Tiny Head, Same Big Speaker Cabs: What's the Point?

[manfish]

I am aware of the trend toward tiny, lightweight bass heads. That's all well and good, but what's the point if most speaker cabinets are just as large and heavy as they've always been. I am genuinely perplexed. Other than perhaps using a tiny bass head for practice (with headphones) or maybe the studio, what's the point of having it in a live setting?

Well its still one less heavy lift when youre tired... but I love Neos. My 2x15 weighs like 50lbs... a one handed, no backache lift.

 

[Don Howell]

I am aware of the trend toward tiny, lightweight bass heads. That's all well and good, but what's the point if most speaker cabinets are just as large and heavy as they've always been. I am genuinely perplexed. Other than perhaps using a tiny bass head for practice (with headphones) or maybe the studio, what's the point of having it in a live setting?

I've gone thru buying & trading a 1/2 dozen amps & cabinets in 1 years time, to fit my needs for a new band I joined. And tried everything on the floor at 4 GC locations within reasonable driving distance. There are some great lighter weight cabinets, but only good for a 4 string. These light weights cannot handle the low B of a five string. Not even the Fender 500 or the Mark Bass 2-10 @ $1,200 bucks!

What did I end up with? Three amps to fit different power needs. All three handle the low B & even B-flat tuning.

Small gigs or small stage, Acoustic MKII. 100 watts, 1 - 10", & front port. Not talking much weight here as its small. But it's a cool mini-stack version. I use an amp stand to tilt it some. You'll see why further down.


Larger gigs, no PA to DI to: Carvin B 1000 head with Carvin BXR 2-10, front port. Small, portable, cab weighs 58 lbs. 4 ohm cab at 600 watts rms, head can run 600 at 4 ohms, 900 at 2 ohms, 300 at 8 ohms. More power than you will ever need. Handles low B like you're playing a 4 - string.

With a PA & sub, Ampeg BA 2-10 V2. 280 watts, can be 450 with 2nd cab, but I don't need it. It's a tilt-back design, and I use it as a "bass" stage monitor.

Too many bassist's go for the huge, powerful, tall stack. Why? Cause the low frequency of bass waves are 20 feet long. You can't hear them even if they're blowing people against the back wall. Hence your always told you're too loud and you can't hear poopie above the rest of the band unless you crank it up.

The tilt-back Ampeg as a stage monitor for bass only solves the problem. Tilt it back, placed in front of you, problem solved. No more monster bass riggs needed. But do back off the bass knob a little or it will bounce off the back wall and vibrate your bandmates skulls.

 

[Martin Risso]

Physical reality. There is a physical trade off. Cabinet size, low frequency response and efficiency. Boost one factor and you loose another. If you want a small cabinet with good low frequency response, then you have to give up efficiency. I was considering a good small cabinet and looked at the specs of one called the "Low B". I would have needed a 1,000 Watt head to get any usable rock band volume out of it. Knowing the house wiring isn't so good at some of the bars we played, I figured a kilowatt head would end up being a fuse blower. So I lug around my huge 4 x 10 bottom that is as loud as I ever need with an old 200 Watt head.

 

[Loring]

I've gone thru buying & trading a 1/2 dozen amps & cabinets in 1 years time, to fit my needs for a new band I joined. And tried everything on the floor at 4 GC locations within reasonable driving distance. There are some great lighter weight cabinets, but only good for a 4 string. These light weights cannot handle the low B of a five string. Not even the Fender 500 or the Mark Bass 2-10 @ $1,200 bucks!

What did I end up with? Three amps to fit different power needs. All three handle the low B & even B-flat tuning.

Small gigs or small stage, Acoustic MKII. 100 watts, 1 - 10", & front port. Not talking much weight here as its small. But it's a cool mini-stack version. I use an amp stand to tilt it some. You'll see why further down.


Larger gigs, no PA to DI to: Carvin B 1000 head with Carvin BXR 2-10, front port. Small, portable, cab weighs 58 lbs. 4 ohm cab at 600 watts rms, head can run 600 at 4 ohms, 900 at 2 ohms, 300 at 8 ohms. More power than you will ever need. Handles low B like you're playing a 4 - string.

With a PA & sub, Ampeg BA 2-10 V2. 280 watts, can be 450 with 2nd cab, but I don't need it. It's a tilt-back design, and I use it as a "bass" stage monitor.

Too many bassist's go for the huge, powerful, tall stack. Why? Cause the low frequency of bass waves are 20 feet long. You can't hear them even if they're blowing people against the back wall. Hence your always told you're too loud and you can't hear poopie above the rest of the band unless you crank it up.

The tilt-back Ampeg as a stage monitor for bass only solves the problem. Tilt it back, placed in front of you, problem solved. No more monster bass riggs needed. But do back off the bass knob a little or it will bounce off the back wall and vibrate your bandmates skulls.

What's loud enough? 120db? 130? I can get just under 130 (theoretically - never pushed that far) from my genzler. Goes down to 35hz. Just added a second slanted cab - this will bring volume up if needed but gives a little more bottom from an already amazing bottom end. My five sounds absolutely glorious.

 

[themeanreds]

I used to play a lot of shows in New York City. For the most part the venues had backline with varying quality equipment. I bought an Eden WTX264 because it fit in my gig bag and I could easily bring it with me on the subway, in a taxi, etc. If I got to a venue and their bass setup was less than desirable, I could easily switch out switch out the head and attempt to dial in my tone through their cab.

