PA as a bass cab tips

[Chickenwheels]

I looked at all that “PA as an amp” thing once. If you want to lug a Meyer wedge around it’ll work. So much cheaper and lighter to get a decent bass rig, like Bergantino.

 

[LHbassist]

PA speaker cabinets, especially the higher end ones or even 'budget' models like the Alto TS series like I own, are unequalled in the reproduction of STRING BASSES! I spent years buying, selling, playing through every amp upright players were endorsing, and being very disappointed. Until I had to play through a JBL Eon, because of a piece of excrement Behringer 12" combo that was the house amp made me have to try it. WOW. Everything you'd hear through a set of good studio headphones, right there... full frequency. Bass amps, simply lack for upright- but the lack of the serious boom and push a dedicated bass speaker has, is a benefit in amplifying string basses. I've played my Fishman Full Circle equipped carved German bass through a QSC K10 on a stand near my ears, and LOVED it. The OPPOSITE is true, when you are amplifying a bass guitar. A friend in town plays a nice Tobias six string bass through a Mackie SM450- new generation. It has NO push whatsoever- yes, you can hear his bass, but there is no articulation, punch, or the kind of balls even a Rumble 200 has in a small room. It sounds to me, like the bass buries itself, before it leaves the bandstand! Plastic cabinets for bass don't cut it when you're using it to fill a room. As a floor monitor, they can sound fantastic like my Alto does.