Of course, if you have a fancy boutique cabinet, you probably don't want to do this.
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How to stabilize a light head on a thundering cab?
- Thread starter Bassiclees
- Start date
My Carvin BX500 sits on 2 strips of open cell foam on top of a 2 x10 cab that goes down to 28hz. I play fairly loud with a 5 string and it never moves.
Does that head move that much on that cab without a mat ? I thought Mesa cabs were very well braced ?
This doesn't do it for me. Last practice my D-800 was making its way precariously to the edge of the cab after 2 songs!
Sometimes I'm thinking that a head that so light on a cab that's Vibrating enough to knock it off the top, Maybe just maybe the amp should be elsewhere than exposed to the vibration. This is a horrible idea I know because it's not what we are trained to do, it's un-cool, but I think it could help the longevity of the head. Is there any problem with standing the head on it's side next to the cab but not touching? In rehearsal space I'll use a side table that stores effects not being used.
Yea but the new neo cab weighs 30 lbs and more bracing would add weight. Under 30 lbs and you can toss it like an old time medicine ball. Let that thing ring like a bell! For the miracle Fender Rumble cabs the box vibration is part of the sound, kind of a tuba effect.
Eich cabs have a magnetic "amp fixing bar" and the corresponding magnet "fix pins" on their heads. (However, I just saw that these magnetic fix pins are not available in the US for some reason...)
In any case, maybe you can do something similar based on magnetic strips - certainly super convenient to work with once installed on the two parts! And classier looking than rubber mats, duct tape or belts...
In any case, maybe you can do something similar based on magnetic strips - certainly super convenient to work with once installed on the two parts! And classier looking than rubber mats, duct tape or belts...
wear the amp in a fanny pack and use a long speaker cable. This is really why speakons were invented.
IMO if you have an amp bouncing around on a cab at high volume you have other more pressing issues. I'd sell the cab. Those vibrations are your bass sound being wasted and altered by movement in the walls of the cab. You want your sound to be travelling out of the front to the audience and not making the sides move. There isn't enough bracing in that cab, so buy one that is properly braced.
I wouldn't agree with any suggestion to "fix" the amp to the top of the cab. That's just going to send these vibrations straight into the guts of the amp. I'd insulate the amp as much as possible. I always use solid foam between my amps and cabs.
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Husky 18 in. x 100 in. Black Premium Solid Drawer Liner-DTC130001 - The Home Depot
The best solution is isolating the amp amp from the vibration & not attaching it more firmly to the vibration. At some point, the vibration might shake something loose in the amp. I think suggestions for isolation material (foam rubber et al) are the right direction. Removing the amp from the top of the speaker cab is probably best of all if you find a way to do that conveniently.
Class D amp lid, doubles as a spill proof drink holder
Seriously, I always like to say that every solution to a problem creates a new problem. When I switched from 40+ pound tube heads to a 20 lb. solid state head, I found the head walking it's way across the top of my epoxy covered cab. Then I got a 7 pound Walter Woods, but I have never used it on that cab...only on my cabs with rat fur (no tolex cabs at this time). I briefly had both a Rumble 500 head and a TC BH-250 head, both were stable on rat fur cabs, but the new problem was whether or not I should duct tape the instrument cable to the floor so I wouldn't yank the 2 pound head off the cab.
Seriously, I always like to say that every solution to a problem creates a new problem. When I switched from 40+ pound tube heads to a 20 lb. solid state head, I found the head walking it's way across the top of my epoxy covered cab. Then I got a 7 pound Walter Woods, but I have never used it on that cab...only on my cabs with rat fur (no tolex cabs at this time). I briefly had both a Rumble 500 head and a TC BH-250 head, both were stable on rat fur cabs, but the new problem was whether or not I should duct tape the instrument cable to the floor so I wouldn't yank the 2 pound head off the cab.
- Apr 18, 2008
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@chris_b nailed it.
Ideally every bit of the energy generated by your amp should be going to moving the drivers, producing sound. If some of that energy is instead causing the structure of the cab to vibrate, then you’re wasting power, as well as causing unnecessary mechanical strain on both your amp and your cab.
If you want to fix the symptom, then get a rubber mat or a tie-down strap or similar.
If you want to fix the problem, your cab needs better/additional bracing.
Ideally every bit of the energy generated by your amp should be going to moving the drivers, producing sound. If some of that energy is instead causing the structure of the cab to vibrate, then you’re wasting power, as well as causing unnecessary mechanical strain on both your amp and your cab.
If you want to fix the symptom, then get a rubber mat or a tie-down strap or similar.
If you want to fix the problem, your cab needs better/additional bracing.
JeezyMcNuggles
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