After many years of playing

[WAYNESWORLD]

Like most here I have spent many years chasing a sound that has become an ear worm for the thick end of forty years. I have had some of the best gear on the market over that time from the standard go to brands to the more flavour of the month ranges. I have been lucky in always having good comments on what ever equipment / bass I have used with the comment that no matter what I play it always sounds like me anyway.( why do I change my gear use the same settings and expect something different? Duh) Which brings me to the point. Now playing after COVID (thank god) I have replaced my last rig in favour of a Line 6 pod go and 2 Headrush 112s my Ibanez ffr 805 via a line 6 G30. After the very first gig where we had a great local musicians support and I received brilliant comments from the band and even better from the musicians in the audience. This continued on our next few gigs.So what’s changed ?. For the first time I think the bass is actually being heard as it should be instead of me trying to over colour it with a recorded perception in how it should sound. The headrush which I suppose are glorified pa speakers do an unbelievable job in reproducing at serious volume to a very flat sound from the amp cab sim choices from the pod go.For the first time my sound has changed and become more satisfying even though it is not what I had in my head for all those years. I can still recreate that if I wanted to but the options now are much greater . Sorry if this doesn’t hold much interest for the reader but I have just been amazed even using one cab  at how versatile this little set up is compared to some of the very expensive and large stuff I have owned in the past.wondered how many people have had the same experience or the opposite. My little setup has been like a breath of fresh air for me and raised my enjoyment in playing as your typical weekend warrior.

[Newfoundfreedom]

There have been several threads on here and FRFR setups. I very nearly went down that road myself recently, but then my head was turned by some bargain Ashdown gear. Good to hear another good review from the FRFR fraternity. 

[jrixn1]

I've had the same experience having moved to PA speakers - it's the best sound I've ever had, both on bass guitar and upright.  I play in a variety of line-ups and venues, most of which don't have the best on-stage acoustics - but I can always hear myself clearly, and the speaker responds well and predictably to any EQ or amp sims I apply.

[WAYNESWORLD]

I know what your saying some how feels like the frequencies are better separated from the rest of the band and there is real space from the guitarists settings who is trying to cover everything from low to high. Also the addition of the effects included on the pod go subtly introduced gives far more control on the end result but going through the headrush speakers doesn’t appear to carry the inherent colour of a typical bass cab.

[Lozz196]

It’s always nice when you get “the sound in your head” coming out of a live rig isn’t it. For me it was finally hearing myself playing a Precision with a band, that’s when I really found “me” on bass.

[bassman7755]

I've always liked my bass sound through headphones and hifi speakers more than how its sounded through "bass" speakers, of the latter my barefaced cabs as are least objectionable ones I've yet tried (within my very strict weight limit requirements). I set my tone using my IEMs and trust the speakers to do decent job of projecting that sound to everyone else. Pretty sure I would get on just fine using decently specced PA speakers if I really needed to, I recon a hi end pair of 12" PA speakers will handily outperform most bass gear for both sound and portability.

 

Got me thinking that traditional bass speaker form factors were possibly driven more by the requirement to produce lots of noise cheaply and efficiently (as amps of the day didn't have power to spare) than to actually sound good.

[WAYNESWORLD]

Far more eloquently put than my explanation. I do tend to mumble on. My view there is no better best just what works for the individual. I along with most have been influenced by trends but this venture actually seems to be paying dividends for me. Thought I’d just give my two cents worth in the hope it may help anybody thinking of testing this route. Suggest that anyone considering this you should find any of the larger stores should be only to happy to give a demonstration but certainly try before jumping in as I said before not best just different. 

[gafbass02]

Same here. Just moved to two headrush 112s and am very pleased indeed:)

[Bunion]

Now you’ve gone and gone it, I was just getting happy with my sound, bring on the GAS…. 😖

[Owen]

Modern PA speakers have all sorts of jiggery-pokery going on in the backround. This is why they are lovely. My ears are too trashed to do loud anymore. I own a QSC K10.2. It goes all the way to the bottom and is very pokey. It is the future. If I needed more then I would borrow two QSC K12.2. I cannot imagine ever, ever needing more unless I was doing a large, open air gig with no PA support. And that is never going to happen.

 

We have arrived in the future.