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Typical wattage used at small bar gigs

#41
I often wonder what is really "needed?" Last week, I was on a cruise and there was a 4 piece group in one of the lounges (pretty small.) One evening, they moved them outside for a party. The bassist used the same thing as in the lounge-a Peavey TNT combo. I couldn't get as close as I wanted, but I don't think it was mic'd or DI'd. From what I could tell the only thing mic'd were the vocals and the kick drum (a 58 about 8 inches from the front head.) The PA consisted of an Allen&Heath mixer with no outboard EQ's or Effects. I am pretty sure the unmarked 15''/horn FOH cabinets were powered by a QSC RMX 850. Armed only with the equipment listed they played for a 200-300 people outdoors. It wasn't studio quality sound, but you could hear everything. It was pretty well balanced. I am still trying to figure out how they pulled that off.
 
#45
Wattage helps you keep your tone... when I was using a Line 6 Lowdown 150 it started to lose it at a higher volume in a small club... traded it in for a 300 watt Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout IMO the perfect amp for small to medium venues haven't had any problems gigging with it and the tone is awesome! Not a cheap amp though.
 
#47
If I could momentarily borrow or side track the thread my interest lies in how and why there seems to be such a huge difference in what folks seem to need. I'm honestly not criticizing anyone but how is it possible that JimmyM (and others) can gig with a B15 and others still (myself included) with a V4b and others need 3-4+ more power? Is it style of music? Is it bass mix expectation? Is it the popularity of slap and a scooped tone that generally goes with it? How was it (as in the examples I posted above) that so many bands played so many venues successfully with so much less?

(pedro rambles on.)
 
#49
I use a GK backline 600 with a single 8 ohm cab (about 200W) With the -10db on ( I have a passive bass) I still have enough volume to keep up with my band. As many have said it depends on the type of music you play and how loud your bandmates are.
 
#50
pedro said:
If I could momentarily borrow or side track the thread my interest lies in how and why there seems to be such a huge difference in what folks seem to need. I'm honestly not criticizing anyone but how is it possible that JimmyM (and others) can gig with a B15 and others still (myself included) with a V4b and others need 3-4+ more power? Is it style of music? Is it bass mix expectation? Is it the popularity of slap and a scooped tone that generally goes with it? How was it (as in the examples I posted above) that so many bands played so many venues successfully with so much less?

(pedro rambles on.)
Click to expand...

I think you've hit it on the head with the slap, scooped tone. The scooped tone is what I love, but it does take the horsepower to make it happen.
 
#53
Medford Bassman said:
This is a great idea. I use a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 with a Genz Benz NEOX 212T cabinet. It's 4 ohms and can handle the 600 watts of power. Now, in clubs, I never go above 10 o'clock on the volume. It's nice to have the power if I need it in a big room. Usually, I use the DI as well to the PA.

I really like the fact that it's a one trip thing for me. Amp- 3.5 lbs.Cab- 59 lbs. I play alot of gigs with my trio and we all have a decent grip on dynamics and mixing the music. I used to carry huge, heavy, owverpowered gear. For me, it was a waste of time.

I don't live in NYC, but I play enough gigs where the less I need for a show, the happier me and my back are!!
Click to expand...

same...
 
#54
pedro said:
Joe do you think that there has also been a change in overall expectation of how loud the music should be in general and how loud the bass should be in the mix in particular perhaps due to more modern recordings?
Click to expand...

Yes, the bass has definately been cranked way up, especially since all the re-mixing off all of the old stuff to the new formats with the added bass enhancement of the sub-harmonic generators, going into the bass boost of the out going signals of all the new radio channels. It has really made a big difference IMHO. It has made things open up all the way, for bass players now. No more hiding in the back, missing notes and such. Now you have to be out front and firing on all cylinders.
 
#56
+1 re how loud music is NOWADAY'S in pubs & clubs. Even to 10 yrs ago. The club where we do our main 'public' gigs in the city, had a new Dynacord FOH PA (w/ a BIG sub) installed a couple of yrs ago & since then our band HAS to be louder onstage than we were B4(when the older PA was in there) simply coz the FOH PA is that loud, that I have to be a certain volume(my amp/rig) to actually HEAR myself over the FOH PA volume "spill'' onto stage.

