bushneely Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Newbie here.....be gentle!!! I'm part of a four piece band that's about to embark on a few small pub gigs (small p.a ,instruments not Mic'd up,)..I had been using an old carlsbro 250watt 1x15 combo for rehearsals and a couple of gigs...but I felt it was only just powerful enough and thought I'd upgrade rather than play the old girl at full tilt. So, on impulse , I bought a second hand ashdown 410 600watt combo. First rehearsal last night and I must admit I was slightly underwhelmed by the output of the amp A couple of questions..any help appreciated I'm a bit naive on the gain,eq, compression and volume front....what are the best ways to maximize output? (we play old school punk so no real fancy effects required) Also...I notice from the amps spec it says output is 307w 8ohms 575w 8ohms Does that mean I will only get full output by adding an extension cabinet Bloody confused dot com! Thanks in advance....ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Yes, adding an extension cab will unleash the full umph I've never used an Asdown so can't speak from experience on the eq section but generally I would say get the gain up to a point where you are maximising volume but without clipping (there will be a light or a gauge I'm guessing). Then set your master volume to suit the venue. Perhaps start with eq all set flat and adjust to suit the venue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushneely Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 Thanks Gary....I'll hunt a cab down...And fiddle with the amp....why are these things so complicated!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Also as you play around with the tone controls, try cutting the lows and boosting the mids (little by little), ideally boost low mids first if you have the option, but if not, any old mid will do? Boosted mids often sound pretty crap soloed but can actually sit very well in the mix. Also ask your bandmates for their opinion on your tone, bassists are often striving for the tone in their heads as opposed to the tone the band needs, the error that characterised the first 20 years of my gigging career! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 And do the above before you go looking for another cab, twice the wattage is most certainly not going to give you twice the volume (if you're underwhelmed by 300w you'll probably be equally underwhelmed by 600 to be honest). If your EQ is fundamentally wrong no amount of extra cabs will solve the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushneely Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 Thanks for the advice....I'll go early pre rehearsal and play around with the e.q next week....band mates complimented the tone...I think I just expected more headroom as I was driving it hard and my initial theory was to get something more powerful that could not be nearly maxed...might get a 15 ext cab as they are cheap as chips 2nd hand.. Hope the above makes sense as I'm quite new to this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 EQ with the band, not before, and I doubt a cheap 115 will help a lot to be honest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushneely Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 Even a matching ashdown one?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 (edited) Not sure what head you have but turn off compression, sub harmonics, bright and deep and overdrive, set EQ flat and set the gain where the VU meter just goes to the red section (assuming it's still working). Set your bass tone controls flat and then get your band involved whilst you make small adjustments. Often a little goes a long way. If you've got good band mates they'll be more than happy to help you get a good sound. I wouldn't bother with the extension cab right now, the 410 should be pretty loud! I found that with mine, using the deep and sub harmonics seemed to rob the tone of it's punch and perceived volume which might be what you're experiencing? Cheers Steve Edited March 27, 2015 by Muppet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Also, I added a ABM 1x15 to mine and ended up not using it, as it turned out too boomy. These were the ABM cabs from about 10-12 years ago that I always thought were excellent on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 [quote name='bushneely' timestamp='1427489427' post='2731170'] Even a matching ashdown one?? [/quote] Well one might be tempted to say especially if it's an Ashdown one Only joking. The point is, as I suspect Steve was suggesting, that an extra cab might not only not solve your problem, but if the problem is lack of presence, an extra 1x15 could make it worse. In all but the loudest of bands or the worst of gear, a 4x10 driven by a 300w head should not be lacking grunt if EQ'd to the sound of the rest of the band. The only situations I've been in where this wasn't the case was when trying to get a really good clean dub tone, where perhaps you may need more watts and more cabs. I've actually gigged a 65w Ashdown combo with a relatively loud band (I know 'relatively' and 'loud' are rather subjective), and whilst it wouldn;t have been my first choice and I didn't rock the place with viscera melting thud, I, the band and the audience could still hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushneely Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 (edited) It's an evo 3 600 410 combo steve...I've got a lot to learn! (The v.u does still work though!!!!) Really appreciate the advice fellas! Edited March 27, 2015 by bushneely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 That's a really good combo, I love the Evo III is it the MAG or the ABM? Even with ear bleeding punk it should keep up. You're not standing too close to it are you? