Help me understand

[Mingo Sanders]

What is your take on all of this?

You might be right.

 

[klokker]

It depends on the kind of band you have and where you play I guess. We're kind of old school at this point, weekend warriors, and our amps and cabs are the primary focus of our bands sound. Our PA is good, but we try to just "fill out" our sound with it.

We rarely run into a sound person that a venue hires. Our sound person is the keyboard players wife when she can make it. Bars, out in the parking lot, on a semi trailer, a winery, in an old dance hall its the same.

For bands like us, our amps are a big part of what our audience hears.

 

[fdeck]

What is this FOH of which you speak?

At many of my gigs, the bass is the only amplified instrument in the band, and if there's a PA, it only has enough juice for limited support of horns, vocals, etc. Still, I mainly care about my tone quality because life is too short for bad tone, even if the audience and other band members don't notice.

There's another thing. Even when I've played rock or contemporary music at moderate volumes in smaller venues, there's a way of managing live sound, which I call the "chamber music" approach, where the instruments are primarily self sufficient, and are managing their dynamics and overall mix by ear. It can create a more intimate, dynamic setting. Much as I respect the value of a good sound tech, a full PA in a small venue can create kind of a wall between the band and the audience unless it's really expertly managed.

 

[Wasnex]

Well I can't tell that it's perfect everywhere but I have a wireless and I make a point of walking the room while we are playing our sound check before starting and I'll again walk the room near the end of the second set when the place is about as full as it's going to get. People can suck up a lot of sound! So it may not be perfect, but it's pretty good.

As I mentioned I primarily run my EQ flat with a little boost at 250Hz. I used to absolutely dial in the room for every place we played, but I don't really do it like that much anymore. Rather when we do our sound check if something sounds too boomy or too brittle, I'll find that frequency and fix it instead of going through the "dial in the room" routine I used to do. I don't usually check right up against a wall because you get hit with the sound from the stage and the sound from the bounce off the back wall all at the same time.

I used to always dial it in because I could check it pretty quickly with the one semi-parametric on my Eden Nemesis amp. I'd just turn the boost up to 3 o'clock and have someone slowly move the frequency selector for me while I played a run that went from low on my E string up to at least the octave on my G string.

That put about 10db of boost on each frequency as it was rolled by. If one of them all of a sudden got louder than the rest (it would just pop!), then I applied some cut there to pull it back in line. If one of them all of a sudden got quieter than the rest, then I would make a note to add some boost there. With my WT500/800, I now have 3 semi-parametrics and each one covers an octave of sound with overlap on the ends. So it takes longer but has more granularity to where any problems are, plus I can fix more than one if two or more of them are a problem.

I used to do this as far from my amp as my cord would take me, but with my wireless I can now go as far as 200+ feet. So I usually check it at the back end of the dance floor and first row of tables first. Got to make sure the dancers have good sounds so they'll keep dancing! If it's a wide room I'll move behind the last tables and move back and forth. It's not perfect but it does make a difference.

Now @Wasnex you are far more knowledgeable than most sound techs I've dealt with and I would indeed trust you to make the best choices for the house. So, I'd tell you that I have dialed in a little boost in the low mids at ~250Hz and set everything else flat and then leave everything up to you. You could use your headphones on the board to hear the sound from my DI that I'm after and then make any adjustments you need to in order to reinforce that sound in the FOH. I've just had too many folks who didn't know what they were doing mess up sound when they had complete control over it, so I apologize for being a bit skeptical of soundboard techs and my insistence on NOT sending a pre-EQ signal to FOH. Some of them are soundboard techs in name only and some are very skilled.

In my experience, there is a whole lot of competition for space in the low mids. Basically the bass, guitars, keys, drums, and even vocals are playing in this frequency range, so I generally do quite a bit of carving to clear out space in the mix. I find this to be especially important for indoor gigs where reverberant energy tends to build up and make a boomy mess.

If I use the same system outdoors, I typically have to undo a lot of the carving or the sound comes across as too thin and mid scooped. So basically my EQ strategies are situational and I use my ears.

