BanditSid

I have an Ampeg SVT7 Pro that I'm planning to sell if you are still looking for one.

I gig weekly with either one or two BB2 cabs and have used them with a GK MB800 initially then for the last 2 years with an MB800 fusion, the fusion is a better sounding amp for me but either will get the job done for you.

It is Jus, the GK amps are really small so I was able to a shallower 4u rack.....works out well in use.

Here's what I use most weekends, although the bass is now a Fender Precision. The rack is not full depth and I have fitted large rubber feet to stop it moving around.

I've rehearsed with a full Big Band (4 trumpets, 4 trombones and sax section) using my MB200 paired to a Big Baby 2, it was turned up quite high but more than held it's own and still sounded quite clean.

The GK MB800 bass amp uses an Icepower ASX250-2 power amp module.

I have been using a pair of Big Baby 2's for almost a year now and can comment on how they perform compared to what I used before. I used to gig with a GK Neo 212, then a GK Neo 410 and would add a GK Neo 215 for larger venues when I thought I needed the extra output, these were both driven by a GK MB800. They used to get the job done (I used them for 2 years and twice a week at least), the 215 wasn't as good for deep bass as the 410 or 212 but it did give a good low to mid range sound. I had before that gigged with a Trace Elliot 15 combo and extra 15 cab - heavy as hell. I bought a pair of Baby's to allow me to have one for smaller gigs and the pair for larger venues, but to be honest a single Baby would almost cover all of my needs. They are amazing for the size, after around 50 or 60 gigs I am still amazed by the amount of bass they produce, and so is our guitarist. I have used them at weddings, in pubs and clubs, a week in a pit band and at a few jazz/swing big band gigs and they just deliver every time. You are effectively looking at what I use when I have both cabs together, I had quite a lengthy chat on email with Alex and my original thought of buying a Big Twin was then changed to buy the Baby's - this might be they way to go for you as well. One of the advantages of these cabs is their size and weight, the Big Twin is still smaller and lighter than the GK kit I used to lug around, but a pair of Baby's are easier to move around and store.

Here's another Barefaced comment. I bought a pair of Baby 3's last year to replace a couple of very heavy GK Neo cabs I had spent a couple of years gigging with. I have used them as a pair and on their own and to be honest I reckon one would probably do for most gigs. I was playing in a pub last night and used a single cab, I was running my GK MB800 at around half volume and was easily keeping up with the rest of the band, the amount of volume and clean bass they produce still amazes me. I then packed up and carried the cab out to the car in one hand, lighter than the PA speakers we use. I know people are a bit divided over Barefaced cabs, but I can say that after a year of using them I wish I had bought them years ago. You can always try them and send them back if not satisfied.

I just bought an Ibanez bass from Carl - replied to my messages really quickly, was very friendly, shipped the bass quickly and packed it up really well.....all in all a great BC'er.

I've played a lot of gigs with GK cabs, I started with a 2x12 Neo then added a 1x15 Neo for bigger gigs then replaced the 2x12 with a 4x10 Neo. The are all very capable cabs, I especially liked the 2x12 on its own in small to medium sized pubs. I've been using 1 or 2 Big Baby 3's for the last few months and they have been a revelation. I use one in small to medium pubs and both in big venues, they go so loud and stay clean throughout. To answer the original question, I am normally on wireless and tend to go walkabout for the first song to check level and balance and I can say that the GK's were easy to lose when you walked around - especially the 4x10 - the Babys sound the same pretty much everywhere you go, very impressive. My only regret with getting the Babys is waiting so long, they are light and sound superb. As a die hard GK man I'd say take the plunge, either one Big Twin or two Babys - doesn't matter too much - you won't regret it

This is me playing in a pub in the city centre earlier this year.....

NE5534 OP Amps are designed for low impedance circuits where they are fairly low noise, in a high impedance circuit however they don't perform nearly as well from a noise point of view. A good low noise replacement is TL071/T072, it's not the best but is cheap and reliable and gives good results - if the existing chip is an NE5534 use a TL071 (single op amps) if it's an NE5532 use a TL072 (dual op amps).