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushneely Posted March 28, 2015 Author Share Posted March 28, 2015 It's the evo version, and I do tend to stand close to it.....Is that a schoolboy error? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Well you might not be getting the benefit of the full sound of the amp, though your band mates might and any audience I'm sure would. You've a great combo there so I'm sure with a few minor tweaks you'll be satisfied, might just be a little trial and error to get there. Stick with it. Im not saying don't get a 1 x15 but it's another big box to carry around if you don't need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushneely Posted March 28, 2015 Author Share Posted March 28, 2015 Doesnt help with an over enthusiastic guitarist constantly messing with his volume and bloody pedals!! This forums great though, glad I stumbled on it....some really informative posts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Mark Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1427500436' post='2731320'] That's a really good combo, I love the Evo III is it the MAG or the ABM? Even with ear bleeding punk it should keep up. You're not standing too close to it are you? Steve [/quote] You haven't answered this question fully Does it say MAG600 on the front of the amp? Is the amp front panel painted blue or silver. I have owned both ABM and MAG amps and they are very different in terms of their 'flat' EQ sound. The ABM has both valve and solid state pre amp section. The MAG is SS only and very clean. The ABM also has a shape button which you need to push in to turn it off ( which seems the wrong way round to me) which adds bass and reduces mids. Turning the shape off should help you get more perceived volume. If you really want to add another cab get an Ashdown 410 from the same model series as your combo. That will be much much better than a 15 and will be loud enough for any occasion. Hope this helps. Edited March 28, 2015 by Sparky Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 The first thing I'd offer as advice about Ashdown amps is that they're (to my ears) very bass heavy. There was an Ashdown combo at a practice studio I used to use and I struggled for ages to cut through, until I started cutting the bass. I've got an Ashdown RPM-1 now the bass knob is usually set at about 9 o'clock. I'd deffo also agree with those above who suggested setting the amp to 'Shape Off' and looking at experimenting with some mid boost YMMV of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyV Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 My simple question would be where have you got your 'input' control set? Because if that is too low then you will not be getting anything like the full potential out of the amp regardless of how high you have the 'output' control. I am using an Ashdown Evo ii 180 and that is loud enough for small pub gigs in a typical pub rock covers band. Agreed as above on boosting those mids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushneely Posted March 28, 2015 Author Share Posted March 28, 2015 It's an evo 600 mag with a silver front sparky....wish I could afford the other! I'll turn that bass down and tweak the mids up. Folks...thanks for all the advice...I'll report back on Thursday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huge Hands Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 I have a Mag300 - the other thing to try is the fact that mine has 2 input sockets - HI and LO. These refer to impedance rather than level. If you're plugging a passive bass into the HI socket, the you'll experience a massive drop in level through the signal chain compared to using the LO one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushneely Posted March 28, 2015 Author Share Posted March 28, 2015 To be honest I've got a Yamaha active bass and I tried it in the active and passive inputs ....it is louder through the passive .....but not what I was looking for...but...as described above my eq settings were probably "wonky" Hopefully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowhand_mike Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 i have the magg evo ii 300 head and 4x10 cab and its plenty loud enough. I set the VU meter first with the gain dial so it peaks just on red, then press in the eq switch to activate the bass, mid bass, mid, mid high and high dials and then dial back the the gain as turning on the eq boosts the input signal and increasing the eq dials will increase the reading on the VU meter, i also have the bright and deep switches pressed in (on). I use an active bass but play it through the passive input as i find the cut too much playing through the active and i just handle the input signal with the gain dial. i have the compressor set to about 9 oclock and rarely use the sub harmonics. then set your master volume as desired Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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