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Wattage for gigging


Pegdrums

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I've been playing live in bands for 42 years and not once have I needed to engage/use a ground lift... maybe I've been lucky.  

 

re. DI - most decent gigs where you are using a PA supplied in situ they will have a DI box which negates the need to even worry about that.

 

Wattage - It's been said before, watts are cheap these days so you may as well have 200 - 500 watts as opposed to 100 - 200w.  A few years ago you'd be in a position where wattage could be achieved at a ratio of about £1 per watt (even used), these days you can buy brand new 500w amps for £200, less used.  Saying that I own a valve 120w amp that I can gig with a loud drummer and guitarist, I'd really struggle to do that with a solid state amp but I have managed with 250+ watts and efficient cabs.  One consideration might be to ensure you get a speaker with decent efficiency and if possible multiples of it aligned vertically, ideally with drivers near level with your ears (which will obviously have ear plugs in).  

 

Caveat... 42 years of gigging and loads of cabs/amps etc and I'm going down the route of a preamp pedal (Sansamp) into the desk and an aux send to IEM (via wireless).  :) 

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Thanks for all the info.

 

I’ve finally settled for an ashdown rm 500, with 2 x Eden ex 112’s

750 euro all in

 

this gives me 500 w with both speakers or 300 with one.

 

I have an Eden WTDI which has ground lift if ever needed although warwickhunt has reassuringly said I won’t need it. 
 

in the hotel I’m in now a guitarist and a bass player we’re playing trad and the bassist just had a small head and cab and I was happily reassured that going modular was a good choice.

 

it’s difficult starting from my position. 
im at a point where I’m pretty much able to gig and have been offered to dep a wedding gig already.

so getting a rig together to suit the standard/ experience of people around me on a budget is tricky so thanks too all for your advice.

 

when I started drumming over 20 years I had some decent gear to get me going with basic little gigs and it develops over time.

this is jumping in at the deepend!!

thanks again

 

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I've used the Eden cabs before and they're great. Just bear in mind though, if you lose a speaker (as I have) you'll struggle to find a replacement (I haven't found one) since Eden fizzled out. There'll be loads to suit your budget though, especially if you buy used.

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10 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Until you get a feel for 1 cab vs 2 you need to be cautious with that. Getting the last watt through 1 twelve is well and good until it isn't. The rating does NOT mean you can let fly with the amp and the cab will take it.

Absolutely. If I in anyway needed to crank I’d just use the two otherwise it’d be low volume ata low volume gig

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On 03/03/2022 at 21:34, Pegdrums said:

Gonna pull the trigger on the rm 500 BUT.....

 

the DI is post eq and effects and it has no ground lift.

 

Has this ever been an issue for you?

 

Also, is there an alternate option to di? Could I di from a line out for example? line out into di box.

Get a DI from Orchid Electronics great value and properly balanced. Never needed a ground lift.  It goes between your bass and amp so pre EQ. 
http://orchid-electronics.co.uk/classic_DI.htm

 

They do a muting version and a micro version I have two of the classics in case I get a player that has no DI out. 
 

In reality all DIs are post EQ to some degree as the first stage of DI is in the bass itself and then any pedals in your signal chain. The Orchid DI ( and many others) give the cleanest signal to the desk but how much control do you want to give the sound tech?

 

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On 13/03/2022 at 14:57, Chienmortbb said:

Get a DI from Orchid Electronics great value and properly balanced. Never needed a ground lift.  It goes between your bass and amp so pre EQ. 
http://orchid-electronics.co.uk/classic_DI.htm

 

They do a muting version and a micro version I have two of the classics in case I get a player that has no DI out. 
 

In reality all DIs are post EQ to some degree as the first stage of DI is in the bass itself and then any pedals in your signal chain. The Orchid DI ( and many others) give the cleanest signal to the desk but how much control do you want to give the sound tech?

 

Thanks for the info. Can’t remember if I mentioned but I have an Eden WTDI which I bought to make my practice amp sound better but that could come n handy as a D.I option no?

 

I’ve no more money to buy anything else anyway.

 

side note….. I’ve received the rm 500. Yet to try it as only collecting the cabs next week but plugged it in to the mains and turned it on to see what the fan might be like and HOLY F**KING stinky poo it’s LOUD

 

my wife was in a different room and came in when she heard it saying ‘ what the hell is that noise?’ 
 

is there a way I can fix this?

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7 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

Send it back. No fan should be that noisy.

Whenever I'm playing at gigs, I'm always surrounded by fans screaming away so loud that I cannot hear myself at all.

 

And then I wake up.

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1 hour ago, Pegdrums said:

Thanks for the info. Can’t remember if I mentioned but I have an Eden WTDI which I bought to make my practice amp sound better but that could come n handy as a D.I option no?

 

I’ve no more money to buy anything else anyway.

 

side note….. I’ve received the rm 500. Yet to try it as only collecting the cabs next week but plugged it in to the mains and turned it on to see what the fan might be like and HOLY F**KING stinky poo it’s LOUD

 

my wife was in a different room and came in when she heard it saying ‘ what the hell is that noise?’ 
 

is there a way I can fix this?

Contact Ashdown, Their service is second to none.

 

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