Fender Rumble 500 Head with 2x 210 cabs

[Peter Gladwin]

The Vintage filter adds compression. You’re compressing the signal twice. Turn off either the vintage filter, or the compressor pedal.

I’ve been using a Rumble 500 v.3 head into either a Rumble 210 v.3 + a Rumble 112 v.3 cab, just the 210 alone. It is plenty loud enough for the classic rock and blues gigs I’ve played the last couple of years.
I’ve only needed to add the 112 for outdoor gigs.

I leave all three of the Rumble Filters switched to off. I have a compressor on my pedal board. I use a DI pedal (never the Rumble’s built-in DI) to send signal to the pa.

I start with only the compressor switched on and the amp set to “Rumble Flat”. Gain at about 9:00, overdrive off, master at about 10 or 11:00, all three filters always off. Then set my tone control(s)on my bass(es) to my usual preferred setting, adjust the amp’s master as needed for my stage volume. I will usually only make small changes to the amp’s tone controls if any, making larger changes in tone on the bass itself. The only time I change the gain during a show is to roll a tiny bit off whenever I switch to my playing my Stingray since it’s output is touch hotter than my other basses.

If I cannot hear myself, I will usually try turning down my iems (which have everything but bass in them), if that doesn’t work, then I turn up the master on my Rumble.

I’ve never needed to go beyond about 1:00 on the Rumble’s master volume. It’s stupidly loud there.

If I had to go louder than that at any gig smaller than a sports arena, I’d be looking for different musicians to play with. My hearing is more important than any covers gig.

Oh, also check the polarity of your speaker cabs to make certain that one isn’t reversed, and make sure all of your cables are good.

 

[Peter Gladwin]

Thanks for your detailed and helpful response Artman. Not sure what you mean by polarity on speaker cabs they are brand new and cables good?

 

[JakobT]

Fender Rumble 210 x 2 so effectively a 410

Those cabs are rated at 350 watts each, and when you use them both with the 500 head, they only get 250. That’s a more than decent safety margin, and if you turn off the Vintage setting and back off the bass control a bit, you should be fine.

 

[Peter Gladwin]

https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Original/10002/237030_bamp_manual_all_revA.pdf

Like most amps, you want to use as much Gain at the preamp stage as needed without distortion, then adjust your loudness with the master Volume control. Nine o’clock on the Gain to me sounds low, but if you prefer an overdriven sound using the Drive circuit you might need to compensate. It’s a shame Fender omitted a simple clipping indicator on the Gain control.

You haven’t mentioned what cabinets you’re using. I’m hoping they are no less than 8 ohms each, as the head is 4 ohms minimum. In general, if each cabinet is rated for at least 300 watts RMS you should be in the clear. As always use your ears to judge.

 

[themickster]

Hi guys, I’m new to this forum but I’d like your advice specifically on Fender Rumble 500 Head with 2 x 210 cabs. I’m playing in a loud classic rock band and at my current settings my sound is lost in the mix.
The master volume is set at 12 noon, gain at 9 O Clock. EQ bass and low mid at 10 o clock. Treble and high Mid at 1 O Clock.
Vintage and bright switched on using Fender American pro 2 jazz bass via Keeley Bassist limiter/ compressor on pedal board before preamp and SFX High Pass Filter in the FX loop before power amp.
My question is how much further can I raise the Master or Gain to avoid any risk of blowing speakers and what levels do use use for this similar amp and speaker set up?

Has anyone tried asking guitarists to cut some of the low and let the bass in?

 

[Peter Gladwin]

https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Original/10002/237030_bamp_manual_all_revA.pdf

Like most amps, you want to use as much Gain at the preamp stage as needed without distortion, then adjust your loudness with the master Volume control. Nine o’clock on the Gain to me sounds low, but if you prefer an overdriven sound using the Drive circuit you might need to compensate. It’s a shame Fender omitted a simple clipping indicator on the Gain control.

You haven’t mentioned what cabinets you’re using. I’m hoping they are no less than 8 ohms each, as the head is 4 ohms minimum. In general, if each cabinet is rated for at least 300 watts RMS you should be in the clear. As always use your ears to judge.

