grandad

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1368875864' post='2082528'] Is "PAT Testing" a redundancy, in that the "test" part is already within the acronym? [/quote] [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1368875864' post='2082528'] Is "PAT Testing" a redundancy, in that the "test" part is already within the acronym? [/quote] Yes you're right but the common usage is "PAT testing". The certificate can be 1 page listing all items + test results. I could recount numerous horror stories whilst PAT testing. Mains extension leads were the worst culprit. It is a must in Law & I reckon it's saved many lives since it's introduction. About £2 an item I reckon is fair. Regards, C P.S. I also carry an RCD adapter with me though most WMC's have them built into the 13A stage sockets nowadays.

Hi, thanks for the link, lots of useful info' there. We used a Yamaha EMX5014 to mix the whole band & I found it an excellent piece of kit, so much so, I bought the 5016 & discovered what multi-band compression could do to the vocals in the mix. I did have to educate the other band members into handing over the control of their volumes to me on the mixer as they tended to tweak during the performance. I asked them to give me their loudest signals when setting up. After several performances I became familiar, more confident with metering & quicker at sound checks. I also realised that although rated at 500W per channel, that's peak/max on the LED meter. With the master volume giving a 0, mostly green & occasional orange the o/p power would be 125W into 4 Ohm & the headroom of 6dB would double that to 250W & double it again to 500W. The point here is that to fill a medium size venue the actual amount of power going out is quite modest really. The 500W per channel is only headroom & not used but in reserve. Without patience & co-operation from the other performers it can at times seem a thankless task but I enjoyed it when I got a good live mix for a show. The luxury of an off-stage sound engineer is something most of us do not have. Some advice I received was that with practice your hearing can become more focussed on what you are listening for. The phrase, "a trained eye would have spotted that straight away", is often quoted. I'm sure that the phrase, "a trained ear would have spotted that immediatley", is equally true. Unfortunately I find EQ - ing particulary difficult with my hearing now being on the way out. Do look after your hearing. You might like to try [url="http://astralsounds.com"]http://astralsounds.com[/url] for live sound tips. Anyway, good luck & thanks once again for the link. Regards, C

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1368696845' post='2080217'] Who is this grandad clown reviving these old threads? [/quote] [quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1368696845' post='2080217'] Who is this grandad clown reviving these old threads? [/quote] That's me. I'm retired from full time work now so more than likely I'll be making a nuisance of myself just like any self-respecting OAP. Nice pic Bill. I notice you live in New Hampshire, a beautiful part of the world. I usually visit my 3 grandsons in Connecticut every 12 months or so. The eldest, 11 yrs, got his first 3/4 spanish acoustic this year so I taught him 'Blue Suede Shoes' for his first tune. I enjoy reading your information on the net & thank you for making some technically difficult stuff more readily understood. Regards, Chris Russell

Watts rms is the one to use to approximately match amp and cab. Avoid clipping on SS amps, e.g. i/p gain too high. Watts rms presupposes a sine wave. It is slightly greater than the average power of a sine wave over time. Watts music power is an invention to supposedly take consideration of the complex music envelope. It cannot but used in calculations. It's a marketing ploy to be ignored. Peak power is most useful in mixing wrt metering to avoid clipping and maintain headroom. I wouldn't be comfortable if I had to push my i/p gain or master volume much over 5 at a gig. I like to know I have plenty of headroom. That's for SS amps. That sinking feeling when equipment goes on the blink is not good.

I'm selling my Peavey Max 450 because it's too loud. I'm keeping it's smaller brother the Max 160 which I have used for several years into an Ampeg 115. Both Peavey amps are very well made & repairable. You may be experiencing the Law of Diminishing Returns wrt volume. For one volume level to appear x2 another level, it needs to be 10dB louder. That means approximately doubling the power, doubling it again, then doubling it again to sound twice as loud. So, 8 watts power to the speaker appears to be just twice as loud as 1 watt. The logrithmic volume potentiometer used for the volume control should follow the ear's sensitivity but I too find that most change occurs from 0 - 5 with my amp's. If you plot the curve of a volume potentiometer, (X = degrees rotation, Y = Ohms Resistance), it does approximate a logrithmic curve but the track appears linear in 2 parts, 1/2 gradual increase, 1/2 steeper increase. Also of course the hearing will become less sensitive the longer we're exposed to loud sounds. Reading back over what I've typed I sound like a bloody retired teacher who can't get out of lecturing mode so I'll stop now before it gets too nerdy!

