How hard is it to load a 100lb cab?

[Sparkl]

What is the significance of your name "Sparkl"?

Mine is "Mike in Chicago" because my name is Mike, and I live in Chicago...

Do you in fact "Sparkl" (or "sparkle")?

Ran out of arguments so you're down to the personal level now?

While I am not going to join the party on this one, I can tell you that my nick is completely random BS and when I first created it cca 12 years ago I never connected it with the word "sparkle". Thanks for asking though, I was glad to answer your question. It is OT though.

 

[MJ_Sotti]

Is "nick" short for "nickname"?

There was a song that was kinda popular with the "kids" some years back by the name of "skater boy"...but interestingly enough it was spelled "sk8r boi"...

the song seemed to have that "sparkl"

 

[guy n. cognito]

I don't know about that owning more gear than me thing. I don't know you and you certainly don't know me. In my rehearsal place I am constantly surrounded by some 30+ SS/tube/class d amps and at least as many cabs (it's a big place) and it is also one of the main gear trading routes in my area and a lot of gear passes through which I then send on to the buyer. So I definitely tested a million different combinations.

My opinion is in reality a fact. How would you deny this? Some people are able to hear more, some less. As I have stated in another post it is like crapping over a perfect pitch person for saying that guitars are failed instruments because they are basically never in perfect pitch. This statement is absolutely true and I would agree with him easily.

It is a fact that tube amps have more harmonic content than any other amp type and you cannot change this fact. If you are able to hear all the aliquotes you will definitely appreciate the tube amps superiority in this field. If you can't, then sure, a D800 sounds the same as the Mesa400. As I said, it is great for you guys, I tested them both and the 400 was way more harmonically interesting than the d800 (and here I absolutely agree that the D800 is one of the best if not the best light amp on the market atm). Even between tube amps it is obvious. As I said before already, lets be reasonable here.

The new Fender lightweight amps for ex. are supposed to bring the Bassman sound to the table. Supposed to. Plug in the actual bassman and you will see that it's not even close. Close in character certainly, but if you actually listen to it, you will hear the difference.

When someone continues to argue their opinion as fact, and won’t have a real discussion without acknowledging that error, the debate becomes useless. I should have assumed this from your opening salvo...lesson learned.

 

[mesaplayer83]

Well good for you if you feel this way. I am still on the waiting list though.

I have been around TB long enough to realise that here people tend to hype over specific gear in a given moment, present it as absolute truth and completely ignore other experience (exactly what you are doing right now). It's ok though, I can take it

Same happened when Aguilar TH500 came out. It was the best D amp out there and could really (supposedly) simulate the tube beasts. Where is TH500 now? It was all over the place as the first recommendation to consider when someone asked about buying an amp.

Right now, it's the D800. The hype will pass. The Mesa 400 will stay forever.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but frankly - that's ALL you've offered here... Just out of curiosity, about how many gigs per year do you play on average? How many do you estimate you've played in your life? - it seems relevant, given the topic at hand...

 

[Sparkl]

When someone continues to argue their opinion as fact, and won’t have a real discussion without acknowledging that error, the debate becomes useless. I should have assumed this from your opening salvo...lesson learned.

How is stating the fact that peoples hearing ability is developed differently person to person an opinion? Please explain.

 

[Sparkl]

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but frankly - that's ALL you've offered here... Just out of curiosity, about how many gigs per year do you play on average? How many do you estimate you've played in your life? - it seems relevant, given the topic at hand...

I don't know why this would be relevant but since you ask, in the past 5 years cca 200-250/year on average, my lifetime estimate would as of today be around cca 2000. I am solely making money by gigging.

A better question for you to ask me would be how many equipment have I tried as of today.

 

[guy n. cognito]

How is stating the fact that peoples hearing ability is developed differently person to person an opinion? Please explain.

Stating that heavy tube gear sounds superior and that those that don’t admit it have inferior hearing is the opinion, my man.

 

[mesaplayer83]

I don't know why this would be relevant but since you ask, in the past 5 years cca 200-250/year on average, my lifetime estimate would as of today be around cca 2000. I am solely making money by gigging.

A better question for you to ask me would be how many equipment have I tried as of today.

I believe it's a relevant question because IME, when people have downplayed the logistics of moving gear here at Talkbass, most of the time they don't even gig - which is when moving gear actually becomes important...

I'd say a better question than how many amps have you tried would be what amps have you owned? Gigged with? Often times, people try out amps without ever learning what they are capable of, due to their inexperience with that particular piece of gear...

Now, in this thread, you're attempting to tell me about gear that is sitting in my house as I type this, and that I have gigged many times - see how I could be skeptical of a viewpoint on that, counter to my own?

