alexclaber

I frankedsteined my black Hohner Jack into a bare wood, Bartolini'd fretless. Sounds so much better than before - excessive paint thickness is such a resonance and thus tone killer! Alex

[quote name='charic' post='560249' date='Aug 4 2009, 02:54 PM']if alex done a 4x10 that looks rawk I could be in trouble lol.[/quote] Why would I want to do a 4x10"? But I agree about the looking rawk thang, v important! Alex

Yes, dedicated Speakon, don't try to force a 1/4" plug in! Alex

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' post='560173' date='Aug 4 2009, 01:40 PM']Out of interest (Alex), what is the -6dB (upper) point for a Compact?[/quote] It's at about 4kHz. But if you're comparing a single Compact on the ground to a cab that's stacked on another cab then the narrowing dispersion at higher frequencies will make it seem a lot lower. Get it off the ground and/or tilt it so it's pointing at your ears and you'll hear that it's dead flat to about 1kHz, then has a bump of a few dB to about 2.5kHz, and then starts to drop sharply at about 3.5kHz. Alex

[quote name='John Wheatley' post='560059' date='Aug 4 2009, 11:46 AM']Sounds like good quality advice from those more experienced than me, so thanks very much. Not gigging now until September so I've got plenty of time to think it all over.[/quote] Whereabouts in the UK are you? You might like to slot yourself into the 'Barefaced On Tour' schedule here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=53414&view=findpost&p=557968"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&sho...st&p=557968[/url] Alex

[quote name='Mr.T' post='559986' date='Aug 4 2009, 10:19 AM']I just want a 'classic rock' loud, clear, warm tone with some top-end bite.... without any boom or clack.[/quote] As I said before, I'm sure that's the root of the problem - 'classic rock' tones are generally quite dependant on colouration from the amp/cabs. [quote name='Mr.T' post='559986' date='Aug 4 2009, 10:19 AM']I really question whether modern lightweight kit can compete with the heavy stuff tonally (No offence Alex... or anyone else), for the sound I want.[/quote] I'm sure it can. As I've said before, the weight has bugger all to do with the tone - I can't see the point of making a cab heavy when with a bit more cunning you can make it light! I'm still concerned that you need a bit of subtle dirt to get the tone you want - I'll reclaim my BassDrive from my guitarist and you can try that in front of your amps to get the compression/colour that I think you need. Alex

[quote name='The Funk' post='559967' date='Aug 4 2009, 09:57 AM']It's strange that other great singers like Nat King Cole also had to be persuaded to sing on top of playing their first instrument.[/quote] And even stranger that definitely-not-great singers like myself have to be persuaded to stop singing and focus on their first instrument... One of my favourite albums ever! It's so good on so many levels. Love his cover of Jealous Guy. And Willie's tone and playing throughout is so BIG! Alex

For serious lows at serious SPL I'd always be happiest with a big (though not necessarily heavy) solidstate power amp. That DB680/Crown rig would be righteous. I'd also consider an LH1000 plus a nice overdrive pedal like a Fulltone BassDrive. Comes in at the bottom end of your budget and is devastatingly loud, plus you get to pick exactly the type of grindy second channel you want. Dual power amps allow it to run a pair of 4 ohm cabs but still put out huge power into a single 8 or 4 ohm cab when bridged. All amp heads are so tiny compared to cabs that I really wouldn't worry about what they look like, only you will notice. Get cool/wow cabs instead! Alex

[quote name='Stag' post='559803' date='Aug 3 2009, 11:25 PM']I do like your website Alex - very to the point, no jargon-waffle... a refreshing change![/quote] Thanks! New site on the way but keeping the same theme content-wise. Alex

I've yet to gig with it but the GB Shuttle 6.0 is a very nice piece of kit. Personally I prefer the feature set to the LMII/III - I like having the valve preamp and a semi-parametric mid. It also has a more old school sounding output limiter that starts squishing earlier but softer as you run out of power. Since the Markbass prices went up I think it works out a bit cheaper. Here's mine sitting on my prototype Midget with a Compact lurking behind it: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=55882"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=55882[/url] That Shuttle/Midget rig weighs less than 28lbs in total yet will definitely play as loud as your big Fender! Alex

