Who uses a PA cab to amplify their bass?

Gremson,
What I think you'd have to consider here, is the fact that the MB200 is a low wattage head. It sounds really nice, and is exceptionally portable, but it doesn't have the horsepower, to drive an inefficient speaker cabinet.
Possibly, what you could look at would be, the GK MBX Extension cab, a used Crazy 8, a Genz Benz 8" or 10" extension cabinet, or something similar.

Ric

 

I don't really see the benefit of getting a passive PA speaker over a bass bin if you already have the head. The bass cab will have better low end reproduction - particularly for the EB. I used to have a GK MB112 combo (which had the MB200 built in) and it was pretty good - easily enough power for DB (GKs punch well above their weight!). The matching GK 112 cab would be better than the combo as it has the tweeter. Avatar, fEarless, Bergantino fEarful would also be worth a look.

I have a powered QSC K10 which is a great option but you don't need a powered speaker.

 

Gremson

Gremson,
I don't consider Powered P.A. speakers like the QSC K8 (which I use all the time for smaller DB Gigs) and the QSC K10 (which Vintone has) to be inefficient. Many players prefer a speaker specifically configured for DB, but I've found that the QSC's can sound quite remarkable.
As for the Crazy 8", they use Fatial Pro's, which, for bass sound incredible. My take is, that you could use your little MB200 as a pre amp for the K8 or K10 which gives you 500+500 watts in a 27 lbs. or 32 lbs. package. The K series speakers are often found used at reasonable prices.
If you aren't flush with cash, IMHO there a respectable option.

Ric

 

Those cabs that Ric mentioned are all really good suggestions. They are designed for use with bass. I have a pair of yamaha PAS 8" pa speakers that I put faital pro 8" speakers in after I blew the originals (hint). I love the sound of those cabs, but they aren't designed for double bass..they way they are ported doesn't support the transients of the bass, even though the sound is sweet for low volume situations. If you really want to use a PA cab, I'd suggest a sealed cabinet design. It won't be as loud as a ported design, but should be a bit more balanced sounding than a cab voiced with vocals in mind. I used to use some old high end compact Peavey sealed 12's withe Balck Widow drivers and a very sophisticated crossover that allowed for bi-amping if desired..really great for DB, but very heavy..something like 65lbs per cab. The GK MBX would be an excellent pairing with your amp, imo. I have the 110MB combo, it has a ported cab that sounds pretty wooffy in certain low mid freqs at higher volumes. It won't blow out, bit it's annoying as h***. (another hint) The power amp and eq is the same as the MB200 I believe.

EDIT: Ric, I once played a nice theatre gig with a pair QSC eights as monitors, using no amp and a EUB. I was at the mercy of the sound folks, they told me to put my WW amp away LOL! I felt sorry for them because my bass was clipping their speakers..the speakers sounded great up to a point, but everything has a limit. When I turned down, they would keep turning me up.

 

When I played slab, I once brought my SWR Baby Blue to a bar gig because space in the van was limited, but as it turned out I needed more oomph. I ended up using the head to power a PA cabinet loaded with an EV 15" plus a smaller speaker and a horn. It sounded great, and I've repeated the experiment several times over the years with good results.

Dave "Greenboy" Green, who has a TB account and posts slabside, argues that this is far from ideal and I should probably have my hearing checked.

 

I use one or two powered EV LiveX 1x12's. The 112p? Something like that. IMO, killer for bass. I'm primarily an electric player but have used it many times for my upright in lower volume settings. They make passive versions, too, IIRC.

The low end on my EV's can get a little lumpy (Again, IMO.) so I engage the HPF on the back. Cleans up the tone right away. Add your preamp of choice to the front end and you're good to go.

I'm not going to bash, especially somebody who is smarter than me and has more knowledge of this stuff, but let your ears be the judge! What things look like on paper and what they sound like are two different things. Once again, IMO.

 

Greeny's abrasive (Hi Dave!) but his knowledge of the subject vastly eclipses mine. Plus, everybody I know who has one of his designs sourced from a good builder raves about their sound, volume etc.

 

I just got the QSC K8, partly because we wanted to add it to our PA in the rock band I play in, but also because I want to try it as a standalone for jazz gigs on upright. I will probably use the Radial PZ-Pre as preamp with it.

 

Mr. PC,
Well, we both know that those sound technicians were "ill advised". The K8's sound nice, at relatively moderate volumes, especially when driven a Headway EDB-2. I only use mine on trio gigs, past that and out comes the Walter Woods Electroacoustic and my Audiokinesis TC-112
The K10 works better because it has a little more low end, but the Woods, and a TC 112 will do any gig I'm going to do and sound musical. Lately, I've been running the Headway EDB-2 into the Woods power section, and getting a remarkably realistic DB tone. It's kind of "overkill"
using a Woods amps as a power amp, but it works exceptionally well.

Chuck,
I'd take a look at the Headway EDB-2, or the Radial OD as well.


Ric

 

Well, KFS, while I'll defer to folks who like Mike Arnopol who has mad skills on the technical side, and is a remarkable player, I think that if you have enough playing and performing experience, you should be the one to decide what sounds good with your bass, as I'm sure from
our conversations that you do. Granted, my Audio Kinesis TC 112 sounds way better than a QSC K12. The Baby Blue 2x8 was a really nice low volume DB amplifier, I used a Baby Blue 2x8 extension cabinet ( weren't many of those built) with my Walter Woods MI-100-8 for
several years, mainly because the Woods sounded so much better than the Baby Blue Head. QSC's can work very well, depending on the situation, just like the you found out with your P.A. cabinet experience. Just my take.


Ric