I am not opposed to the sound of a 250hz boost on the bass, I just think it tends to be problematic frequency to boost in many indoor venues. As long as you are going out in the hall and confirming it sounds good .

 

[Samatza]

Fortunately we work with some great sound guys.

I understand that the bass & amp combination gives you the overall sound so that your amp may be a big part of the sound you hear. Typically though the amp does not have the full range of the FOH with subs and top boxes so it's difficult to use one EQ for both.

I usually send a direct out, pre EQ signal to the desk, turn down my amp on stage, go out front and help the guy nail the bass sound. Once this is achieved I work on my on stage sound so that it sounds good, it's not going to be as good as FOH through a combo amp but the subs fill in the bottom so it's mids and highs that need a bit of a tweak.

I'm working on using an Alembic F-1X with a pre EQ going to FOH and the output going to a powered speaker,I'm still investigating the powered speaker option for this purpose.

 

[DJ Bebop]

The needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many.

 

[DJ Bebop]

On big systems with lots of sub capacity (like an outdoor rig), it's not uncommon for the wash off the subs to cause a player to cut the low end around 60-100Hz) to compensate for the perception of the wash which results in a thin tone sent to FOH if sent post eq.

Only, it wasn't a cut in the low end. It was a cut in volume.
It was my first time playing in the situation as described.
I dinked around at soundcheck, manly heard myself thought the provided Eden stack, as normal.
When it was time, I hit the first tune and BOOM all of that subs and whatnot really kicked in! It scared me, I turned down
Folks off stage and down in front were screaming to turn up. I did but wow

Nowadays I will cut those frequencies on my little stage rig and send a pre-eq DI to FOH. It still scares me a bit

 

[David Jayne]

Hmmm... I have a few comments:

• I virtually NEVER send a pre-EQ signal to a board. That is primarily because I don't trust most soundboard technicians to sculpt their EQ to match my sound. So I send them a post-EQ DI signal. I do depend upon them to compensate for any room anomalies, but if they haven't done so by the end of the first set, I'll adjust my amp's EQ to compensate (my amp has three semi-parametric EQ's that will let me cut or boost pretty much any frequency I desire.

I use a Passive MIA Jazz Bass with Maple neck and normally run both my volume knobs and the tone knob all the way up. I now use LaBella tape-wound flats although I used to run Blue Steel and then Black Beauties on it. I also typically run my amp with about 3-clicks of boost at ~250Hz and all the rest of the EQ flat. With either DNA or Eden amps/cabs, that gives me "my" sound. The little bit of boost ~250Hz gives me good definition in the mix and plenty of thump in the chest. If the room has some acoustic anomalies, I can compensate for that, but my intent is to get my overall sound to be flat with a little bit of boost at ~250Hz.

If I'm forced to plug into the board without my amp, I'll use my WTDI, which is a DI box with a built-in Eden preamp and adjustable compressor. Can't boost ~250Hz on that DI box as the mids toggle between either 500Hz and 2.2KHz. So I toggle it to 500Hz and add a little boost. Both 250Hz and 500Hz give a good sound and add definition (clarity) in the mix, but I prefer to boost ~250Hz when I have the option.

I do NOT depend upon the sound tech to sculpt the sound of my bass. I DO depend upon him to reinforce MY sound so everyone else is hearing what I want them to hear. This is not the sound guys bass sound...it is mine and I am very protective of it. Having said that, I make sure I let those sound techs know what I expect AND I tell them how I'm getting it. If they know what they are doing, they are fine with that and will just compensate for the acoustics of the room, not the tone of my bass. Most boards that have a "low-mids" control on your channel, are not set up to boost specific frequencies of low-mids. I can do that with my amp so I do.

• You also misunderstand a bit how a Pre-EQ DI signal works. It doesn't "necessarily go directly from the bass input to the balanced out. It goes through a lot of electronics besides that, it just bypasses the EQ section. In an Eden Hybrid amp, that is a very important distinction because those Eden hybrid amps use a tube in the impedance-matching circuitry operating within very specific parameters to add the warmth to their sound that they are known for. Bypass that and you'd lose that warmth.

