Why stack cabs on their side...

[jlepre]

...instead of vertically? I was watching a live country show last night on TV and the bassist had 2 SVT 810's stacked on their sides on on top of the other. Why not stand them up vertically and stand them side by side? Is there any advantage sonically stacking them this way?

 

[skullservant]

I've been told that it increases the ability to 'feel' the bass, IE more floor coverage = more room for vibration and a more dominant low end

 

[johnk_10]

i used to do it once in a while with my two ampeg 8x10s just to make it look a little different, but it was so much harder to lift one cab on top of the other that i usually ran them side by side.

 

[jlepre]

I've been told that it increases the ability to 'feel' the bass, IE more floor coverage = more room for vibration and a more dominant low end

I could see that for maybe a small stage setup, but this was an outdoor arena with a HUGE stage.

 

[rockstarbassist]

Low-end coupling I'd think. I see it every now and then.

Was it the CMA Music Fest show? I have it DVR'd, just haven't watched it yet. What bassist or act was it/for?

Or it simply could be to not hide any more of the background screen, etc.. Two cabs on their side like that will be shorter than them standing vertical.

 

[Levin Hannaford]

Saw a Shinedown show a few years back and the original bassist, Brad Stewart had his SVT 810s stacked this way. I asked him about it and he said he could 'feel every single note,' (Awesome guy by the way)

 

[rockstarbassist]

Saw a Shinedown show a few years back and the original bassist, Brad Stewart had his SVT 810s stacked this way. I asked him about it and he said he could 'feel every single note,' (Awesome guy by the way)

Eric does this with his Hartke 810s also, last time I saw them.

And actually I've seen dUg Pinnick do this before with his 3-4 SVT 810s at different K'sX periods.

 

[billfitzmaurice]

the bassist had 2 SVT 810's stacked on their sides on on top of the other. Why not stand them up vertically and stand them side by side? Is there any advantage sonically stacking them this way?

Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Sonically the result is almost exactly the same. Unless you're using an ESP power cord...

 

[MK1]

I was just about to ask a similar question, but about a single 810 cab. I played at a music festival and their backline was an SVT-Pro 6 and an 810e on it's side. I just bought an 810e myself, to replace my 410 and I love how the 810 puts some of the speakers at ear level. But putting it on it's side takes that advantage away and at that point I might as well be playing a 410. And I really don't understand the space saving argument, it takes up more space on it's side. Stacking them doesn't really save any space either. The 810e is 26" wide and 49" high. So two stacked together is 52" high and 49" wide, that's only 3" difference (hardly a space saver).

 

[jlepre]

Yes it was the CMA musicfest. I noticed the weird stacking on a couple occasions, so I don't remember which acts did this.

 

[rockstarbassist]

I was just about to ask a similar question, but about a single 810 cab. I played at a music festival and their backline was an SVT-Pro 6 and an 810e on it's side. I just bought an 810e myself, to replace my 410 and I love how the 810 puts some of the speakers at ear level. But putting it on it's side takes that advantage away and at that point I might as well be playing a 410. And I really don't understand the space saving argument, it takes up more space on it's side. Stacking them doesn't really save any space either. The 810e is 26" wide and 49" high. So two stacked together is 52" high and 49" wide, that's only 3" difference (hardly a space saver).

I would agree there unless you're using a nice IEM system, which is what most all pro's have nowadays. The cab would just be so you can "feel" the bass where you're hearing the actual notes and pitch in your monitor setup. When I see just 1 cab on it's side, that's usually the situation.

Also I think the "2 on their side" thing is just a perception thing. I'm sure from an inches standpoint it's not smaller but when you have a whole stage and lots of people on it I dunno, it just makes it look less "cluttered" when you can see deeper into the stage. Weird I know but it kinda makes sense.

 

[Gearhead17]

Someone did it probably because it looks cool!

I think that is the main answer. The bass player might have had In-Ears for the show......and/or the cabs were probably fake.

As was stated earlier, getting a cabinet closer to your ears should be the goal on stage when you are using it as a monitor.

 

[rockstarbassist]

Someone did it probably because it looks cool!

I think that is the main answer. The bass player might have had In-Ears for the show......and/or the cabs were probably fake.

As was stated earlier, getting a cabinet closer to your ears should be the goal on stage when you are using it as a monitor.

True, but as I said too, if you already have an insanely nice IEM setup that can really reproduce good bass tone, the cabs are just or more for "feel" than anything else. Or yeah, just could be fake.

Robbie Harrington, BP for Dierks Bentley, used to have a dummy 810 cab on stage that was a beer fridge. Was awesome. He had (in order from L to R), Mesa PH810 "Beer fridge", PH412, PH810 and PH412. And I can assure you, they were ALL on, sans the fridge!
Well, it was on, just for a different reason!

 

[Gearhead17]

Robbie Harrington, BP for Dierks Bentley, used to have a dummy 810 cab on stage that was a beer fridge. Was awesome. He had (in order from L to R), Mesa PH810 "Beer fridge", PH412, PH810 and PH412. And I can assure you, they were ALL on, sans the fridge!
Well, it was on, just for a different reason!

Ha! Would be funny to open the cab up during the show and give your band mates some beers!

 

[rockstarbassist]

Ha! Would be funny to open the cab up during the show and give your band mates some beers!

Exactly what they did breaux!

 

[mustbampeg]

I remember seeing Pantera once, and Rex had his 8x10s stacked sideways. SIXTEEN of them, lol. 4 up, 4 across. I'm sure most of them were prolly dummies, but with that band, who knows?

Randy

 

[Johnny StingRay]

A country bass player needs TWO 8X10s???

 

[KevInDaBassment]

More room for your SVT head! =)

 

[curly bassist]

could be to do with wave diffraction and the shape of the venue?

 

[stflbn]

As others have said... those cabs likely were doing nothing but looking cool.

In all likelyhood all monitoring was being done through IEM's.