• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass LDS 1x8, iAmp 500, good setup?

SirFunk

SirFunk

May 24, 2001
275
5
41
Topeka, KS
www.jeffutter.com
#1
Hey guys,

I've really been thinking about getting a new rig (mostly for upright) lately. Right now i have a Genz-Benz GBE-400 head and a Eaden 2x10XLT (REALLY REALLY HEAVY, and too much bottom end for upright). I've been thinking about getting the LDS 1x8 cabinet and a iAmp 500 head.

My main concern is the ammout of volume that the LDS 1x8 can put out. I mostly play small coffee houses, which I'm sure it woudl be fine for. However, I hope to get into my universities big band soon which plays in a concert hall sometimes. The current bass player is using an AI Contra.. do you think the LDS 1x8 can put out as much volume as the contra?

I also see that a lot of people are using the 1x8 with a AI head? would that be better than the iAmp 500?

Also, does anyone have experiance with the iAmp and electric? I would love to keep my Eaden cab and use the iAmp head if it wouldsound decent.

Lastly.. would the iAmp and LDS 1x8 be ok for electric in a small coffee shop setup? or woudl it just not have the low end.

Thanks for any feedback,
Jeff
 
#2
SirFunk said:
Hey guys,

I've really been thinking about getting a new rig (mostly for upright) lately. Right now i have a Genz-Benz GBE-400 head and a Eaden 2x10XLT (REALLY REALLY HEAVY, and too much bottom end for upright). I've been thinking about getting the LDS 1x8 cabinet and a iAmp 500 head.

My main concern is the ammout of volume that the LDS 1x8 can put out. I mostly play small coffee houses, which I'm sure it woudl be fine for. However, I hope to get into my universities big band soon which plays in a concert hall sometimes. The current bass player is using an AI Contra.. do you think the LDS 1x8 can put out as much volume as the contra?

I also see that a lot of people are using the 1x8 with a AI head? would that be better than the iAmp 500?

Also, does anyone have experiance with the iAmp and electric? I would love to keep my Eaden cab and use the iAmp head if it wouldsound decent.

Lastly.. would the iAmp and LDS 1x8 be ok for electric in a small coffee shop setup? or woudl it just not have the low end.

Thanks for any feedback,
Jeff
Click to expand...

I think that the iAMP 500 and an LDS 3-way 1x8 would be tough to beat for upright. I own the iAMP 800 and a neo LDS 3-way 1x8, and this combination is just amazingly detailed. It does not have as much low end as my VL-108's, but it has more upper mid and high end clarity. This may, in fact, be somewhat "hyped" in the upper mids and highs (I haven't decided this one yet), but regardless, the sound is very open and airy, with a pleasant woodiness. The low notes have very good, very tight definition, but it just is not quite as full as with some other cabs. But you can dial in a little bit, if you like. The iAMP 500 would certainly be great for this. Plus, this cab has clarity and articulation, which are really important for an upright rig, IMHO.

For electric, the iAMP 500 would push your Eden 210XLT quite well (and you could even use the parametric EQ to dial out some of that Eden low-mid hump!:p). For small gigs, the LDS 1x8 would do fine on electric as well, but for louder gigs, you might want to add a second cab. I am talking to Don about building me a 1x10 "sub" in the same size box as my 1x8, and I think that this would make a great compact electric rig.

Tom.
 
#4
Tom is right as always. I'd add that I started with the Eden Navigator/1000 amp into a pair of 210XLS's with DB. I then got a Contra, which sounded better and was lighter than just the Eden power amp alone (of course I wasn't playing loud in big rooms). I've been through a bunch of gear since (not a VL108 yet though...TOM! :crying: ). The best I've heard is the VL208 and the LDS 1x8 3-way. They sound different from each other, but both are great. But since the VL208 is hard to find, requires a big amp and is costly if you find one, that really leaves the LDS. The LDS has a BIG sound and should cover just about every situation you mentioned. I hear they design the LDS with Acoustic Image heads in mind, so consider the Focus or even the Clarus head as the LDS doesn't seem to require too much power to work well.

Regarding bass guitar, I haven't tried any of my newer rigs with it, but when I had the Contra, with or without its extension cabs, I thought it was a fabulous sounding BG setup - as good as I ever played through, if you can believe it. Couldn't get very loud, but it sounded great. I assume that since my setups have only gotten more accurate since then, that as long as you like the sound of your BG and don't need the amp/speaker to add color, the LDS setup would be excellent.
 