I bought a CB100 when they first came out several years ago. It was my first & only brand new bass amp purchase, all others being 2nd hand. At the same time my brother bought the CB30. I sold the CB100 when I bought a DB115 which I still have. I still use the CB30 when pracising at my brothers house. He's hanging on to it. I also have a Roland KB150 which I have used for practice, good transparent sound. I have never had a reliability problem with Roland. The quality is very good. They have a service centre in Newport I think. I phoned them up to get a replacement Jack socket nut & they were very helpful. The wattage rating is accurate. I gigged with my CB100 for 3 - 4 years at small to medium venues without any problem. The only reason I don't still use it is I discovered 15" speakers. The amp models were ok & the ext speaker o/p useful when I got an SWR 10" Workingman's cab. I do recommend Roland but they are expensive. Good luck.

Hi there, we don't have a KB player but our drummer outputs from his Roland kit into channel 1, (gain control set & left at about 12 o'clock as this affects the line out level to the mixer), of his Roland KC-150. This is on a stand so faces him directly. He controls the master volume of the KC-150, (this does not effect the line out level). A line out for drums goes to the mixer & hence FOH. The FOH mix, minus drums & bass are fed back from AUX 2 to Channel 4, (own gain control), on the KC-150. Channel 4 is a dedicated monitor channel & is not output to the line out. He has full control of what he hears & adjusts the mix of drums to FOH, & his mix volume level as he prefers. This arrangement would also work for keyboard.

Black Country - 6 piece cover band. We aim for £600 for a wedding. As mentioned above, they usually involve an extended show, maybe an extra instrumental set as guests arrive. We also supply background music & a disco to finish the night off. They are usually an all day affair & we dress for the occasion. WMC's we like £300 but for some regular smaller venues we charge a bit less maybe £240 if we like the place/people. Pub's £180 if you can get it. We're avoiding many pub's as the facilities are poor & they don't/can't afford to pay a decent rate. There are some well run pub's where the landlord takes an interest in the music & isn't just concerned about how many extra punters you'll bring along. Having said that, times are tough & they have to be concerned about making enough sales to pay the fee. This year has seen our bookings drop. Our lead guitarist/manager is finding it much tougher this year than last to get bookings & we are considering going with an agency who have offered us regular work. We have recognised that gigging has now become a hobby for us that hopefully pays for itself. For those younger band players who want maybe to make a living in the business times are tough. The biggest competition seems to be Karaoke singers who can pocket £100+ a night, but I prefer to "KEEP MUSIC LIVE".

[quote name='alwoodcock' timestamp='1347012534' post='1795923'] I need to get a bass amp for around £300-400 and, looking at second hand gear there are one or two Peavey amps around. Any good? [/quote] I've used a Max 160 head into an Ampeg B115E cab for several years. Simple & easy to transport & loud enough for most pubs/WMC's. I get the sound I like out of it. Made in the USA they are manufactured to a high standard & are servicable, if ever necessary, as all components are discrete. Yes they are on the heavy side. They employ 'traditional' circuitry & are not flimsy. So, reliable - very, sophisticated - not. I did have the max 450+210+115 complete Peavey rig which was just to powerful for my needs. The Deltabass, Nitrobass & Firebass are the same as the Max 160, 450 & 700. This series was discontinued for the Tour 450 & 700. I like my Peavey Max head & bought another one, just in case, but I've never used it & now I don't bother taking it as backup. For me, Peavey are good workhorses.

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1346258936' post='1787155'] I have gigged successfully for several years using a Roland Cube 100 watt. As a piece of kit I can recommend it highly, check out the reviews on this forum for other people's opinion. Obviously, the suitability of 100 watts will be dependant on type of music, type of venue etc. Quite often the clincher is having a drummer who is willing and able to play at lower volumes. [/quote] Recommended.

I have found that both the Gretsch range, (model depends on depth of pocket), & the Epiphone viola have slimmer necks than the SG/EB models. Again these are both 'old school'.

