alexclaber

[quote name='phil_the_bassist' post='233584' date='Jul 6 2008, 01:51 PM']Is anyone bringing along pedalboards? I've just dived headfirst into the world of effects, and I'd like to see what you guys think of/can do with my newly aquired effects![/quote] I don't have my crazy pedalboard any more but I could bring along my pedals which my guitarist now normally uses - Fulltone BassDrive, MXR Phase 90, EBS BassIQ, Sovtek Big Muff - if they're a novelty to anyone. I'll also have my RIM Custom 5 with me, plus my old Warwick Streamer which should be a tapewound funk machine by then. Alex

[quote name='david_l_perry' post='232933' date='Jul 4 2008, 10:32 PM']If you want to start making these cabs to supply them to punters and sell them for a profit, the finish is [i]the most important part of the finished product[/i].[/quote] I know. [quote name='david_l_perry' post='232933' date='Jul 4 2008, 10:32 PM']Ditch the top handles, revert to side mounted flip handles or steel bar handles, work on the carpet skills or invest some time and money in a painted finish other than the tuffcab, as it scratches far to easily. Perhaps sending the cabs off to places that do the truck liner stuff (line x coatings for example)[/quote] These cabs are so light that flip handles and bar handles which compromise cab integrity and add weight are pointless. I will see how the tuffcab performs before making a final decision. Alex

[quote name='stevebasshead' post='232834' date='Jul 4 2008, 05:12 PM']Also allow a dB or two if the wind is in the direction of the cut-off mic.[/quote] The wind can make a huge difference. One big gust in the wrong direction and... Alex

Coolness! One of the BFM forumites has measured an EA Wizzy M-Line's frequency response plot and I've just overlaid that with the calculated/measured plot for The Compact. There are two lines for the Wizzy, one with equal voltage (i.e. same gain on the amp), one with equal power. The Wizzy is smaller but it's about the same weight and the price is far higher. I love the EA designs, definitely some of the best in the business, so this is really satisfying! Alex

Am rapidly getting the first of The Compacts together. First box and bracing all together, baffle waiting to be glued in. Very pleased with how the dimensions have worked out - tall enough to get the speaker away from the floor (to minimise early reflections) and closer to your ears for better mids but nice and shallow so easy to carry. The build is going so fast as I get more experienced that I might do a pair for my next gig just for total overkill! I'll leave the finish until afterwards so my first customers get completely fresh shiny cabs. First come, first served! Alex

[quote name='Machines' post='232788' date='Jul 4 2008, 04:19 PM']It's very easy to over analyse 'poor technique' when in reality what matters is what you hear.[/quote] No names mentioned, the late great James Jamerson... Good technique is anything that gets the sound you want without causing unnecessary physical strain. That's it! However it's usually best for beginners to learn with a much more blinkered view of technique just to avoid truly bad habits. Alex

He turns his amp up really really loud! Alex

If it's the A1(M) then you can expect 75-80dB 10m from the road at rush hour. Due to motorways being similar to a line source the sound drops by less than 6dB per doubling of distance so the road alone could trip that meter. If the meter is A weighted then at least it will be less sensitive to bass at least. Doesn't bode well for the rest of the band though... Alex

[quote name='bassjamm' post='232678' date='Jul 4 2008, 01:30 PM']It's just a personal thing mate, i can't help it if that's what i like. If what i end up with is a pre-amp/power-amp solution, unless it's an SVT-IIP pre-amp, then i won't be happy. Just me being an ass, but i'm the one that will be using it.[/quote] Just to put my mind at rest, could you tell me why you have this prejudice? What is the reason behind your need for a head rather than a pre/power rig? [quote name='bassjamm' post='232678' date='Jul 4 2008, 01:30 PM']The SVT's volume is really irrelavent to the case in point, it's a loud amp, i like it...yes it can do bedroom practice, but i'm still moving it on. Volume isn't a factor here...i was just illustrating the point that i don't need a 1200watt power amp.[/quote] So what you actually meant was that you believe the SVT has more power than you actually need, not that it is too loud for you. [quote name='bassjamm' post='232678' date='Jul 4 2008, 01:30 PM']The HA2000 has never given me any kind of jipp with regards to cabs. I've not really used it for a while though. My whole rig at the moment, well, the SVP with the HA2000 is all very punchy, but it lacks the awesome depth of the SVT to my ears. I could get a really deep sub bass kind of sound from the SVT. I'll see how i go tonight with the SVP and HA2000, but i think it'll still be a shade off what i'm after.[/quote] Deep sub bass sounds require lots of power. So all the supposedly surplus power which the SVT has is probably the reason it can produce a much deeper sound than your HA2000. Unless your band is very quiet or you're using tons of compression then your HA2000 is unlikely to be running without regularly hitting its limiters on low notes. [quote name='bassjamm' post='232678' date='Jul 4 2008, 01:30 PM']I'm not denying the SVP's use at all though...i'd just like 1 unit to haul around.[/quote] A rack is one unit to haul around however many components it contains, though obviously once you get past deep 4U racks they become rather a handful. Alex

