Was it the amp or the cab that I fell in love with?

[stefBclef]

Last night I played a gig in a small, skanky 'locals' pub...you know the drill. Drum kit with bits missing, and generally everything seeming a bit ropey.

BUT...

I absolutely loved the sound I got from the bass rig and the whole band loved it too. We play reggae and the drummer who normally asks me to "Mek de bass more round man" just sat there drumming and sweating with a massive grin on his face....you know, the sort that is only caused by lovely, velvety smooth, fat, clean, round bass. It was like everybody could feel it under their feet, the way it should be.

Anyway, onto my question. I want to know if it was the head or the cab that caused all that lovliness. The rig was:

Peavey Mark IV head into a Peavey 215.

I am used to playing into 210s 410s or 810s rather than 15s. According to stuff I have read on BC, the theory that says "large diameter drivers produce fatter, subier bass" is a myth, so even for a reggae sound a number of 10s would still be the way to go.

However now I am not so sure. [b]Was it the 215 cab that made that round sound?[/b]

[b]Or...maybe it was the Peavey head that gave me what I desired and would have sounded just as fat through a 410... [/b]

Time to buy some gear! I can either buy a 15 extention cab for my Ashdown Mag 350 210 combo, or go looking for a Peavey head/cab...what do you reckon?

[LukeFRC]

nothing, it was the 6 pints each you all had drunk beforehand

[PlungerModerno]

Could be Eq, could be the room - could even be that you happened to 'feel' it at that moment.

If a cab can produce a given frequency, it is just as 'fast' as another cab. You know those high end headphones that have small drivers - they can go to 20Hz or even lower.

The reason people go for 15" and 18" in PA subs and in many bass rigs is one of cost. You need a more complex, expensive and heavy cab to get a given low end sensitivity (i.e. loudness out per watt in) with smaller drivers in general.

Have a read: http://barefacedbass.com/technical-information.htm
http://barefacedbass.com/bgm-columns.htm

And check out these: http://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/
http://www.billfitzmaurice.com/

Very helpful material IMO. It's way outside my expertise to critique this - but it seems to be really well founded in experiment and acoustic theory. Enjoy!

[flyfisher]

[quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1345414239' post='1777327']
Could be Eq, could be the room - could even be that you happened to 'feel' it at that moment.

[/quote]

. . . .could be the amp, could be the cab . . . . or, perhaps more likely, could be a subtle combination of all of them.

(oh yes, AND the 6 pints that Luke FRC mentioned )

[Mr. Foxen]

Probably the cab, since they are most usually the limiting factor. Big is good.

[grandad]

& what a good feeling it is when everything comes together just right on the night.

After spending to much money trying out various brands of guitars, amps, cabs & combo's I always come back to my Peavey Max 160 head into an Ampeg B115E for my gig-rig. Together they occupy that 'warm' place in the sound spectrum that I like & it sounds like you experienced. I have finally run out of GAS & it's a good place to be.

I do rate Peavey bass gear as great value for money & very reliable due to excellent build quality. I did try the Max 450 with the Peavey 210 + 115 but it was over the top volume-wise for my needs but just as good.

Some cab's I've tried had more bottom end, e.g. the Ashdown ABM 115, but lacked the even response from low to mid that the Ampeg & Peavey cabs seem to have. The 210's I've tried on there own were ok but a 115 just does it for me. The tried & tested 210 + 115 might be the combination you're looking for.

I find that I need to live with & use a rig in a number of different places over a few months to familiarize myself sufficiently enough to trust my opinion. The problem being that my/our opinions/feelings about our gear are a mixture of subjective facts & inexplicable emotional attachments.

Your gig-rig is not any 1 item. It is a complete system. If you picture a circle, you-instument-amp-speaker-room-you. The input is you & the output is fedback to you the input, which continually adjusts to achieve the desired outcome. Change any item in that system & the outcome will change.

Anyway, I'm glad you had a great night & wish you many more of the same.

[Spike Vincent]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1345417762' post='1777388']
Probably the cab, since they are most usually the limiting factor. Big is good.
[/quote]


This.

[Spike Vincent]

[attachment=116087:480821_495822190431417_1920718080_n.jpg]

[Truckstop]

I'm thinking it's the head. You need lots of power/headroom to reproduce huge lows, right? I've always used fairly underpowered heads in my time (300-350w) and the second I bought my PF500 and ran it at 4ohms, I was amazed at how clear and how loud the bass frequencies were. Same cab though.

But of course it could be a mix of a million things. The room, the stage, where the cab was positioned, where the band was in relation to the cab etc etc

Ha ha "mek the bass more round man". I like that.