Hi, I've been in the same situation over the past few years - bass player & sound engineer. I've progressed from the cheap & cheerful to a setup I'm now happy with. Along the way I've enjoyed learning so much from so many sources - other musicians, books, internet etc & have had failure & success. Sound engineering is a fascinating topic & populated by truely expert folk whose trained ear I wish I had. And that's the key, learning to listen & interpret the sound, & apply knowledge to the venue. It is surprising, just doing mainly WMC's, how different each venue can be. The rig we have now suits us, a 6 piece amateur band, mainly 60's - 70's pop & rock, (electronic drums, bass, rhythm & lead guitar, male & female vocalists). Portability is important because we ain't young anymore. Yamaha EMX5016CF powered mixer, (500W x 2 - good level monitoring & excellent feedback cancelling). The manual is informative & well written compared to others I've read. I house this in a Gator G-mix 19x21, (wheels). Pair of EV SX300 FOH, (I can add 2 more cabs for larger venues) Roland KC150 drum monitor & foldback Studiomaster PAX12 foldback wedges, (knotch filters) We always carry a spare powered mixer after a Behringer gave up in a puff of smoke some years previous. The heaviest item is the collection of leads in my Rolsen trolly shopping cart. Everyone else expects me to have a spare lead for them! My advice is to protect your equipment well with cases & covers for everything & learn how to best stow it to avoid damage in transit. Coil all leads properly. Always have gaffa tape. Make sure every band member does their fair share of lifting. Insist on members following your instructions during the sound check, a sound check is not the time for them to practice their riffs. I'm afraid you might have to impose a little discipline on the band. The disadvantage of being a player on stage & ic of the PA can be overcome by having someone out front who can signal you if the sound needs a little tweaking mid show. This can happen after setting up in an empty room & then the intrusion of 100 punters changes the acoustics dramatically. As the night goes on you may be requested to turn up the volume. This is normal due to hearing fatigue. HEALTH & SAFETY - Yup. I carry a 13A mains plug adapter trip but most stages will have them built into the sockets. Take care lifting & shifting, you may be young & strong but look after your back, share the load. Look out for trip hazards, use the gaffa tape but instruct everyone how to de-gaffa when you're packing up, this will avoid a gungy set of leads after a few gigs. Visually inspect all mains power leads before use everytime. PAT test all mains powered equipment annually. Some venues will require this verified, it is the law. Double check things like speaker stands that might collapse & fall on a member of the public. Never allow drinks near a mixer. Yup, all the boring stuff will become your responsibility I bet. I appear to be waffling on a bit now. Anyway, hope I've been been helpful & I hope you have some great times in the future.

I agree with the above. I bought mine several years ago & have gigged with it in small/medium venues, DI'd it when necessary, & now it's my practice amp but would happily take it on any gig. The 100 watts stated power is believable. I was, am impressed with Roland quality & have also purchased a DBass 115. I also use a number of their Keyboard amps for drum monitors etc & have never had a problem over several years. The KC-150 is particulary useful with channel 4 being a dedicated monitor channel & therefore not fed back to the line out. This enables an electronic drummer to use channel 2 as a drum monitor with independant volume control, send the drum signal line out to the PA, & also receive an aux mix of vocals & lead/rhythm guitars back in from the PA on channel 4 with it's own independant volume control. The drummer is happy & so are we, we have a volume control knob for the drums & he has control over what he hears on stage. None have a fan which is a preference of mine. Back to the CB100 - definitely an unsung gem, I'm keeping mine. Has anyone tried it's successor yet the Cube-120XL ?

Hi, I've just replaced 2 speakers in the PA cabs, (EV SX300's) & on the advice from Nigel at 'Lean Business' used 2 Eminence Delta12A's & they sound fine. You might like to email them stating the make & model of the previous speakers. They replied quickly, gave good advice & are keenly priced. Good luck.

I've just read the "Technical Information" again on the Barefaced site. Good source of info' & interestingly they seem to frown on the 410 configuration & don't offer it. Yet the 410 is so popular nowadays among pro's & amateurs alike! There are however just to many variables for me to remember so I'll just rely on my ears from now on even though I'm slowly but surely going deaf. It would be interesting to hear your opinions when you get your hands on those cab's "stephBclef", especially every which way, i.e. 115, 410, 115+410 stack, then try 410+115 stack.

Trying to answer the original question regarding speaker sizes, I concurr with the generally held view that 15's tend to favour the low fundamental frequencies & the low mid's which we associate with warmth/fullness/roundness. 10's tend to favour the higher mid's which we interpret as punch/attack/clarity. 12's favour the mid's & hence are favoured by lead guitarists. It follows then that a mix of the 2 sizes would meet all requirements but other sources of advice mention the quagmire of mixing different cone sizes in the same speaker array & that it's a hit & miss situation with good & bad results. A 1x15 + 210 pair recommended by a manufacturer should be matched apparently to avoid phasing problems. I assume the phasing problem comes about due to the different dispersion characteristics of 10's & 15's. I note that virtually every rule about speakers is contested by experience & although I find the subject fascinating I fear I shall never gain a satisfactory understanding of it.

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1345451843' post='1777526'] [attachment=116087:480821_495822190431417_1920718080_n.jpg] [/quote] That rig must sound belly-warming!

& what a good feeling it is when everything comes together just right on the night. After spending to much money trying out various brands of guitars, amps, cabs & combo's I always come back to my Peavey Max 160 head into an Ampeg B115E for my gig-rig. Together they occupy that 'warm' place in the sound spectrum that I like & it sounds like you experienced. I have finally run out of GAS & it's a good place to be. I do rate Peavey bass gear as great value for money & very reliable due to excellent build quality. I did try the Max 450 with the Peavey 210 + 115 but it was over the top volume-wise for my needs but just as good. Some cab's I've tried had more bottom end, e.g. the Ashdown ABM 115, but lacked the even response from low to mid that the Ampeg & Peavey cabs seem to have. The 210's I've tried on there own were ok but a 115 just does it for me. The tried & tested 210 + 115 might be the combination you're looking for. I find that I need to live with & use a rig in a number of different places over a few months to familiarize myself sufficiently enough to trust my opinion. The problem being that my/our opinions/feelings about our gear are a mixture of subjective facts & inexplicable emotional attachments. Your gig-rig is not any 1 item. It is a complete system. If you picture a circle, you-instument-amp-speaker-room-you. The input is you & the output is fedback to you the input, which continually adjusts to achieve the desired outcome. Change any item in that system & the outcome will change. Anyway, I'm glad you had a great night & wish you many more of the same.

