Mesa Subway cabs vs Ampeg Neo Cabs

[db59]

+1

You're comparing apples, oranges,

 

[db59]

+1

You're comparing apples, oranges,

 

[DanL]

I'm probably way out of line with this (not an upright player) but don't you want as uncolored a sound for an upright as possible? And you don't need rock-concert volume levels, right?

Uncolored amp (Claris, Genzler, other?) with 500 watts and a Acme cabinet or maybe a fEarful would be the right thing, yes?

True
I was using a Euphonic Audio iAmp Doubler amp with the Mesa cab and was surprised at how it sounded vs my Ampeg 210 cab
So amp wise the Euphonic Audio is pretty uncolored.

 

[darwin-bass]

I'm pretty convinced that most coloration in a bass amp system is from the speaker/box. I'm thinking like 80% of the coloration is due to limitations in the speaker system. Especially with MI (musical instrument) speakers.

I've plugged my bass amp into different speakers and the sound changes radically. Direct recording vs playing through a big home stereo speaker vs a MI speaker. Far more change in sound than any change in bass, strings or amp would bring about.

Yrs ago I had a 1970's practice amp with a 12" speaker. It sounded thin and boxy. I build a huge ported box for the speaker and tuned to maybe 40 Hz. I think the box was something like 4 cu-ft. Huge. Put the 12" speaker in that box and hooked it to the same practice amp and the sound was huge. Lots of rich lows, rattle the shelves at low volume. Night and day diff just by changing the box.

If you want uncolored sound (your sound, only louder), you need to focus on the Speaker / speaker system first and foremost. QSC K12.2 would be a great place to start.

 

[Al Kraft]

I'm pretty convinced that most coloration in a bass amp system is from the speaker/box. I'm thinking like 80% of the coloration is due to limitations in the speaker system. Especially with MI (musical instrument) speakers.

I agree that speakers/cabs are a very significant contributor to coloration in many cases. However, if you simply compare two popular bass heads like a GK MB500 and an Aguilar TH500, I think most everyone could immediately tell they were voiced quite differently regardless of the bass cabinet they're being played through.

IME both amps and cabs have a pretty significant potential to color the sound.

 

[darwin-bass]

Agreed. I have done that as well. SWR vs GK vs Eden vs Genz Benz vs Aguilar. All played through the same cab. Each has its own color which is clear to hear.

And if you switch back and forth between various bass-specific musical instrument speakers you'll here shifts in tone as well.

But if you change speaker class to something not MI, say full-range PA or full-range home stereo, you'll hear a much bigger shift in tone. Obviously these solutions are not really useful for playing bass out in the wild but they are informative none the less.

 

[Al Kraft]

Agreed. I have done that as well. SWR vs GK vs Eden vs Genz Benz vs Aguilar. All played through the same cab. Each has its own color which is clear to hear.

And if you switch back and forth between various bass-specific musical instrument speakers you'll here shifts in tone as well.

But if you change speaker class to something not MI, say full-range PA or full-range home stereo, you'll hear a much bigger shift in tone. Obviously these solutions are not really useful for playing bass out in the wild but they are informative none the less.

The funny part IMO is that as much as many people say they're purists when it comes to sound, very few people I've met actually like a perfectly flat speaker and amp combination. I think the fact that there are so many companies offering variations of "signature tone" out there and they are all still in business says something.

 

[agedhorse]

Both amps and speakers are designed with specific color, voicing, texture, etc. it depends on the intent of the designer.