Buying a Bass Amp? Here's the Truth About Buying a Bass Amp in 2021!
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- Опубліковано 23 чер 2024
- Thinking about buying a bass amp? In this video I tell you the truth about buying a bass amp in 2020 and give you my top 3 dos and do-nots when it comes to buying an amp.
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Great video! I agree. Got myself a trace Elliott elf head with a 1x10 cab. Love the sound and the portability is insane.
Your take on wattage, speaker size, and gigantic cabinets was pretty much spot on. I've always thought of my amp as a monitor, not as a blasting machine! For speakers, I've always been a 12" fan, not as common as 10/15" speakers but I like their tone. And for cabinet size, the old Fender piggy-back 2x12, leaning back like a monitor are my favorites. As you can probably guess, the old Fender piggy-back amps were/are my favorites. I just wish Fender would decide to offer them again like they've done with so many other classic 50's and 60's amps over the past few years.
Great video, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for watching and your take on it too! “Blasting machine” is a great name for oversized rigs 🤣 T
A lot of great content in this video and on this channel in general! Keep it coming, Tyler! I just wanted to take a second and mention that FRFR actually stands for Full Range, Flat Response. Minor detail - just thought I’d throw it out there.
Thank you my man! I really appreciate it and will definitely keep it coming! Thank you for tuning in and definitely to my slip up, much appreciated! T
This video couldn’t have come at a better time. I’ve been trying to figure out what it is that I want, but I had no pointers to guide me. This helped me a lot. Thank you!!!
No problem at all - I’m really happy to be able to help! Let me know if you have any questions. T
I’d look on the bass forums for advice. Try talkbass and basschat. Loads of great info on those sites
Great video man. Keep it up.
Not long ago I got an Ampeg BA 115 v2 combo and I gotta say I’m in love with it.
Reason being; I’ve been using an 8x10 for many years and although it’s an amazing amp and a tank, lugging one around can be a pain after awhile. So I decided to go with something more practical but still deliver that classic Ampeg sound. With the option to DI on the amp I still have that awesome Ampeg power/tone without needing a massive amp to do so. One example, I was playing with a band that had two guitar players, both had Mesa cabs, a Peavey 6505+ head, and a Peavey 5150 head, and I had my BA 115 with my rack unit (also has an effects loop to hook up stuff like when I was using my stack) and the tone was incredible. Went DI and actually had to lower my volume once it was going through the PA speakers (also had the -15DB patch on because the bass I was using had a higher output and an active pre amp)
After the show I had some guys coming up to me asking me how I was getting that tone, loving the sound and power of it, and when I showed them what I was using the expressions on their faces were priceless because they weren’t expecting that power and tone to come from a combo with a rack set up. They thought I was using an 8x10 or a 6x10.
Just goes to show you don’t need a massive amp to deliver a massive sound/have massive tone.
I enjoy your channel, Tyler. Thank you for this information.
My pleasure! Thank you for watching, I really appreciate it. T
Finally, clear info!
Thank you!
No problem at all! Happy to help! Thank you for watching. T
Great breakdown 🤙🤙
Liked and subscribed 👍🏼 great video, so informative
Thanks, really good discussion 👍🏽
Thank you for watching, I appreciate it! T
These are some really good points, and I feel like they're still very applicable a year later. The amp I take to most of my gigs is a Fender Rumble 100. The only time I need anything bigger is if my bass signal isn't going direct to the mixing board. The reality is that in this era your amp onstage is only for you to hear in most cases.
My back certainly appreciates it, was more then happy to say goodbye to my SVT
Maybe there are areas where a PA and Sound are regularly provided, but there are so many other scenarios where with 100/200 watts you'll just be buried. No PAs provided where I live, and some bands don't have adequate PAs to carry bass.
@@Marko-1 good point. Honestly it really depends on the gig. Sometimes you need more volume to sound good. As a rule though, I try to coordinate with whoever is running sound for the gig. If there's no sound engineer I try to communicate with whoever's in charge to make sure I provide as much volume as will sound good. If you need to be super loud and there's no PA or sound engineer I wish you luck. It's really hard for the band to sound balanced in those situations.
Very helpful - thanks
Great video, and very good advice.
Hi Tyler,
very interesting and informative Video.
One question: What would you say? Would it be a good idea to purchase a combo comprising the HxStomp and a DXR15 as a suitable rig for both bass and guitar? Would it be in your view a valid FRFR speaker for both instruments or had it instead properties which would it qualifier just for bass only?
Thanks in advance!
Darkglass Alpha/Omega 900 through an Ampeg 4x10. Sounds rad!
Killer! 💪🏻 Ampeg cabs have a real ability to make bass sound like we’ve come to expect. I dig it! T
I'm saving up for this exactly!
I'm so happy to come across your vid on Bass Amps.. excellent educational information here. I have a question for you..
Great video! I'm using a Fender Rumble 500 v3 combo (2×10 eminence speakers) and I'm more than happy - regularly playing with my band on stage. But still planning to have the same 2×10 extension cab, what your thoughts?
I'm not sure that I need more, but as you said, the feeling is when you standing in front of them is priceless!
Also using a Line6 Stomp gives me numerous options of portability and tone.