You'll need the SPL meter to be at least 400' from the band to have a chance of not tripping it. Alex

[quote name='bassjamm' post='232642' date='Jul 4 2008, 01:01 PM']Because i'm not really wanting to fill my rack with loads of different things, although it's an option at the moment. I'd just rather have an amp, not a pre/power rig. It's personal preference![/quote] If you're already using a rack the only difference is an extra on/off switch! I understand you have a personal preference but as I can't see any sense behind it I am questioning it. [quote name='bassjamm' post='232642' date='Jul 4 2008, 01:01 PM']It does, but it's still loud![/quote] Then turn it down more or stop plucking so hard. I do not believe any amp exists that is so loud you can't practice at home with it without disturbing the neighbours let alone always being too loud in band situations. Going back to your use of the HA2000 - does that amp supply all the bottom you need without your cabs ever farting out? Alex

Write some music. Then at least you can be discontent with your art and not your gear! Alex

[quote name='bassjamm' post='232611' date='Jul 4 2008, 12:27 PM']I'm not doing pro tours though so i feel the Powersof would be way too much. I'm doing funk clubs and bars. The biggest of which is the Jazz Cafe or HiFi in Leeds, neither need more than i've got already! I understand the whole class D thing, but i'm not sure it really bothers me all that much. I just want a warm sounding amp, preferably tube of some kind, and solid. It doesn't have to be feather weight!!! I can't stress that enough, it just needs to be lighter than my SVT II! To give you an idea, i'm running my SVP through my old Hartke HA2000, that's a 200 watt solid-state power section, and it's more than loud enough for most of my needs. The SVT II is always too loud, but it's an awesome amp![/quote] Puzzled. If the SVP works well with the HA2000 then why not stick with that? Or replace the HA2000 with a dedicated power amp. I don't understand how the SVT II can always be too loud. Surely the volume knob turns anti-clockwise too? Alex

[quote name='BB2000' post='223181' date='Jun 20 2008, 07:22 PM']For instance the Genz Benz shuttle 6.0 (which uses a 500W rated class-D module) will go into thermal shut down if asked to deliver a continuous load of greater than 70W into 4 ohm, or 200W into 8 ohm.[/quote] This is very interesting! Where did you find this info? It certainly highlights why chasing lower impedance cabs for allegedly more power can be futile. Would be interesting to see how other lightweight amps compare, presumably similarly... Alex

[quote name='bassjamm' post='232386' date='Jul 4 2008, 12:36 AM']I'm still considering your amp mate, but i could potentially end up with a new amp and a nice pile of spare cash if i play my cards right here. You're amp is just too pricey at the moment. I have a buyer for my SVP if i decide to move it on, and if the SVT II goes, then i'll have a decent amount to play with. I also want 1 box that's all colour coded I'm a but weird like that![/quote] The downside of going 'all colour coded' is you end up with less amp for your money. I've kind of lost touch with what Ampeg heads cost but they've never struck me as great value, especially compared to using one of their preamps and a quality power amp. The Powersoft amps are as good as they get and by buying used you guarantee little or no depreciation cost when you next change your rig. I can understand the logic of wanting new cabs because speakers do suffer from wear and tear and abuse but quality power amps with comprehensive protection circuitry like my QSC and the Powersofts are very hard to break. There are exceptions of course but fortunately pro touring gear like this is designed to be repairable. Don't compare bass heads with rackmount power amps of allegedly equal power output - the latter's specs are to much more stringent standards and therefore they offer significantly more real world power into the challenging reactive load of a bass cab. Alex

