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Why lightweight?

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#61
vail_bass said:
the elements that allow the super- light weight absolutely compromise the sound and that is the point of my post. Why do people favor light weight over a good sound? I know there are small amps that sound great at a low level, so cool. If you need to really move some air the light weight amps start to crap out pretty early. Just curious as to why that doesn't seem to bother some people. Maybe it's just me and I should leave it alone but why shouldn't I have a right to pose a question?
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If you believe that, you just haven't stood in front of the right gear. Also, as you'll fire a drummer because of the size of his kit tells me you're way more interested in how something looks than how it sounds. I've played with guys with small jazz kits that sounded phenomenal and HUGE especially once put in the PA.

For the record, here's my 'light rig'.

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That's a 3000w amp with an all tube preamp (Kern IP-777). The cabs are each good for about 1000w, and have more sensitivity in the lows than almost any production cab as well as having more mids if I desire. How does it sound? Not light. The amp weighs 7 pounds. The heaviest of the cabs weighs just over 50lbs.

Feel free to keep hauling the extra weight. But modern technology and modern design means that you don't have to.
 
#62
chaseman said:
How very ........ subjective. Surely there must be some people that prefer the sound of light gear over heavy gear? Or do you speak for every single bass player that has ever lived?
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every forum on the internet deals in subjective opinion. Objectively, I've played most every amp made/ available in the US. Every Year. All the new stuff. For the last 20 plus years..I've played thousands of gigs for countless millions of people, etc., etc., etc.
I don't have an opinion, I am simply making a judgement.
 
#63
BurningSkies said:
If you believe that, you just haven't stood in front of the right gear. Also, as you'll fire a drummer because of the size of his kit tells me you're way more interested in how something looks than how it sounds. I've played with guys with small jazz kits that sounded phenomenal and HUGE especially once put in the PA.


I don't give a damn what it looks like, I said in the post that you must not have read, "it sounded small and light".
I'm trying to help the people that haven't already made the mistake of buying into a FAD.
The class d bass amps are not 'there' yet, maybe someday, not today.
I would love to have a 2 lb rig that sounded like a 4x15". Who wouldn't?
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#64
Well, I haven't had the pleasure of playing all the various equipment available or many large stages, so I have found that the lightweight stuff meets my needs and I haven't had any experience with it crapping out.

I imagine if the equipment wasn't reliable, it wouldn't be as popular as it is. Or maybe the average Joe doesn't play that many gigs that it makes a difference. All I know is that I went from a 50 lb solid state head with two 70ish lb cabs to a 6.5 lb head and two 40 lb cabs and I sound better than I did before.
 
#65
vail_bass said:
for sure, if it sounds great to you, then that is what matters, my point was that the "it only weighs 3 lbs" is a silly thing to emphasize.
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I completely agree with that line of thought. It IS a silly thing to emphasize, and I have always been dead set against going with the smallest possible rig unless 1. you're injured, or B. you really like it. But I actually like micros better than the iron SS amps, for all the reasons you don't like them ;) I like tubes better, but I think they've done such a better job at bridging the SS/tube gap with micro amp technology that I'm now to the point where I actually like gigging with SS, whereas I used to be pretty indifferent to it. I had a couple iron SS amps and used them, but I never really got on with them like I do my Micro VR stack and the SVT 7 Pro I'm trying to talk my wife into letting me get, even though I so don't need another amp ;)

I do still use my tube amps on my theater and arena shows, and I'll probably start using them again more often on my other gigs, too. But I have thoroughly enjoyed using my Micro VR stack, and it's still going to be my workhorse rig.
 
