Live rig vs. practice rig, does anyone else have the same experience?

[Gearhead17]

I use my Mesa D800 with an Ampeg 810 (not mine, but shared from another band) in the practice space and the same head with my Fearless 212 for shows. I have the exact same experience as you. The 810 annoys me in a small room and my Fearless at gigs is just better in every regard. I constantly think, why is my sound so muffled? What frequencies do I need to decrease in this room to get it sounding good? After a few times of switching between the two, it's all good now. It's basically real world experience in using rental/provided rigs at shows and how to get a usable tone for YOU on random stages.

 

[Thumper]

My practice rig is arguably as good as my gigging rig, and since they're both lightweight, I take both to gigs just in case, having a band trailer does make it easy.

 

[DirkP]

My practise rig at home is better - for me - than the rig I use at rehearsals and at gigs. At home I use a Neve DI or a Basswitch and I love my 19" Warm Audio Comp., Preamp and EQ. I just use small monitors and a Pleasureboard at home (neighbours). So home is my high end place and I sometimes decide to take some of my homegear to the next gig, but I'm always to lazy to schlepp all this gear and I'm quite satisfied with my rig at gigs (Markbass CMD 121, a Sansamp VT Bass DI and a Cali76). I bought the Cali76 Compact Bass, 'cause I'm so addicted to my Warm Audio 1176 clone at home and - as I have mentioned before - too lazy to schlepp.

Telling my preferences I have to mention that on most records I love, the bass is recorded DI and no amp was involved.
Just good vintage preamps and compressors and for me at least, the Warm Audio gear was kind of an eye opener.
The compressor esp. gave me the sound I always looked for in amps, preamps, pickups, basses or cheaper compressors etc.

 

[Stevehill]

I used to practice with a crappy 210 combo, just for the convenience of not dragging my 810 to a rehearsal, but I spent so much time worrying about my sound I couldn't get into the music. So I now try to practice and gig with the same gear for the sake of consistency.