Using an 810 is amazing. If you're on a tight stage, the footprint is close to the size of many other amps, but when you've got an amp close behind you, having those speakers up about shoulder level is incredibly helpful. That being said, it's not for everyone. They're very heavy, although easy to move around, and they can be tough to get into cars. I don't have any desire to use anything else, but my Mesa subway stuff is also incredible sounding, super easy to carry, and will look better and better the older I get
How things Change Early 80's Playing in a Classic Rock band around the Working Men's club circuit, I used an Acoustic 301 Cab (1x18" Rear Facing Cerwin Vega) and Bi-Amped through a 2x12 cab via Peavey Mk111 Auto mix Head,(So I could here myself) Regarding Lugging the gear about A) Venue s had their own car parks 99% of the time B) We all meet up to load the van, if making our own way we'd arrive about the same time so the Big Cabs would be a two man handling ,and C) We were all in our Twenties.
Have never heard someone break down the decision points like this. Thanks very much!
You’re very welcome! Thank you for watching! T
Great video man! :)
Thank you for tuning in brother! Really appreciate it. I hope you’re doing well and have a good Christmas! T
@@TylerSpicer Thanks dude you too! Hopefully catch you soon
Good video. I agree modularity is the thing, and quality speakers. I would like to hear examples of the tonal differences of some of your favorite speakers/amps.
I could definitely give that a go - it wouldn’t be a simple video to make but I could definitely get on it! T
Excellent video.
Tyler, I believe you nailed it. One other point though that you didn’t mention is the impedance and wattage of various equipment in desired setups depending on gig variables. Some guys don’t pay careful attention to this type of thing and end up damaging heads or speakers in the heat of the moment, but great video anyway!
Thank you so much! Agreed, it is important and I’ve definitely overlooked it in this video. I think maybe a follow-up video on wattage and impedance may be necessary. I’ve done one on wattage previously but both together would be beneficial I think! T
Cutting out your sub lows with a hpf goes a long way to helping fix this issue.
Hey Tyler. What settings do you use on your demos ? You always have a great sound.
Thank you so much! All my demos are clean DI - pre-EQ. So no EQ will be taking effect on the sound. So recent demos have just been the TH500 XLR to the converters on my interface, no EQ. T
Excellent video!! Great sage advice. If you had to pick between a Fender Rumble combo, a GK MB combo, or a TC BG250 which would you choose? If none, is there a better option in this relative range? Thanks 😊
Hey Tyler - love the channel, great info. Can you please describe the difference in sound character between the Aguilar SL112 and Aguilar DB 112? I’m in the market for a rig upgrade and am trying to decide between these two cabs and between the Tonehammer 500 and 700. I play in a rock band (indie leaning punk) and we will have gigs in small to medium clubs post-pandemic. Any advice you can give me? I currently play the Tonehammer pre-amp pedal through the effects loop of my Fender Rumble 100, so am familiar with and love Tonehammer sound. Thanks again!
All very solid points. On the speaker excursion issue I find using a high pass filter to take out the inaudible lows is good and cheap insurance for the speakers and can help get more usable volume out of lower wattage amps (like the Little Stubby I got from you :) - still love that amp). Also on using 3 cabs, it's worth mentioning making sure the head being used can handle the drop in Ohm level as that can damage some heads.
I'm 47y.o. and some back issues.
Nowadays my priority is going lightweight and that's why I have a class D bass head and a 2x10 bass cabinet just in case that I need to bring an amp to the gig. I use a Sansamp to get a consistent tone at the gigs and I use whatever amp I find in the venue as a stage monitor.
Now I'm recovering from a motorcycle crush and I'm considering selling my old Hartke stack and buy a lightweight Markbass combo
Excellent information, one thing to consider; class D amps, almost all class D amplifiers on the market use the exact same power section to power the amplifier. All made in China. If I’m not mistaken, Darkglass is one of the only ones producing their own class D power section.
great vid...thank you
Very welcome! I'm glad it was helpful!
Awesome, thank you for being so thorough. I will be watching this over again. I wanted to get a GK Neo 2 x 12 800 at 8ohms. In the back it shows 600 watts power. Next I was thinking about getting either a GK Legacy 500 head or for a little cheaper, I can get a Fender Rumble 800 head. I guess I'd have to be careful if I get the Fender Rumble 800, right? But I'd still have options to add another cab later.....
great video, thanks...
Glad you liked it! Thank you so much for watching! T
Good tips.
Thank you! I appreciate you watching and the support! T
you are so right. keep it light. i use 2 2x10 ampeg cabnets and a ampeg pf 500 head. . its all light and sounds great.
I’m glad you agree! And thank you for watching! T
I would also make sure you check the Ohms of the head and cab before matching them.
Definitely - I should have included that in the video. It’s very common for smaller cabs to be 8ohm nowadays, but I’ve definitely seen some rogue 4ohmers around which could take a nasty turn when running two of them and a typical class D amp! T
Hi Tyler,
Another great video full of much needed information especially for a newby like myself. At best I may be jamming outdoors with guitar friends who run 15 to 20 watt amps no P.A system. I am wondering if my Fender Rumble 40 will be enough. Your thoughts???
Hey Rick! Outdoors with no PA is the one time you’ll need more horse power! Are they tube guitar amps? A 20w tube amp for guitar is gonna be LOUD by most accounts when cranked. A 20w practice/solid state guitar amp with a small speaker won’t be too loud on the other hand. I’d suggest you’d probably need 200w and 1x12/1x15/2x10 speakers for that situation to be comfortable. T
@@TylerSpicer copy that Tyler. Thanks for your advice and all the great information your excellent channel provides. I'll look into the Rumble 200.