Be that as it may- I find that my V4BH(100w all tube) into my NV610 is PLENTY & never needs to be near full vol. I've also used the same 100w amp with :- two 1x15" cabs & a 1x15" & 1x12" together- all with same results = not having to be near full volume.
Of course this is all being run thru the FOH PA system for 'out front' sound.

When the "old" PA was in there-it was only used for vocals(maybe a bit of Kick drum sometimes, if place was packed) . THEN I used my old 150w All tube amp thru a sealed 4x10"cab. Even then it was never run full volume.
I reckon my V4BH(100w all tube) amp into either-NV610(6x10") or Aguilar GS112 & GS115(1x12" & 1x15" cabs respectively) would handle all but the bigger clubs. meaning- that rig would handle ANY pub gig in my town anyway-approx 250 ppl max.
 
#57
pedro said:
If I could momentarily borrow or side track the thread my interest lies in how and why there seems to be such a huge difference in what folks seem to need. I'm honestly not criticizing anyone but how is it possible that JimmyM (and others) can gig with a B15 and others still (myself included) with a V4b and others need 3-4+ more power? Is it style of music? Is it bass mix expectation? Is it the popularity of slap and a scooped tone that generally goes with it? How was it (as in the examples I posted above) that so many bands played so many venues successfully with so much less?

(pedro rambles on.)
Click to expand...

It's the volume of the rest of the band that matters most.
 
#58
JimmyM said:
Ken, I will defend anyone's right to carry as powerful a rig as they want, but let's ditch all the horsepucky about needing 1000w of headroom because it makes it sound better when your volume knob is on 1, and let's get honest here...

1. How many of you with rigs 1000w and over regularly (or even semi-regularly) use all of your available RMS wattage?

2. If you do, what kind of music do you play and in what venues?

3. If you answered #2 with "doom metal in small bars," then will you promise never to invite me to your gigs? ;)

4. Even if you have a legit reason for wanting 1000w or more, do you recommend it to a guy doing entry-level small bar gigs as a minimum?

5. If someone put a gun to your head and asked you to state the real reason you carry a monster rig like that, how many of you would answer, "I like to tell people I have a 1000w rig"?

:hiding:
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I agree, for the most part, with everything you state. I have 2 rigs. (1) and SVT4Pro and a SVT6X10HLF Heavy as hell and drastic overkill. However, I bought it at a good price and figured "what the hell, you never know"......and (2) a MarkBass CMD121P. I will take the MarkBass any day of the week and 3 times on Sunday to ANY small or medium sized gig out there.

What I DO enjoy, though, is playing the MarkBass through the 6X10.......absolutely KILLER!! But again, for 99.99% of the bars I play in, the Markbass fits the bill like a champ!
 
#59
For small to medium sized clubs/ bars a used 400RB Gallen-krueger would be plenty of power and wouldn't cost too much. I saw one on Ebay today that was nicked up a little bit but was only $175 "Buy it now price". So you might be able to get it even cheaper.
 
#60
rodl2005 said:
+1 re how loud music is NOWADAY'S in pubs & clubs. Even to 10 yrs ago. The club where we do our main 'public' gigs in the city, had a new Dynacord FOH PA (w/ a BIG sub) installed a couple of yrs ago & since then our band HAS to be louder onstage than we were B4(when the older PA was in there) simply coz the FOH PA is that loud, that I have to be a certain volume(my amp/rig) to actually HEAR myself over the FOH PA volume "spill'' onto stage.

Be that as it may- I find that my V4BH(100w all tube) into my NV610 is PLENTY & never needs to be near full vol. I've also used the same 100w amp with :- two 1x15" cabs & a 1x15" & 1x12" together- all with same results = not having to be near full volume.
Of course this is all being run thru the FOH PA system for 'out front' sound.

When the "old" PA was in there-it was only used for vocals(maybe a bit of Kick drum sometimes, if place was packed) . THEN I used my old 150w All tube amp thru a sealed 4x10"cab. Even then it was never run full volume.
I reckon my V4BH(100w all tube) amp into either-NV610(6x10") or Aguilar GS112 & GS115(1x12" & 1x15" cabs respectively) would handle all but the bigger clubs. meaning- that rig would handle ANY pub gig in my town anyway-approx 250 ppl max.
Click to expand...


Rod I have no experience with the V4BH but do own the V4b and am curious how hard you find yourself pushing it at a bar gig.
 

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