Vintage Ampeg SVT Question

[johnsonabq]

In his question, miking the cab is not an option.

Hmmm... Jens1 (due respect) was not the OP (I just got in on this thread so I'm taking is all in at once). I stand by my answer. I have been the sound man in my bands for many years now, and also toured the country for years with a 20,000 watt PA working very closely with our soundman, and I see no reason why you can't mic the cab. After all in most instances the the sound tech works for you.

 

[bluesdogblues]

Hmmm... Jens1 (due respect) was not the OP (I just got in on this thread so I'm taking is all in at once). I stand by my answer. I have been the sound man in my bands for many years now, and also toured the country for years with a 20,000 watt PA working very closely with our soundman, and I see no reason why you can't mic the cab. After all in most instances the the sound tech works for you.

Good for you.

While I might like mic cab too -depend on the circumstances.
I was referring my answer(s) to newer post by Jens1 -instead of the OP which already 5 years ago, which by the latest post just before Jens1's (Aug 11 2010) had already lot of answers & comments.
Perhaps I'm only an ordinary musician who happen to play bass since about almost 30 years ago - mostly with SVT & 810 - with PA wattage ranging from much smaller than yours to much bigger than yours, with soundman ranging from 'the rookie' type to the high paid international experienced gentlemen, with my band and also as a sideman and as a Music Director, recording and producing or co-producing musicians and bands -some of them are famous, also live onstage -from small hard rock cafe type of gig and lucky enough to be able to play some stadium concerts in front of 50,000 audience -once or twice my audience was including the President of my country, etc etc.. I can tell you my perhaps worthless experience, that THERE ARE circumstances when miking cab is not an option.
When I was younger, I used to 'struggle' for the cab mic, but getting older and -hopefully-wiser, I can understand the circumstances, and while sacrificing my sound is 'the impossible thing to do' for me, I'd easily co-operate with any situation I'm in, and as much as I love cab miked SVT, I can be happy too even if it's just my bass through REDDI that the audience hear of my sound.

Oh, and if I learn the OP, actually implicitly he also asked about anything besides miking cabs IMHO....

 

[JimmyM]

I can vouch for bluesdog's experiences here. I used to bring a Heil PR40 and Z Bar to gigs and tell the soundman all I needed was a single mic cable for the bass and quite a few balked at it, like about 20% of unfamiliar soundmen I worked with had a problem with it. And despite me working directly with the headlining act on a lot of our big oldies shows, there were gigs where it was impossible to set up a mic just because the logistics with getting several bands on and off the stage dictated that I just plug in and start playing and shut up about a stupid mic

While there are many soundmen who love to use cab mics, unless you're fortunate enough that it's always under your control, it's still very much a DI world for bass and I don't see it changing anytime soon.

 

[Jens1]

I can vouch for bluesdog's experiences here. I used to bring a Heil PR40 and Z Bar to gigs and tell the soundman all I needed was a single mic cable for the bass and quite a few balked at it, like about 20% of unfamiliar soundmen I worked with had a problem with it. And despite me working directly with the headlining act on a lot of our big oldies shows, there were gigs where it was impossible to set up a mic just because the logistics with getting several bands on and off the stage dictated that I just plug in and start playing and shut up about a stupid mic

While there are many soundmen who love to use cab mics, unless you're fortunate enough that it's always under your control, it's still very much a DI world for bass and I don't see it changing anytime soon.

Good for you.

While I might like mic cab too -depend on the circumstances.
I was referring my answer(s) to newer post by Jens1 -instead of the OP which already 5 years ago, which by the latest post just before Jens1's (Aug 11 2010) had already lot of answers & comments.
Perhaps I'm only an ordinary musician who happen to play bass since about almost 30 years ago - mostly with SVT & 810 - with PA wattage ranging from much smaller than yours to much bigger than yours, with soundman ranging from 'the rookie' type to the high paid international experienced gentlemen, with my band and also as a sideman and as a Music Director, recording and producing or co-producing musicians and bands -some of them are famous, also live onstage -from small hard rock cafe type of gig and lucky enough to be able to play some stadium concerts in front of 50,000 audience -once or twice my audience was including the President of my country, etc etc.. I can tell you my perhaps worthless experience, that THERE ARE circumstances when miking cab is not an option.
When I was younger, I used to 'struggle' for the cab mic, but getting older and -hopefully-wiser, I can understand the circumstances, and while sacrificing my sound is 'the impossible thing to do' for me, I'd easily co-operate with any situation I'm in, and as much as I love cab miked SVT, I can be happy too even if it's just my bass through REDDI that the audience hear of my sound.

Oh, and if I learn the OP, actually implicitly he also asked about anything besides miking cabs IMHO....

We quite often, specially in winter season, play in such small clubs, that soundman simply don't want to mess around with miking bass cab...which I understand perfectly
So I ordered Radial JDX. I like their DI's so this box sould work OK. I'll tell you what we in EU think about it

with bottom one...

 

[johnsonabq]

Sorry guys. Sometimes I come on a little strong. Bluesdogblues, you sound like you know your stuff and I know Jimmy from his rep here on TB so I respect what you both have to say. This new TB format has the posting dates in a small light colored font and they blew by me at first. I read through the thread and took it all as one conversation.

Of course you have to work with the situation at hand. Nobody like a diva. Even though I've had my "day" playing gigs with 10's of thousands attending, those days are long behind me and I've settled back home in a smallish city. That's why I like to just do the sound myself using side fills instead of vocal monitors and the occasional wireless walk out front during the night.

The solution Jens1 has hit on sounds like a good one and I'm looking forward to hearing his experiences.

Peace.

PS... Does the JDX change the impedance load on the amp?

 

[svtb15]

I picked up a REDDI tube Di about 8-9 years ago. .and never looked back

 

[Jens1]

So as I promised I'm posting sound clip of my Ampeg B25-B with Radial JDX from speaker out and from from JDX to my laptop.
Linked Channel Bright Two to Normal One, treble and bass at 12 o'clock (at zero), ultra hi and low disengaged.
No additional EQ'ing. This is pure signal.

 

[JimmyM]

That sounds pretty darn good. I have a little trouble estimating bass response without benefit of a mix to compare it to, but it sounds like to me that the JDX wouldn't cut the lows as to make them unusable like the H&K Red Box. And I like the high end cut for sure. Not too dark, not too bright.

 

[Jens1]

That sounds pretty darn good. I have a little trouble estimating bass response without benefit of a mix to compare it to, but it sounds like to me that the JDX wouldn't cut the lows as to make them unusable like the H&K Red Box. And I like the high end cut for sure. Not too dark, not too bright.

I feel happy!

I wonder if REDDI, JDV, Countryman 85 + EV RE20 or Sennheiser MD421 would sound significantly better to your ears guys? I know tipe of question is really subjective but anyways...