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How much wattage do you gig with?
- Thread starter NickyBass
- Start date
- Jul 14, 2006
- 204
- 41
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: SIRE Marcus Miller v7 Jazz bass, DR Strings HI-BEAM
yea, my band always has PA support, so i usually only use a 100 watt combo. our drummer has a very controlled style. the only time i couldn't hear myself was when my lead guitarist and i had to share a monitor mix. of course, i couldn't hear the drums either. and the stage was only like 10 feet wide. i unplugged my monitor after the first set. i dunno. i only need 100 watts, so i think i'm pretty satisfied with it. i don't know why some guys feel they need 2000 watts of power when they only turn it up to >1 and are still too loud. i think the most anyone would ever need for playing in bars and on stages would be like 450 to 500 max. maybe i just don't know what i'm talking about 
I gig in a few different locations with my amp (SVT 4-Pro USA).
Saturdays I use an 8ohm cab that is left on loacation, so 300 watts.
Sundays I use both of my 2x12 8ohms out of each side of the power amp, so 300 watts in stereo.
Sometimes I also play for large conferences, so I run both of my 2x12's out of the bridged mono at 1200 watts.
Saturdays I use an 8ohm cab that is left on loacation, so 300 watts.
Sundays I use both of my 2x12 8ohms out of each side of the power amp, so 300 watts in stereo.
Sometimes I also play for large conferences, so I run both of my 2x12's out of the bridged mono at 1200 watts.
500 watts from 2 4ohms cabs. Though for smaller gigs, I only use 1 cab for 250 watts total (still have to turn way the heck down).
750 watts (DB750 at 4 ohms). I always run through the PA, so it's actually way more than I need, but the headroom is nice.
It'll be more well utilized when/if my new project thats in the works gets going.
It'll be more well utilized when/if my new project thats in the works gets going.
GK400RB into a 4 Ohm Ampeg 412 sending into a Korg Bassworks preamp into a Bose Packlite A into a 4 Ohm Ampeg 412..
it's enough.. my guitarist has two 100w halfstacks (Peavey XXL/Ultra120+) and it's enough to deal with it..
it's enough.. my guitarist has two 100w halfstacks (Peavey XXL/Ultra120+) and it's enough to deal with it..
But voted 300+ I use my V4BH more than my SVT- our venues are usually PA supported & Not THAT big. So being able to PUSH the V4BH to it's sweet spot is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Use the 300w SVTII often - say once every 2 weeks.
Use the LMII every week also- usually at 4 ohms - so thats 500w
Use the 300w SVTII often - say once every 2 weeks.
Use the LMII every week also- usually at 4 ohms - so thats 500w
30-35W from a Siegmund Midnight Bluesbreaker Octal Custom through a JBL D130 mahogany cabinet. It's all about spreading the sound more than being 'louder'. If everyone on stage gets proper monitoring, and you get a couple cabs side by side rather than a 'tower of doom' stacked setup, you'll be able to get plenty of air moving...Surprising even.
I don't understand why so much wattage is so common in bass amps these days...PA systems have improved so greatly over the last handful of years...get the tone out of the amp, and if you need to push it more, run it into the PA either w/ a direct out/in setup, or via mic. The tone is great, and it cuts costs like no other!
I don't understand why so much wattage is so common in bass amps these days...PA systems have improved so greatly over the last handful of years...get the tone out of the amp, and if you need to push it more, run it into the PA either w/ a direct out/in setup, or via mic. The tone is great, and it cuts costs like no other!
Voted, forgot to list. SWR SM-900 bridged into either a Goliath III SR., or a Goliath III 4x10 wit a Big Ben 18. Sometimes use my Redhead as a personal monitor, brings it to
1000w even, for outdoor stuff add a Crown Macrotech 1200 or 2400, depending on venue and/or as needed, w/pre from SM-900 feeding the Crowns.
1000w even, for outdoor stuff add a Crown Macrotech 1200 or 2400, depending on venue and/or as needed, w/pre from SM-900 feeding the Crowns.
Amazing that the most common answer is under 400.
I always thought of 500-600 as being the standard and my 360 as a relative lightweight.
I always thought of 500-600 as being the standard and my 360 as a relative lightweight.
I use a Tech 21 LM300 with Tech 21 B410 cab at 200 Watts. Nice headroom with loud drummer and 2 loud guitars, if I need 300 Watts out of it for a bigger venue I just add another one of my cabs. My band also owns its own PA gear.
Am I correct in thinking that to achieve twice the volume of a speaker you need to input approx 10 times the power? I.e., 1 watt will give say 99dB, 10w = 102dB, 100w = 105dB, 1000w = 108db. This doesn't look right, maybe the volume gains for more power are wrong, but I think the principle is correct, i.e., a 700w amp won't provide you with twice the volume out of the same spkr driven by 350w (assuming the spkr can handle it). From the pole so far it looks like a lot of us gig with 300 - 500w. I use 1 cab at 240w for almost all indoor gigs and 350w into 2 cabs for marquee/outdoor gigs. To get a significant increase in volume I reckon I would need to go to 2 to 3kW with extra cabs.
GK Backline 210 loaded with 8 ohm Eminence CA2010'a to run it at 4ohms & 300 watts. that and my VT Bass is all my Jazz needs. We let the PA do the rest of the work...
RE: 25w:
Sometimes. I did run it into the red just a little last weekend when I subbed for a classic/modern rock band last weekend. But you'd be surprised how well it keeps up. Ain't for everyone but it works for me.
