Combo as side fill

[Mark_ii]

Folks,

I have a very basic question, please comment and advise, all comments welcome,

I have a decent enough stack but when you stand to one side or the other it sounds muddier than when you're directly in front of the stack. For our drummer I'd like to give him a clearer sound but because some stages are quite small he ends up pretty much at right angles to the direction that the cabs are pointing in ..... so he doesn't hear my sound as clearly as he should or possibly could.

So, here's my question ..... can I add a small combo to my setup and point it across stage, like a side fill really. I can's add another cab to my existing stack because I'm already at 4 ohms (which is the most my amp will support), adding another 8 ohm cab will do damage I think. However, if I use the DI from my bass head and connect it to the input of a bass combo, will this give me an acceptable solution. ??

I know i'm not really clear in this but I'm hoping you can understand what I mean anyway. Please let me know if this doable. Many thanks folks.

[Lozz196]

I don`t know about the DI option, as am not very technical, but if you use a Boss TU2 tuner, you can connect up to two amps at the same time (and stay in tune) so this would enable you to do what you`re after. Get a "wedge" shaped combo, and angle it towards your ears, should do the job. I`d clear this idea with the rest of your band first though.

[JTUK]

You can use the send off the amp as a signal to the combo... but you might need gain levels on your sends ...
You may also be able to send that to the input of the amp and use just like another signal.

If you are playing small places and you have a stack that is very directional...to the point that the sound is not clear
either side.
I'd say the problems start here as the solution you propose is overkill, IMO.for small places

What rig are you running..???

[Mark_ii]

I have a MarkBass CMD 102P into a MarkBass151HF Cab. My other combo is a 15" Carvin BX (this one I was going to use a a subtle side fill across the band just to clear up the local sound on stage. Maybe I should just angle the CMD 102P around at 45 degrees so that it will act as side fill across the band and leave the 151HF pointing directly out to the audience. ? I'm not sure if that is a workable compromise.

[xgsjx]

Put your 102 on it's end so the speakers are vertical. I found this makes a huge difference to the spread on stage (I have the same combo).

You could still use a 2nd small combo from the DI on the back of the 102 head & put it on stage (maybe facing the band from the front, if there's room).

[Alec 'Aleb' Mills]

I wonder whether using the DI out into a powered moniter? Then again I am also not an expert and haven't tried this.

[Mark_ii]

Right, good suggestion, I'll certainly give this a go. Thanks everyone for your feedback so far.

Incidentally, is the problem I'm having quite common or am I experiencing something rather unique in finding a muddiness at various points on the stage. The sound outfront seems to much much cleaner.

[JTUK]

It wouldn't be something I'd put up with in a rig myself. The whole point of it is that it fills the stage with a full sound which is why I advocate a full rig as opposed to a rig that can cope.
I wouldn't put yours in that category on tha face of it..or rather I am surprised you think it doesn't cut it.but muddy or unclear..which may be relative, makes it sound like it can't

W

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1334414774' post='1615935']
Put your 102 on it's end so the speakers are vertical. I found this makes a huge difference to the spread on stage (I have the same combo)
[/quote]

This is what I would suggest. It's not going to cost you anything so might as well give it a go to see if it helps.

[xgsjx]

[quote name='Mark_ii' timestamp='1334418579' post='1616002']
Right, good suggestion, I'll certainly give this a go. Thanks everyone for your feedback so far.

Incidentally, is the problem I'm having quite common or am I experiencing something rather unique in finding a muddiness at various points on the stage. The sound outfront seems to much much cleaner.
[/quote]

The mixed sounds on stage are possibly due to the different sized soundwaves coming from the 15 & the 10s. At different points on the stage you'll get boosts or cuts in certain frequencies as they move through the air at different speeds.

A wee read on Barefaced's or Bill Fitzmaurice's websites would explain this a bit better than I can.

[Subtractus]

Might have phase issues with separated bass cabs - in clubs with pa speakers on stage I have had luck with switching phase 

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

I bet he got it sorted, 12 years ago. 🤪