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whats better combo or separate.
- Thread starter magic8161
- Start date
For me, a combo. Today’s combos are fantastic. I like walking into a gig with my basses in a double gig bag on my back, my pedal board case in one hand and my
Combo in another.
Combo in another.
That's the one! Which model are we looking at? I could see using that with a matching cab underneath when required. Susan would give it a thumbs-up for the yellow-orange drivers.
Riis
MB CMD102P 2x10's 500 watts with extension 300W solo , chrushes gigs , I have a 112 version same head not even close ( great for smaller gigs tho ) pLUS i CAN USE THE 112 as an extention cab or double amp for 600 watts. I put castors and a luggage handle on it so I can carry everything 1 trip +++ PA stuff etc.
Certain factors might sway me toward getting another combo; trip quantity is not one of them.
No class D amp head in a shoulder bag has ever once caused me to have to take an extra trip.
Come to think of it, I sometimes schlep my upright bass with a cab and a tube head in one trip! (Two strap handle units can balance each other out.)
No class D amp head in a shoulder bag has ever once caused me to have to take an extra trip.
Come to think of it, I sometimes schlep my upright bass with a cab and a tube head in one trip! (Two strap handle units can balance each other out.)
This is the combo version of the rig I used to have (102p and a LMII) and it definitely was powerful enough for most situations.
I have both integrated heads and cabs as well as combos. Combos historically were heavy ( for instance an Eden Metro which is a 50 pound cab with a 30 pound amp installed in it).
Today, with class D heads neo speakers, and lighter weight wood, there are some very impressive combos on the market that have some serious horsepower in a very easily transported package.
That said, I prefer the sound of an integrated head with separate cabs. Generally, you can get better features on an integrated head, and a lot of my gigs would require a second cab.
I put together a 2x8 cab from Revsound ( 350W) and a F1 MB head for a 24 lb 300 Watt setup, super light and sounds great.
This has always been my thinking. I've used heads and cabs. They certainly have advantages, but they're slim compared to the grab-and-go portability, simplicity, and reliability of a quality combo, at least for my purposes.
I like combos to a certain extent. There is also a third option. Powered monitor and a preamp
Upright and low volume gigs I take my AI Coda combo. I have an extra 110 if needed. Otherwise. 2 EA 112 + head. For more omph I have a pre-subway Mesa 115 and 210. With the AI Coda, I can carry up to 100 yards without stopping, an upright, an electric bass and the amp in one shot. The days. ,for my playing needs, I just take the AI coda but the head + EA Whizzy 112 cabs are set up and I play through it at home.
Upright and low volume gigs I take my AI Coda combo. I have an extra 110 if needed. Otherwise. 2 EA 112 + head. For more omph I have a pre-subway Mesa 115 and 210. With the AI Coda, I can carry up to 100 yards without stopping, an upright, an electric bass and the amp in one shot. The days. ,for my playing needs, I just take the AI coda but the head + EA Whizzy 112 cabs are set up and I play through it at home.
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I used to use all separates, but the Fender Rumble 500c made a believer out of me. Gigged in a fairly large (long) bar last night with just the 500c. Took off the back 3” casters to get a tilt. Used a 5-string bass with a some pedals (compressor, SV-pre, and a HP filter) and got it done (with some PA support).
If Mesa released a combo with a D800+ or WD800 head I would buy it in a heart beat and make it my primary gigging rig. But I always bring a Mesa Subway Cab and Head to gigs. If my bands would jump on IEMs then I would probably just bring a Head and DI out at every gig, we always have good PA support, but I like to have a cab on stage for confidence and not rely on cheap floor monitors.
I prefer a combo with enough volume to handle a small to medium sized venue. Not just for the size, one trip, etc...but also less cables. It makes setup and teardown so fast. When moving it for all gigs and rehearsals, it really helps to minimize the time I'm spending with all that.
I also had little choice in my house. I needed a minimalist setup due to space limitations in our house once kids took over my "office". I have no room for multiple amps.
I also had little choice in my house. I needed a minimalist setup due to space limitations in our house once kids took over my "office". I have no room for multiple amps.
Unfortunately I’ve never had anything but a combo. First an old Ibanez 10 watter that came from a $180 bass bundle back in 2002, and the one I currently have…an ampeg BA115 150 watt combo. I played that crappy little 10 watt amp for over 15 years and actually gave up bass playing a short while since it just never motivated me to play due to how crappy it sounded (due to being a poor college student, no job, blah blah blah). I only play at home in my studio nowadays so it works well enough, but I’ve always wanted to experience owning and playing through at least a half stack with a proper head and cabinet. Sadly, the extent of my amp ownership goes as far as these two. But hey one day! I’ve always envied the mixing and matching of heads and cabinets as it allows for more portability and modularity. It just seems more flexible this way.
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