@@scooter_rick54 no problem at all! If I were you and budget allows I’d go even bigger to the 500 as that combined with an extension cabinet will be all you would ever need for any gig imo! T
@@TylerSpicer ok will do. The 500 is only $100 more so that makes sense .
@@scooter_rick54 200 watts or more is a good bet. Remember a 20 watt guitar amp, particularly a tube amp is way louder than an equal wattage bass amp. In addition they chain overdrives and boost pedals to get more gain and volume with the guitar. Bassists have a limited ability to boost or distort their signal especially with SS or class D since pushing the front of the pre can have unpleasant results. You can push tube bass amps if that's the sound you want. A bit of OD adds character and tube bass amps can add a feeling of the amp breathing and working with you. Its hard to explain. Stand in front of an SVT or even an old music man HD 130 or 150 and play a set and you will know what I mean. I have an SVT tube preamp but its not the same when used with a solid state power amp because the tube power amp adds much of that tube awesomeness. Back to the subject at hand. a 200 watt rumble ought to do the trick. Never discount the idea of getting USED GEAR. There are great deals to be had if you look though it seems that gear is in demand lately with the Coof going around. You can save 50% or more on used gear and most gear is treated well, some of it has never seen the abuse of a working musician. That reminds me of the horrors of putting my old string bass in it's gig bag in the van last, on top of everything and arriving at the next location to find the bridge knocked off. Abuse. The good old days.
What are the main issues you have with your FRFR rig that i should consider before buying? and can you recommend any FRFR speakers other that the DXR?
Thanks for the tips. I've been debating whether I should get a bass amp or a preamp pedal with cab sims. I'm getting a Kali Subwoofer studio monitor soon, I figured that plus my other monitors and the pedal could be a nice starter setup for my studio. What do you think?
I’d go for the pedal with that setup, especially if it’s mostly for in studio work. T
@@TylerSpicer thanks I appreciate your thoughts!
I just wanted to add (I have a heavy combo and a class D head with a speaker stack) is that if you want lighter weight, try to find something with speakers that use neodymium magnets. They are very much lighter that the typical speaker magnet structure. My amp head plus a 4x10 cabinet with neodymium magnets weigh less than my combo with 2x10s and without casters, which I am retiring (my 4x10 is under 26 Kg and the head is 2.3 Kg, about 2 Kg lighter than the combo but easier to move, has casters, and I have little issue lifting or moving it.. And if you're using a solid state class AB or class D amp, make sure you are not running it into a lower resistance speaker than it is rated for, as this will probably blow out your amp. Most are rated at 4 ohms, so if you are running 2 speaker setups, make sure that both are at least 8 ohms. And as he says, modularity is not only easter on your back, but you can fit a cabinet into a smaller car, so if you're just going for a practice session in a room, or in a small club, one smaller cabinet is much easier to transport than having one big cabinet.
I've ordered an Ashdown 12-band 600, a EBS 802, and an Aguilar DB751 this year .. the Ashdown came just this week, the EBS is coming tomorrow, and the Aguilar which has been on back order for 3 months is coming end of the month ... all made in their respective countries.. high quality Class AB stuff, Can't wait. I am replacing my Mesa and GK rigs.. time for something new!
Sweet i love the idea of 2 112 cabs. They look sweet . Could they handle a mid size rock gig? Obviously using DI to FOH.
Thank you!
Tyler I cannot tell you how much all the information I am learning from you means to me thanks to you I went and bought the bergantino head could you do a video talking about base cabinets what's the difference between a 15 or compared to a 10 in what are the best cabinets and I'm talking about for live performances hope to see this brother
Thanks Mark! I really appreciate it! Yes, I can totally do a video on that - thank you for the direct suggestion, it really helps me! T
@@TylerSpicer you are the god of thunder
At the end of the day the guy or girl doing the FOH sound is really in control of your tone... or at least what the audience hears. You can have the greatest tone in the world coming out of your cab on stage, but that's not always what the audience hears.
True in many ways! I would rather give and amazing DI sound and hear that in the fold back than have a great tone on stage from my amp! T
I like a clean piano tone. Cant tell you how often I hit a bass break in a set and hear grit coming back at me from FOH.
Used that as an excuse to use a cheap a serviceable rig that got loud enough for years. I recently said screw it and completely upgraded my rig. Even if I am the only one hearing it, worth every penny.
Exactly. The amps on stage are merely stage monitors when everyone goes through a pa. That’s why I use amps with a good DI.The only time wattage really matters is during a rehearsal if you’re not going through the pa
or, cares
this is why i never DI my bass live. or really at all. it's always flat and lacking compared to what the speaker pushes and i make them mic it.