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1437586487' post='2827345'] I don't think it's helpful to claim that class D amps are digital when they're not, they're just another analogue approach, albeit a far more efficient one. Get two equally well implemented amps of equal power, one class AB and one class D and run them so they never clip and you won't be able to hear a difference. The sonic differences arise in how the amps clip or if one has deficiencies in its design or implementation. [/quote] Alex made some very valid points that were missed I think. A power amplifier has one very simple job, it transfers the stored power in the power supply reservoir to the loudspeakers, this is simplistic but is it's basic function. Whatever amplifier topology you use, if it's done properly it should give the same results - but it will waste more power doing it as you head from class D through class AB to class A. Bass amplifiers are more demanding than any other application since they are mainly passing large low frequency signals that require large currents for long periods, placing a huge demand on the power supply which is where the problem will often lie. I've designed and built lots of amplifiers using both valves and transistors and while there are subtle differences in the sound, the biggest influence is the power supply, especially for bass which needs to have sufficient storage capacity to sustain a long bass note without a voltage dip. Switchmode power supplies are extremely common now and should be the perfect solution since they can react to supply demands very quickly, but only if they are designed to do so in a bass amp deployment. I gig a GK MB800 which is a great little amp but does have limitations. The amp uses IcePower amp/PSU modules and they are the amp's Achilles heel, since they are not specifically designed for bass use - the distortion level is extremely high as the power level rises and the PSU is designed for a general PA application. A typical bass note starts off at high level and low frequency, the GK amp then distorts this heavily and runs out of current in the PSU to sustain the note after the initial attack - the lack of uumph this post mentioned. As Alex said the design and implementation are key to getting a good sound, a class D amp can be made to deliver the same power to a speaker as a class AB with the same levels of distortion and damping factor, resulting in no discernible difference audibly. The power supply is more important to a bass amp and is the area that most amps fall down in, if companies could address this they would have a winner. A lightweight class D amp could easily deliver all that a bass player could ask for, if the accountants allowed the design to be implemented properly.

I got my strings on Saturday morning, along with a nice T shirt that my daughter immediately grabbed !! I got stainless (14677) strings as I'd already had a set of the regular ones (14077 )when I bought the bass and put them on my Ibanez SR4500E, I used them at a wedding on Saturday night and was very impressed with the sound. It was a sub gig with a Big Band and was a mix of jazz, swing, Glenn Miller and rock - they sounded quite bright but after backing off the treble a touch (which removed a bit of amp hiss) they sounded really sweet. There also seemed to be more bass extension, but that could have been the location, I'm back in a regular pub this weekend so will have a better idea of the sound balance there. All in all, I liked the regular Elixir's that came with my bass - they feel right and have no finger noise when moving around the fret board, the sound stays the same for months of regular twice a week gigging and they are well priced - what more can you ask for !!

•Have you tried Elixir strings before? Yes, they were on an Ibanez Bass I bought. •What other brands are you familiar with? D'Addario, Fender, Ernie Ball •What bass(es) will you try the new strings on? Ibanez SR4500E, USA Fender Precision, Fender Jazz •What sort of environment will you be playing them in (e.g studio, gigging, practicing) Pub/club gigging, rehearsals, Jazz Band gigs, weddings •Why do you think you'll be a good candidate to test the strings? I play at least twice weekly in pubs and clubs, with rehearsals in between, this will be a great test of the strings longevity. I also play a lot of Jazz and Big band gigs, this would allow me to test their suitability on a variety of musical styles. •Links to any blogs/reviews you may have already posted (not essential but interesting) None unfortunately.

I use a Shure PSM200 which does all you are asking....you can plug the mic in the front then take a cable from the back to your mixer, you have a second input to mix the sound you hear (I feed the bass in one and the PA mixer out feed into the other), it's a radio system with a huge range, mine cost around £500 but they have come down a lot in price since the newer model came out. The supplied earphones work well as earplugs as well so you can keep them in after a gig if a DJ takes over and blares out while you pack up. I can't recommend it too highly.