Alec

I'd suggest that 15s are unnecessary for your situation, with kick & bass not going through the PA. You'll likely find that a decent pair of 12s or even 10s will actually sound better for vocals than you've been experiencing - and you'll end up with a smaller/lighter pack. You're aiming higher than the Alto TS, which is good. They're "OK" if you're on a tight budget, but that's all. Once purchased, you're unlikely to regret having stretched your budget for decent kit. And don't forget to budget for soft covers - critical to look after your kit! I've got a couple of RCF ART 722 and four ART 710. To be honest, the 710s come out more often than the 722s, just because they're smaller. Both pack quite a punch Speakers worthy of consideration: Yamaha DSR112 (at the top end of your budget, but top notch, sadly no 10" option in the DSR range), Yamaha DXR12 & DXR10 (a step down from the DXRs, but highly capable), RCF ART 732 & 710. The new Yamaha DZR range is a little nicer still than the DSR range, but creeps out of your budget. All of these sound great, and have plenty of guts - and will be an easily noticeable improvement over your old Altos - night & day. Above this, though, you're into some silly money, albeit even nicer performance. Try and listen to some of these if you can. They'll all do the job, but you'll be steered by your balance of ergonomics/sound/price. If you want to hear some RCF ARTs in anger, I'm in Ware, Herts, if that's any use for you? Also, while I can see the pressing need to replace broken FOH speakers, don't discount looking at your monitors at some point. Do they do a good enough job for you. And don't forget your mics, 58s do a job, but for many situations, there are better mics out there.

What are you replacing? How loud is the band? Where is your current PA disappointing you? Will you be considering scaling up in future, i.e., fully micd band/kit? What mics do you use? Do you have a mixer you're happy with, or is that integrated into your current speaker setup? (perhaps you have a mixer-amp) What's your monitoring setup, and how well's it working for you? What's your budget top end? Answers to those questions might get you suitable responses than people just throwing names of kit they have have used. And, based on the maxim of you can pick any two out of small, cheap, performance, we might be able to guide you suitably, based on your key criteria.

Presume you'd also take said unsuitable mic and hang it down vertically in front of the cab, so that you're micing off access and getting an even nastier sound? Shudder. There's a reason why proper engineers use a range of mics and deploy them in certain ways...

The bass amp market is so much better (and lighter) than it was in my starting out days 30 years ago! One question, if this is to take to college - are you down to do regular drop-off/collection runs? How tight on space will the car be? As that could impact max size. Despite that, consider a separate head/amp, rather than a combo. I'd thoroughly recommend the second hand market - so much money to be saved for a student's budget. Not going to recommend any gear specifically - more than enough good suggestions above.

Unfortunately, and especially at the cheaper end of the market, every penny counts. So, a few pounds on the build cost would likely be considered waay too much cost eating into margins. Indeed, best to keep to facts, rather than Euro-myths. And, sadly, there are still amps/cabs being brought to market today with just jacks..

Speakons have easily been around since then. Sadly, bass amps were slow to adopt - particularly US models. Its also common to find cheaper amps/cabs still stuck in their jack plug world. In fact, for guitar amps, I think it's even worse, sadly...

It baffles me why jacks are still being used in amps - other than saving a few pennies and not being new fangled. I'd go as far as to say that I wouldn't buy and amp/cab that didn't use Speakons

Indeed, and long may people carry on being helpful to those genuinely seeking help - there's a lot of capability out here... 😊

Er, sorry, this post shows where it's all gone off the rails in the past - is that really someone who's just trying to sort out a PA system? He had so much well meaning input, and this happened a few times in a few different places. Thankfully, most of the more bizarre and personal attacks have been removed by mods. Sadly, it's made me much more suspicious - generally with good cause...

Class D amps are often "flattering" to their power output ratings but, as long as you don't go too low, they're ample. Whether my RH450 is really 450 watts or whether it's the far less value that others claim, I don't really care, as it goes waaay louder than I'll ever need. As to weight, everything's changed for bass players in the last 10 years. While I'd normally gig with my 2x12, I'll do rehearsals and some smaller gigs with my GenzBenz STL-10T. It's one trip from the car, but the cab is the lightest item, followed by the head, and the bass is the heaviest - since when could that ever have been a thing... I used to love my old Trace 4x10 combo, but would *never* return to anything that weighed 60kg again!

No complaints for me - and, in my view, the speaker is going to contribute more to the "girth" (or otherwise) that you're seeing. The things I particularly love about my RH450 are its (lack of) size/weight, the built-in tuner, compressor and valve tone. Having played with it in anger with my NEOX 212T cab, I barely tickle the power available in regular gigging use.

Trust me - you won't...

Of course this is the wrong place, but everyone's just a bit too helpful for their own good. All this started on SoundOnSound.com, moved to GearSlutz, now sadly here...

Status Graphite were also in Witham in the early 90s, when I went to pick the wood for my dreamed of Empathy. I'm never going back from Class D/Neo - my back couldn't take it. Yup, as a youth I dreamt of a Status bass and a TE amp - the absolute ultimate british bass dream. In the end, the amp came first, and the bass followed. Both gave me much pleasure until my Class D/Neo epiphany, where I couldn't lose the TE quickly enough, and have never regretted it for a second. The bass, a fine Empathy, however, some 25 years on, is most definitely a keeper...

Same here - headroom for days...

As an engineer - this.... You clearly frequent more refined bassist circles than I come across. For all the players with top end kit there are plenty of bassists with crappy kit. I've had a few bassists whose rigs have let them down mid-show. In those cases, an external DI has saved the day. My approach is always to ask the bassist what approach they prefer, and then go with that unless it causes problems in soundcheck. For those that don't know/care, it's always an external DI, unless their head is one I'd know and trust, like a TC Electronic head....

I loved mine when I bought it, but gradually fell out of love as time moved on, and bass amps grew lighter and better. When I compared it with my TC RH450 & Genz Benz STL10T, it was night and day - the new setup was so much lighter and better. Happy to have sold the old BLX on!

Not a question that can be answered. Will depend on the venue, the style of music, the bassist, the other players, and the cab. What works admirably for me, might be completely inadequate for you, and vice versa.

Dredging up an old thread, but I got my Pro17s 6 years ago after using ER20s, and have never looked back. Sadly, I lost them this week, but am straight onto replacing them - they simply make my musical life possible....

Listening with your eyes...

I had the similar issue with my TC RH450 and Genz Benz NEOX-212T. Thankfully, the head has a "preset level", which lets you adjust the level of each of the three presets before they go through the master level control. So, effectively, two casecading level controls. I reduced my preset levels, and so can operate the amp with the master level at more sensible positions. Doesn't change how it sounds - though some people reckoned it did - but works a treat for me...

Not seen Bassics before - is it me, or are those illuminated knobs just nasty? A great idea, with all the candy colours, but surely the light in the centre would dominate and make it hard to see the legend on the front panel, or the actual knob setting?

I've ended up never using the presets for different sounds - but do have one programmed in with *my* basic sound. Like he said, great to have that instantly available when kit sharing. I never have a problem with the overhang obscuring my view. Took a long hard look at it (on top of my 2x12) while playing, and it really didn't get in the way.