Question reguarding subs...

[ras1983]

I've used the search function already, and there were a few helpful threads.

here's my dilemma, i was playing at church on Sunday(as i do every sunday) and i noticed that from the low E to the low B, there was no 'presence'. i mean, i could hear the notes, but they didn't sound the same as from the F upwards.

this could be due to the markbass, but from F up, you can really FEEL the notes. i want that for the lower register also, and after a LOT of thought, i'm thinking that bass cabs are probably not designed to give that sort of presence.

i'm thinking that a powered sub is the way to go. i mean, home theatre, cinema, and car audio use dedicated subs for the ultra low frequencies, why shouldn't i? after all, i am the BASS player?

so i want to find out from the guys that use subs:

i- what size drivers do you guys use?
ii- what crossovers do you use?
iii- how has the sub improved/detracted from your sound?
etc etc

thanks a lot guys.

 

[tdogg]

just a thought...but how big is your "B" string? maybe swap to a 130 if you havent tried that already. maybe try a BBE sonic maximizer too. that could really fill out the bottom end

 

[ras1983]

i have no idea, i use the DR Fat Beams. i think it might be a 125.

but i dont think its the strings, i think that the cabinet is having trouble producing the fundamentals. i can hear the notes, i just can't feel them.

 

[Mystic Michael]

I have no idea what kind of tone you favor. But from what I've gathered, if your problem is low end that you can hear but not feel, the Acme Low B cab is the right medicine to cure your ailment.

Seems that players generally either hate 'em or love 'em - and generally for about the same reasons. But I've hardly heard or read anyone who claimed that the Acmes couldn't put out incredible low end. Maybe an Acme Low B-2 would be the way for you to go...

In case you're interested, here's the Aussie site:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

MM

P.S. No, I have no connection whatsoever to Acme. Merely trying to be a good "matchmaker"...

 

[62bass]

I tried using a powered sub with a 4-10 setup. The sub was a 2-10 bandpass design with a 700 watt amplifier. I didn't like it. I messed around with it for months on gigs and never could get a balance I liked. Anytime I had the sub high enough to do something the low end would get overpowering and muddy the mix. Solo it sounded okay, just made a hash out of the band sound.

In the end I sold it and got a better speaker cabinet with a bit better bass response. That was what I needed.

Warwick had an add on powered sub for their combos some years ago. I tried it in the store and it was decent. But you had to be careful to not use much of it.

I wouldn't bother with it myself. On paper the idea sounds good. In practice, all that fundemental, particularly with a 5 string, just messes everything up. Better to just get a cabinet with some bass extension and more power.