Lozz196 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 The big valve amps and big heavy cabs to me do sound better, but not to the extent that I would want to carry them around. If they sounded twice as good then I might be tempted but to me it really is only about 10% better, there`s just a bigger "feel" to the sound, as oppose to just the loudness. But with careful use of a good amp/good pedals I`m nearly there, with a rig that my knackered back doesn`t mind at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1456159020' post='2986054'] ...my 'new' Fender Rumble has put a smile on my face immediately... a combo can be useful sometimes. [/quote] Ah-ha, so you did it, then! I'm glad you like it. I'm going for the 100 as well... Edited February 22, 2016 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1456163258' post='2986116'] The big valve amps and big heavy cabs to me do sound better, but not to the extent that I would want to carry them around. If they sounded twice as good then I might be tempted but to me it really is only about 10% better, there`s just a bigger "feel" to the sound, as oppose to just the loudness. But with careful use of a good amp/good pedals I`m nearly there, with a rig that my knackered back doesn`t mind at all. [/quote] I agree and how much of that 10% gets to the audience via the PA if the gig is big enough to require a big amp? This "perfect tone" is mainly only enjoyed by the player as their on stage monitoring. Edited February 22, 2016 by sunburstjazz1967 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1456157874' post='2986039'] A heavy amp is still pretty light compared to a heavy cab [/quote] My family is aghast at how heavy my gear is, and I say, '...that's LIGHT for a bass combo!' But yes, it's the heavy cabs that do the real damage, especially if you're on your own. Hauling two 410s in a rock band did my back in for sure, they had to go. But I have trouble with a 35kg all-valve amp too, more's the pity. Those buggers are NOT light by any definition of the word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 I'm hoping that the 80 watt Dynacord valve amp I'm fixing up at the moment will be a good middle ground, as it's surprisingly small and light at 12.6Kg, and should be loud enough for most of what I do. Between 10 and 20kg in any one item seems to be an amount I can lift without regretting it the next day; any more than that I try to avoid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 [quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1456166154' post='2986176'] I agree and how much of that 10% gets to the audience via the PA if the gig is big enough to require a big amp? This "perfect tone" is mainly only enjoyed by the player as their on stage monitoring. [/quote] And how often do you get to really hear that 'perfect tone', even on stage? It's very venue dependent for positioning, then there's the guitard and those cymbals to contend with...the clearest I've ever heard my bass tone onstage is with a nice me-centric mix in my in-ears (and I use them with modelling software), and then...oh...I don't need the big rig... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 I'm often surprised when people consider my GK 1001RB amps as heavyweights. At around 21.5 lbs, to me they are best of both - reasonable portability with old school tone. (There again I did used to schlep around an Ampeg all valve SVT rig complete with 8x10....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 I don't subscribe to the lighter-but-not-quite-as-good thing with micro/lightweight kit. My experience is that my lightweight amp and cab sound better than my heavier conventional solid state kit ever did. I have limited experience of valve bass amps mind, so can't comment there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 (edited) 21.5lbs isn`t bad, doable, even in a rack. That said all of my gear, pedals, amp, leads etc in a bag/case isn`t that heavy and at the end of the night I`m crackered carrying that. I forgot to add on my previous post - I wonder how much of the sound we love and associate with valve amps actually comes from speaker stacks with many speakers such as 810s or two 410s. Maybe it`s the amount of speakers all going at once that we love. Now if only someone was using a micro Class D amp with an SVT810................ Edited February 22, 2016 by Lozz196 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 [quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1456167471' post='2986199'] And how often do you get to really hear that 'perfect tone', even on stage? It's very venue dependent for positioning, then there's the guitard and those cymbals to contend with...the clearest I've ever heard my bass tone onstage is with a nice me-centric mix in my in-ears (and I use them with modelling software), and then...oh...I don't need the big rig... [/quote] If the rest of my band would go in ears all I'd use is a di box, in fact I could just use an inbuilt fx patch in our digital mixer, now that would be light weight, how heavy is a software patch?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1456168831' post='2986223'] I wonder how much of the sound we love and associate with valve amps actually comes from speaker stacks with many speakers such as 810s or two 410s. Maybe it`s the amount of speakers all going at once that we love. Now if only someone was using a micro Class D amp with an SVT810...[/quote] I briefly plugged a GK MB200 into an 8x10 in a rehearsal room and it sounded fantastic. But the MB200 sounds fantastic anyway. Looked pretty silly, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Heavy amp, lightweight cab.. works for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1456170701' post='2986252'] I briefly plugged a GK MB200 into an 8x10 in a rehearsal room and it sounded fantastic. But the MB200 sounds fantastic anyway. Looked pretty silly, though. [/quote] I dont mind heads smaller than cabs, its the ones wider than the cabs that I couldn't cope with on stage, I see lots of these barefaced cabs with a wider rack case on top and it looks bad to me, many pro players use massive cabs without a head on show at all, Flea has 7 big cabs and no heads for example! