Guest MoJo Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 A few years ago, I bought a Hartke Kickback 12 from fellow basschatter Terry (loudandclear). As I play in a party band that DI's the bass into the mixing desk, I was looking for something to act as a monitor on stage and the Hartke seemed to fit the bill nicely. You can catch glimpses of it behind me in this [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SSzdXAksk1I"]YouTube video[/url]. I tended to play it upright rather than kicked back. After a gig at the Old Trafford Cricket Club where, getting the PA up to the 3rd floor would mean cramming it into a tiny lift, we decided to play off backline, I looked at the little Hartke slogging it's guts out to be heard and decided that I needed something with a bit more ummmph. Several gigs later, the effect of carrying a rather heavy 4x10 cabinet and a Laney B1 head from my house to my car, from my car into the gig (sometimes upstairs) and back home again, I have come to the conclusion that the move was not such a good one. I have seen these Roland Bass Cube 100's about and wondered how they would compare with the Kickback 12. They are similar output, the Kickback being 120 watt. Both have 12" drivers. The Roland of course has the COSM modelling. Has anyone here had experience of playing though a Roland Cube in a situation like mine? How do you think it would fair as a stage monitor? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I'd expect the Bass Cube and Kickback to be much of a muchness output-wise, and tonally it's down to personal preference. How about using the B1 with a lightweight cab? It's a very powerful head but I wouldn't anticipate any issues if used with common sense! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I could only get away with the cube 100 in the smallest of venues I'm afraid. A great amp, with loads of features, but not quite enough to cut it where any volume is required - imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I'll add that I think the cube 100 is superb but not useful enough live. I ended up with a Markbass cmd121P - a MUCH better combo but very much more expensive. Worth it though IMO. I find I now use the 121P for most gigs as well as rehearsals which it was only intended for... Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 [quote name='alexclaber' post='351883' date='Dec 11 2008, 03:59 PM']How about using the B1 with a lightweight cab? It's a very powerful head but I wouldn't anticipate any issues if used with common sense! Alex[/quote] A viable option. I think it may be the route to take. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 [quote name='bassman2790' post='351958' date='Dec 11 2008, 05:19 PM']A viable option. I think it may be the route to take. Any suggestions?[/quote] I use a Markbass 410 cab which is much lighter than most 4 x 10s and sounds great (I use it with an Ampeg SVT-3 Pro). Comes without castors but a trip to the local DIY store and 20 minutes with a screwdriver put that right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 [quote name='King Tut' post='351912' date='Dec 11 2008, 04:36 PM']I could only get away with the cube 100 in the smallest of venues I'm afraid. A great amp, with loads of features, but not quite enough to cut it where any volume is required - imho.[/quote] +1, I also went from the Roland to a Markbass combo (1x15) which is a different league (not much bigger than the Roalnd but sounds like you have a rig behind you). I also found that over a certain volume none of the Roland's models were effective. If size, weight and power are all issues, you can't beat Markbass Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 [quote name='Beedster' post='351970' date='Dec 11 2008, 05:36 PM']If size, weight and power are all issues, you can't beat Markbass[/quote] If you're looking at cabs rather than combos then I'd beg to differ! But for combos you're spot on. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 [quote name='alexclaber' post='351975' date='Dec 11 2008, 05:43 PM']If you're looking at cabs rather than combos then I'd beg to differ! But for combos you're spot on. Alex[/quote] Agreed, although I thought we were talking combos? I really should read the whole thread before replying Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 [quote name='Beedster' post='351983' date='Dec 11 2008, 05:57 PM']Agreed, although I thought we were talking combos? I really should read the whole thread before replying Chris[/quote] You don't rate Markbass cabs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 [quote name='MikeB' post='351988' date='Dec 11 2008, 06:00 PM']You don't rate Markbass cabs?[/quote] Is it me that's mad here or everyone else? For my views on Markbass check out my sig Mike! Alex posted saying HE didn't rate Markbass cabs, I simply replied that I thought this thread was about combos not cabs, which I think it is/was? So yes, I rate Markbass cabs, Markbass heads and Markbass combos. Did I leave out anything? I'm going to the pub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 [quote name='Beedster' post='351997' date='Dec 11 2008, 06:10 PM']Is it me that's mad here or everyone else? For my views on Markbass check out my sig Mike! Alex posted saying HE didn't rate Markbass cabs, I simply replied that I thought this thread was about combos not cabs, which I think it is/was? So yes, I rate Markbass cabs, Markbass heads and Markbass combos. Did I leave out anything? I'm going to the pub [/quote] Maybe I'm falling into the same trap of not reading threads properly. Thought you were agreeing with the comment that Markbass were good for combos but less so for cabs. My original comment was responding to the suggestion that Bassman2790 could try a lightweight cab with head rather than a combo. Having said all that......see you down the pub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 [quote name='MikeB' post='352003' date='Dec 11 2008, 06:18 PM']Maybe I'm falling into the same trap of not reading threads properly. Thought you were agreeing with the comment that Markbass were good for combos but less so for cabs. My original comment was responding to the suggestion that Bassman2790 could try a lightweight cab with head rather than a combo. Having said all that......see you down the pub[/quote] Not sure what I was agreeing with any more (or whether I still agree with it). See you down the pub Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 [quote name='MikeB' post='351988' date='Dec 11 2008, 06:00 PM']You don't rate Markbass cabs?