GR Bass or Barefaced - Best efficiency? [a small experiment]

[Stephen Moore]

I understand that, I do sound for bands, and I also play bass with 2 bands. The point that Im attempting to make is that speakers on stage is becoming less and less common. In ear monitoring is beginning to be the new way of doing shows. Im not advocating one over the other, but I do think that less focus will be placed on stage amplification as a result.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

To make it easier to compare:
View attachment 5395220

In a real world situation, maximum SPL is the big factor to me as you can always turn down. I'd rather have more maximum SPL than I'll need and just turn the volume down to the right level for the venue, projection, stage. Well, weight and size too, given an appropriate frequency response

 

[tIANcI]

I understand that, I do sound for bands, and I also play bass with 2 bands. The point that Im attempting to make is that speakers on stage is becoming less and less common. In ear monitoring is beginning to be the new way of doing shows. Im not advocating one over the other, but I do think that less focus will be placed on stage amplification as a result.

Quieter stage = easier and better FOH mix

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Quieter stage = easier and better FOH mix

Bass in FOH is not a reality in all situations. Or IEM. Not in the smaller places I play, anyway. Arguably, I might do better putting my cab out front to supplement FOH, which I have done a couple of times.

 

[Barticus]

Quieter stage = easier and better FOH mix

Agree.
Makes for a better mix and is way easier to setup/teardown.

 

[YourGuitarist]

Bass in FOH is not a reality in all situations. Or IEM. Not in the smaller places I play, anyway. Arguably, I might do better putting my cab out front to supplement FOH, which I have done a couple of times.

Another consideration is that the lows of a bass amp have long enough wavelengths to exhibit problematic phase cancellations between FOH mains and bass amps. In that sense having a single low end speaker system is preferable.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Another consideration is that the lows of a bass amp have long enough wavelengths to exhibit phase problematic cancellations between FOH mains and bass amps. In that sense having a single low end speaker system is preferable.

Indeed.

It's an advantage, should the mains not have enough lows for a bass, of using your amp as a bass-dedicated sub, level with the mains, provided it's not an issue for left-right be balance. But then on stage it's probably not central either.

 

[tIANcI]

Bass in FOH is not a reality in all situations. Or IEM. Not in the smaller places I play, anyway. Arguably, I might do better putting my cab out front to supplement FOH, which I have done a couple of times.

Of course, if circumstances are such then it is what it is. Its back to basics. Some smaller venues with a smaller PA system may just want to put more emphasis on the vocalist or say acoustic guitar through the FOH.

 

[agedhorse]

Quieter stage = easier and better FOH mix

Sometimes, but it depends.

 

[gtirard]

Epilogue

I've just sold the GR Bass cab today.

Nothing wrong, but I'm only using the Barefaced, because it sounds even better for my taste (thrilling low end), and I don't need to keep a cab I wasn't really using.

Also, I don't think GR Bass cabs have any problem of reliability, but the Barefaced feels indestructible.

 

[gtirard]

Epilogue

I've just sold the GR Bass cab today.

Nothing wrong, but I'm only using the Barefaced, because it sounds even better for my taste (thrilling low end), and I don't need to keep a cab I wasn't really using.

Also, I don't think GR Bass cabs have any problem of reliability, but the Barefaced feels indestructible.

 

[Type-55]

We are really getting into the weeds here. Common sense should dictate,
size of gig should dictate amp and cab.
Bigger gig increase volume, smaller gig less volume. Specs are just numbers on a piece of paper. Not that they are meaningless by any means. But the real result of choices of gear is how does it sound? This is impossible to interpret by the specs on a sheet of paper. Trust your ears and experience.