Very good Video Tyler , Also what a lot of people DO NOT Realise is the POWER to LOUDNESS Ratio Like to double the Wattage is not Going to double the Volume or loudness, which might enforce what you say about Listening out if your gear starts distorting it's telling you your hurting it
I used to have an ashdown little bastard 30w valve head with a peavey 1x15 cab. That amp was an absolute tone beast and more than loud enough for gigging pretty much anywhere
Definitely modularity FTW. I love the tall, narrow, light and compact Ampeg SVT210AV 2x10" cabs. I keep one in the studio, one in the rehearsal space. Then I cart just a little Ampeg Micro VR back and forth. For recording, fan noise can be an issue to be aware of. Had to replace the fan in my Ampeg Micro VR with a much quiter higher quality Noctua and voltage adapter. If I want to play in a louder gig, I can bring both cabs. For gigs I like the musicality but with decent power and projection of two 2x10" cabs. And the PA can provide the deep sub support. Plus there's redundancy, if something fails. Might buy another MicroVR, or probably an Ampeg Venture V3 this year. Then it's quite modular and can do everything from studio recording up to moderately large gig. But even bringing two micro heads and two small 2x10" cabs isn't too hard to move since they balance well in both hands. Each cab is not heavy or large. And you can carry two and just chuck the two light heads in a rucksack on my back. Not very bothered about tube, especially for gigging, I get the compression and dirt I want from a Darkglass Hyperluminal and Alpha Omicron. My Mustang bass with flatwounds has that dark warm sound anyway. And if I want it grind and scream, Earthquaker Blumes or Magus Pro in Fat Rat mode both sound ace for those metallic Kim Gordon tones. Though, these SVT210s sound very nice with the 100w tube Ampeg amps too, if I ever go tube in the studio.
Those are good advices. I upgraded my amp a couple of months ago, to my first relatively serious rig. I ended going for a fairly lightweight 1x12 cabinet & a very lightweight class D head. I’d been looking at combos, but really wanted to be able to just bring the head sometimes. I’m very happy with the result so far.
Which amp and cab did you go for? I also prefer the head - cab setup, again for modularity. Nice to be able to just take the head and use another cab on a shared stage/backline. T
@@TylerSpicer After watching a lot of online reviews, and trying several out I stores (and a couple at home), I ended up with a MarkBass “Little Marcus”. It’s a surprisingly versatile little amp.
@@markmilner842 Mark, which 112 cab are you using with the Little Mark 250 ?? (I’m assuming it’s a 250, correct me if I’m wrong). Thanks!
@@shipsahoy1793 I got the Little Marcus, not the Little Mark (the “old school” and “millerizer” circuits sold me, as I was able to dial in an almost tubey tone). Yes, 250, as I don’t really need more. I’m using a Warwick cab right now, mainly for home use. It’s a 1x12 with a tweeter. I’ve also played it through a GK 4x10, which sounded really good, but would be too big for home. I was surprised it had enough juice to drive that, tbh. The studio I jam at has Ampeg & Yorkville cabs.
Only feature the amp is missing, from my perspective, is a headphone jack, for late night practicing, but I can use my Zoom multi-effects pedal for that.
@@markmilner842 Yes very good Mark, I know exactly what you mean .. I have a Little Mark 250 and it’s good enough. They are small and cheap enough on sale to buy two if really needed tbh, but not going to ever be necessary for me. One or two 8 ohm cabs always was good enough for me. I also use a Zoom B3n, and an Ampeg cabinet with a 1x15 and a practice combo for home, but I’m thinking about getting a lightweight cab with switchable HF; just a
pair of 112’s or a 210 for the LM250, to lug around or to give me more variety at home. Just not sure what to get between quality, sound, and budget 😩, so always trolling haha
Spot on advice of anyone playing weddings and functions.
Thank you for watching! T
Totally agree with modularity thing. I am chasing a bass power amp, nopreamp in, as I do my corrections from the pedalboard. Two chain signal, one with the Cali76 compact bass compressor, wich I see you use also, and the other with a Microtubes X from Darkglass. I might throw in a GEB 7 bass eq if I feel the need, in the clean chain. I found a Markbass Little Mark Vintage Amp 1000, I might get it. What do you think? I use a Hartke HD210 bass cabinet, and I might get another one to stack them or use them on both sides of the stage, with a guitar cab on top for each one.
I agree with you about the heaviness of it all I still have a Peavey T-Maxx paired with an ampeg 4 x 10 cabinet. That's when I don't pay it with my 2x 15 Kustom roll and tuck.
I'm using a pedal preamp and using the FX return to bypass my bass head preamp so I can use the backline which is at the venue as a monitor rather than a tone scultper. My tone is a lot more conistent this way
I use 2 410 cabs stacked and angled when I have the need for high output. Otherwise, I use my Ampeg SVT-350 combo with output to FOH and the combo then is my stage monitor.
At the end of the day you need options. And then use whatever sounds right for the application. Because if it sounds right, then it is right.
I appreciate this video. I'm surprised by the point about speaker size but hey
I’m glad you liked it! There’s a whole load of bits and pieces on the on the speaker size vs integration with the cabinet design/technology. I don’t worry too much about it, if it sounds good, it is good! T
Hello, concerning modularity, if we make sure to have the good watt/ohms, is it ok to have 2 different cabs ? Like 1 markbass and one eich/ampeg/etc... Like to combine strengths of 2 different cabs ?
The best sounding and feeling bass amplification architecture (that also happens to be portable) is a tube-based preamp coupled (yet physically separate) with a Class D power amp, together with a superior 1 x 12 cabinet design. Of course, this architecture includes a high pass filter and a top-quality DI. Higher wattage is advantageous because it provides headroom.
