On loud stages I have had the front of my DB acting like a large microphone and could clearly hear the kick drum through my monitor even though it was not being sent there. So the instrument creates sets of problems before it even gets to amplification. I used to get all fussy about DB specific amps, but an Fdeck or a Vong HPF, both of which have a nice high impedance input sorts all that stuff out. A decent HPF sorts out nearly all the problems. The thud all we DB players crave does not really happen in the lower reaches of LF so a cab which does not actually go all the way down there is often better. The nicest not stupidly heavy cab I ever had was an ACME 12". It was bigger than your average 12 and that really let the speaker breathe. The nicest one of all was my Berg IP310 - but I could go on about that forever.