That is not bypassed, so you still have that warmth to the sound. I also have an Eden Nemesis amp which does not have a hybrid preamp but rather an entirely FET front end, and there is definitely a noticeable difference in the sound between the two. It does not have the warmth that my WT amp does.

That signal also has to go through the gain section to get the best gain level to use with the specific bass you have plugged in. The correct gain setting will get you a strong, clear, extremely low distortion signal to send to the power section of the amp, or out the DI. Eden and DNA amps also have DI level controls in most of their amps. If the signal is a little weaker than what the sound board needs, they can adjust the DI level without influencing anything else. Now days quite a few amps do that.

So although you have the general idea correct that you are trying to send an uncolored signal to the board, it definitely does NOT just go from the input jack to the DI output. Having said that, perhaps you may find one that does but that would be really unusual.
​

So considering the above, it is very important to me to have an amp and cab that will give me the sound I want. And, I expect any sound tech to reinforce that sound NOT reinvent it. Additionally when I play outdoor festivals I prefer that they mic the cab so they know they are getting the sound that I want them to have. It's simple to run the mic on one channel and the DI on another one. Recording studios that are either big enough or have enough isolation booths to keep bleed over between tracks from being a problem will often take a DI signal and mic the cab. Then they can balance the sound they get between the two of them to get a good sound for the recording.

​

Also, I think you may be overestimating how prevalent "ampless" bassist are. If you look at that TB poll that @Passinwind mentioned, out of 635 votes when I just checked, 85.8% responded that they HAD to use an amp. I'm one of those. Throughout most of the gigs, the guitars and sometimes drums will run through our own PA or an FOH system, and I am expected to cover my part with my own amp and cab(s). My DNA and Eden gear is more than up to it, so I have no problem with that.

​

Totally great if you only play well-staffed, totally pro gigs with awesome sound-checks and the time they require. Most of us do not. I'm really happy for you but your example doesn't work for probably 90% of us.

 

[La Faro]

IMO, IME IEM & FOH FTW, YMMV













(actually I have no experience I as just seeing lots of acronyms and wanted to mash'em all up)

 

[Stranger Danger]

There is an enormous selection of amps and cabs out in the market right now. The laws of competition dictate that every amp or cabinet needs to have something that makes it different or 'stand out' in order to appeal to a particular cohort of players. People describe a "Mesa" sound or "Ampeg" or "Aguilar" sound, etc, or some amps or cabs have particular features, like the voicing control on the Genzler amps, for example. Some amp designers even aim to stand out by making amps totally uncolored and neutral sounding.

When performing any gig that has FOH, the bass amp is essentially relegated to monitoring duty. The FOH engineer needs a sound that can be easily sculpted, EQ-wise at least, to sit appropriately in the mix. Given the different EQ needs of the house vs the stage, it makes sense then to send a DI signal that is Pre-EQ. I know this is not a universal solution but one opted for by many bassists and sound guys.

As I understand it, in most amps a pre-EQ signal essentially goes straight from the input jack to the DI, bypassing the circuitry that 'colors' or gives the particular 'flavor' of that amp to the signal (not to mention the organic tone shaping effect of the speaker that is essential to capturing the essence of many signature bass tones). Looking at the schematic for the Mesa D-800, for example, this seems to be the case. (Please correct me if I am wrong on these last two points) Assuming this is correct, coloration of the basic sound to the ears of any listener hearing only the sound from FOH is caused by the bass, any effects between and bass and amp such as a compressor, and finally by any inherent tone and EQ shaping done at the mixing board. The bass amp itself is just a conduit to the mixing board. The exception to this would be the transformers in certain DIs, such as the Jensen found in some high end bass amps like Demeter, or Cinemag (REDDI). Even then, there's not nearly as many options for transformer based coloration relative to the inherent 'flavor' of the many amps on the market.