Very insightful. Been gigging for a few years and I will say this. Mostly sound engineers will DI the PA input from the amp or a pedal. So it makes the speakers/cabs on stage utterly redundant in terms of bass sound. They end up being your monitor. If the gig is v small, and the crowd can hear the bass cabs on stage then that is a factor. In that situation, only the singer may go through the PA and the band rely on their amps for audience sound- which is probably the most true representation of the sound of a band as this is the 'rehearsal' setup. If the bass amp is miked and what is very common for a touring band that hire an Ampeg 8x10, the mic is pointed at one speaker- one plinky 10" speaker... all that rig and yet a 1x10" dictates the stadium sound. The bass player should save the hire cost and use a 1x10" practice amp instead in these situations. Though the sight of an 8x10 fridge on stage is hard to beat!!!!
watching from Louisville, Kentucky!
Hey Scott! Thank you for tuning in! T
Hey, i’m in taylorsville, kentucky. Right outside louisville.
@@almostliterally593 shout-out to a fellow Kentuckian!
Me too.
I'm a guitar player, but want to learn bass. I have pretty much decided on the Fender Player P Bass. In regards to amps, what would be your choice between the Rumble 100 and the Heartke 75?
I’d go for the rumble - light weight, solid and reliable tone. I would move up the wattage to the next level if possible though if the intention was to make it a giggable amp. T
I’ve been playing with a MultiFX floor unit and active PA cabs since the 90’s. These days I have the latest version of my preferred MFX box and a couple ABS 15” PA Cabs with Class D internal amps. My whole rig is functionally 1000 watts RMS to two 15s (the horn-loaded CD’s contribute a bit, but not like we think of with a traditional stack). The whole thing weighs 70 lbs.
Good advice...i have a few amps & cabs of different power ratings & speaker sizes...i like using 2 x 15" Ashdown cabs with a Class A Warwick WA300 bass head but have an Eden Terra Nova 226 at 225w ?!?! & an 300w Eden 1 x 15" cab or 1 x 12" Ashdown cab which are both good for smaller venues or even my EBS Magni 500 1 x 15" combo is very good quality & goes very very loud,plus cuts through a mix better with a single speaker ...even my old Ashdown Electric Blue 150 fitted with a 1 x 15" 4ohm speaker to get the full 150w into 1 combo will do a small pub/club..... sometimes less is more if you can get the sound you want in a smaller lighter amp,cab/combo....& saves my back some pain...
What is your take on IEM and its processing? See, I'm 67 and a bit of the old school sound and ways. I like the darker and more deeper Ampeg type sounds and I'm not getting any younger. I like idea of IEM but I don't trust it just yet. If you do use that type of system, what would be your choice and why.
Class A/B need more love. I like the way a good class A/B hits at the front of the note. Staccato or subtile ghost note thumps better articulate for me through A/B.
Definitely - the fact that there’s no on-off element to the way the amp works really helps those transients and the way they’re delivered! T
CLASS A/B always sounds more powerful for its rating then class D.
I’m buying my first bass amp and I want to have enough power to play with a band in a small basement setting. Would the fender rumble 100 be good for this? And are there any better options for a similar price point ($330)?
Great video thanks Tyler - I made the shift from guitar to bass a couple of years ago when I hit my 30s and ended up with a Fender Rumble Stage 800 as a first amp. Although I don't particularly use the modelling and FX too much, I've always ended up keeping it, despite playing some other nice Ashdown and Orange rigs prior to lockdown. I was about to make a change after playing a Little Bass Thing but I've pretty much set my eyes on saving some money and just getting the 2x10 Rumble extension so I have that ability to stack vertically and get the full 800W at larger gigs (even if there is PA support).
There is always some element of gear snobbery from certain people in the music scene, but I would say 90% of other bands and even bass players often say they were impressed on the overall sound / mix - and at the end of the day, that's what I find important given that majority of my work was with a covers/function band last year. Kind of did the whole 'been there, done that' on the guitar side with unnecessary and expensive gear and I love the fact you're pumping out these honest videos!
Your videos are also another reason I plumped for some cheaper purchases with a Sire V5 and a Squier CV PB - neither have let me down and for my level of playing and involvement in casual gigs (20-30 per year max), I don't need anything more!
Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much! That’s really great to hear. I’ve heard too much rubbish on UA-cam and followed the bad advice, only to find that’s not the case at all. I’m glad the honesty is paying off and is helping you out. I think those Fenders are quality amps and there’s no gig you couldn’t do with that power section and the extension cab. Happy gigging (when it happens again!) and thank you for the support! T
Wise man! Don’t get too caught up in all the hype or fads of the week. You’ve made a good choice 👍
hungarian brand head, tube pre, class D poweramp, passive 2 band tone controls, around 2 kgs and 750 W @ 2.66 Ohms. It really gives the true tone of my bass, before that I run a catalinbread SFT.
What’s the brand? Sounds like a killer amp - Mesa WD/Walkabout style but simpler! T
it’s a Prolude the type is Little Brick. Quite simple animal, but huge sound.
Well would a bass amp be a problem if you were living in a terrace attached house/apartment? or is the bass sound "more forgiving compared to playing loud acoustic drums or guitars"?
