How much power will i need?

[Mikeg]

How much power/speaker size will i need for practicing and performing in a reasonably small area with a VERY load drummer?

Would an ashdown electric blue 180 do the job?

[Legion]

[quote name='Mikeg' post='940892' date='Aug 31 2010, 01:00 PM']How much power/speaker size will i need for practicing and performing in a reasonably small area with a VERY load drummer?

Would an ashdown electric blue 180 do the job?[/quote]
Personally I find the acoustics of a room have a large effect on the "clarity" of the sound - the place where we normally rehearse is awful and everything sounds washed out and just noisy. Having a loud drummer is going to be the key factor though, I'd think you would want at least 300W to hear yourself well if he's a serious tub-thumper.

Maybe get him to use Thunder Rods? they sound a little different but certainly stop the snare from peircing into your brain with every strike.

[warwickhunt]

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Happy reading!

[Truckstop]

Oh god! How long's a piece of string?
Um, I would say that the Electric Blue would not do a fantastic job on it's own. Invest in an external speaker cabinet and then you'll be moving more air and you'll be able to hear yourself without your gear sounding like it's breaking.
I used to have a similar Laney 200w job and that was barely audible over drums and guitar, but then i got myself an external 2x10 cab and the problem solved itself. It was a Laney though. Still sounded rubbish.

Truckstop

[xgsjx]

Power wise, over here in the uk you're best with 240 volts.
I've practiced with a 30 watt combo, a loud drummer & 2 guitarists (I've played gigs with this too).

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='940926' date='Aug 31 2010, 01:31 PM']Power wise, over here in the uk you're best with 240 volts.[/quote]

Volts is potential difference, power is watts.

[chris_b]

If your LOUD is the same as my LOUD then you'll need about 4 of those combos.

Or better still 300 - 500 watts and a 410, 212, 215 etc etc.

Edited August 31, 2010 by chris_b

[JTUK]

Agree......

We have to vet places we play now as drummer and small places don't mix.

300 watts min for a bass, IMV, and with a full band sound you'll be running out. Of course, punters may be deafened..as will the band, but drummers don't seem to understand this..and they play better when they attack things.

I love our guy but sometimes yearn for a lower levels.

[Colledge]

volume can't be measured in terms of power, you have a trade in of amount of speakers and power. you could easily cover your needs with 100w if you don't mind carrying some big, heavy, efficient speaker cabs. If you have more money though, you can make smaller speakers make as much sound as a less powerful amp with more (larger) cabs.

[51m0n]

IMO as an absolute minimum 300w and a 2x12 enclosure

Better get 500w and use it for 'proper' gigs too.

[sk8]

I use a 30 watt and 200 watt tube amp and back up amp is a Solid State 500 watts so go figure

[clauster]

An EB180 will keep up with a loud drummer (and guitarist) if you're not too fussy about your tone.

I've had mine for four years and for 2 1/2 of those it was just for rehearsals with a covers band - it was okay for the job, but my bass sounded a million times better DI'd through the band's PA.

The last 15 months I've been playing in an originals band (alt/punk/ska type stuff) and its kept up well with a (very) loud drummer. But there is a fair amount of distortion going on through everything been driven too hard. At volume its one tone only and it helps if you can place it so that you get some bounary reinforcement. Fortunately I like the sound.

If you want deep bass and a clean tone and be able to use the tone controls, look elsewhere.

[chris_b]

It sounds like loud to some people isn’t as loud I have experienced. That's probably why my ears are ###ked. Read the pinned Ear Plug topic and understand what you have to do to protect your 15 year old hearing.

Your hearing will be affected quicker than you imagine!

[bigjohn]

[quote name='clauster' post='941036' date='Aug 31 2010, 03:05 PM']An EB180 will keep up with a loud drummer (and guitarist) if you're not too fussy about your tone.

If you want deep bass and a clean tone and be able to use the tone controls, look elsewhere.[/quote]


Yup. I reckon you'd be able to EQ the amp and your bass to be clearly audible, but then your EQ is for getting the right tone innit? not for cutting frequencies that you can't hear over the rest of the band and boosting those you can...

[fatback]

[quote name='Colledge' post='940994' date='Aug 31 2010, 02:29 PM']volume can't be measured in terms of power, you have a trade in of amount of speakers and power. you could easily cover your needs with 100w if you don't mind carrying some big, heavy, efficient speaker cabs. If you have more money though, you can make smaller speakers make as much sound as a less powerful amp with more (larger) cabs.[/quote]


+1

Very sensible point.

[johnnylager]

A thousand. Just to be sure.

[Mikeg]

Thanks guys
i think i may go for the ashdown mag 300 with a 2x10

[lojo]

[quote name='Mikeg' post='941679' date='Sep 1 2010, 07:46 AM']Thanks guys
i think i may go for the ashdown mag 300 with a 2x10[/quote]

I have used a mag 300 in a large pub gig and it struggled, I think its 300w is weak and with only a 210 am I right in saying the cab would be running at 8ohms?

I've played lower watt rated older combos that seem to do a lot more or at least = what the mag rig could do (SWR workingmans, Laney etc)

Sorry to throw a spanner

[Lozz196]

In my experience, whilst a smaller lesser powered combo can be loud enough, you end up sacrificing a lot of the tone you want, to achieve the volume. I`d say go for a minimum of 300watts (solid-state) that way you`re likely to only run the amp on abt 3 or 4 on its master volume, so instead of pushing it too much, its well within its limits, and you can eq it to yr preference. I had the Marshall MB4210 combo, 280 watts on its own, 450 with ext spkr, and it was plenty loud enough on its own with drummer and 2 guitars with half-stacks. So combo or head/cab, 300watts plus gets my vote.

[Marvin]

[quote name='Mikeg' post='941679' date='Sep 1 2010, 07:46 AM']Thanks guys
i think i may go for the ashdown mag 300 with a 2x10[/quote]
[url="http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~Ashdown-Mag-C210T-300,-Ex-Display~ID~11134.asp"]Ashdown combo[/url]

Like this one? I don't know for sure but to get the full 300w out of it I think you need an extension. Can anyone confirm this?

If you're playing small venues I think perhaps your drummer is going to have to learn some restraint. Talking as a punter and not as bass player, if you're in a small place and someone's bashing the hell out of a kit, many of your potential audience might well leave for sake of their hearing. Just my opinion though.
All the best in your hunt.

[Protium]

1.21 jiggawatts

[mep]

Buy a 2nd hand Trace head and the cab of your choice. With my Series 6 AH200 & 2 cabs I'm frequently told I'm too loud with my output volume on 1.5 or 2, which is all I can ever play at for gigs.

[rptrsn2]

At least enough to overpower the guitards, only way to make them turn down and be able to keep a reasonable stage volume!

[BassPimp66]

It's not about the watts. it's about how much air you move.
A 4x10 enclosure powered with 300 watts head will sound louder than a 2x10 powered with a 500 watts head.
In my experience, 4x10 or 2x10+15 are a minimum to heard yourself with a LOUD band.
Depending on rating of the cabs, you will need a minimum of 300 W and you will be at home with 500 W.
Start by figuring out how much cabs you want can carry.

[throwoff]

Following on from this weeks drama I would say 1000W of SVT should do the trick

Edited September 3, 2010 by throwoff