Another CTM30/LB30 gigging thread

[Pow_22]

Im currently in a 5 piece indie/rock covers band playing small/medium pubs say 50-150 people. Current rig is a flats loaded Jazz bass into a Mesa Walkabout head into a Barefaced original compact cab. I have an ‘always on’ cali76 compressor and a Mosfet bass drive for some rockier songs. Volume wise im never over quarter of the way on the Mesa’s volume pot and we do feed a little bass to FOH. However, recently the singer wants less stage volume and the PA to do most of the work and he stands out front during sound check and can tweak levels/mix as necessary. In view of this im wondering if i could get away with going back ‘all valve’ with the 30w ashdowns. I like my tone oldschool with a bit of hair but not full on mushy distortion. As the PA will be doing most of the work i think i could get away with it. Ive had an LB before but that was through a knackered old ampeg 1x15 and i have read my Barefaced is supposedly uber efficient.  Has anyone done something similar with decent results? Whilst i get stage volume will be lower in my new scenario i still want to feel and hear that thump behind me

[Downunderwonder]

Feeling thump behind you and having the PA doing most of the work isn't really possible in a pub playing to 50 people. With a 30w amp it shouldn't be an issue though.

 

There's not enough wallop from the amp to provide thunp and have highpassed bass out of the PA.

 

Barefaced 12's are not great sensitivity. They make up for it, and some, by handling a shed load of power. I don't know why everyone conflates loud with a big amp to loud with a teeny tiny amp. 

 

If your PA has a subwoofer in it you can mic your 12" and have a great sound. But it won't be thumping behind you.

[Beer of the Bass]

I feel I'm doing OK with a 50 watt Ampeg PF50T at gigs that are either small or PA reinforced, with one or two DIY 1x12" cabs. If it's a larger stage or a reasonable size room without bass in the PA the second cab makes a big difference, so I wouldn't want to wed myself to a single 12" rig.

I think the Barefaced 12" is efficient, but not in a way that would be a night-and-day difference with another quality 12" in a low-powered valve amp rig.

The viability will depend a lot on how much amp your guitarists use, and how the drummer works with the rest of the band too.

[Gypsyfolk]

I’ve been gigging this summer using an ampeg 50t with 2 Aguilar db112. The drummer isn’t crazy loud and the guitarist was using a fender blues junior. My rig kept up until we did an outside festie.

[Downunderwonder]

1 hour ago, Gypsyfolk said:

using an ampeg 50t with 2 Aguilar db112

You got almost double the power, so +dB 2dB

 

And 2 cabs that are probably higher sensitivity than a Super Compact. If we call them equal then it is +3dB for the second cab.

 

Push comes to shove your rig is 5dB louder than what OP is considering.

 

One time we got to plug in my Trace 15 alongside a BigBaby. The BF cab could quite literally not be heard. Like it was not plugged in! Had to get down on hands and knees to hear anything over the Trace.

 

For every 3dB of increased cab sensitivity you can halve the input power needed for that volume. @30w you need every last drop of sensitivity.

 

Another data point. My SWR 210, not shabby in sensitivity but not quite as loud as the Trace per watt I think. 50 tube watts up that could cover my jazz band reheasing no worries, but gigs is always just bit louder than rehearsing and then it would go into overdrive trying to keep up. Less than ideal.