Al Krow

Are single active FRFRs nothing more than a glorified combo?** Aha! The truth is out Not proposing to go down the combo vs separates discussion here, as that's a separate and relatively well trodden. [Aside: although I am quite tempted by the Fender Rumble 800 (400W stand alone, 800W with extension speaker. Relatively sophisticated effects / amp modelling built in, 2x10, 35 lbs and under £700 all in!]

But why bother with the weight and cost of a RCF745 (or more typically a RCF745A) when a BF SC will do the job and by all accounts is a fairly flat-response cab? Are single active FRFRs nothing more than a glorified combo?** If so, we all know that combo's have their place. But a lot of us have 'moved on' to separates, given the flexibility and additional portability that they often provide. ** actually 'unglorified' maybe more appropriate, given that they lack a preamp!

@itu - really helpful, balanced, comments thank you! And doubly so, given that they are from a RCF 745A owner, which seems to be one of the most highly regarded active FRFR, and who is not saying that this is necessarily the best thing since sliced bread for bass players.

I stopped believing in monsters when I was six. You'll need to elaborate

We can agree to disagree about Eva's version - IMO there's a hauntingly beautiful quality to her vocals which appeals to a swathe of listeners. But what is beyond dispute is that, unlike a number of covers of Bob Dylan tracks (e.g. All along the Watchtower - Hendrix, Someone like you - Adele), there's no way that Eva's version could be said to have 'made the original'. Sting did that fine all by himself.

Bloody hell that's expensive. What are you selling them for on fleabay?

If you were going for a single powered speaker such as the RCF 745A or the QSC K12.2, then does it not also make sense to go for a dedicated bass combo such as the Fender Rumble 800? I'm guessing that the 'general' FRFR is geared to provide very good sonic response across the range of instruments and vocals whereas a bass combo will be specifically geared for...bass. Then there's the BF FR800 which seems to be essentially a very expensive bass combo? Why get that with its 600W power module rather than a dedicated amp plus a BB2 and keep all the benefits of separates? (Appreciate that this topic may have been covered at length in the FRFR mega thread somewhere - but thought it might be useful to have this particular angle covered separately).

Cheers for that. But I still can't get my head around ANY amp sounding louder through a BF 110 than the BB2 just based on speaker cone size and greater driver displacement in the BB2.

No worries. Totally relate to what you're saying about coping with a 5: panic attack sums up exactly how I felt on a couple of the numbers when doing my first full two hour set with a 5...

I know, BCers are an abusive lot at the best of times aren't they? 😄 What are the EQ mid points on your new bad boy? And does it have heft? (I really don't give a Rat's Tail whether it's good for metal) 😁

Excellent, congratulations! So did you end up getting a brand new one from BD?

@51m0n three TF Bulheads in FS including a 1K for your delectation! I will be interested in what amps the sellers move onto and how they stack up against their TFs, but that’s for another day

Really weird that you should be getting a bigger sound with your 110 than the BB2 at 300W? In fact with the bigger speaker size and additional driver displacement, I would be expecting it to be the other way around ie the volume from your BB2 to exceed the 110 by a margin (in the same way I’d expect a 410 to be louder than a 110). A capable cab shouldn’t require a monster amp to drive it. Hmmm...if what you’re getting is common to BB2 owners, it will definitely make me think twice about upgrading my SC to a BB2.

Am I correct in thinking you are London based? If so, I’ve got a white 1025, which you would be welcome to borrow for the gig if you don’t mind the extra string?

Absolutely no science involved in amp and cab design I agree. The notes come into being by themselves.

Ok thanks. I was hoping it was "more than a feeling" to quote Boston... I do like the rationality of Dood's explanation; it has the solid core of being testable / replicable and on such fundamentals has humanity's progress been built these past four centuries.

Can you elaborate on the 'transient thing' please?

The other immediate action point for me is to change the EQ centre on my DG M900 for the low mids to 250 Hz or alternatively move the mids selector switch on my Ibby SR bass from 750 Hz to 250 Hz, so that I’ve got this key range you’ve identified covered by one or the other. Looking forward to giving that a try out when I’m back ‘at the ranch’ next week.

@Dood thanks buddy. Excellent (as usual). Lots of great EQ wisdom there, too, to mull on. I may need to buy @dave_bass5 's Q/Strip after all!

They’re not necessarily always better. Depends on the gear in question, innit? But guaranteed to be older (vintage) and heavier (valve / big gear) 😄

So another analogy to add Skinnyman's torque is that just as a painter or photographer can (rightly) seek a certain quality in the "light", similarly musicians can surely seek a certain timbre from their instruments? A Stradivarious will have a richer tone than a £500 violin. They can certainly both play the same notes at similar volumes. Heft is just one aspect and a label that many of us commonly apply to a certain quality of the sound that our amps and cabs deliver.

Fixed 😁 Good description - do like the torque analogy. Whereabouts is your shelter and is there room for more than one?

Nonsense. My Mesa M6 doesn't make me feel superior nor does my DG M900 make me feel inferior. I enjoy them both for what they are. It's not a subject I've spent any time discussing before today and, due to a lack of a bass to hand this week, improving my playing is a touch tricky... 😄

Hmmm, interesting. In theory a recording should be able to capture the sonic signature of heft and it still should be felt provided you have a faithful recording and sound system. In practice well sound engineered album tracks will, anyway, be a lot better than what any of us can produce in terms of recording a live performance.