I will agree with you that the Bass 400 produces harmonic content and an authority of notes - especially so when you go up the neck - that is greater than that of the D800... However, the D800 will go just as deep, and will actually get louder than the Bass 400 will - so, to state that the Bass 400 will "eat the D800's lunch" is just not so, in my experience - which I will gladly bet is greater than your own on these two amps...

 

[mesaplayer83]

Stating that heavy tube gear sounds superior and that those that don’t admit it have inferior hearing is the opinion, my man.

Exactly - and things like tonal quality are purely subjective, without question...

 

[Sparkl]

Stating that heavy tube gear sounds superior and that those that don’t admit it have inferior hearing is the opinion, my man.

Well... they are. Even order harmonic distortion > odd order harmonic distortion. From a musicians point of view, the sound is richer, warmer, wider, fatter. SS amps mostly try to emulate tube sound and whenever you emulate, you filter. If you filter, you lose signal. Losing signal = bad.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Well... they are. Even order harmonic distortion > odd order harmonic distortion. From a musicians point of view, the sound is richer, warmer, wider, fatter. SS amps mostly try to emulate tube sound and whenever you emulate, you filter. If you filter, you lose signal. Losing signal = bad.

And you again confirm my point above.

 

[Sparkl]

I believe it's a relevant question because IME, when people have downplayed the logistics of moving gear here at Talkbass, most of the time they don't even gig - which is when moving gear actually becomes important...

I'd say a better question than how many amps have you tried would be what amps have you owned? Gigged with? Often times, people try out amps without ever learning what they are capable of, due to their inexperience with that particular piece of gear...

Now, in this thread, you're attempting to tell me about gear that is sitting in my house as I type this, and that I have gigged many times - see how I could be skeptical of a viewpoint on that, counter to my own?

I will agree with you that the Bass 400 produces harmonic content and an authority of notes - especially so when you go up the neck - that is greater than that of the D800... However, the D800 will go just as deep, and will actually get louder than the Bass 400 will - so, to state that the Bass 400 will "eat the D800's lunch" is just not so, in my experience - which I will gladly bet is greater than your own on these two amps...

To me it eats D800 lunch just because of what you said - 400 sounds fat and wide even on the highest notes. Mostly al SS amps sound thin up there. Tube amps are more even throughout the bass register which I find superior for sure. Even representation of notes is important.

I have different equipment at home. For cca. 5 years I've been exclusively gigging with my ex SWR Goliath Sr. 610 as it was the only cab I owned at the time. At that time I was doing cca. 100-150 gigs/year. Did it no problem.

I also have a Fame 300 tube, and an Ampeg SVT-CL + Fender Bassman 135 on loan (for 2nd year now). I take an Ampeg or Bassman on basically every bigger gig I get. Every chance I have to justify taking such a big amp with me I do. Because it sounds better, smoother, creamier, wider, fatter, richer, more even etc etc.

My Ampeg SVT3Pro is really the only non power tube amp that I ever tried that sounds close to the SVT-CL which is the sound I admire much. In reality, it is the amp that I go to when I play smaller gigs. Never played a small amp that sounds even remotely as refined - str900, reidmars, gk mbs, vanderkley aurora, glocks (heart and blue soul), Trace elf, Tonehammer 350 and 500, Ag500DC, D800, etc etc (the list goes much longer). I also have a GK1001-II which is famed for its tube emulation circuit (or so called G.I.V.E.) to optimise the harmonic content, but having 3 tube amps sitting in my rehearsal space I can safely say that it doesn't really sound like tubes at all. Allthough it sounds cool, definitely a step above usual SS amps.

Edit: To add, the Str900 came pretty close to the note thickness in the upper register, it sang pretty nicely. But it somehow lacked the balls my other tubes have. It was a very decent downsize though. But as I said, I am a person who doesn't want to settle on compromises.

 

[Sparkl]

And you again confirm my point above.

Okay then. I am sorry to disappoint.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Okay then. I am sorry to disappoint.

No it’s reassuring. You’re at least being consistent.....

 

[mesaplayer83]

To me it eats D800 lunch just because of what you said - 400 sounds fat and wide even on the highest notes. Mostly al SS amps sound thin up there. Tube amps are more even throughout the bass register which I find superior for sure. Even representation of notes is important.

I have different equipment at home. For cca. 5 years I've been exclusively gigging with my ex SWR Goliath Sr. 610 as it was the only cab I owned at the time. At that time I was doing cca. 100-150 gigs/year. Did it no problem.

I also have a Fame 300 tube, and an Ampeg SVT-CL + Fender Bassman 135 on loan (for 2nd year now). I take an Ampeg or Bassman on basically every bigger gig I get. Every chance I have to justify taking such a big amp with me I do. Because it sounds better, smoother, creamier, wider, fatter, richer, more even etc etc.