#66
JimmyM said:
I completely agree with that line of thought. It IS a silly thing to emphasize, and I have always been dead set against going with the smallest possible rig unless 1. you're injured, or B. you really like it. But I actually like micros better than the iron SS amps, for all the reasons you don't like them ;) I like tubes better, but I think they've done such a better job at bridging the SS/tube gap with micro amp technology that I'm now to the point where I actually like gigging with SS, whereas I used to be pretty indifferent to it. I had a couple iron SS amps and used them, but I never really got on with them like I do my Micro VR stack and the SVT 7 Pro I'm trying to talk my wife into letting me get, even though I so don't need another amp ;)

I do still use my tube amps on important gigs, and I'll probably start using them again more often on less important gigs, too. But I have thoroughly enjoyed using my Micro VR stack, and it's still going to be my workhorse rig.
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Hey Jimmy, love 'ya bro! Never thought of any gig as 'less important'. If I ever did that , I might have missed a fantastic opportunity, know what I mean? :)
 
#68
Mod Insert:

People; if you want to politely discuss this topic, please do so.
If you're here to sling arrows and insults, I'd be glad to infract the lot of you and shut it down.

This topic can have some merit, if you allow it to be discussed properly.
 
#69
JimmyM said:
I do still use my tube amps on important gigs, and I'll probably start using them again more often on less important gigs, too. But I have thoroughly enjoyed using my Micro VR stack, and it's still going to be my workhorse rig.
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vail_bass said:
Hey Jimmy, love 'ya bro! Never thought of any gig as 'less important'. If I ever did that , I might have missed a fantastic opportunity, know what I mean? :)
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Love ya too, Vail, and you know what? That was a bad choice of words. You're 100% right...every gig is important. I try to be a shining example to the kids out there, play every gig like it's my last ever, and stress how important it is to give your all at every gig no matter how crappy it pays or how few people are there. And now I have let them down with a poor choice of words that didn't really convey what I truly meant. I edited my original post to better reflect what I meant.

I apologize to all you kids out there...doesn't matter whether your amp is giant or small, always give your all and do your best with what you have because every gig is important.
 
#71
I agree that is a Troll thread.

Just wake up and look around , everything is lighter than 20 years ago , cars , planes , boats , bicycles , snowmobiles , hockey sticks , skates , etc......

Is moving along with latest technology a bad thing for musicians?
Does a lighter amp makes the bass player groove less ?

:scowl:
 
#74
fokof said:
I agree that is a Troll thread.
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I would buy into the idea that this is a troll, except:

1. This is Vail Johnson, not some snotnose punk who's been playing 6 months and thinks he knows everything.

2. Vail sincerely believes micros are inferior, and I see no reason he shouldn't be allowed to start a thread about it and say so.

Yeah, he started the thread to mix it up and get a debate going, but so what?
 
#76
JimmyM said:
I would buy into the idea that this is a troll, except:

1. This is Vail Johnson, not some snotnose punk who's been playing 6 months and thinks he knows everything.

2. Vail sincerely believes micros are inferior, and I see no reason he shouldn't be allowed to start a thread about it and say so.

Yeah, he started the thread to mix it up and get a debate going, but so what?
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Jimmy, with all respect...the tone of the conversation isn't what I'd expect from a seasoned veteran. It has all of the vibe of the people who start threads in basses to dump on ERB players, etc.

I also have to wonder, out of all those millions of gigs that Vail is happy to tell us about all over the planet (you know, with every amp that's ever been made)...how many of them is he unloading the truck personally. The weight of your gear becomes a lot less important when you're not doing the moving yourself all the time.

Sorry, but a big part of "professional" is about comportment.
 
#77
IMHO, lead sleds may sound a little better but that's due to the design maturity. Digital amps are still relatively new but the latest crop seems to sound better. For me the difference in sound isn't enough to carry an extra 30lbs. I'd rather carry an extra speaker cab.
 
#78
To answer the OP's question: Because I have to move the PA equipment and help with the drum stuff too, and I can't spend three trips loading my stuff in. Honestly, I'm the only one who know how to set up half of our equipment, and my amp needs to be the least of my worries. Pick it up, plug it in, and move on.

(I also can't afford an all-tube 16x10 rig or a car big enough to move it at this point, but that's a different subject entirely :D)
 
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