[/quote] They're pretty good, I'm just saying you can do better - please don't take that to mean that I don't rate them or that I think they're rubbish, just that in my opinion they are not the very best lightweight cabs for the money. Now I would say that because I'm making the cabs that I believe are a notch or two better yet as competitively priced but I have good reasons for my claims! (See my signature and click on comments for a head to head comparison). But I agree that for lightweight combos that you can't do better for the money. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 [quote name='alexclaber' post='352450' date='Dec 12 2008, 09:30 AM']They're pretty good, I'm just saying you can do better - please don't take that to mean that I don't rate them or that I think they're rubbish, just that in my opinion they are not the very best lightweight cabs for the money. Now I would say that because I'm making the cabs that I believe are a notch or two better yet as competitively priced but I have good reasons for my claims! (See my signature and click on comments for a head to head comparison). But I agree that for lightweight combos that you can't do better for the money. Alex[/quote] Ah, now I see how and why a thread on combos became a thread on cabs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 [quote name='Beedster' post='352463' date='Dec 12 2008, 09:52 AM']Ah, now I see how and why a thread on combos became a thread on cabs [/quote] Even before the concept of building cabs was a twinkle in my mind's eye I've been a big advocate of lightweight heads and small cabs rather than combos. The peril with combos is that once you add the weight of the amp the single lift gets that much heavier than if you had two boxes so often the makers make the enclosure smaller to try and get the weight back down which then knocks off some of the low frequency output. So for getting on for decade I've been turning threads on combos into threads on cabs! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Well, as you're off track.....I'll agree with Alex completely on this one, with an example. The Euphonic Audio 1x10 combo - sounded good, but wasn't very loud and weighed a ton (pushing 50lbs?). I use the EA500 head (13lbs, but feels lighter in its snug little bag) and the equivalent cab (32lbs ish). I'm sure the sound is pretty much the same..but it feels so much easier...and sometimes carrying an extra cab doesn't feel like a chore (as it does with a combo). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 [quote name='alexclaber' post='352521' date='Dec 12 2008, 10:59 AM']Even before the concept of building cabs was a twinkle in my mind's eye I've been a big advocate of lightweight heads and small cabs rather than combos. The peril with combos is that once you add the weight of the amp the single lift gets that much heavier than if you had two boxes so often the makers make the enclosure smaller to try and get the weight back down which then knocks off some of the low frequency output. So for getting on for decade I've been turning threads on combos into threads on cabs! Alex[/quote] All agreed Alex, valid points. I was only joking re the hijack of the thread Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Don't Eden do a range of Monitor styled combos? Think i remember playing through one a while back in a local shop when trying out a bass. Was very impressed with the sound and was 200w+ IIRC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aonindy Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Just to echo whats been said, I have a Roland 100 and its a super practise jobbie, but can't hack it at any real volume in a biggish space! Allen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Probably not a lot of help, but I did a gig with a guitarist who was using a Roland Cube100 (!!?) and at the end of the evening I put my URB through it. It sounded very good for a small room. I have put out a wanted ad a while ago but no takers - anyone? PS, as I was sneaking in a new amp a few weeks ago I was met by Mrs Bassace, arms folded as Les Dawson/Nora Batty. I suppose you've got one for every day of the week, she challenged. But that's where you're wrong I confidently replied, I've only got six. SIX!!!, she replied. Doh, I fell right into the trap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 (edited) I bought a nearly new Cube 100 after borrowing a friend's cube 30 for a while. The 30 had enough volume to cope with a 10-piece show band in a large theatre, but was lacking output for my electric upright on jazz gigs. My Cube 100 is ideal for all jazz gigs. It coped the other week with a noisy big band (2 vocals, 2 keys, drums, sax, trumpet & trombone) very well with no distortion problems at all. If you're doing the noisy rock band thing, it'll struggle though. Remember that due to the frequencies, you usually need at least double the wattage of the guitarist. I use my cube for all theatre jobs, big band jobs, etc. But when things get loud, the full 500w MarkBass system has to come out to play Thinking about it, if you just want something for onstage monitoring, perhaps an Ashdown EB180 with the 15" driver would be more up to the job, or the Ashdown MAG 300 2x10? I heartily recommend the cube 100, though. It's an excellent amp! Edited December 12, 2008 by OutToPlayJazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 It is purely to hear myself. It's for my party band where we try to keep the volume down on stage as much as possible, obviously dictated by the volume of the acoustic drum kit. The bass is DI'd into the desk, the guitarist plays through a Marshall TSL100 combo and the keyboard player has an old Carlsboro Cobra 90. The Hartke Kickback 12 did the job superbly and the band and I were amazed how much low end it put out for a single 12" driver. I had thought about the Kickback 15 and more recently I was quite taken with the new Hydrive 2x10 combo but at around £400 it's a bit more than what I wanted to outlay (around £250 - £300) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Hmmm... That's a tricky one. If you're doing pop/rock stuff at parties, I'd still say the cube would be struggling, but then again, you have been coping fine with the kickback amp, which I assume is lesser or similar powered? Try one... If it doesn't cut it, get one of the Ashdowns. I know for me that the output of the cube is surprising in all situations. Sounds as though you may get away with it The DI is very good on the cube as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 Never considered Ashdown before. Will check out your recommendations, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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