FRFR Cab / Active PA Speaker for Bass?

[Jonrh98]

At the moment I run a TC Electronic BH250 into the BC208 cab for all my practices and small gigs - in built tuner and toneprint (which I have the spectracomp loaded into), lightweight and sounds great.

 

For larger gigs, I typically use my modelling unit into the PA, using wedges or whatever monitoring system the venue has set up. Through this, I vary my sound between a few of my own patches, usually an SVT or B15 patch with compression and some switchable drive. This rig is used at home, both through headphones and a small 1x8 active monitor, and is also the rig I use for my electric and acoustic guitars.

 

I'm tempted to get rid of my TC setup and go entirely onto the modeller for bass too, but get myself either an FRFR active cab (Headrush or the Harley Benton option perhaps), or even a 1x10 or 1x12 active PA speaker for those smaller gigs when I am going to be responsible for my own amplification.

 

I know this kind of setup is solid for guitar, but has anyone done it on bass? How did you feel your active cabs/speakers paired with your amp sims?

Thanks!

[M@23]

Can work brilliantly. I did it for years in the last band. There’s a huuuge thread on the subject:

 

[BigRedX]

I went down this route just over 6 years ago, having followed the thread linked in the previous post.

 

I got a Helix Floor and an RCF745 based on the assumption that if I went for something lesser, at some point I would require more out of the system and be disappointed. As far as the Helix is concerned I made the right choice, but on retrospect I could have got away with something cheaper and lighter than the RCF. I play in two bands one of which has ditched the backline entirely and always go direct into the PA. For the other the FRFR cab only gets used for rehearsals and the very small gigs where the PA is for instrumental support only.

 

My FRFR performs much better than a typical bass rig especially when it comes to dispersion, and on the two occasions when the PA has been vocals only I have only needed to be slightly louder on stage than I would normally in order to fill the room as opposed to having to be so loud I could barely hear the rest of the band as had been required with my previous rig.

 

On the Helix I rarely bother with any amp or cab models. Most of the time I think they make the bass sound worse. I just have a versatile EQ module and a subtle drive pedal which varies depending on what sound I need. For some of the Bass VI patches I use the Roland Jazz Chorus model - a guitar combo which would be completely unsuitable for bass at gigging volumes.

 

I couldn't see myself ever going back to having a traditional bass rig unless I was being paid a lot of money and supplied with a roadie to compensate for the unnecessary inconvenience.

Edited August 8 by BigRedX

[jezzaboy]

It does work well for bass but the only thing I would say is if you intend to use it to replace your amp on occasion, try and buy the best one you can afford. RCF, QSC and Yamaha are all good. I used a 15 inch RCF as I play in a rock band but I wouldn`t go any smaller than a 12 inch active speaker.

[Bass Wielder]

I’ve been gigging 

On 07/08/2024 at 20:05, Jonrh98 said:

At the moment I run a TC Electronic BH250 into the BC208 cab for all my practices and small gigs - in built tuner and toneprint (which I have the spectracomp loaded into), lightweight and sounds great.

 

For larger gigs, I typically use my modelling unit into the PA, using wedges or whatever monitoring system the venue has set up. Through this, I vary my sound between a few of my own patches, usually an SVT or B15 patch with compression and some switchable drive. This rig is used at home, both through headphones and a small 1x8 active monitor, and is also the rig I use for my electric and acoustic guitars.

 

I'm tempted to get rid of my TC setup and go entirely onto the modeller for bass too, but get myself either an FRFR active cab (Headrush or the Harley Benton option perhaps), or even a 1x10 or 1x12 active PA speaker for those smaller gigs when I am going to be responsible for my own amplification.

 

I know this kind of setup is solid for guitar, but has anyone done it on bass? How did you feel your active cabs/speakers paired with your amp sims?

Thanks!

Definitely try it!!

I’ve been gigging with a QSC CP8 for the last few years and it’s been really good. It’s also more basic and cheaper than the K series.

