• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Help me buy a cab

GodPlayedBass

GodPlayedBass

Mar 23, 2020
749
1,887
East Coast USA
#1
Running a line from a 50w rogue amp (line out) into a cab, my band plays hard rock/metal (not death metal or anything) but my amp is not loud enough because of the guitars (typical bass problem) overdrive helps but i need a cab for sure. What should i be getting ? I'll take any opinions into consideration, even if i need a bigger amp. My amp does have a line out like i said, to plug into PA System or Cab
 
#2
Just to clarify -- Do you have a 50-watt combo amp, or a 50-watt head amp that you are currently running into a speaker cab? Either way, 50 watts isn't going to be enough to keep up (acoustically) with a drum set and electric guitar amps, regardless of what speaker cab it's plugged into. IME, anyway.

And either way, the line out will not drive a speaker cab directly -- it's intended to drive a power amp or powered speaker, or -- as you've correctly perceived -- a direct line into a PA system. Not into a regular ol' passive speaker cab.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EatS1stBassist and GodPlayedBass
#3
Redbrangus said:
Just to clarify -- Do you have a 50-watt combo amp, or a 50-watt head amp that you are currently running into a speaker cab? Either way, 50 watts isn't going to be enough to keep up (acoustically) with a drum set and electric guitar amps, regardless of what speaker cab it's plugged into. IME, anyway.

And either way, the line out will not drive a speaker cab directly -- it's intended to drive a power amp or powered speaker, or -- as you've correctly perceived -- a direct line into a PA system. Not into a regular ol' passive speaker cab.
Click to expand...
Redbrangus said:
Just to clarify -- Do you have a 50-watt combo amp, or a 50-watt head amp that you are currently running into a speaker cab? Either way, 50 watts isn't going to be enough to keep up (acoustically) with a drum set and electric guitar amps, regardless of what speaker cab it's plugged into. IME, anyway.

And either way, the line out will not drive a speaker cab directly -- it's intended to drive a power amp or powered speaker, or -- as you've correctly perceived -- a direct line into a PA system. Not into a regular ol' passive speaker cab.
Click to expand...


So I should buy like a 100 w head amp and cab to match?
 
#4
I'm not any sort of authority on what you should buy, but my gut reaction is you should think still bigger. In this modern era of Class D amps, 500-watt and larger amps aren't that hard to come by. In a certain sense, it depends on how loud your band is playing, but I'm visualizing at least one shredding guitar player with a 50-watt or larger lead amp. There are some opinions offered here on the board that your should have at least "X" times as many watts as the guitar player, with numbers from 5 to 10 X being tossed around. I'm skeptical of that sort of rule of thumb, but there is some truth in it. In practice, you could maybe get by with a 100-watt tube amp, but I wouldn't try to do that with a conventional solid state amp. For a speaker cab, I'd recommend a modern era 212 or 215 cab, but if cost is an issue, there are always used 410 cabs floating around for cheap.

I expect there will be some real rockers along here in a bit to weigh in on what a good rig might be, but if you're going to be heard in band with loud drums and guitars, you need to swing a pretty big hammer, IMO.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LoveThatBass, EatS1stBassist and GodPlayedBass
#5
If your amp is a Rogue RB-50B, you cannot connect an external cabinet to it. The line out is only to connect to another amplifier or the PA. This combo really isn't made for anything beyond bedroom practice or coffee shop gig.
For your style of music you need more power, I'd say 500 watts is a good starting point. Watts are relatively cheap these days. A single 2x10 cabinet might be enough to begin, but if you start gigging you should add another 2x10 for a vertical 410.
Keep reading threads here on TB for ideas and opinions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GodPlayedBass
#6
abarson said:
If your amp is a Rogue RB-50B, you cannot connect an external cabinet to it. The line out is only to connect to another amplifier or the PA. This combo really isn't made for anything beyond bedroom practice or coffee shop gig.
For your style of music you need more power, I'd say 500 watts is a good starting point. Watts are relatively cheap these days. A single 2x10 cabinet might be enough to begin, but if you start gigging you should add another 2x10 for a vertical 410.
Keep reading threads here on TB for ideas and opinions.
Click to expand...

Thanks bro ! I normally play in a jazz trio so I never needed big equipment
 
  • Like
Reactions: EatS1stBassist
#10
GodPlayedBass said:
Thanks bro ! I normally play in a jazz trio so I never needed big equipment
Click to expand...
Keep your combo for your Jazz gigs.
Buy a used amp that sounds good to you that has min 800 watts (Class D) 350 watts (Class AB) and 300 watts for tube amps.
Find a used Fridge (Ampeg 8x10 cab), they're cheap these days
Volume problem solved
New problems created! LOL
Fishheadjoe
 
  • Like
Reactions: ThinCrappyTone, EatS1stBassist, smogg and 3 others
#11
Agree with everything so far. This can be cheap, and it can be light, but it's probably not going to be both.

300ish watts plus and a 15" speaker or 2-10's is probably your bare minimum, especially if you put them on a chair and forget tons of low end.

Better would be maybe more watts, certainly at least 2 12's or 15's, or 4 10's. You'll get the recommendation to get two 210's and stack them if you go that route, and that recommendation will be 100% correct. What's your budget? What kind of tone do you like? Where are you?

And, yes, earplugs. Too much experience around here from NOT using them for anyone to ever be that stupid again. You CANNOT TELL when you're losing hearing until it's too late. Plus it's SO much easier to actually hear everything while you're playing if your ears aren't distorting!
 
  • Like
Reactions: EatS1stBassist, smogg, eriky4003 and 1 other person
#12
if you get a proper rig for this loud band and still have trouble hearing yourself (or even if you don't and you just want things to sound better), ask the guitar players to turn their bass knobs down on their amps if they aren't cutting their lows already, and make sure you're not cutting your own mids. bass down for the guitars might make it sound thin when they play by themselves, but when you play together as a band it will really help you fill out the low end and make everything sound clearer. I'd also suggest a HPF for your bass, and cut everything below about 40hz.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MarkA and GodPlayedBass
#13
I don't speak Danish but it looks like the guitarist asked Stig to dial it back a bit.
images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcS5KhEMdING2MqmRcdRp1UanfDn5rjyCA8fJQ&usqp=CAU.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikewalker
#15
GodPlayedBass said:
Running a line from a 50w rogue amp (line out) into a cab, my band plays hard rock/metal (not death metal or anything) but my amp is not loud enough because of the guitars (typical bass problem) overdrive helps but i need a cab for sure. What should i be getting ? I'll take any opinions into consideration, even if i need a bigger amp. My amp does have a line out like i said, to plug into PA System or Cab
Click to expand...
Sounds like there are 2 guitars in your band. What are they running? A lot depends upon that, right off the bat. One guitar player running a Marshall head (50 or 100 watt) will require quite a bit of "push". How's your drummer? Hard hitter or middle of the road?
 
#20
You might try the Fender Rumble 500, a 210 500 watt combo. There are definitely some combos out there that will keep up. I'd go for at least 500 watts (class D). I like GK as well.

If you decide to buy a head and cab(s), keep in mind that most cabs are 8 ohms, so you'll need two cabs to get the full potential out of your head.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back