I lived in an apartment with some pretty forgiving neighbours, but only played with an amp at low level at reasonable hours. Bass really does travel through walls. Keeping it away from adjoining walls and using the speaker cabinet not directly connected to the floor helps too! T
you could also probably get an attenuator or something of that style to allow for good clarity of sound at lower levels
Nice video. Bottom line I think would be the SVT 50th anniversary. Two channels, the direct out has the option of pre/post tubes. All amps are designed with the SVT in mind…
The 50th Anniversary SVT does truly look special. Thank you for watching! T
So if say 300W is enough for stage monitoring and you can output to the PA you can play to any size venue? What would be the point then in having any more Watts?
Pretty much! More speakers will always be more valuable than higher wattage. The speakers will be what ensures you get heard! T
Honestly Tyler, I can't go " the cheap" for a low wattage head or low wattage cab. I need a rig to handle the power. I CAN go w a cheaper SS or Class D, but MUCH prefer a 200-300W bass tube head. Either way, "used" so I can get max output for $$. But I've always been in heavy rock bands.
I am a "home bass player", meaning that I just play on my own not having any kind of band. Here is my question. I have a Markbass Micromark 801 and I love it since I don't need a more powerful sound. I would like to get a richer sound from it though. Would it be an idea to buy something like a Markbass Little Mark 250 Black Line in order to connect it to the Micro 801; or the amp is so small that I am not going to get any kind of sound enrichment from it? Thanks for your time!
Hey! To get a ‘richer’ sound, I’d suggest you need a bigger speaker. Those 8” speakers are quite boxy in the midrange in my experience. I’d suggest a 12” speaker to give a more expansive sound if possible! T
I have that LM Blackline 250 amp. The speakon output is connected to a GK 210,
the 1/4” is connected to another 210, both 8 ohm, and the line out goes into a 100w amp powering a 1x15” speaker cab that is
4 ohm, so I have 350W with four 10’s and a 15, and it’s pretty awesome. With efficient multiple speakers pushing air and the amp seeing a 4 ohm load, that amp is not too shabby. When I add the 15” I get a little something extra in tone... it’s an Ampeg 1x15” cabinet. I also send my multi-effects preamp signal into the effects return post eq., so the LM is completely functional except for the front end gain, because I’m not using the input. I control the gain at the bass and in the effects preamp. It’s a great little amp for cheap. Tyler is so right, bigger speakers, and as many as you can to load the amp properly will be best.
today my only thing is deciding between Fender rumble 500 combo or Ampeg RB210 combo really... I think that is all you need...
i have a fender rumble 200 and the ampeg 210 and when played at the same volume I’d pick the ampeg for sweeter softer stuff and it’s overdrive is so nice the rumble’s overdrive is alright it does make a good heavily distorted sound and the effects on the fender are pretty good bright kinda sucks but vintage and contour can be rly nice in the right context but I’d probably pick the ampeg just because of it’s overdrive or “scrambler”
My idea of modularity is two Bergantino NV212s. My non modular cab is the discontinued Bergantino NV215. I own a 97 lb Peavey Classic 400 (400w) tube head, a vintage 70s Traynor 325w ss Mono Block ii, a ‘73 Music Man hd-130 bass /guitar head ss pre, tube power. My back up is a class D Traynor sb500 head that actually sounds terrrifc. With the right combination of compressor, a hpf and a lpf pedal it sound amazing through any of those speakers. With a One Control Blackberry od pedal in front you’d be really hard pressed to tell the difference between the modern lightweight head and the old hulk pairings.
Admittedly the experience of standing in front of the classic 400 (with its 8 kt88 tubesh on top of the 215 is really something else akin to a thrill ride in an amusement park that the class d head can’t in any way rival
Completing my thought: I totally agree that good speakers/cabs are the most important purchase. And good user input in the form of proper EQing. People need to realize the importance of emphasizing mids over bass in most instances if they want to be heard in a live setting
I’m a guitarist that plays bass occasionally. I’ve been using a Helix floor unit for 6 years and love it for both guitar and bass. My only concern is playing bass through FRFR speakers… I always wonder if they can handle the heavier bass movements for long periods of time? I have considered buying a powered sub so I can split (crossover) frequencies accordingly. Any thoughts on that?
My Yamaha DXRs have no problem at all with delivering consistent bass - but it’s all about having as high-a-wattage amp in the cab as possible in my experience, it needs the headroom. I’m not sure I would bother with a sub - it it’s up in the 200hz range it’s gonna sound boomy and operating just on lows around 30-80hz is really not that necessary in a live context on stage. In fact, I would probably experiment with high passing up to 60-80hz in the helix and see if you missed the low end when playing live. I really don’t and have a much better experience. Maybe check out my recent video on country tones on the helix as I use that process in that video. High pass and plenty of compression, as well as a touch of dirt works wonderfully live. T
@@TylerSpicer - I will do that. I planned to watch your Helix Playlist, so I’ll check that one out next. Thanks Tyler 👍🏽
@@TylerSpicer - oh yea… question: I assume “high-a-wattage in the cab” you mean the FRFR cabs? I use 1000w QSC mains and monitors.
Just getting into bass and I have picked up a Traynor 500w at 4ohm and a 2x10 Cabinet at 8ohms and from what I can see I would only get half the wattage being pushed into that speaker cabinet and should be safe to run it at higher volumes? I was also thinking if I felt like adding another 2x10 or 2x12 Cabinet that I could get another 8ohm and then my total impedance would be 4ohms? Which should be safe to run? I have googled these questions but there seems to be a few different answers our there and I would love to hear those more seasoned bass players chime in on the subject! My Goal is to be able to compete with a drum set + Marshall JCM800 in a small jam space and potentially larger venues if the opportunity arises... hence why I was looking to at least have 250w of power pushing that cab... oh I also have a 750w PA that I can XLR to in order to increase the monitoring or volume if needed but the sound does seem kind of colored sound wise vs the speaker cab since they are smaller drivers not sure how reliable that will be.