[quote name='Mr.T' post='559750' date='Aug 3 2009, 10:38 PM']However, I was led to believe it was a full range cabinet.... It isn't! I thought it would replace both my cabs.... It doesn't![/quote] Actually, a while back I asked you to try your 2x10"+5" and your 1x15" separately and report back on how you found them. You responded that they sounded very similar and you'd be perfectly happy with either, hence my suggestion that the Compact would be fullrange enough because it's just as fullrange as those old TE 15"s. If you had said that you needed the top-end of the 2x10"+5" then I would have told you that the Compact wouldn't work. Wait for the Big One, see how that works. Alex

[quote name='Mr.T' post='559564' date='Aug 3 2009, 07:42 PM']Now I am (even more) confused! ... and my Trace was only rated at 250w @ 4 ohms.[/quote] But you were using two high sensitivity cabs with it. The Compact has similar sensitivity to one of them, actually probably a fair bit more, but not as much as both together. 300W from your LMII won't be quite as loud. I still think a lot of this is psychoacoustics due to having that old bass sound so thoroughly ingrained. Anyway, I'll get a Big One off to you on Wednesday and we'll see how that works out! Alex

Bear in mind that just as my various models sound different, so do Trace Elliot ones - plus you have the variable of your 20 year old cabs vs the current ones, which are likely to be totally different, especially as none of them have midrange drivers! If you're not 'seriously loud' then maybe the Big One will do the job? It certainly has the advantage of a seriously punchy midrange driver. Hang onto the Compact for a moment and I'll send you one later this week so you can see if it works. As it has wheels the extra size shouldn't be a portability issue at all. I do think that when it comes to changing gear you need to be patient - you need time to suss it out for yourself which is why I'm changing the trial period to a month (it's on the new site but I haven't done the switchover yet). And step away from the EQ - it is rarely the answer, bar a little tweak here and there. Alex

[quote name='charic' post='559289' date='Aug 3 2009, 03:32 PM']Have you tried placing the cab on something out of interest? Getting your cab more toward head/chest height will mean that higher frequecies will reach your ears a lot easier. Your drummer may also appreciate this [/quote] I agree that this is definitely worth trying, the highs from the Compact will be much more directional than those from that 5" mid in your old TE. Point the speaker at your ears! Alex

[quote name='Mr.T' post='559277' date='Aug 3 2009, 03:12 PM']I am going to have a think about this, and what to do next.[/quote] Give your drummer some lighter sticks and tell your guitarist to turn down or chip in towards another cab or chiropractic fees! Even if your guitarist won't turn down much, if he'll just free up some space in the high midrange for you then the problem will be solved. Easier said than done but so worth trying! Alex

[quote name='Mr.T' post='559207' date='Aug 3 2009, 01:45 PM']So in a nutshell, the Compact is not for me... or I need to put another cab on top of it.[/quote] Five options really - stack a Midget or Midget T on top. Stack another Compact on top. Swap the Compact for a Big One. Swap the Compact for a Double Midget T. Or get something else entirely. As your band is LOUD and your amp isn't hugely powerful I'm starting to think the Big One won't be the right move - for a band that loud you need more like 750W+. The Midget or Midget T on top seems appealling to me - it'll be louder and more midrangey that the Compact on its own and you'll hear it better because of the height. Two Compacts will be loud and easy to hear - to see if this approach has enough midrange and top for you, try the Compact on its own but lifted up on top of something about 2' high. I think the forthcoming Double Midget T could work rather well as a small-ish one cab solution - I'd think you'd want the tweeter with that to improve the dispersion of the highs as it won't have the height of a two cab stack. Personally I'd go for the Midget T + Compact to get the sound and volume you need. Alex

[quote name='Mr.T' post='559189' date='Aug 3 2009, 01:26 PM']Sorry, I don't really understand what you are saying?[/quote] Well the first issue is that I'm sure your brain is so used to the sound of your old rig that it finds it easier to hear - just like a parent can easily pick our their child's voice amongst a cacophony of other children - we are programmed to be good at hearing familiar sounds, it's just something evolution has done for us because it helps us help our offspring to survive. The second issue is that the sound from a cab exhibits different dispersion at different frequencies. If the cabinet has good dispersion at all frequencies than it will perform much better in difficult acoustics because the direct sound (that going in a straight line from the cab to your ear) is very similar to the reflected sound, so it doesn't matter whether your hearing mostly reflected or mostly direct sound. Although the Compact has better dispersion than a 4x10" or a horizontal 2x10" it does not have as good dispersion as a cab with a midrange driver like the Big One or your old 2x10"+5". Alex