[quote name='MB1' post='232149' date='Jul 3 2008, 04:49 PM']MB1. About time...Jack Daniels did a Lemmy Signature Bottle of J.D. [/quote] Will anyone pay for a bottle that's already been drunk? Alex

I now believe the acid test for a good soundman is if they look pleased when they see an Avalon U5 in my rack! Alex

[quote name='molan' post='232138' date='Jul 3 2008, 04:41 PM']Surprised to see it's only 100W - unless it's a typo and should read 1000W [/quote] 100W of overdriven valves into a 4x12" and 4x15" is loud enough to blow most drummers out of the venue let alone off the stage! Alex

A rare photo where I'm not eating an SM57! Alex

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='232037' date='Jul 3 2008, 02:36 PM']Sadly all amps and cabs look light on the computer screen. Then when they arrive, they become ugly things that you trip over in the hallway! Fit wheels if it's not got any, makes life slightly easier.[/quote] When I finished my first superlight cab I showed it to my mother-in-law and said "pick it up, it's really light!" She did. She disagreed. I suppose I should have said it's really light for a quality bass cab, it's not light compared to an empty cardboard box of the same size! Alex

[quote name='cheddatom' post='231874' date='Jul 3 2008, 11:54 AM']My leack of headroom wasn't really that I wasn't loud enough, but that my amp tended to break up in a way that I didn't want at the volume I had it, so extra headroom gave me the same level but a different tone.[/quote] Yeah, I should have been clearer about that. Basically any reasonably powered amp will give you enough midrange to be heard. The challenge is getting enough clean bottom - most speakers have far too little excursion limited power handling to give a lot of output in the lows unless you share the load across lots of speakers, which is one reason the classic 8x10" works rather well. In designing my Barefaced Bass cabs I've really focused on getting high excursion limited power handling from a lightweight cab without giving up sensitivity - unfortunately there aren't many speakers you can buy that are either not hideously expensive or have specs that suit bass guitar as opposed to PA subwoofer use that fulfil those criteria. In the past once I had my sound running through a few full-on effects pedals you could barely tell what bass I was playing or how I was playing it! But give my any bass that isn't totally dire and an amp that's loud enough and I'll be me. Alex

[quote name='cheddatom' post='231851' date='Jul 3 2008, 11:19 AM']The two examples I gave were quite subtle changes in tone that would not have been achievable if I hadn't bought the gear. Not "that far removed".[/quote] The lack of bottom end and headroom comes under the not being loud enough or not having enough output to get the tone you want at high volumes. Once you're into effects I find it's a whole different world to 'standard' clean or slightly dirty bass sounds - I used to use a big board with a dozen pedals on it and at that point the gear becomes much more essential to the sound. I remember one song I wrote relying on a Deep Impact into a Unibass into a BassDrive - that is a monstrous sound and pretty inimitable! Many gear problems can be solved by a better understanding of how to use the gear - correct gain staging, EQing, positioning for acoustic benefits, etc. Alex

At least the DC resistance cannot be higher than the nominal impedance and is rarely less than half the nominal impedance. That plot shown above is quite useful - shows why obessing over 4 vs 8 ohm nominal impedance to get max power is so futile, as the region where you need the power is where the impedance has the big peaks. Alex

[quote name='cheddatom' post='231831' date='Jul 3 2008, 10:43 AM']I think in quite a few situations, if you are frustrated with your "sound" (tone) then it can be solved by changing your gear.[/quote] If your tone is that far removed from the tone you want then yes - but it's always worth seeing how you can get closer to that tone with your existing gear. In my opinion most tone problems are tied in with not being loud enough or at least not audible enough in the mix and sadly in the majority of cases these are more easily solved by changing what the guitarist is doing, not what you are! Alex

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='231736' date='Jul 3 2008, 03:59 AM']* Maybe someone can help me find one: It was a 1x15" combo, the amp flipped upside-down into the cab for storage, and it had a metal spike that screwed into the back so you could tilt it. Cleverest little combo I ever saw.[/quote] Sounds like a B15 Portaflex. One of the few classic bass amps. Not v loud but still popular for recording. Alex