Live vs practice room cabs

[razze06]

So here I am, yet another forum member asking for cab recommendations...

My problem is quite simple: I have two different rigs, one for practice room use, and one for live usage (see signature for details), and I am looking for a cab that would help me thicken up my live sound.
Our band is a 4 piece, the guitarist's sound is quite thin, so the bass does a lot to thicken up the sound in the practice room. We mainly play small venues, like function rooms and smallish pubs, so I can't (and don't want to) use my large and heavy rig. The tecamp mini rig does the job beautifully volume and tonewise, but our live sound needs more "something", be it bottom end, lower-mid frequencies, more unfocused mids, not sure. Something that fills the room a bit better. I feel that my 2x10 can't provide this at gigging volume, so I'm asking for recommendations for a change of cab(s).

Fire away, ask for more info, or just insult me for wasting your time...
Cheers

[charic]

Whats the Ohmage of the Amp / Cab that you're using?

Could you add a 15 rather than replace?

[Truckstop]

F**k you for wasting my time.

Truckstop

[yorick]

[quote name='Truckstop' post='981444' date='Oct 8 2010, 11:54 AM']F**k you for wasting my time.

Truckstop[/quote]


Charming...................

[Lozz196]

The addition of a 1x15 will certainly give what yr after in terms of sound, but then yr back to a load of gear to carry abt. A 4x10 will probably be yr answer, and there are many out there, but I think if I were looking at an easily portable cab, I`d check out the Hartke Hydrive 4x10.

Another thing to consider could be a Sansamp Bass Driver - I used to have a Trace Elliot amp, with a 1x15, and used the bass driver to really warm and thicken up the sound - made my Squier Jazz sound like a Fender Precision. That way, you keep yr current gear

[charic]

Or a compressor actually, or DI into the PA. Or all of the above!

[umph]

you should maybe get your guitarist to sort his tone rather than trying to fill all the frequencys yourself

[razze06]

[quote name='Truckstop' post='981444' date='Oct 8 2010, 11:54 AM']F**k you for wasting my time.

Truckstop[/quote]



I asked for it, didn't I?

[mep]

[quote name='charic' post='981507' date='Oct 8 2010, 12:51 PM']Or a compressor actually, or DI into the PA. Or all of the above![/quote]

Try a compressor. You'll be suprised at the different tones you can get.

[razze06]

Thanks for the suggestions:

I don't have a problem when I use a PA, the problem is only in smaller gigs when we don't have PA (most of our gigs)

The tecamp cab is 4 ohm, and the head can't do 2, so it's a case of out with the 2x10, and in with something else. 4x10 is possiblity I hadn't entertained, I shall investigate the hartke and some others for comparison and completeness! I tend to like the sound of 15' cabs over 10', but i'm not set in my ways.

The sound problem is actually entirely mine, the rest of the band don't seem to think there is much of a problem at all. But _I_ think there is a gap in our sound when we play live, and I think it's due to the lack of low frequency rumble. And I could be completely wrong and a different cab setup won't make any difference.

[razze06]

I've used a compressor for a while, but didn't do very much for me. The tone I get is excellent at low volumes, but when we crank up enough to play live (we do mainly rock/funk/rocknroll covers), the tone seems to thin out too much for my liking.

[Conan]

What did you make of the touring BFB Compact when you tried it out?

I'll probably get flamed (oops! Sorry! ) for being a sycophantic Claber groupie, but it sounds to me like one of these cabs would give the kind of tone you are looking for as well as plenty of volume and hardly any mass at all...

Of course, if you didn't like it.... I am selling two rather fine Ashdown 410s that will give you the tone you've always been searching for!

[ezbass]

I changed to a Schroeder 2x12 (1212L) from 2 Ashdown 2x10s. This cab is very low mid centric and cuts through nicely, add extra low end to taste and you're good to go. It's the best on stage & FOH sound I've had, super happy. YMMV

[razze06]

[quote name='Conan' post='981576' date='Oct 8 2010, 01:58 PM']What did you make of the touring BFB Compact when you tried it out?

I'll probably get flamed (oops! Sorry! ) for being a sycophantic Claber groupie, but it sounds to me like one of these cabs would give the kind of tone you are looking for as well as plenty of volume and hardly any mass at all...

