pound head and one T12 speaker.
I'm pushing 2 Bag End 15s, and it pushes air, and carries nicely into a room. Right to the bar. It's true that better science for drivers and enclosures makes small no less powerful.
A bigger box does have its properties, but it's not necessarily a more impressive result.
A bigger box does have its properties, but it's not necessarily a more impressive result.
seems so common people are downsizing so much these days.I guess it's given with the technology out there.
Like people cutting to a single 10 inch rig.What on earth are you playing for that to be enough?(I play loud and heavy music so no offence)
But am I the only one who looooves to wheel in a giant bass rig??(I'm also young and fit haha).Love to look behind me and know I can Level the place if need be.
But serious-why downsize so small to limet yourself so much.I mean...sure my rig is overkill half the time but it's nice to *have the headroom and ability* to rally bigger shows,etc and have all basses covered.Ya dig?
what'd you think?
I'm not downsizing. My next cab switch will probably be to bigger, not smaller, gear. For current needs my 1x15 and 2x10 gets the job done.
I'm not going to micro heads, though. This year I sold my old solid state amp to get a powerful tube amp. Actually weighs about the same, though a bit more now that I've made a shell for it.
I look forward to the day I can put my bass rig in my back pocket. So long as it sounds good, who cares about its weight.
Plus, since I live in NYC, I'm not about to haul an SVT around the subway or into the small clubs they have out here. I'll stick with my Mark Bass. It's plenty loud for what I need.
Plus, since I live in NYC, I'm not about to haul an SVT around the subway or into the small clubs they have out here. I'll stick with my Mark Bass. It's plenty loud for what I need.
if i gigged regularly in nyc, i'd definitely be all about the micro stuff...i've even considered it for where i live just to ease my load-in and out, but for a few reasons, i'm back to 300 lbs of svt/fridge, for now, at least
I'm not into crunching everything I need into a briefcase but one thing this stuff has done for big cab people is this.
What used to require a 215 or 810 made of 3/4 plywood at least if not particle board and weighed well over 100lbs., 150 or more in some cases can now be had in something a foot or more shorter that weighs at the very most 2/3 as much, often times half and doesn't compromise on tone or just plain the ability to move air and push the bass out there for everyone to hear.
What used to require a 215 or 810 made of 3/4 plywood at least if not particle board and weighed well over 100lbs., 150 or more in some cases can now be had in something a foot or more shorter that weighs at the very most 2/3 as much, often times half and doesn't compromise on tone or just plain the ability to move air and push the bass out there for everyone to hear.
I seriously doubt that there is a 50 lb cabinet that could match a Berg 6x10 or HT322 for full range fidelity. If so, please post a link.
Almost every post I've read on here by people who have a NV610 says it can do at least what an 810 can do, maybe more in some cases so there's a foot shorter and less weight.
The HT322 claims to best a typical 410 (and it does) and puts out more than an old-school shortish excursion 215 could (neither are good comparison's really) but there's your as good or better result in a smaller package.
My point is, you don't have to shrink everything down to a 112 to enjoy the benefits of modern technology.
The HT322 claims to best a typical 410 (and it does) and puts out more than an old-school shortish excursion 215 could (neither are good comparison's really) but there's your as good or better result in a smaller package.
My point is, you don't have to shrink everything down to a 112 to enjoy the benefits of modern technology.
I just want everyone to play the gear they like and enjoy it. But I am with Metal 100% about cab size.
Has zip to do with volume, either. Almost all my gigs have good PA, and the ones that don't really don't require much volume. I think they just plain sound better. I had a Markbass 112 combo for much of last year. It was great for what it was but I sold it because I like the feeling that big cabs give me. I don't play any louder with the SVT/810 than I did with the Markbass combo, but the 810 has that huge sound that you can only get from a big cab rig.
Now with these new high xmax neo drivers like the 3012LF and 3015LF, you can definitely put way more air movement potential in smaller boxes than ever before, so it's not mandatory to have a big cab. Duke LeJeune is making me a couple cabs using that type of design. Notice I said a couple, though. Duke estimates the air that his cabs move is equal to a 710 and is slightly bigger than a B-15 cab and slightly heavier. That's downsizing I can live with. However, I'm getting two...mainly because they'll double as small PA cabs, but also because if the equivalent of a 710 sounds big, think how big the equivalent of a 1410 would sound! And again, it has nothing to do with volume, but tone.
I see nothing wrong with downsizing if that's your thing. Really, nobody cares what you play when it gets down to it. I don't get any better or worse reaction with any amp I've ever used. But downsizing just isn't for me, at least downsizing too small isn't for me. I can take a 115 but that's about as small as I can go and not bum out. The loads in and out last a few minutes. Some of my gigs are painfully long.
Has zip to do with volume, either. Almost all my gigs have good PA, and the ones that don't really don't require much volume. I think they just plain sound better. I had a Markbass 112 combo for much of last year. It was great for what it was but I sold it because I like the feeling that big cabs give me. I don't play any louder with the SVT/810 than I did with the Markbass combo, but the 810 has that huge sound that you can only get from a big cab rig.