Great info, thanks. I think a very linear (least “colored”) preamp through an equalizer just before the power amp would be the most flexible option. I am currently using a Rumble 100 with a Boss EQ in the fx loop, but however hard I try, I can’t dial a satisfactory growling sound (I have a stock 2021 Squier Jazz). What do you think should be upgraded (apart from my brain ;-) ?
I am no expert, but try not using the effects loop. Something tells me EQing through the effects loop won't work well. You need to EQ in front of the preamp, I think. I hope someone who knows better offers information for you, but try just going from the bass to the EQ to the input. I hope it works out for you.
@@thomastucker5686 Thanks for the suggestion, I will try tomorrow!
@@dans.8198 I am curious to find out how it goes for you. I really wish I was an expert to give better advice. I was just thinking how I would apply your query to a guitar amp. Not that I would be correct in that instance either. It just seems like only certain effects should go through the loop, wet, reverb, delay type stuff.
@@thomastucker5686 Hi Thomas, a friend borrowed my EQ before I could try your suggestion. Will let you know as soon as I get it back!
@@dans.8198 thanks.
I'm looking for a fairly lightweight setup that will be ideal for pedals. I'm pretty overwhelmed by all the cabs and I really can't discern a particular tone from most of them maybe besides the Orange stuff. I've got about 1500 saved for this so I'm trying to get the most out of it. I don't gig as of yet and it would mostly be used for recording.
Great advice the only thing I don’t agree with is you said all you need is 100-200 watts for your amp. I would say 300-500 is more realistic. a 200 watt amp will never cut it for an outdoor gig even with PA support. Outside you will not hear yourself over the drums and guitar.
I would go with 8x10 bass cab and all tube bass amp ;)
Haha! Beast rig! 💪🏻😉 T
You have a roadie?
@@MrStooge. No!
@@MrStooge. I recently reviced my bass set up and for home use or concerts i would use made in USA Ampeg FlipTop amp and made in USA 1x15 matching cab for it.
What type of music do u play?
Having 2 cabs with 112 speaker each seems to be quite popular. Any advantages of running that instead of one 212 cab?
This is the dilemma I’m having at the moment trying to choose a new rig
Modularity! You can take one 12 to a gig if you need, rather than taking one big cab. It depends on the type of gigs you do, but with the exception of price, I think you’re better off with 2x112 every time. T
I personally went for a lightweight 2x12 because that is actually more portable then two 112's. The Barefaced weighs 20kg and has casters plus a handle both on the top and side. I can carry or pull it with one hand. Amp in the other hand, bass in a gigbag on my back. This way it is just one walk from car to stage or vice versa.
@@tanx0r i went the other way! 🤣 1 Barefaced big twin II to the Aguilars. For me it was just a larger cab than I wanted to have. I couldn’t turn up to a jazz gig with it for instance, both feedback and stage space issues. It is a moveable cab though, totally get that! I just didn’t want my money tied up in a cab that I could use for everything I do. Great cabs still - I had a lot of comments on the sound of that cab. T
Mr.tanxOr : How is the Barefaced 2 X 12 ? Does it have the tweeter ? Is it very Hi Fi or can you EQ to warm it up ?
Can anyone tell me if you record a bass amp with a mic, will the recording sound better/richer the bigger the amp is? Or will it not matter as much since the mic is mere inches away from the cone? Also, do people use room mics when recording bass amps to capture more of the sound-like they often do when recordings guitar amps? Is that a thing?
Can you connect the tone hammer to a pa system?
the speaker cab is the last and most important in the chain... same head with a different speaker will sound quite a bit different
everything else is solid info
Cabs aren’t really needed anymore tbh. But I will say my SVT610 is most of the time easier to load than many other cabs due to the built in dolly. It’s only a pain when there’s a ton of stairs or a small basement show, in which case I got smaller cabs I can use instead.
Good video - Definitely agreed with most of it. You could argue that a single 212 is better than 2x112 as it can be carried by 1 hand, which may save you multiple trips to the car especially if you have to park far away from venue.
I’m not 100% convinced by class D heads at band volume. The one I had lost definition. So now I have a semi light rig 2x210 barefaced & Ashdown Abm. Very happy with it.
I use a semi-lightweight big rig too of a DB751 and the SL cabs. I think headroom is really important with Class D heads. The roughly 1000w newer class D heads make a big difference to me! T
@@TylerSpicer that’s a great rig. I really like those SL cabs too - ‘uncoloured’ sounding if I remember rightly. With regard to class d, I was using a tce bq500 which to be fair is a budget head. Tc are known to be a bit generous with there watt ratings too.
I really liked the Aguilar TH when I tried it in the shop. If I was gonna go class D that would probably be the one I’d go for. The quilter and eich stuff looks great too.
I’m 65 yrs young and playing pro clubs and venues since 12 yrs young. I’ve played though every cab imaginable through the years. I now own and play through ACCUGROOVE “El Whappo” and will not need to find any other product. It only weighs in at 58 lbs. and can out punch Ampeg 8x10’s and incredible tone for any type room/outdoor venue. Very easy to take to any gig, from small club to large out door venues.