To most of our audience then, our amplifier is essentially the PA system - something while not perfectly flat, is designed with transparency in sound amplification, not coloration.

My main question to you is this: given all of these factors, why do so many of us obsess over these nuances in tone of these different amps if that element of the sound doesn't make it to the audience?

Before you judge what I've written know that the situation I described is my own. I've just recently become really irked by it - I generally like the sound I get from my amp, but why wouldn't it be preferable to have a sound that is as close as possible to what the audience is hearing?

In light of all this, I understand why many players are moving to ampless setups and why speaker sims have gained in popularity. It's a reliable way to get that speaker coloration and baked-in amp tone to the FOH without the hassle of mic bleed and disparate EQ settings. Particularly for guys who do a fair amount of recording, especially with plug-ins, I can see why one would want to get that tone out into a live setting.

Thanks for reading. What is your take on all of this?

That’s a lot of assumptions based on your experience that won’t necessarily match what other people experience. It is a matter of perspective. If you don’t want a thing, it doesn’t mean someone else shouldn’t.

 

[soundsupport1]

20 years of playing in churches (which normally don't have a high-quality PA system or a trained FOH engineer - although some of course have both) has taught me the value of having equipment I like the sound of and that I trust to sound good with me.

Hence a pedalboard is now a go-to for me. The signal path I have is two basses into a Radial Bigshot I/O (not relevant to this discussion), which feeds into an Eden Glowplug tube warmer which goes into an Eden World Tour D box, which features a 3-band EQ with switchable mids and bass boost, a one-knob compressor, master volume and gain, and 'enhance' (which is a variable mid-scoop).

Having used that setup for a long time, I know for a fact that I'm sending a beefy, punchy and pleasant bass tone to the soundboard. It's not really coloured in any way - EQ and enhance are flat, compressor is at maybe 15-20% - but the Glowplug is putting a nice mild bump in the low mids.

The DI has an XLR out to FOH and a line out which goes into (at a minimum) an Eden Nemesis 25w 8-inch practice amp, which is an amazing little floor monitor.

All of this adds up to one thing: am I trying to get 'my sound' into FOH? No.
But I know that no matter what happens, a) it'll sound good to me on stage, and b) if it sounds bad in FOH it is absolutely not my fault. I don't need to apologize for anything, I know I should sound pleasant.
That adds up to a great security blanket for me. It's also a flexible setup, because if I need to provide all the bass from the platform, I just bring a bigger amp. The fundamental signal stays the same no
matter what, it just gets louder.

Peace,
SoundSupport

 

[Bander]

If you are taking a combo or micro rig, then yea, the PA is what the audience hears. Some of us still take two cabs, 700W, class A/B, etc. Even an outdoor gig with good subs, having a full stack is noticeable in the front rows.
Otherwise, I and the band have to hear/feel each other, so monitoring and foldback are more important to me, and therefore my rig is first in importance. There is still merit and value in fine tuning your rig.

 

[2playbass]

I've been using a Zoom B3 for a long time, and just recently switched to a Helix. I send the output from these units to FOH, before the signal hits my amp. I try to set the EQ on the Helix so that it sounds decent when connected to my amp/cab with a flat EQ when my rig is set up in my rehearsal space. At a gig, I set the EQ on my amp/cab so that I can hear myself on stage, and I let the sound guy work the FOH EQ. My amp EQ settings would likely not sound great out front, as I cut the highs and lows and boost the mids. The effects of the stage and room can have a pronounced effect on EQ and tone. If you're sitting on a stage that is essentially a plywood resonance chamber, or perhaps right in the corner of a small stage with reflective walls, your tone and EQ will sound different to you sitting on stage than it would to the people out front. I use my amp to EQ my sound environment on stage, and let the sound guy take care of the FOH sound environment.

 

[EMoneySC2]

When I started my career as a bassist this conundrum also bugged me. I ditched my amp and cab, and went for a Pre+Power rig that feeds Greenboy fEARful cabs. The DI out on my pre IS my sound, so FOH gets the same thing as my power amp and full range cabs. Works well for me!

