solo4652 Posted June 11, 2011 Author Share Posted June 11, 2011 [quote name='Paul S' post='1265096' date='Jun 11 2011, 04:51 PM']There's both a Little Mark Tube 500 and a Barefaced Compact just popped up on the For Sale section - this has to be the best VFM lightweight rig ever![/quote] Aha! Thanks you for the head's up. I've PM'd the seller regarding the Compact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo4652 Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Well, this is how it all turned out; I was originally trying to reduce the number of amps and combos I had scattered around various places. What actually happened? - I've ended up with more rather than fewer bits of kit. I ended up buying a Compact and a TC Classic 450 rig, both secondhand. Total outlay = £700. Using it at home for practice, I was pretty underimpressed. Because it's so loud, I had it turned right down, and it sounded thin. I preferred the little Line 6 combo. I thought I'd made an expensive mistake. However, at full-band rehearsal, the new rig came alive. One word: Clarity. I bought the Classic 450 amp because of its simple controls and it only took a few minutes to dial in a really rich-but-clear tone with my G&L. Amp settings: gain half-way, compressor almost off, bass turned down (because the G&L's so full-on anyway), mids up a little, tweeter up a bit, virtually no tubetone, master volume no higher than half. Band members amazed at clarity of tones all along the spectrum. I'm very pleased with it all, but I'll have to tidy up my playing because all mistakes are now clearly audible! I kept the little Line 6 combo for dining room practice because it's just so easy and simple to use, and it hides behing the sofa. I kept the SWR combo for leaving at the rehearsal room for sheer convenience. I still have the Roland combo and extension rig because nobody seems to want to buy it, which I find really surprising. So does the fabled 1-cab solution exist? For me and my circumstances - no. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Glad it all worked out, even though it was an unexpected result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 One cab soution...?? zillions of them... 1 speaker solution...? not a chance, IMV. I can't recall ever hearing anyone with a single speaker sounding any good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toasted Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I've yet to come accross a situation that my AE410 didn't sound GREAT in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I just got a Hartke Hydrive 410 and LH500 head. Awesome. Plenty of low end and more than enough power. Easy to move about. My other choice would be a Mark Bass CMD 102P combo. Amazing bit of kit that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 [quote name='JTUK' post='1304436' date='Jul 15 2011, 10:01 AM']One cab soution...?? zillions of them... 1 speaker solution...? not a chance, IMV. I can't recall ever hearing anyone with a single speaker sounding any good.[/quote] Obviously you haven't heard the Barefaced midget.... My supertwelveT isn't too loud for home practice, but then I play loud!!! And I have 750 watts!!!! You have the classic? It shouldn't have tweeted, and even if you don't and have the 750 the tweetertone won't make little(if any difference) due to the cab having no tweeter and it's high end being limited to 4khz. I don't see why it wouldn't be a 1 cab solution. Any gig bigger than what the compact can cope with should be equipped with a PA support. I understand your thin complaint, but it should be made away that finding the sweet spot on the master volume between where it sounds thin and sounding full, and teeter it between. It shouldn't be to loud, if it you need to find a more sound economic place to keep it, away from Walls/corners/ raising off the floor, this will decrease the lows by -3db for each wall and floor. So should be perceived to be quieter. (there are other thongs to bead in mind) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 [quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1305201' date='Jul 15 2011, 09:25 PM']Obviously you haven't heard the Barefaced midget.... My supertwelveT isn't too loud for home practice, but then I play loud!!! And I have 750 watts!!!! You have the classic? It shouldn't have tweeted, and even if you don't and have the 750 the tweetertone won't make little(if any difference) due to the cab having no tweeter and it's high end being limited to 4khz. I don't see why it wouldn't be a 1 cab solution. Any gig bigger than what the compact can cope with should be equipped with a PA support. I understand your thin complaint, but it should be made away that finding the sweet spot on the master volume between where it sounds thin and sounding full, and teeter it between. It shouldn't be to loud, if it you need to find a more sound economic place to keep it, away from Walls/corners/ raising off the floor, this will decrease the lows by -3db for each wall and floor. So should be perceived to be quieter. (there are other thongs to bead in mind)[/quote] Nope..not in a million. Read what I said. One chassis aint going to be able to do it, as far as I am concerned. There isn't a 15 or 12 or 10" that will do it. I've use a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 The smallest 'one cab solution' for gigging (and when I mean gigging I mean with an electric guitarist) would be a 2x10 for me. A 2x12 would be much fuller though. Doesnt matter what brand or speaker it is, I wouldnt really want a huge amount of mid range through a small 1x12 when the guitarist is taking his full amp setup. Now Im with an acoustic guitarist, things change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 [quote name='JTUK' post='1305297' date='Jul 15 2011, 10:43 PM']Nope..not in a million. Read what I said. One chassis aint going to be able to do it, as far as I am concerned. There isn't a 15 or 12 or 10" that will do it. I've use a few.