• 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 freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

need massive volume with clarity...

I recently joined a band that both guitar players play threw full Marshall stacks so, I need more power to be heard. I do not want to sacrifice tone or clarity but i need a bigger rig. I have looked at Ampeg, SWR and a couple of other brands but nothing really jumped out at me, any suggestions? Other then telling them to turn down of course. I currently run a 4x10 Sonic 500w and a 1x18 Peavey E.V. stack with a Create 350 head and a 27 band Behringer EQ. Any and all suggestions are welcome:
Please forgive. I can't help myself.
2 ea 2x15 scoops powered bridged mono by Crest CA12
2 ea 1x12 mid bass short throws stereo Crest CA9
2 ea tweeter banks stereo Crest CA4
basically talking small concert PA system here :-)
Stereo effects unit (you name it here)
Stereo 3 way X over (you name it here)
Tube pre
This is the "small" system....you will bury the guitar stacks. And liquify the internals of your club audience.
Now if the guitards really want to play "one-up"... just multiply it and make it a 4-way with multiple 21" subs and additional power amps and a 4-way x over.
But, then you prob won't have a local venue to play in 'cause everyone is so loud! Maybe your guitards should work to make the overall mix and volume of the band be appropriate for the clubs and the other members equipment capabilities.
Just a few thoughts.
 
You already have plenty of power. 350 watts is more than enough. All buying a more powerful rig is going to do is create a battle for volume. You will be louder so the guitarists will turn. The you will turn up and so on. Tell your guitarists to turn down.

350 watts isn't that much power at all, you can get combos with more power than that...

Get an amp rated 1.5 to 2x the RMS (long term avg) power handling spec of your cabinets.

I have a pair of 500 W cabs that I've been driving with a 1500 w amp for 10 years, they still sound great, haven't blown a driver yet. Gives you headroom. 1500 watts into 1000w worth of speakers=winning.

If one of your cabinets is not capable of handling nearly the power of the other one, and isn't a similar efficiency, its going to be less than optimal. One cab is going to break up before the other one, one will be louder, etc. Personally would rather run 2 identical cabs, but to each his own.

Randy
 
Separate power and preamp is key. Perhaps a QSC 3602 or a Crown XTi 4000 and a good preamp (I like the SWR Grand Prix and the SansAmp RPM) and a clean cab designed to take power, i.e. Epifani UL410. You don't have to (and won't have to) turn the power amp all the way - clean headroom is a beautiful thing.

Man, I hope you guys use hearing protection. :)



I recently joined a band that both guitar players play threw full Marshall stacks so, I need more power to be heard. I do not want to sacrifice tone or clarity but i need a bigger rig. I have looked at Ampeg, SWR and a couple of other brands but nothing really jumped out at me, any suggestions? Other then telling them to turn down of course. I currently run a 4x10 Sonic 500w and a 1x18 Peavey E.V. stack with a Create 350 head and a 27 band Behringer EQ. Any and all suggestions are welcome:
 
blah blah blah you can dump as much power you want into mid range or cheap speakers...wont do anything.

The trick is matching speakers...and more of them.
300 watts seems like a low amount of power these days...but it plenty of power with the right speakers.

300 watts into a 2x10 ...no
300watts into 8x10....works.

2x10/4x10 works fine with a moderate band, with 2 full stacks of guitars....sorry. And dumping a 1000watts into a 4x10...still no work....blown speakers.

Sorry man from what i understand the sonic cabs were made in the 90's and the speakers even when brand new most likely wont cut it.

Whatever speaker you like 15's or 10's go with all matching, and many of them.

the standard for bass players for 40+ years is 2x15 or 8x10.

So in a world full of light weight rigs...finding used 8x10 or 2x15 should not be hard. If you want to split the 8x10 in half for easy carry then buy 2 matching high quality 4x10.

using a old 4x10 paired with a 1x18 is doing more damage than good. non matching speakers will just cancel each other out.
The crate 350 not really a amp of choice...but with better speakers it would get you alot further than trying to dump more power into cheap old speakers.

you could probably find a used 8x10 for 400 to 600 bucks and call it a day. then save up for a better head. and if that doesn't work add another 8x10.

dont like 10's plenty of 2x15's and in my experience i like the sound of a 2x15...but up against 2 guitar players i would use a matching pair of 2x15's.
 
blah blah blah you can dump as much power you want into mid range or cheap speakers...wont do anything.

The trick is matching speakers...and more of them.
300 watts seems like a low amount of power these days...but it plenty of power with the right speakers.

300 watts into a 2x10 ...no
300watts into 8x10....works.

2x10/4x10 works fine with a moderate band, with 2 full stacks of guitars....sorry. And dumping a 1000watts into a 4x10...still no work....blown speakers.

Sorry man from what i understand the sonic cabs were made in the 90's and the speakers even when brand new most likely wont cut it.

Whatever speaker you like 15's or 10's go with all matching, and many of them.

the standard for bass players for 40+ years is 2x15 or 8x10.

So in a world full of light weight rigs...finding used 8x10 or 2x15 should not be hard. If you want to split the 8x10 in half for easy carry then buy 2 matching high quality 4x10.

using a old 4x10 paired with a 1x18 is doing more damage than good. non matching speakers will just cancel each other out.
The crate 350 not really a amp of choice...but with better speakers it would get you alot further than trying to dump more power into cheap old speakers.

you could probably find a used 8x10 for 400 to 600 bucks and call it a day. then save up for a better head. and if that doesn't work add another 8x10.

dont like 10's plenty of 2x15's and in my experience i like the sound of a 2x15...but up against 2 guitar players i would use a matching pair of 2x15's.

+1. Your rig is limited by your speakers, not your amp. It doesn't matter how many watts you throw at those cabs, they are displacement limited and can't put out any more. Get a good large cab (8x10, 2x15) or two MATCHING smaller cabs and you're all set volume wise.
 
I had the same problem keeping up with full stacks. I finally solved the problem with folded horns with 18s. 300 watts or more thru a Cerwin Vega folded horn gives incredible sound. You better hope the room can sustain the sound pressure. You'll love it.