 

[dwade]

There is an enormous selection of amps and cabs out in the market right now. The laws of competition dictate that every amp or cabinet needs to have something that makes it different or 'stand out' in order to appeal to a particular cohort of players. People describe a "Mesa" sound or "Ampeg" or "Aguilar" sound, etc, or some amps or cabs have particular features, like the voicing control on the Genzler amps, for example. Some amp designers even aim to stand out by making amps totally uncolored and neutral sounding.

When performing any gig that has FOH, the bass amp is essentially relegated to monitoring duty. The FOH engineer needs a sound that can be easily sculpted, EQ-wise at least, to sit appropriately in the mix. Given the different EQ needs of the house vs the stage, it makes sense then to send a DI signal that is Pre-EQ. I know this is not a universal solution but one opted for by many bassists and sound guys.

As I understand it, in most amps a pre-EQ signal essentially goes straight from the input jack to the DI, bypassing the circuitry that 'colors' or gives the particular 'flavor' of that amp to the signal (not to mention the organic tone shaping effect of the speaker that is essential to capturing the essence of many signature bass tones). Looking at the schematic for the Mesa D-800, for example, this seems to be the case. (Please correct me if I am wrong on these last two points) Assuming this is correct, coloration of the basic sound to the ears of any listener hearing only the sound from FOH is caused by the bass, any effects between and bass and amp such as a compressor, and finally by any inherent tone and EQ shaping done at the mixing board. The bass amp itself is just a conduit to the mixing board. The exception to this would be the transformers in certain DIs, such as the Jensen found in some high end bass amps like Demeter, or Cinemag (REDDI). Even then, there's not nearly as many options for transformer based coloration relative to the inherent 'flavor' of the many amps on the market.

To most of our audience then, our amplifier is essentially the PA system - something while not perfectly flat, is designed with transparency in sound amplification, not coloration.

My main question to you is this: given all of these factors, why do so many of us obsess over these nuances in tone of these different amps if that element of the sound doesn't make it to the audience?

Before you judge what I've written know that the situation I described is my own. I've just recently become really irked by it - I generally like the sound I get from my amp, but why wouldn't it be preferable to have a sound that is as close as possible to what the audience is hearing?

In light of all this, I understand why many players are moving to ampless setups and why speaker sims have gained in popularity. It's a reliable way to get that speaker coloration and baked-in amp tone to the FOH without the hassle of mic bleed and disparate EQ settings. Particularly for guys who do a fair amount of recording, especially with plug-ins, I can see why one would want to get that tone out into a live setting.

Thanks for reading. What is your take on all of this?

Most of the sound guys I've worked with would listen to my amp, then go out of their way to to make the sound coming out of the PA sound like my amp. I ALWAYS gave them post EQ signal though. I did have a few guys insist that I give them pre-eq signal. Sometimes I would would but by & large, I'd pretend to flip pre/post switch. I'm fortunate to be working in a situation now with the same sound guy & the same FOH gear at all times. I'm ampless these days but he gets 2 sends from my bass. One goes through my preamp & the other is a DI right off of my bass but he has a plug-in on it. He has the ability to mix the 2 signals and I must say, it's quite stellar.

I need to hear a particular sound. I need my bass to respond in a way that works for me. If I don't get what I need, it negatively affects my performance. So whether it's an amp or preamp/DI's through IEM, I really need that particular sound. Even during the few instances when I knew what I was hearing onstage was just a monitor, I was able to be OK with that because I heard & felt what I needed to hear & feel.

I am still blown away at the sheer number of options available today. It's really quite remarkable.