[quote name='Mr.T' post='559172' date='Aug 3 2009, 01:17 PM']I was thinking that was the problem I had with inconsistant sound (at different venues) with my SA450 Aggie Ashdown setup?[/quote] I doubt it. The inconsistent sound thing is consistent to most rigs with typical polar response - acoustics always affect your tone. Apart from the psychoacoustic issue (which I swear must be having some impact) I wonder if you're one of the rare few that has got used to using a cab with a midrange driver and has thus got used to its improved polar response and thus the more consistent performance from gig to gig? Alex

[quote name='Mr.T' post='559147' date='Aug 3 2009, 12:51 PM']... But if I went that route, I am back to mixing drivers again.[/quote] I wouldn't stress about mixing drivers - if it works it works! I just wouldn't ever try to accurately predict whether it will work or not - you need to find out in practice. Alex

I think the main issue with the El Whappo is that they claim it's an 'audiophile on steroids' cab and used to state that it was a 4-way design, splitting your tone four ways and sending each part to a driver that was dedicated to that frequency range. But in reality it's a fullrange 15", a fullrange 12", a first order highpassed 6" and a couple of first order highpassed dome tweeters. Sounds nice but quite far from audiophile! Alex

It's something I've considered in the past, likewise a cab cover that acts as an extension to the main cab to increase internal volume. But the problems of rigidity and an airtight seal are so difficult to get around, so the cab will end up a lot more expensive and heavier than you'd expect. I think a lot of the problem is actually psychoacoustic - if you've been using the same rig for 20 years you will be so used to how it sounds that your brain will never have a problem picking it out in the onstage mix. Change the sound and it's going to take your brain a good while to lock onto your sound again. Alex

Yes! Alex

I think one key learning from this is that if you're in a properly loud band (I hadn't quite gathered that Mr T was up against a LOUD drummer and a 4x12") then you're much better off not downsizing but just 'downweighting'! Bear in mind that the old rig was a 1x15" and a 2x10"+5", so total weight ~140lbs or 60kg. If there wasn't so much midrange and top required the Compact could have handled it but when you need to really cut through it's asking a lot of a single 32lbs/14.5kg cab. But I bet a Compact/Midget pairing (total weight 56lbs) or a Big One (total weight 47lbs) could do the job by bringing that extra midrange and increasing the stack height/dispersion making it easier to hear. Also if you are used to playing in loud rock bands your default sound is likely to involve a lot more midrange and highs than you think. That's something I'll bear in mind in the future - if someone in a rock band describes their tone as a nice fat, clean warm sound they mean something totally different to someone in a soul band! Alex

[quote name='Mr.T' post='558844' date='Aug 2 2009, 11:31 PM']I considered the BigOne before buying the Compact. Problem is I would then be going back up again in size/weight. (Which I may well have to do, although I prefer the idea of 2 smaller/lighter cabs).[/quote] You might enjoy the larger but still lightweight single cab with wheels solution, I know I do. I'll put in the updated crossover this week and send it your way! Alex

Who thinks I should send the original Big One to Mr T to see if that solves the problem? It's sitting here looking battered and unloved and might as well go on a tour like those Compacts rather than gathering dust! Regarding cleanness, ooomph, fatness, etc - I think the problem with these words is that everyone has a different idea of what they mean. I'd expect the LM3 to have more bottom than the Shuttle 6.0 because it goes a bit lower and doesn't have the midrange character - but I don't believe that's the kind of fatness being sought. Likewise, I'm sure the Mr T clean bass sound is a clean bass sound - but that doesn't mean there is zero distortion in it! Remember that all the classic clean guitar sounds (Fender Twin, Roland JCM, etc) actually have a lot of distortion and colouration - just nowhere near the massive amount of distortion on a distorted sound. Alex