Truckstop

Edited August 20, 2012 by Truckstop

[grandad]

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1345451843' post='1777526']
[attachment=116087:480821_495822190431417_1920718080_n.jpg]
[/quote]

That rig must sound belly-warming!

[Spike Vincent]

It's a good 'un.

[JTUK]

If you have lucked into something you really like, then congrats..... lots of people spends ages messing around with stuff and still aren't satisfied.

[Lozz196]

I think it`s a combination of the two, but with the majority of it leaning towards the 215 cab. Those Peavey 15s have a great sound, and think two (especially in one cab) would be just right for a reggae type sound, as put so well by your drummer. Of course, the amp will have a fair bit to say in it - the cabs will only put out what`s put in.

[Spike Vincent]

Of course,for Reggae you really need an enormous 1 x 18" reflex bin...

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='stefBclef' timestamp='1345411548' post='1777284']
I absolutely loved the sound I got from the bass rig and the whole band loved it too. We play reggae and the drummer who normally asks me to "Mek de bass more round man" just sat there drumming and sweating with a massive grin on his face....you know, the sort that is only caused by lovely, velvety smooth, fat, clean, round bass. It was like everybody could feel it under their feet, the way it should be.[/quote]

Outside of the discussion that's a lovely bit of copy-writing; I'd come to see your band on the strength of that alone!
Though you don't say what bass you were using? Not relevant to the question so much, assuming it was the same bass you usually use?

[Mr Fretbuzz]

...or an enormous spliff next time :-)

Edited August 20, 2012 by Mr Fretbuzz

[dmccombe7]

I had one of those Peavey Mk IV heads yrs ago with twin mixable channels - from memory they produced a great variety of warm valve type sounds into whatever cab i used from 2x10, 4x12, 12&15 front loaded or 15" reflex. They all had a great warm sound.

Dave

[stefBclef]

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1345451843' post='1777526']
[attachment=116087:480821_495822190431417_1920718080_n.jpg]
[/quote]

What cabs are these? Has anyone used the Peavey TVX range?

Go on...tell me about your intruiging sounding wardrobe of a cab then!

[Spike Vincent]

Peavey 1 x 15" Black Widows. I have a probably early 1970's grey fronted Marshall 1 x 18" reflex bin,it produces a whopping 150w,although it sounds louder than that. It's totally impractical,needs a small van or estate car to move it,and is currently getting dusty at my parents.It does scare guitarists though.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='stefBclef' timestamp='1345482661' post='1778010']
What cabs are these? Has anyone used the Peavey TVX range?

Go on...tell me about your intruiging sounding wardrobe of a cab then!
[/quote]

I`ve used the 410 TVX, and had the 210 TVX. Really great cabs, I love them, but I`m just not able to lift them anymore.

[Phil Starr]

If you are interested I have a mate with a Peavey 2x15 which he is trying to sell. I used to use it with the MkIII and it sounded great. Didn't enjoy gigs up a flight of stairs too much though.

[Musky]

I think I know the pub you're talking about, since the description fits.

That rig does sound awesome. Everyone sounds awesome through it, though I've got to admit I've never seen anyone attempting a Mark King style slap fest using it.

They go for very little money, so if the size and weight isn't an issue (and it is for me) just buy one.

[stefBclef]

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1345488875' post='1778130']
If you are interested I have a mate with a Peavey 2x15 which he is trying to sell. I used to use it with the MkIII and it sounded great. Didn't enjoy gigs up a flight of stairs too much though.
[/quote]

Well I just bought a Peavey 410 and a Peavey 115 TVX so I think I probably have enough heavy Peavey gear for now! But out of interest, how much is your mate looking for and where are they based?

[stefBclef]

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1345491191' post='1778169']
I think I know the pub you're talking about, since the description fits.

That rig does sound awesome. Everyone sounds awesome through it, though I've got to admit I've never seen anyone attempting a Mark King style slap fest using it.

They go for very little money, so if the size and weight isn't an issue (and it is for me) just buy one.
[/quote]

Well the pub is in London so it could be your local....!

[stefBclef]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1345462178' post='1777678']
Outside of the discussion that's a lovely bit of copy-writing; I'd come to see your band on the strength of that alone!
Though you don't say what bass you were using? Not relevant to the question so much, assuming it was the same bass you usually use?
[/quote]

Thanks Big Stu! I can't take all the credit for those words though - they were inspired by bass tone satisfaction...I was a mere conduit. I was playing my Squier VM Precision with FM series La Bella Flats...and yep that's what I always play. Mmmmm lovely...