That's exactly how they work. The combo amps and powered cabinets both have seperate 'chain outputs' so you can chain together as many as you can stand.
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Where are we with powered (active) bass cabs?
- Thread starter two fingers
- Start date
That's exactly how they work. The combo amps and powered cabinets both have seperate 'chain outputs' so you can chain together as many as you can stand.
No. I never said I wanted it to sound like a monitor. I want it to sound like a bass cab.
I would like to be in the position to rely on a stage monitor if they are available and capable of producing enough volume to be heard. But I would also like the option of bringing the same exact preamp I use with provided monitors and set it on top of one or two bass cabs if I need a ton of volume on stage. I'm just not a fan of big racks, although it appears I may have to go that route.
I have to admit, with all the guys running pedals and preamp these days I a bit surprised there isn't more demand for this. Especially being that I bet I could search up 45 threads in this very forum asking how to use a bass head as a slave amp and not use the on board pre from the amp. That says to me that many bassists want to do the same thing I would like to do, which is send their pre to a bass cab and cut out the middle man.
I'm all for putting market forces to good use, so if there isn't any demand they certainly shouldn't make these cabs. I'm not that guy who thinks Fender should make a Sherrod Green left handed narrow 5 string PJ with active and passive just because one pissed off potential customer might want one. So, by all means don't make a universal active bass cab if there isn't demand for one. But I'm surprised that by now there isn't demand for one.
I would have thought Mesa or GK or some other mass producer would have put out a 4-10 and 1-15 with switchable input impedance (or auto switching even better) so that any pedal or pre could drive it. Just an input jack and a volume knob. A simple ICE unit mounted inside and the input/volume circuit mounted on an exterior plate would get it done. Not exactly an engineering leap.
A little bit of cabinet emulation and a powered monitor can sound very much like a traditional cab. There are a ton of threads on here about it. You do have to get decent monitors. Or you can just go in ear.
My needs have been a cab that sounded like a bass cab even if it's "hifi".
Some PA cabs no matter the cost just sound like PA cabs. They spec great. They have extreme clarity. When it's time to dig in and add color by your touch they keep giving the clear reproduction that can be lifeless. I want it all. That sound of an SVT on a hot night in a roadhouse cooking into the third set. I want to back off my touch and get crystal clear hifi tube sound. The last part of the signal chain is how our speakers respond to our inflection.
The IPs were/are magic because Jim tweaked the DSP to give the best projection, frequency response and power handling through management. They just sound good. Warning! Subjective
They really expose the sonic limitations of your pre.
Combo amps are ideal if you're considering the marketing aspect. Yet rarely are combos spec'd with high end components. The niche for powered cabs is a niche. A nice niche. Which niche is which?
Some PA cabs no matter the cost just sound like PA cabs. They spec great. They have extreme clarity. When it's time to dig in and add color by your touch they keep giving the clear reproduction that can be lifeless. I want it all. That sound of an SVT on a hot night in a roadhouse cooking into the third set. I want to back off my touch and get crystal clear hifi tube sound. The last part of the signal chain is how our speakers respond to our inflection.
The IPs were/are magic because Jim tweaked the DSP to give the best projection, frequency response and power handling through management. They just sound good. Warning! Subjective
They really expose the sonic limitations of your pre.
Combo amps are ideal if you're considering the marketing aspect. Yet rarely are combos spec'd with high end components. The niche for powered cabs is a niche. A nice niche. Which niche is which?
I have 4 of the old 6B's. They sound fine, but the main reason I have them is because they can be daisy-chained into a nice modular gigging system. Just bring the combo for a very sm
all club, add a cabinet if I need more wattage, repeat up to 1,000+ watts. Easy on the back, easy on the wallet.
I think it was supposed to, and I bought one the day they came out for that purpose. However you can't use the XLR output, you have to buy a TRS to XLR adapter and use the 1/4" out. And the output was so low that it was really only useable in my house playing by myself.
Actually, no. It was explained to me that the powered MB cabinets require triple the input signal that amplifier pre-outs supply. They are specifically designed to only interface with the MB combos. It really is too bad, active bass speakers would be a way to go, if you wanted to use your own preamp.
My point exactly. These would be selling like crazy with either a switchable or auto adjusting input impedance (in my view).
you really still don't get it. The output from a Kiely assumes a flat response amp system eg a powered PA cab, not a bass cab.Here's a question. Could you literally change the input resistance (impedance) on the input section of the power amplifier to accept more "normal" input signals?
We need the "Keely" of the cab world to start selling molded GK active cabs with "normal" input impedance.
that is disappointing...I had the plex on my list to check out with the idea it could cover the whole 'tweak-able DI for various FOH venues' role and serve as the 'brain' for a powered pair of cabs when I need to provide backline...
I know it is easily done with a separate head or combo via effects loop...just like the idea of using powered cabs...
May just go back to saving for a K12...(part of the appeal of the GK route would be that the plex and a 12 are less than the K..)
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I simply meant something like what the Keeley guy has done for the pedal world. He made a name for himself modding pedals. I was only making the observation that someone could buy off-the-rack speaker cabs from all of our favorite makers and install little ICE units in them without a huge hassle. They could make a name for themselves modding an 8-10 SVT fridge to have a 1,000W ICE module inside with an input jack ready to go for most pedals or preamps. So guys who use a pedal board could show up with a cab and a pedal board. They could do the same for compact cabs as well. Slap a 200W ICE module in a 1-10 neo cab. Guy goes to the coffee house with a small pedal and a small cab. Done.
As for your second part, why? What could you not simply have an ICE amp module in a BASS cab? A flat response amp in a cab with "baked in tone" in the tuning and driver choice? People run racks all the time with a bass preamp, a non voiced slave power amp and a cab. All I'm saying is put the slave amp in the cab so we can throw a pedal pre in the pocket of the gig bag and take our cab/cabs inside. Send the same signal to the stage rig and the board out front. Stupid simple.
We can debate market share all night long. Feasibility is a non issue. It could be done super easy unless someone gives me good reason why not. In fact, my wheels are already turning. I may have to practice what I preach.
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GBX went out of business quickly because they offered a lifetime warranty on the speakers...
I had their preamp in the late 1970s, pretty nice at the time. Ran it into a Fender XFL2000 guitar cabinet. Loud and proud!
I could be wrong. I may be wrong. However, if GK has made their powered cabs proprietary, then, in my opinion, they're shooting themselves in the foot.
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Pretty sure he gets it, and that he was referring to Robert Keeley-the man and the mind-and not to any available Keeley products. Just saying.