Of course, if you didn't like it.... I am selling two rather fine Ashdown 410s that will give you the tone you've always been searching for! [/quote]

I would be very happy with one of them compacts, i think. Certainly trying it made me realize I could get much more from a single cab than I am at the moment, hence the topic... Bank balance bit of an issue right now, unless I can sell my current cab at a really good price. I haven't even tried really, but I should get started before the (sparse) winter gigging season starts.
I already have an ashdown 4x10, one the cheaper MAG series, the ones with the blue cones. Got it super cheap, and I was going to try it on its own with the tecamp head next practice, to see how a 4x10 does on its own.

[razze06]

[quote name='ezbass' post='981578' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:00 PM']I changed to a Schroeder 2x12 (1212L) from 2 Ashdown 2x10s. This cab is very low mid centric and cuts through nicely, add extra low end to taste and you're good to go. It's the best on stage & FOH sound I've had, super happy. YMMV[/quote]

i'd love to try one, but no one seems to sell them up here, and I need to try before I buy

[Conan]

[quote name='razze06' post='981588' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:07 PM']I already have an ashdown 4x10, one the brilliant MAG series, the ones with the blue cones. Paid a lot for it but I'm really happy...[/quote]

Fixed it for you

[chris_b]

I don't know what your budget is but I'd look at adding a cab to your "mini" rig to make your "big" rig. My first choice would be another 210 or a Compact. I tried a Compact with my Bergantino 210 and they sounded great together, but your amp and just a Compact would sound like most peoples "big" rig!

[razze06]

[quote name='chris_b' post='981609' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:21 PM']I don't know what your budget is but I'd look at adding a cab to your "mini" rig to make your "big" rig. My first choice would be another 210 or a Compact. I tried a Compact with my Bergantino 210 and they sounded great together, but your amp and just a Compact would sound like most peoples "big" rig![/quote]

The 2x10 is 4 ohm, so I can't just add another cab in parallel, it would be too low impedance for the amp. I would have to wire another 4ohm cab in series, and i'm not sure it's the right thing to do. I'm really looking at replacing the cab, which is a shame given the quality and the great tone I get at low volumes.
Compact looks like a good option, it's just a cash issue at the moment, so i'm mainly gathering opinons.

[Conan]

[quote name='razze06' post='981644' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:48 PM']Compact looks like a good option, it's just a cash issue at the moment, so i'm mainly gathering opinons.[/quote]

There have been a couple of second hand ones come up recently, but they go very quickly at the £300-350 price range. Keep your eyes peeled!

[razze06]

[quote name='Conan' post='981597' date='Oct 8 2010, 02:14 PM']Fixed it for you [/quote]

Cheers, that's exactly what I meant!
I've got to say that they are not bad cabs at all, but i'd let it go for another marshall 1555 folded horn cab, like the one i've got!

[xgsjx]

I'd sell all the "Big Rig" & the Tecamp cab & just get the one rig sorted for all situations. That way you practice with the same sound as you play live with.

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='981815' date='Oct 8 2010, 05:45 PM']I'd sell all the "Big Rig" & the Tecamp cab & just get the one rig sorted for all situations. That way you practice with the same sound as you play live with.[/quote]

What he said ^

Saying that I have a pair of Aguilar DB12's and despite thinking that I can use one for rehearsals and two for gigs, I always end up using both cabs ALL of the time... practice, big gigs, little gigs, anytime!

[razze06]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='981815' date='Oct 8 2010, 05:45 PM']I'd sell all the "Big Rig" & the Tecamp cab & just get the one rig sorted for all situations. That way you practice with the same sound as you play live with.[/quote]

Makes sense, and always had. I never had two rigs until the famous tecamp bonanza of some time ago... Maybe it's time to bite the bullet, sell all the old cabs and get some good new ones...

[JTUK]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='981823' date='Oct 8 2010, 05:52 PM']What he said ^

Saying that I have a pair of Aguilar DB12's and despite thinking that I can use one for rehearsals and two for gigs, I always end up using both cabs ALL of the time... practice, big gigs, little gigs, anytime! [/quote]


Me too. They are so moveable that putting 2 in the car is no problem..and it is INDEED true that the 2 work so much better than the one. It isn't just a question of cutting down to one cab and getting half..it is more than that...starngely enough.

Atm..I have the rig set up to practice at home exactly as I would use them live. If it wasn't so portable I'd probably sort something else out. Not really fussed too much about the sound at home, myself...