ChunkyMunky Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 My current rig is a Genz Benz Shuttle 12.0 going into a Barefaced Big baby and I recently have potentially been converted. I played a festival and the backline rig was an EBS head of some sort (Fafner of HD360) going into an EBS 4x10 and oh my, it was MIGHTY. I'm potentially converted. The sort of sound I aim for is something that bulks out the rhythm section of the band, think of a more pop-like Rocco, in which, the sound may not be amazing on it's own but really adds life to the band in the mix. I play a Musicman Bongo 5HH. What do you reckon, guys and gals? Anyone ever had a conversion experience like this or is this an audible equivalent of the grass always being greener on the other side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 I think it depends on what your priority is , I have barefaced stuff because of my poor back , but if I had roadies I'd probably have a Ashdown 8 x10 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Possibly a case of the BB2 being very clean sounding/transparent? Maybe a more coloured cab might be what you`re after. Plus, I always think that a load of speakers going have a focused "bigness" to the sound that just doesn`t seem to be there in single cone cabs. Put a 410 against a 212 and it always sounds "more" to me, not louder but just as you say, bulkier in sound terms. Which is why I`ve just gone for the Barefaced 410 & 210. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 (edited) Seems to me you've got a clean sounding bass going into a clean sounding amp and a transparent cab. More on the hi-fi side of things. This will sound night and day different to a tube amp and a very coloured cab. I wonder what your objective was when you put your gear together. Never mind the festival. Did it sound good to you on the gigs you did previously? You could try your bass and cab with something like a Tonehammer TH500 or an Ashdown. Or just EQ more low end and low mids into your sound. I use a PJ5 and Lakland. They always sound ballsy no matter what amp I use. Edited June 26, 2016 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 (edited) [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1466942651' post='3079844'] You could try your bass and cab with something like a Tonehammer TH500 or an Ashdown. Or just EQ more low end and low mids into your sound. [/quote] Or try a £25 behringer BDI infront of it, before spending a fortune changing rigs. The BB + shuttle setup is a bit of a blank canvas sound wise, you maybe just need something to spice it up a bit. Edited June 26, 2016 by bassman7755 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChunkyMunky Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 [quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1466940724' post='3079829'] I think it depends on what your priority is , I have barefaced stuff because of my poor back , but if I had roadies I'd probably have a Ashdown 8 x10 .. [/quote] If only... [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1466941594' post='3079834'] Possibly a case of the BB2 being very clean sounding/transparent? Maybe a more coloured cab might be what you`re after. Plus, I always think that a load of speakers going have a focused "bigness" to the sound that just doesn`t seem to be there in single cone cabs. Put a 410 against a 212 and it always sounds "more" to me, not louder but just as you say, bulkier in sound terms. Which is why I`ve just gone for the Barefaced 410 & 210. [/quote] Yeah, I do find it sounds clean and transparent. I prefer that idea of it being very clean but full of phat to it (if that's the right way to describe it?). Perhaps trying another 4x10 might be an idea for me? The EBS I played on the gig was just incredible. It might well be because it was my best gig ever but still. [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1466942651' post='3079844'] Seems to me you've got a clean sounding bass going into a clean sounding amp and a transparent cab. More on the hi-fi side of things. This will sound night and day different to a tube amp and a very coloured cab. I wonder what your objective was when you put your gear together. Never mind the festival. Did it sound good to you on the gigs you did previously? You could try your bass and cab with something like a Tonehammer TH500 or an Ashdown. Or just EQ more low end and low mids into your sound. I use a PJ5 and Lakland. They always sound ballsy no matter what amp I use. [/quote] The objective I had when I put the rig together was for something that compliments the band rather than sounding amazing on it's own. After I studied a bunch of Latin stuff, I ended up thinking of my bass to be akin to a horizontal drum. To me, the current rig sounds good but it wasn't the pseudo-euphoria I experienced from the festival rig. The Bongo I use always gets rave reviews from sound engineers no matter what amp I play through, so I'm a bit unsure. Maybe hit up BassDirect to try some stuff out? [quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1466951874' post='3079926'] Or try a £25 behringer BDI infront of it, before spending a fortune changing rigs. The BB + shuttle setup is a bit of a blank canvas sound wise, you maybe just need something to spice it up a bit. [/quote] Oh? I barely even have any pedals to consider, so I might as well start here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 [quote name='ChunkyMunky' timestamp='1466940180' post='3079823'] My current rig is a Genz Benz Shuttle 12.0 going into a Barefaced Big baby and I recently have potentially been converted. I played a festival and the backline rig was an EBS head of some sort (Fafner of HD360) going into an EBS 4x10 and oh my, it was MIGHTY. I'm potentially converted. The sort of sound I aim for is something that bulks out the rhythm section of the band, think of a more pop-like Rocco, in which, the sound may not be amazing on it's own but really adds life to the band in the mix. I play a Musicman Bongo 5HH. What do you reckon, guys and gals? Anyone ever had a conversion experience like this or is this an audible equivalent of the grass always being greener on the other side? [/quote] I had a BB2 for a while, loved it at first but the more i used it, and more to the point, the more i used the studio cabs at our rehearsal place, the more i felt the BB2 was lacking quite a fry things i wanted, and believed i would get from the BB2. On the odd occasion i wouldnt have my Bb2 with me i would use whatever was in the room. Always a 4x10 and these cabs had a huge punch and volume compared to the BB2. I never had any issues with not being heard at gigs with the BB2, but it didnt have anywhere near the kick in the chest these 4x10's and my Vanderklay has. this was not what i expected after reading the website. The 1x15 cab i have now fills things out like the BB2 never did. Its not a clear when played on its own, but due to it being more coloured it seems to have more of a heft to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Not EBS but having recently moved to a Vanderkley 410LNT which is only 24kg in weight I was shocked at the depth and punch compared to my Berg 212 set up. 410 it is for me now👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimmyc Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Have you tried out the bf four10? Welcome to try mine if you want. Also saw this: https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-bass-amplifiers/aguilar-tone-hammer-350-professional-boutique-bass-head-/1176159630 which would pair nicely. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xroads Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 My (probably unpopular..) view: if the FOH sound is done by PA, and your bass is running through a DI, your bass amp/cab is basically a stage monitor. For this purpose, a clean and clear setup can make you really happy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 (edited) [quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1466951874' post='3079926'] ...try a £25 behringer BDI infront of it, before spending a fortune changing rigs. The BB + shuttle setup is a bit of a blank canvas sound wise, you maybe just need something to spice it up a bit. [/quote] This, plus about a billion. A BDI-21 will embiggen* the cleanest amp. It's probably the bass world's biggest bargain, too. Great bit of kit. * It's a perfectly cromulent word. Look it up.** ** Also see 'neologism'. Edited July 12, 2016 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 Another vote for the BDI 21. This brought my Markbass heads to life. I've moved on from it now but i can't go back to playing just a plain amp without something like this in front of it. It's adds so much more versatility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 I own an EBS 4x10 cab. It sounds very nice. However IMO it's fairly neutral sounding in a modern bass cab way and I can get an almost identical sound when I use my Dr Bass cabs with only minimal tweaks to the tweeter settings and the amp EQ. So therefore I would have thought that most of what you really liked about that rig would be down to the amp rather than the cabs. Also it's massively heavy. I can barely pick it up on my own. The only thing of a similar weight that my band loads in and out at gigs is the drummer's stands case, and at least that has wheels on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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