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Is 100 solid-state watts enough for stage monitoring?

#41
Lowbrow said:
good choice on a higher-powered amp, and I wish I could watch the video but it ain't showing up. Good luck to the kid. and I'm sure you'll encourage him to stay in school!
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Whoops, sorry about that video! I thought I put it on a public Google Drive, but i guess it's private. I'll fix it and update the link.

Yes, I'm definitely encouraging him to stay in school! He understands that only a privileged few get to earn their living making music. Honestly, my only hope is that he gets the same thing out of music that I have -- a lifelong love and passion for playing and the simple joy of jamming with your buddies over a few beers! Anything beyond that is pure gravy. Also, since your signature suggests you play a P-bass, you'll be glad to know that the first purchase he made with the money he earned from the first 15 shows they played was an American Elite Precision bass is beautiful 2-color sunburst! You could see it... if only I could get that video working!
 
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#42
707GK said:
Glad you found something that works! I love GK gear.

Sorry for the dumb question...may I ask why you are going bass directly to the board and then going back from the board to the bass amp for a monitor?

I have always gone Bass > Amp > DI output from amp into board > monitors. Both appear to have the same end result, just wondering why you are doing it the way you are (trying to understand a new perspective).
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Sorry, I wasn't very clear. It's not coming out of the board and back into the amp. I just meant that he'll be monitoring himself through the amp as he plays it. But the signal coming through the PA is direct from the amp line out into the board.
 
#45
juggahnaught said:
Okay, so I'm gonna be that one guy since nobody else is mentioning it. Yes, target me with your slings and arrows, all that.

Questions:

1. You said it needs to be loud enough for the bassist to hear on stage. Does the rest of the band need to hear him from his rig (basically, are you providing stage sound)?
2. Does he need to feel himself play, or only hear himself?

If you're running sound and he's always running into a DI through FOH, and it's only for personal stage monitoring - and other people have their own mixes - why not just go for something like this? Behringer P2 Ultra-Compact Personal In-Ear Monitor Amplifier

Pair that with a decent (inexpensive!) set of ears and it'd seem to me like you're set for much less than the price of an amp that, by your admission, may just muddy the stage sound more. He'll probably be able to get some decent feel from the FOH anyway from the stage position if your venues have subs, and the ears will provide the rest.
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No, the rest of the band doesn't need to hear the bass amp really. I have the bass going to the front monitors at a low level (at the vocalist's request), and to the drum monitor a bit louder.

That Behringer in-ear amp is cool. After years of mocking Behringer and never considering their gear when making a purchase, I'm starting to change my tune. I think they've turned a corner. Build quality seems better than a decade ago and I think they're building innovative product that, while never likely to be considered "elite", are amazing "bang-for-the-buck values". I run the band through an XR-18 on stage and control it wirelessly from the audience, and it has just worked like a champ for us. A steal for $500 (I bought before price went up a while back). Their new WING mixer looks insane.
 
#53
EQ is always important but especially so with a small amp. Folks tend to want to reduce Mid and increase Bass controls because it sounds 'nicer' that way. This is a mistake in a live setting because it 'gets lost' in the mix and the natural response is to turn it up until there's nothing left. Better to do the opposite- increase Mid (especially low-mid if available) and reduce Bass. This will have the effect of making the amp seem much louder and clearer in the mix, without actually being very loud.
 
#55
Consider needs today and down the road. Aiming to have a few options available is a good idea. Have the right tool for the right job, use what amp best suits the gig. Aim to not just having a single amp. As a general amp for all needs, I would want more than 100 solid state watts.

Also consider in-ear monitors. Another rabbit hole to go down.

Third option, raise the amp off the floor closer to ear level. It makes for better monitoring. I find that a few feet works well.
 
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#56
David Jayne said:
EQ is always important but especially so with a small amp. Folks tend to want to reduce Mid and increase Bass controls because it sounds 'nicer' that way. This is a mistake in a live setting because it 'gets lost' in the mix and the natural response is to turn it up until there's nothing left. Better to do the opposite- increase Mid (especially low-mid if available) and reduce Bass. This will have the effect of making the amp seem much louder and clearer in the mix, without actually being very loud.
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This is especially true of the Rumble 100, which has a peak from 80 to about 130 hz so you have to cut the bass a little and boost the low mid.
 
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