[/quote] To be honest you've got to compromise somewhere, for me I compromise on practice volume/tone, I'm only practicing so it's not important but then a lot of the time I'm using the headphones out. So what have you got the new rig for? The idea was to get rid of everything else, but you still have everything else, and will essentially use it all despite the Roland because admit it the Barefaced sounds better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 [quote name='JTUK' post='1304436' date='Jul 15 2011, 10:01 AM']One cab soution...?? zillions of them... 1 speaker solution...? not a chance, IMV. I can't recall ever hearing anyone with a single speaker sounding any good.[/quote] Bit of a sweepeing statement tbh as there are some very good single speaker cabs out there. I think this is a "horses for courses" type thing tho. You have to remember we all have differing tastes. For me the solution would be two 1x12 cabs (take your pick - BFM, Barefaced, Aguilar etc etc) as you get portability, tone, depth, low volume etc. If you get to use a PA (and I strongly recommend you do if possible as you have far better band sound control if you let an engineer sort it) then you can use just one cab as a monitor.I'd never ever ever leave a cab at a practice venue as some young punk would trash it for sure. I have owned a couple of compacts but only really enjoyed them when I had two together as I found the bottom end lacking with just one. I do know a lot of people who genuinely love them tho and I'm aware this is purely a personal taste issue on my behalf. However I have also gigged with a cheap ashdown 15 cab which surprised me. I found the barefaced finish quality very disapointing tho especially at the price. Likewise I've been disapponted with the odd 4x10 and I've never been able to get on with a 2x10 as every one I tried just sounded like half a 4x10. I'd give up home practice tone in favour of gig tone anytime cos only I hear the practice tone. Headphones are the way forward for me here anyhow. Dream soution if this was me? No brainer - 2 BFM Jack 12's would win time and time again. I then get to choose the finish, can have one with tweeters and one without and I'll know it's well made cos I would have made it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Markbass STD 104HF. The only reason I want a 2nd cab to go with mine is so i can have it closer to ear level. I'll never need to turn it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 (edited) [quote name='mrtcat' post='1307192' date='Jul 17 2011, 10:46 PM']Bit of a sweepeing statement tbh as there are some very good single speaker cabs out there.[/quote] You might think so...but I've tried an awful lot of cabs over the years and can honestly say that anything with a single speaker in it will not work...and certainly not for me. 15 and 12's are too low in Freq response so you have to add a horn. Use a single 10 and you have to shape the cab so much to get the bass out that it compromises other things. I agree with the BFM models in that you can control the build aspect/QC and I have seen some very good looking examples built here by members. I am also always bemused by people thinking they can get away with just one cab..say a 1x12, just because they have/need P.A support. You will have the same problems unless you have VERY good monitoring and I'd question how many bands on here carry 4 way monitor mixes, for example. The only way you'll get away with this is if your drummer has the wrong dynamic playing his kit... which is bad news through a P.A anyway.. or he is TOTALLY sorted with his sound. And those guys are few and far between. If you have a loud drummer...you'll need a rig to compete with him.... and that is without starting on gtrs... If you go outside, stage volume becomes even more crucial and hopefully you'll be in a PA that has side fills or heavy weight wedges, ..plus the mixes, but then the crucial element is how good your sound check to sort all that is. Edited July 18, 2011 by JTUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Ive always used a one cab solution and it works for me but i do find that at quiet levels the cabs sound better than when pushed, even moderately. My current 1212L (2 drivers) doesnt seem to change character too much but some of the one speaker cabs ive had have sounded a bit more aggressive/dirty when played at gig volume, not ideal if your going for a clean tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solo4652 Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 [quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1307141' date='Jul 17 2011, 10:07 PM']So what have you got the new rig for? The idea was to get rid of everything else, but you still have everything else, and will essentially use it all despite the Roland because admit it the Barefaced sounds better?[/quote] I'm assuming this question is aimed at me as the OP (but excuse me if I'm wrong). Yep - the initial idea was to get rid of everything else. Maybe I was showing my inexperience and naivety here. As it turns out, sheer practicalities have held sway. I've kept the rehearsal combo because it's so easy to leave it at (the band's own) rehearsal room so all I have to take there is my bass and notes. I was going to sell the little Line 6 combo and use the Barefaced/TC 450 rig for home practice. However, small though the rig is, it's still a bit intrusive and unsightly to live in the dining room (that's what I'm told, anyway). So it lives upstairs and for home practice I use the tiddy little Line 6 because I can lose it behind the settee when it's not being used, and that contributes to domestic harmony. As for the Rolands - well, the reason I still have them is because they're proving difficult to sell. I suppose I'll have to Ebay them. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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