I used to play a lot of shows in New York City. For the most part the venues had backline with varying quality equipment. I bought an Eden WTX264 because it fit in my gig bag and I could easily bring it with me on the subway, in a taxi, etc. If I got to a venue and their bass setup was less than desirable, I could easily switch out switch out the head and attempt to dial in my tone through their cab.

From basement show punks to veteran pros, there is a huge crowd that regularly uses house backline and/or shares with other acts. A small amp head could mean taking the subway or a bike instead of a car. For touring, it can mean more room in the van. And the advantage for fly-in dates is obvious.

 

[silverdroid]

GK MB Fusion 800

(Sorry, I get nauseous now every time someone mentions one of these)

 

[jwinton]

I've been pining over a 2x8" from RevSound for months (under 20 lbs.), but can't find a head that suits me to drop on top of it.

add:
I should have probably listed some amps I've rejected.
MB200 - no overdrive, no I don't want o/d from a pedal
Quilter - no mids knob. I don't like trying to adjust the bass & treble cut for a mids boost
EVH 5150 III - too much gain
Bergantino Forté - fine if I can find one for $400
T.E. Elf - to get Motörhead level O/D makes it too loud

Get an Aguilar TH 500...has everything you’re looking for, weighs 4 lbs. & sounds great...& if you look around, you can probably find one for $400...you can DEFINITELY find a TH 350 for $400 or less..

 

[benhill1982]

Lots of good points made here. I think the simple summary is that there are lots of great lightweight heads and cabs that provide fantastic tone and sound options for those who gig a lot or for whom weight is an issue. I’ve recently gone from a class d and neo cab rig to tubes and ceramics, because I can lift them and the tonal difference. There’s a reason people with roadies and the option to play whatever gear they want use tubes and ceramics, but the gap has greatly closed in recent years, to the point where most audience member wouldn’t notice much difference in a live mix.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

I am aware of the trend toward tiny, lightweight bass heads. That's all well and good, but what's the point if most speaker cabinets are just as large and heavy as they've always been. I am genuinely perplexed. Other than perhaps using a tiny bass head for practice (with headphones) or maybe the studio, what's the point of having it in a live setting?

Free market my man, you don't have to buy anything.

I normally play through an old Acoustic 370 with an Ampeg 2 x 15" folded horn enclosure.

I'm looking for both a backup amp and a lighter cab. I might just leave the big rig at home if I can dial in what I'm looking for in a new gen amp.

If only for my need of a backup amp, I might even buy a second amp of the same type.

Debating building my own cab, well within my skill sets, anything would be better that that 2/3 refrigerator on wheels I'm moving now.

Not sure what your issue is, please explain.

 

[NZBassman]

the best decision I made was about 3 years ago when I bought a Fender Rumble V3, 500w combo - sold my ashdown ABM EVO 900 and Warwick 4x10 cab and I've not looked back... fantastic amp with heaps of power and great tone... can add an extension cab if need be to get the full 500w, but I've not needed to

 

[jwinton]

If I may labor the obvious: anything we can do to lighten the load that we're schlepping into and out of our gigs is worthwhile. I'd sure rather move two 60-lb cabs and a 4-lb head than two 60-lb cabs and a 54-lb head. If carrying and stacking heavier stuff than you need to do is something you really don't mind then I don't understand your question.

Exactly! I sold my absolutely beloved Mesa/Boogie rig because it was just too damn heavy. I now use an Aguilar TH500 & 2 Aguilar GS112’s...absolutely eases the burden of load-in/out...& the GS cabs are not even neo’s...I also dropped an Eminence Kappalite 3015 into my SWR WM115 & that cab is really light and easy to schlep around too...

 

[jwinton]

(Sorry, I get nauseous now every time someone mentions one of these)

Why? Those are great little heads.

 

[selowitch]

We can all agree that a small, lightweight head is only marginally useful if your speaker cabs are bulky and/or heavy, right? Of course, that's aside entirely from using the head for recording or practice by itself.

 

[Passinwind]

We can all agree that a small, lightweight head is only marginally useful if your speaker cabs are bulky and/or heavy, right? Of course, that's aside entirely from using the head for recording or practice by itself.

Not if you prefer how it sounds.

 

[selowitch]

Not if you prefer how it sounds. View attachment 3011548

Okay, leaving aside the issue of sound for purposes of this discussion.

 

[jackAbrasion]

I think a plethora of reasons have been given why a light head is useful no matter what

 

[arbiterusa]

We can all agree that a small, lightweight head is only marginally useful if your speaker cabs are bulky and/or heavy, right?

Backline. I understand if you've never played a gig with it. I use the supplied cabs and my amp. So my speaker cabs - which are Neo 15s and featherlight at 42 pounds each, or ceramic 10s and 100+ pounds each (I have both) - are not an issue. I bring my bass and my head, so I have my sound, plug in, play, leave. Head goes in the gigbag with the bass. It's not even a one-trip load in, it's all in one bag.

Bought the cabs first and then the head, and of the two, since my old amps were light anyway, the cabs were by far the most important purchase. I'd have gone in reverse order if I still had my old V4B from the late 1980s.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Get an Aguilar TH

Had a TH350, great for bass, not enough high end for guitar.

 

[TravStaff]

direct box

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

We can all agree that a small, lightweight head is only marginally useful if your speaker cabs are bulky and/or heavy, right? Of course, that's aside entirely from using the head for recording or practice by itself.

Your premise is flawed?

If you want to carry less weight, and you can get your sound......this works.

You seem to think it's all or nothing. Can't go full on unless you do it all.

We don't know what "all" is. Therefore defining it here would violate your own rule.

Progress and evolution comes in steps not miles.