 

[Peter Gladwin]

The cabs are Fender Rumble 210 at 8 ohms each

 

[Spirit of Ox]

What are your guitarists using and how loud is the band? I play with a fairly loud guitarist and heavy hitting drummer and can cut through with an old GK 400RB and 1X15 Flite cab. My main basses are passive Jazz basses.
That set up there is only 100 watts.
You are using 500 watts with more than enough speakers so you should be able to cut through, especially with a Jazz bass. I used to own that head and it definitely had some power.

 

[Peter Gladwin]

Those cabs are rated at 350 watts each, and when you use them both with the 500 head, they only get 250. That’s a more than decent safety margin, and if you turn off the Vintage setting and back off the bass control a bit, you should be fine.

 

[Peter Gladwin]

Thanks Jakob. Do you use the same amp and if so what master volume do you set it at?

 

[Peter Gladwin]

Has anyone tried asking guitarists to cut some of the low and let the bass in?

 

[Peter Gladwin]

The guitarists are using Friedman combo amp and Hughes and Kettner tube amp with seperate 2x10 cab. Their argument is you can’t ask the drummer to turn down the volume so we all have to rise to the occasion

 

[Peter Gladwin]

What are your guitarists using and how loud is the band? I play with a fairly loud guitarist and heavy hitting drummer and can cut through with an old GK 400RB and 1X15 Flite cab. My main basses are passive Jazz basses.
That set up there is only 100 watts.
You are using 500 watts with more than enough speakers so you should be able to cut through, especially with a Jazz bass. I used to own that head and it definitely had some power.

 

[Peter Gladwin]

Hi Spirit , when you used the 500 head can you remember what maximum master and gain settings you used?

 

[Spirit of Ox]

The guitarists are using Friedman combo amp and Hughes and Kettner tube amp with seperate 2x10 cab. Their argument is you can’t ask the drummer to turn down the volume so we all have to rise to the occasion

That's a bad way to look at volume. The drummer needs to control his dynamics. Any good drummer will know how to play loud or soft. I had to work on this with my drummer. Most of the small clubs in the Boston area do not want really loud bands. I told my drummer that we have to play softer live than in the practice studio in these small clubs and he was able to compromise his dynamics.

 

[Spirit of Ox]

Hi Spirit , when you used the 500 head can you remember what maximum master and gain settings you used?

No but I tend to keep the volumes at a unity point and I run separate overdrive pedal for dirt. I like to keep the amp's natural volume pretty clean, even on my Gallien Kruegers.

 

[abarson]

The guitarists are using Friedman combo amp and Hughes and Kettner tube amp with seperate 2x10 cab. Their argument is you can’t ask the drummer to turn down the volume so we all have to rise to the occasion

BS. For drummers there’s a thing called “dynamics”. Using rods instead of sticks helps too.
No-one wins the volume wars.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hi guys, I’m new to this forum but I’d like your advice specifically on Fender Rumble 500 Head with 2 x 210 cabs. I’m playing in a loud classic rock band and at my current settings my sound is lost in the mix.
The master volume is set at 12 noon, gain at 9 O Clock. EQ bass and low mid at 10 o clock. Treble and high Mid at 1 O Clock.
Vintage and bright switched on using Fender American pro 2 jazz bass via Keeley Bassist limiter/ compressor on pedal board before preamp and SFX High Pass Filter in the FX loop before power amp.
My question is how much further can I raise the Master or Gain to avoid any risk of blowing speakers and what levels do use use for this similar amp and speaker set up?

If it sounds like you're hurting your speakers, you probably are. If it sounds like it's no sweat, it probably isn't.

That is how far you can turn up.


If it sounds like your speakers don't like you, they don't.

If it sounds smooth and stress free, it is.

 

[Plain Old Barry]

Have you tried stacking your cabs vertically? As in 1 speaker wide x four high, creating a kind of column?

I do this with Mark 2x10 Travelers and I really prefer the sound and dispersion, and it's easier for me to hear.

 

[Peter Gladwin]

Hi yes I do have the speakers stacked vertically but it’s only 2 cabs high. Each cab is a 210