Now with these new high xmax neo drivers like the 3012LF and 3015LF, you can definitely put way more air movement potential in smaller boxes than ever before, so it's not mandatory to have a big cab. Duke LeJeune is making me a couple cabs using that type of design. Notice I said a couple, though. Duke estimates the air that his cabs move is equal to a 710 and is slightly bigger than a B-15 cab and slightly heavier. That's downsizing I can live with. However, I'm getting two...mainly because they'll double as small PA cabs, but also because if the equivalent of a 710 sounds big, think how big the equivalent of a 1410 would sound! And again, it has nothing to do with volume, but tone.
I see nothing wrong with downsizing if that's your thing. Really, nobody cares what you play when it gets down to it. I don't get any better or worse reaction with any amp I've ever used. But downsizing just isn't for me, at least downsizing too small isn't for me. I can take a 115 but that's about as small as I can go and not bum out. The loads in and out last a few minutes. Some of my gigs are painfully long.
Pretty good sizing-up of the trip there, JimmyM. My two BEs are as small as I'll ever see for a rig. A BFM Omni is in the plan, when it's handy. If I run into a Goliath II I'll pick it up if I can, but I've sort of stumbled into what I have here- two little 115s with a lot of punch. If it works, don't screw it up!
Keeping in mind that these big rigs are just fancy stage monitors I designed mine to be scalable. I use any combination of custom made 115, 210 and two 112s with a racked 600 watt crown amp. They all use Eminence Neo drivers which makes them nice and lite. I could get by using a single 15, but wheres the fun in that.
- Nov 29, 2007
- 3,641
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- Endorsing artist GENZ BENZ/HERCULES STANDS/XSonics
I have found that a powerful head (for headroom) and a pair of 210 cabinets gets it done. I take one when needed and 2 when needed. Any more than that and FOH takes it over. Jimmy, I do on occassion miss the feel of dual 810's... but I think any one who ever used 16 10's knows the feeling no matter how much they like a smaller rig.
Hi,
I got an old Avatar 2x10 bass cab, (the rear ported one) man this is heavy for a 2x10. But I swapped the drivers out for Celestian green label Neo's. Found out those old Emmy delta T's where heavy (6kg a piece) It has made it into a really light (16Kg) full range bass cab. Because of the Green labels the low frequency response it excellent (they can handle 40hz). Use it for most gigs, nice sound easy to carry. Whole excercise only cost me 100 bucks and it candle handle rock, metal, funk, blues, with anice punch.
I got an old Avatar 2x10 bass cab, (the rear ported one) man this is heavy for a 2x10. But I swapped the drivers out for Celestian green label Neo's. Found out those old Emmy delta T's where heavy (6kg a piece) It has made it into a really light (16Kg) full range bass cab. Because of the Green labels the low frequency response it excellent (they can handle 40hz). Use it for most gigs, nice sound easy to carry. Whole excercise only cost me 100 bucks and it candle handle rock, metal, funk, blues, with anice punch.
Honestly, how many people are actually gigging with a single 1x10 % wise?
I get what you're saying but speakers are very efficient these days and huge cabs are no longer needed. 2 1x12's pushed by a 500w+ amp will be pretty damn loud. My main rig is a 2x10+1x12 pushed by an 800w Yorkville. Believe me, I can be heard in ANY situation if I chose although my main gigs are R&B or Jazz. You're probably in those situations where you need to be loud for the sake of being loud and image is also a part of your M.O. Yes we are all different and have different needs.
There is also the portability factor. When get in your 40's and 50's, you WILL be singing a different song! Granted there are some older cats here still slinging big rigs but at some point, they'll be singing a different song too!
I get what you're saying but speakers are very efficient these days and huge cabs are no longer needed. 2 1x12's pushed by a 500w+ amp will be pretty damn loud. My main rig is a 2x10+1x12 pushed by an 800w Yorkville. Believe me, I can be heard in ANY situation if I chose although my main gigs are R&B or Jazz. You're probably in those situations where you need to be loud for the sake of being loud and image is also a part of your M.O. Yes we are all different and have different needs.
There is also the portability factor. When get in your 40's and 50's, you WILL be singing a different song! Granted there are some older cats here still slinging big rigs but at some point, they'll be singing a different song too!
Sounds great. Especially the candle handle! Could come in useful if the power goes out and you need to find your beer.
I agree. I'm 55, and my main gig is playing bass in a Catholic Church P&W group. I'm a bit too old and weak to be schlepping huge cabs around, and besides there's not enough room on stage for a cab of any size so I use a Yorkville XM100 combo amp. I have the volume on 4, and people on the far side of the church can hear me loud and clear, and I'm not talking about a small church, either. Our church is the size of a small cathedral and is usually about 70% full for any given Sunday. And load-out has to be quick, too, since the full choir with about 40 singers is in place and ready to sing about 15 minutes after our services end. So while YMMV, for me a 100w combo - my little Yorkie - is perfect for my needs.
My rig has always been modular. I bring what I need to the gig and leave the rest home. Depending on the gig, it was a single 1x12 cab. Others both 1x12's. Or a 2x12 and a 1x12.
I'll take that over dragging an 8x10 to an intimate acoustic gig.
I'll take that over dragging an 8x10 to an intimate acoustic gig.