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 [quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1456221145' post='2986672'] Flea has 7 big cabs and no heads for example! [/quote] They're all empty - he has a Rumble 100 offstage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 [quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1456221145' post='2986672'] I dont mind heads smaller than cabs, its the ones wider than the cabs that I couldn't cope with on stage. [/quote] I agree, but an MB200 on an 8x10 is just hilarious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazdah Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Why shoul I care about 5lb amp when I still need to carry 20-30 or 40lb cab? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 (edited) [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1456221490' post='2986680'] They're all empty - he has a Rumble 100 offstage. [/quote] No need for that even but whilst people on a bass forum will buy gear that they see and hear with their eyes when their favourite players are clearly on in ears then it pays to ship 7 GK cabs around the world I guess?! They mic up one 10" speaker and that supposedly captures the tone of them all. Edited February 23, 2016 by sunburstjazz1967 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 [quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1456224877' post='2986718'] No need for that even but whilst people on a bass forum will buy gear that they see and hear with their eyes when their favourite players are clearly on in ears then it pays to ship 7 GK cabs around the world I guess?! [/quote] Don't be silly ... he's so bored playing the same old same old that he's actually listening to Adele on his iPod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 (edited) [quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1456224877' post='2986718'] No need for that even but whilst people on a bass forum will buy gear that they see and hear with their eyes when their favourite players are clearly on in ears then it pays to ship 7 GK cabs around the world I guess?! They mic up one 10" speaker and that supposedly captures the tone of them all. [/quote] Of course, it's for the look of the thing. I'm sure some members here still like to stand in front of an impressive rig regardless. It was the case for me too, up until relatively recently. Now I'm gigging a lot more I very quickly came to appreciate gear that does what I want it to do but is also as portable as possible. I don't care [i]too [/i]much about what it looks like on stage. Edited February 23, 2016 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1456224995' post='2986723'] Don't be silly ... he's so bored playing the same old same old that he's actually listening to Adele on his iPod. [/quote] Lets hope it's not the Grammys performance then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amnesia Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1456182527' post='2986460'] Heavy amp, lightweight cab.. works for me! [/quote] Me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1456221646' post='2986682'] I agree, but an MB200 on an 8x10 is just hilarious. [/quote] Ahhh, the old 'paperback on a wardrobe' look....worth it just for that. I briefly had 2 x GK 410s a short while ago, and I can confirm now that no, it's isn't just numbers of speakers...it's the quality. They were nowhere near as full as my 2 x 112 Bergs... They did look good, though...but by the time I'd shifted them round the house a couple of times, I was completely bored with them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 (edited) Big heavy rigs are great...until you have to move the things. I only ever went as far as a 410 cab and rack mount amp and other bits but that was enough. Even the 30 steps from the car to rehearsal room become tedious. Give me lightweight any day, my current amp weighs 3lbs or just over 1.3kg. Edited February 23, 2016 by Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
largo Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 I think, like some others that there's a compromise. A decent non-Class D amp is still only 12kg or so and lightweight cabs weigh not much more. It's not "micro" but my amp & cabs is still light enough for me and I hope will be for another 10 years at least. I appreciate some fellow BC'ers are much less able but these players should really stick to bedroom playing, I'm not really sure how they manage with a 10lb bass wrapped round there neck for a couple of hours at a time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 (edited) [quote name='largo' timestamp='1456241664' post='2986947'] I think, like some others that there's a compromise. A decent non-Class D amp is still only 12kg or so and lightweight cabs weigh not much more. It's not "micro" but my amp & cabs is still light enough for me and I hope will be for another 10 years at least. I appreciate some fellow BC'ers are much less able but these players should really stick to bedroom playing, I'm not really sure how they manage with a 10lb bass wrapped round there neck for a couple of hours at a time [/quote] I don't see why being 'less able' should preclude anyone from doing gigs. I agree that a Class A/B amp weighing 12kg isn't heavy - unless you need to carry it for a considerable distance. It's not always possible to park directly outside a venue, especially in large cities. Edited February 23, 2016 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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