Specs: The 1st True FRFR (Full Range Flat Response) BASS Cabinets since 2002!
Available in "Powered" or "Passive"
One 15” custom die-cast aluminum neodymium Sub Woofer
One 12” custom die-cast aluminum neodymium Mid-Woofer
One - 6” mid-range driver
Two - soft textile dome neo tweeters w/ circuit breaker protection
Two - Speakons/1/4” combo jacks & removable 2.5” pop-in casters
Freq. Re. & SPL: 35 Hz - 18 kHz (29 Hz@-6db) 102 dB SPL
Dimensions: 32 ¼ H x 24 ¾ W x 18 ¼ D - Weight: 58 lbs.
Power Rating: 800 watts RMS @ 4 Ohms
"Powered" version adds these amp specs:
* Four extremely high-end amps delivering 1400 Watts of DSP Power
* Frequency response 20 Hz - 20 kHz (±0.5 dB) @ 1 W, 8 Ω
* Damping factor > 1000 @ 100 Hz
* THD+N < 0,005 % from 0,1W to full power
* S/N ratio > 100 dB (20 Hz - 20 kHz
* Interface panel with input volume potentiometer, double XLR for mono input and link out or stereo input operation, four LED for Limit, Clip, Signal and Ready signaling and a push button to select the 4 DSP presets.
While I do agree with you in some respect on the speaker size and not needing as much headroom as people might think you immediately contradict yourself the next segment talking about speaker quality. Yes 8x10 might be obtuse and overkill but speakers matter at the end of the day and although you might not want or need an 8x10 they definitely still play a huge role in tone shaping and if your going for the arena rock sound kinda hard without the big 8x10 and you might not need it in terms of tone and monitoring but it definitely helps
I have two Gr Bass heads at home. Both with two cabs. Only passive basses. Some pedals that i use just for amusement. I can't understand other complications. I don't question the quality of other solutions.
i use a svt 7 pro and a 4x10 neo cab (on wheels) at 4 ohms that handles 1,200 watts continuous. (carry nothing) you can remove the casters. ,and a boss eq 200 ,separate eq for each bass switching mid frequency for each bass. !!!
I got the summary: Buy Aguilar Tone Hammer 350 or 500 with 1 or 2 SL112s
Bass>interface>plugin>monitors not good enuff ? :)
Totally cool for practicing... I’d say avoid the plugins and really hear yourself yourself with no colour - that’s definitely gonna make your technique improve! Plugins on to enhance when recording. Or at least that’s what I’ve done for a number of years! T
I have a 75 watt Peavey Max,in Max mode it'll stand up to any 100watt amp you got,it's a 1x15 can combo amp. When I use it at home I can't even turn it on 1 in the dial,it literally shakes stuff off the wall downstairs. Peaveys make a lot of entry level stuff,but they nailed with their max series amps
I’m not surprised! Peavey build some very solid, very loud stuff! Sounds like a tank you’ve got yourself there! 💪🏻 T
Peavey watts go further then other brands it seems. Cut the bass, goose the mids and slam against the limiter and even 75 peavey watts will get the job done (don't expect any tone though).
Ref Digital amps you have to be careful if connecting a higher wattage head to a lower wattage cab even if volume is down , In error I connected a 2000w digital head to a 3 x 10 450W cab & two of the speakers melted . It was explained to me what had happened , & I won't do it again.
I run my Tech 21 VT into effects return.. by passing the redundancy of my amp pre..
so why wouldn’t I buy a bass head like Behringer for backup.. couple of hundred bucks! and just use the power section?
If quality is your concern, I bought a Behr combo a good 20 years ago and it still works fine!
btw: not being cheap, also own Aguilar with 2 cabs…
just sayin!
traynor dynabass 400t and 800h if you don't mind canadian gear.
I just picked up a dynabass 400t for $150. I've only played through it a little bit, but so far I really like it. It seems to be well built and reliable.
@@tjsogmc it's able to balance tube overdrive and clean as well as drive and external speaker and FOH.. Kinda need to dime the volume and back off the input gains
Really good video. As a bass player getting ready for my first biggish gig I found it incredibly helpful.
You also spelled out why I personally have never liked the SWR combos I've played through (they scoop the mids too much) as well as why I've found quite a few Markbass amps much more to my liking (they have those punchy mids, but you can also choose to scoop them if you like).
Class As are cool and all but holy shit sometimes they are unmovable. I think people exaggerate when they say that a 100w Class A amp outperforms a Class D 500w amp.
I get that! There’s something cool about how a class A can feel and sound, but it is definitely more in the few percent category, especially with modelling tech! I think high wattage class D’s definitely close the gap. T
I just replaced my Ashdown class D amp with class A. When pushing a class D, it just sounds poor; compressed, less dynamic, and the wattage does not seem to be equal in SPL levels. My YBA 200 tube amp was louder than my 500 watt class D. Now I have the EBS classic 500 class A too, and it is just amazing.
Why is "modularity" such a big deal for bassists. Keyboardists, guitarists, drummer aren't afraid to take an extra trip. It's like we're handicapped or something. :D
I had a 2-18 2 -10 Cabinet we called it the pig! vibrated the whole neighborhood!
The SVT is a tube amp.