#5
SirFunk, I was just wondering if you had considered the iAMP 500 combo?

I bought the 200 watt version of the Wizzy combo before EA offered the 500 watt model. I really enjoy the way it sounds for both upright (which it gets used for mostly) and electric.

It would definitely address your main concern which seemed to be volume in larger settings. I also have a Contra, and to my ears I think my Wizzy can go louder.
 
#6
SirFunk said:
Hey guys,

I've really been thinking about getting a new rig (mostly for upright) lately. Right now i have a Genz-Benz GBE-400 head and a Eaden 2x10XLT (REALLY REALLY HEAVY, and too much bottom end for upright). I've been thinking about getting the LDS 1x8 cabinet and a iAmp 500 head.

My main concern is the ammout of volume that the LDS 1x8 can put out. I mostly play small coffee houses, which I'm sure it woudl be fine for. However, I hope to get into my universities big band soon which plays in a concert hall sometimes. The current bass player is using an AI Contra.. do you think the LDS 1x8 can put out as much volume as the contra?

I also see that a lot of people are using the 1x8 with a AI head? would that be better than the iAmp 500?

Also, does anyone have experiance with the iAmp and electric? I would love to keep my Eaden cab and use the iAmp head if it wouldsound decent.

Lastly.. would the iAmp and LDS 1x8 be ok for electric in a small coffee shop setup? or woudl it just not have the low end.

Thanks for any feedback,
Jeff
Click to expand...
I have been using the LDS 1x8 with AI Focus for most of my gigs. I am quite happy with it.

Your questions: Volume for coffee houses, no problem. Prolly as loud as Contra but in a different way - more direct and not diffuse sounding. It's hard to compare the two because of the speaker config and wattage difference. For Big band, I would bring something more than a 1x8. I will probably get another LDS 1x8 to use for louder situations. Still with the Focus one 1x8 is suprisingly loud. I barely have the volume up (master at noon, input at 9:00) and it is putting out serious sound. I think one box for the coffee house and two for big band would cover it.

Low end for electric: I run my electric into a Raven Labs blender and straight to the FX return. This sounds ridiculous. I can't believe that little box can have such big bottom. Again, I think one would be fine for electric in a coffee house, and perhaps Tom's idea of adding a 1x10 sub for louder electric stuff might be ideal.

As always, YMMV.
 
#8
Freddels said:
I'm thinking of getting a Wizzy cab for my 1984 WW amp but this LDS 1x8 sounds interesting. How much power does it take to run it? (as the WW is only 100 watts @8ohms)
Click to expand...

The LDS would do just fine with that amp, as would a Wizzy. Between the two, the Wizzy will be more full sounding, with additional midrange presence, and the LDS 3-way 1x8 (neo, at least) will have more high end presence, and more overall clarity).

Tom.
 
#9
tombowlus said:
The LDS would do just fine with that amp, as would a Wizzy. Between the two, the Wizzy will be more full sounding, with additional midrange presence, and the LDS 3-way 1x8 (neo, at least) will have more high end presence, and more overall clarity).

Tom.
Click to expand...

I second Tom's word on this - I compared both the Wizzy and the LDS 1x8 and the clarity difference between them favored the LDS by a good margin to my ears. I also agree on the wattage issue. The LDS is rated 8 ohms, but I ran it fine with a Clarus SL which lists 150 watts @ 8ohms. I heard surprisingly little difference between the Clarus SL and the Focus when running the LDS 1x8.
 
#10
macmrkt said:
I second Tom's word on this - I compared both the Wizzy and the LDS 1x8 and the clarity difference between them favored the LDS by a good margin to my ears. I also agree on the wattage issue. The LDS is rated 8 ohms, but I ran it fine with a Clarus SL which lists 150 watts @ 8ohms. I heard surprisingly little difference between the Clarus SL and the Focus when running the LDS 1x8.
Click to expand...

Oh, I was reading Tom's response as the Wizzy being more full (and therefore better) and the LDS having more high end. I guess without hearing them for myself I really can't tell.

Thanks,
 
#11
Freddels said:
Oh, I was reading Tom's response as the Wizzy being more full (and therefore better) and the LDS having more high end. I guess without hearing them for myself I really can't tell.

Thanks,
Click to expand...

It's more that they are just different. I probably prefer the Wizzy for a single stand alone cab, but I can see where others would like the clarity of the LDS cab.

Tom.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back