 

[socialleper]

The amp isn't just a conduit for FoH. That idea would be based on a slightly narrow view of a bass player's world.
First, not every venue puts the bass through a PA. I've played a fair number of shows where the PA is for vocals only. Smaller bars, DIY shows, or the old school house party don't have big PAs.
Second, you are assuming way too much about the abilities and intentions of sound people at shows. Very few I've encountered spend more than a minute on the bass. They are balancing levels, getting rid of feed back, and moving on. In my world, I am one of 6 bands playing that night, so 0 Fs are given about my EQ.
Third, recording. Amps play a big part in the recording process. A lot of engineers are trying to get around using cabs because they don't know how to mic them, or they don't have the facilities. However, your head has your EQ and a DI built in most of the time. That makes their life easier.

 

[mrjim123]

My main question to you is this: given all of these factors, why do so many of us obsess over these nuances in tone of these different amps if that element of the sound doesn't make it to the audience?

Because we are artists, and artists are, by nature, passionate and particular about every aspect of their craft.

 

[nilorius]

Any good amp has it's something different. Combinations of preamp and eq, all it matters on tone, there are also cabs, of course. No one can tell you the choice and there will always be something hiding somewhere you want but don't know.

 

[Standalone]

When performing any gig that has FOH, the bass amp is essentially relegated to monitoring duty. The FOH engineer needs a sound that can be easily sculpted, EQ-wise at least, to sit appropriately in the mix. Given the different EQ needs of the house vs the stage, it makes sense then to send a DI signal that is Pre-EQ. I know this is not a universal solution but one opted for by many bassists and sound guys.

As I understand it, in most amps a pre-EQ signal essentially goes straight from the input jack to the DI, bypassing the circuitry that 'colors' or gives the particular 'flavor' of that amp to the signal (not to mention the organic tone shaping effect of the speaker that is essential to capturing the essence of many signature bass tones). <snip> What is your take on all of this?

My experience with amplifiers has taught me that the input impedance has much to do with my tone. I play passive pickup basses in general. So that is one thing. My band plays at venues where the tone of my amp on stage makes a difference to the band. We do a good deal of full band improvisation and my tone and expressiveness interacts with that of my bandmates.

It's also very important to me. My playing style definitely engages with and involves the response of my amp and cabs, much like a guitar player and her tube amplifier. The ways that it drives and compresses and breathes is important to me.

FOH is what it is, but on stage the magic does still involve my amp.

As for the differences between amps, there are many, but there are also many ways to use marketing to differentiate products that are essentially the same.

 

[robotbass]

There is an enormous selection of amps and cabs out in the market right now. The laws of competition dictate that every amp or cabinet needs to have something that makes it different or 'stand out' in order to appeal to a particular cohort of players. People describe a "Mesa" sound or "Ampeg" or "Aguilar" sound, etc, or some amps or cabs have particular features, like the voicing control on the Genzler amps, for example. Some amp designers even aim to stand out by making amps totally uncolored and neutral sounding.

When performing any gig that has FOH, the bass amp is essentially relegated to monitoring duty. The FOH engineer needs a sound that can be easily sculpted, EQ-wise at least, to sit appropriately in the mix. Given the different EQ needs of the house vs the stage, it makes sense then to send a DI signal that is Pre-EQ. I know this is not a universal solution but one opted for by many bassists and sound guys.

As I understand it, in most amps a pre-EQ signal essentially goes straight from the input jack to the DI, bypassing the circuitry that 'colors' or gives the particular 'flavor' of that amp to the signal (not to mention the organic tone shaping effect of the speaker that is essential to capturing the essence of many signature bass tones). Looking at the schematic for the Mesa D-800, for example, this seems to be the case. (Please correct me if I am wrong on these last two points) Assuming this is correct, coloration of the basic sound to the ears of any listener hearing only the sound from FOH is caused by the bass, any effects between and bass and amp such as a compressor, and finally by any inherent tone and EQ shaping done at the mixing board. The bass amp itself is just a conduit to the mixing board. The exception to this would be the transformers in certain DIs, such as the Jensen found in some high end bass amps like Demeter, or Cinemag (REDDI). Even then, there's not nearly as many options for transformer based coloration relative to the inherent 'flavor' of the many amps on the market.