I also share this dislike of fans in my bass amps & therefore my current rigs, (Peavey & Roland), have none. My PA though, (Yamaha EMX), does, & I don't mind that as it is barely audible. I suspect it's because the bass amps with fans that I've owned have not been quiet enough when used at home for practice & that means in a small room where the fan's hiss presents a distraction when concentrating. On stage it wasn't noticable. It is not beyond the capability of manufacturers to build in quiet, reliable, thermostatically controlled fans & some do e.g. my HP laptop currently being typed on. Studio use of course demands quiet equipment. In my previous working life I have encountered radio transmitter valves of the kilowatt variety, (2-3 feet tall), being cooled by large volumes of blown air. Also, water cooled rectifier diodes plumbed into a water jacket & supplying 100's of amps to industrial D.C. motors. Supercooled, refridgerated amplifiers are used at the front end of satellite receivers to maintain a high signal to noise ratio. So, whether to avoid thermal overload and/or to maintain a low noise threshold cooling ain't new. It's production costs I suspect that dictate, but noisy fans lacking any control are just not accepable & there's no excuse for manufacturer's not to address the problem.

Personally I find neo's crisp & clean, sort of hi-fi-ish, ferrites less so & warmer, which I like. The comparison here is between my Ampeg B115E & my Roland D-Bass 115. Another consideration I believe is that neo's, having a smaller thermal mass, are likely to be less tolerant to overheating. The one thing we all seem to appreciate though is the weight advantage.

Out of curiosity I tried a 12" basslite in my Roland BC100. I'm afraid it just didn't sound good at all & I replaced the original. I suspect with small enclosures matching both enclosure & driver is more critical than with larger cab's.

Congratulations. Isn't it just great playing live alongside good people. There's nothing quite like it. Enjoy every minute.

Hi there, where about are you, which area of the country do you live?

The gig-rig is my Tokai EB3 & Peavey Max 160 head into an Ampeg B115E. No other rig, (& I've fallen to temptation on a regular basis over several years), has, to my ears, delivered the sweet-deep tone that this setup does. For practice I have a Gretch Junior Jet II & a Roland Cubebass 100. However, I suspect my relatively simple setups are a reflection my ability. Maybe the more accomplished a player the more he/she can enjoy & exploit a greater variety of equipment. I also suspect that coming to playing & performing late in life, (50's) & then surprising myself at being able to achieve a reasonable level of skill, I now prefer to remain in my comfort zone. Anyway all my other gear is up for sale at a friends music shop. I have finally run out of gas.

We had Laney 10" powered wedges previously but after a couple of venues that gave us feedback problems we changed to Studiomaster PAX 12's bought from Oakleigh Music in Halesowen. They aren't light being MDF but they are sturdy. The variable notch filter is very effective & even with a microphone pointed directly at the speaker at 1 metre will quickly kill the dreaded "howl" usually at around 200 - 400 Hz. The powered wedges (about £220) drive passives (about £120) at 120 watts. In use we don't need to have the gain & volume at more than 5 even on a large stage, (WMC size large). At an out door event I guess the 120 watts would come in handy. They have the usual gain, volume & hi & lo tone controls, mic & line i/p's, a link & speaker ext o/p's. Also they have rubber feet on the end as well as the base, useful for transportation. A pole mount means they can be used as a small PA. We've had them for over 12 months now & have probably done about the same amount of gigs with no problems at all. Another choice is Peavey - reliable & robust. They are a little dearer but lighter, I think they may be ply. The 5 band EQ can used to notch out any feedback. Our drummer (Roland kit) uses a Roland KB150 which is an excellent monitor amp as channel 4 is a dedicated monitor channel which doesn't get fed to the line out & so he can independently monitor his drums, send them to the mixer & receive a vocal mix back. After one particular gig some years previous when the on-stage sound level was so loud it was actually painful I now insist on a comfortable level & check that each member is happy with the monitor mix. This makes for a much better performance from all involved. The other thing to remember especially the younger players is hearing loss/damage. I'm down to 11-12kHz so I've lost the top 8kHz. I shall probably need a hearing aid next year. Look after your hearing now by keeping your sound at a comfortable level or you'll pay the price in later years. God bless those who suffer deafness, there but for the grace etc.