To be fair this is for either Double Bass or smaller jobs as I use my AER combo for bigger things but I’m sure if I wanted a rig for the big jobs (or didn’t like my AER so much), that I could use the big brother to the QSC or something of that quality.
It makes sense to have full range at your disposal.
For years I was getting fed up of using ‘brand’ name bass amps/cabs/combos that ‘coloured’ my natural bass sound too much that I used them by plugging into the return input.
Until I tried the AER which is expensive but has a nice ‘colour’ (nothing is really flat), and then I gravitated to PA active cabs. 
Sorry bass amp manufacturers…..🤐

 

*ps: Coincidentally the only amp head I still own and kept the longest in my buying record is a TC RH750. It one that I could live with (maybe one day I’ll find the ideal cab for it), as a back up.

Best of luck in your quest 🤞🏾

[Chienmortbb]

On 08/08/2024 at 07:17, BigRedX said:

 

My FRFR performs much better than a typical bass rig especially when it comes to dispersion,

@stevie is a friend,  together with @Phil Starr we have collaborated on many projects,discussing various designs over a decade or so. That led to the creation of @stevie 's LFSys. The conversations often covered the tweeter/no tweeter discussions. @stevie always insisted that tha right tweeter/horn combination, tuned for dispersion is the way forward and he eventually won both me and @Phil Starr over.

 

Whether you go FRFR withe a decent PA top or a well designed cabinet, dispersion is the key to hearing yourself and being heard. So whether you keep you bass amp and add a good cabinet or go FRFR, you will really notice the difference.

[Phil Starr]

On 07/08/2024 at 20:05, Jonrh98 said:

At the moment I run a TC Electronic BH250 into the BC208 cab for all my practices and small gigs - in built tuner and toneprint (which I have the spectracomp loaded into), lightweight and sounds great.

 

For larger gigs, I typically use my modelling unit into the PA, using wedges or whatever monitoring system the venue has set up. Through this, I vary my sound between a few of my own patches, usually an SVT or B15 patch with compression and some switchable drive. This rig is used at home, both through headphones and a small 1x8 active monitor, and is also the rig I use for my electric and acoustic guitars.

 

I'm tempted to get rid of my TC setup and go entirely onto the modeller for bass too, but get myself either an FRFR active cab (Headrush or the Harley Benton option perhaps), or even a 1x10 or 1x12 active PA speaker for those smaller gigs when I am going to be responsible for my own amplification.

 

I know this kind of setup is solid for guitar, but has anyone done it on bass? How did you feel your active cabs/speakers paired with your amp sims?

Thanks!

Like you my bass has mainly gone through the PA for years and that is pretty much what the audience usually hears. The best bass sound I ever get is surprisingly through my little RCF 310's up on poles which we use for rehearsal. On the floor the bass is just a bit overwhelming without a lot of eq. but used as stage monitors you can get a good sound with them eq'd. I've also used them singly or as a pair for backline at gigs and it works ok. Nowadays I use in-ears. It can all be done successfully but you need to reset your patches and spend as long on getting it right as you probably have on your TC setup. Like you I feel I have to carry some sort of backline for the odd gig where nothing else is available and I do have an amp and bass cab.

 

I think that's the rule though, There's no voodoo magic in bass speakers or PA speakers and all the rules apply. If you can't get away with a single 10 for a bass cab then a 10" PA cab isn't going to do it either. If cheap bass cabs dont sound as good as expensive ones the same is true of PA cabs. If the cab only sounds it's best after 2 weeks of setting and re-setting your signal processing then expect the same when you switch to FRFR. If the Spectracomp is central to your sound you are going to need a pedal with FRFR. In your case with the BC208 you'd probably need a decent 1x12 FRFR speaker to match the output. Personally I'd look at something a little better than the Headrush or Harley Benton where some savings will have been made in the bass driver, but they'll be fine if you don't push them.

 

The advantge to you of course is that you can then rationalise and use the same speaker for bass and your guitars