To most of our audience then, our amplifier is essentially the PA system - something while not perfectly flat, is designed with transparency in sound amplification, not coloration.

My main question to you is this: given all of these factors, why do so many of us obsess over these nuances in tone of these different amps if that element of the sound doesn't make it to the audience?

Before you judge what I've written know that the situation I described is my own. I've just recently become really irked by it - I generally like the sound I get from my amp, but why wouldn't it be preferable to have a sound that is as close as possible to what the audience is hearing?

In light of all this, I understand why many players are moving to ampless setups and why speaker sims have gained in popularity. It's a reliable way to get that speaker coloration and baked-in amp tone to the FOH without the hassle of mic bleed and disparate EQ settings. Particularly for guys who do a fair amount of recording, especially with plug-ins, I can see why one would want to get that tone out into a live setting.

Thanks for reading. What is your take on all of this?

There is an enormous selection of amps and cabs out in the market right now. The laws of competition dictate that every amp or cabinet needs to have something that makes it different or 'stand out' in order to appeal to a particular cohort of players. People describe a "Mesa" sound or "Ampeg" or "Aguilar" sound, etc, or some amps or cabs have particular features, like the voicing control on the Genzler amps, for example. Some amp designers even aim to stand out by making amps totally uncolored and neutral sounding.

When performing any gig that has FOH, the bass amp is essentially relegated to monitoring duty. The FOH engineer needs a sound that can be easily sculpted, EQ-wise at least, to sit appropriately in the mix. Given the different EQ needs of the house vs the stage, it makes sense then to send a DI signal that is Pre-EQ. I know this is not a universal solution but one opted for by many bassists and sound guys.

As I understand it, in most amps a pre-EQ signal essentially goes straight from the input jack to the DI, bypassing the circuitry that 'colors' or gives the particular 'flavor' of that amp to the signal (not to mention the organic tone shaping effect of the speaker that is essential to capturing the essence of many signature bass tones). Looking at the schematic for the Mesa D-800, for example, this seems to be the case. (Please correct me if I am wrong on these last two points) Assuming this is correct, coloration of the basic sound to the ears of any listener hearing only the sound from FOH is caused by the bass, any effects between and bass and amp such as a compressor, and finally by any inherent tone and EQ shaping done at the mixing board. The bass amp itself is just a conduit to the mixing board. The exception to this would be the transformers in certain DIs, such as the Jensen found in some high end bass amps like Demeter, or Cinemag (REDDI). Even then, there's not nearly as many options for transformer based coloration relative to the inherent 'flavor' of the many amps on the market.

To most of our audience then, our amplifier is essentially the PA system - something while not perfectly flat, is designed with transparency in sound amplification, not coloration.

My main question to you is this: given all of these factors, why do so many of us obsess over these nuances in tone of these different amps if that element of the sound doesn't make it to the audience?

Before you judge what I've written know that the situation I described is my own. I've just recently become really irked by it - I generally like the sound I get from my amp, but why wouldn't it be preferable to have a sound that is as close as possible to what the audience is hearing?

In light of all this, I understand why many players are moving to ampless setups and why speaker sims have gained in popularity. It's a reliable way to get that speaker coloration and baked-in amp tone to the FOH without the hassle of mic bleed and disparate EQ settings. Particularly for guys who do a fair amount of recording, especially with plug-ins, I can see why one would want to get that tone out into a live setting.

Thanks for reading. What is your take on all of this?

This is a complex question with no simple answer.
The bulk of the live shows I see bass players have one or two SVTs behind them. Yes they serve as a monitor, However, the sound of the amp is definitely getting into the house, unless you are playing a stadium or arena.
I know that my amp adequately colors a 300 to 500 seat venue of course with the assistance of the PA. The sound guy should work with you to get the balance you prefer. As others have said, there is pre and post DI. Not everyone just plugs and plays, some like effects, and compression. I recently purchased a TC Spectradrive pre amp DI box. This thing is about as versatile as you could ask for. Best to you