My Ampeg SVT3Pro is really the only non power tube amp that I ever tried that sounds close to the SVT-CL which is the sound I admire much. In reality, it is the amp that I go to when I play smaller gigs. Never played a small amp that sounds even remotely as refined - str900, reidmars, gk mbs, vanderkley aurora, glocks (heart and blue soul), Trace elf, Tonehammer 350 and 500, Ag500DC, D800, etc etc (the list goes much longer). I also have a GK1001-II which is famed for its tube emulation circuit (or so called G.I.V.E.) to optimise the harmonic content, but having 3 tube amps sitting in my rehearsal space I can safely say that it doesn't really sound like tubes at all. Allthough it sounds cool, definitely a step above usual SS amps.

Edit: To add, the Str900 came pretty close to the note thickness in the upper register, it sang pretty nicely. But it somehow lacked the balls my other tubes have. It was a very decent downsize though. But as I said, I am a person who doesn't want to settle on compromises.

As always, to each their own... A Streamliner 900 with a NOS 5751 in V1 was my main gigging amp for years - it got me close enough to the Mesa Bass 400, not to mention it's killer sounding DI - that it saw the bulk of my gigging, while the 400 most often sat home... I have played many, many SVT3 Pro's, and have never been impressed - I also A/B'd a Goliath Sr with a PH610, and the PH610 won hands down, so I bought it... I did rehearse and gig the Goliath Sr quite a bit, though - as another working bassist in my area ended up buying it, and we frequently shared rehearsal spaces and split gigs... Frankly, the idea of gigging an SVT3Pro thru a Goliath Sr isn't that appealing to me, but it worked for you - again, to each his own...

 

[Passinwind]

Well, the OP is 28 and the answer to the question "how hard is it to load a 100lbs cab in the car" is simply: Very easy.

I was clearly responding to you, not the OP. All the smoke and mirrors about what sound we prefer or don't and how some of us geezers deal with gigging are pretty much off topic, but topic drift happens on TB all the time and personally I embrace that. I don't like to compromise either, hence I haven't owned a tube bass amp in a few decades due to the tonal tradeoff set working poorly for my purposes. But I'm not about to go telling other people what they should or shouldn't hear or think or do.

 

[mesaplayer83]

As always, to each their own... A Streamliner 900 with a NOS 5751 in V1 was my main gigging amp for years - it got me close enough to the Mesa Bass 400, not to mention it's killer sounding DI - that it saw the bulk of my gigging, while the 400 most often sat home... I have played many, many SVT3 Pro's, and have never been impressed - I also A/B'd a Goliath Sr with a PH610, and the PH610 won hands down, so I bought it... I did rehearse and gig the Goliath Sr quite a bit, though - as another working bassist in my area ended up buying it, and we frequently shared rehearsal spaces and split gigs... Frankly, the idea of gigging an SVT3Pro thru a Goliath Sr isn't that appealing to me, but it worked for you - again, to each his own...

Edited to add: The longer I gig, the less I've become concerned with things like "harmonic content", since my stage rig doesn't really affect my send to the FOH - and that's for the audience... I just need to hear myself well enough to play my best, and balance that with hearing my vocals well enough...

 

[Sparkl]

As always, to each their own... A Streamliner 900 with a NOS 5751 in V1 was my main gigging amp for years - it got me close enough to the Mesa Bass 400, not to mention it's killer sounding DI - that it saw the bulk of my gigging, while the 400 most often sat home... I have played many, many SVT3 Pro's, and have never been impressed - I also A/B'd a Goliath Sr with a PH610, and the PH610 won hands down, so I bought it... I did rehearse and gig the Goliath Sr quite a bit, though - as another working bassist in my area ended up buying it, and we frequently shared rehearsal spaces and split gigs... Frankly, the idea of gigging an SVT3Pro thru a Goliath Sr isn't that appealing to me, but it worked for you - again, to each his own...

You understood me wrong, sorry for confusion. English is not my native language. When I used the Goliath Sr. I paired it with a GK 1001-II. Sounded pretty decent but I always fell in depression when I tried my friends tube amps with their respectable cabs.

I am currently using the SVT3Pro with Aggie DB410 and it works great. I still prefer to hook it up with the SVT-CL though - just those few notches fatter and fuller. But for the size, it works great. I traded my Ag500DC for the SVT3pro and I was very happy with the decision, worked out great for me.

 

[Sparkl]

No it’s reassuring. You’re at least being consistent.....

We simply belong to the opposite camp of players. I am a tube lover and will always claim that they sound superior to solid states while SS people often strike back with some very techy arguments which prove their point as well.

The fact though stands. Just because a person can't hear a difference between an SS and a tube amp doesn't necessarily mean that it's not there.

 

[Bodeanly]

Having a heavy cab is awesome, but it only makes its way to a gig every year or two, when I’ve forgotten how heavy it is.

My main giggers are of the Rumble variety. By the time the soundguy is through with my signal, your average listener can’t tell the difference between it and a Bassman or Ampeg or, most likely, a backing track or keyboard.