Looking for advice on gigging amps

[Downunderwonder]

Jeebers. Talk about paralysis by analysis.

 

How loud do you need to be?

 

Pick one and look at the rest.

[MrDinsdale]

If you like how your Zoom pedal sounds through the PA then just grab a DI and pop an active speaker on stage as a monitor. It’s the cheapest and most convenient option by far.

 

If that doesn’t work maybe go and try some amps and cabs etc.

 

(Based on reading between your two threads)

 

Personally I love having an amp and cab on stage, it’s a total luxury though and totally unnecessary with my pedalboard setup which sounds excellent straight through the DI.

[Downunderwonder]

1 hour ago, MrDinsdale said:

the cheapest and most convenient option by far.

Doubtful. Convenient to the extent that plug and play is easier but you have to spend big to get something that will carry a gig.

 

Plenty of 2nd hand amps and cabs that can carry a rowdy gig by themselves if required. 

[MrDinsdale]

3 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

Doubtful. Convenient to the extent that plug and play is easier but you have to spend big to get something that will carry a gig.

 

Plenty of 2nd hand amps and cabs that can carry a rowdy gig by themselves if required. 

I thought they had a PA so it’s purely for onstage monitoring? I skimmed the thread so may have missed something. 

[MrDinsdale]

Ahhh missed the bit about the 2nd band being backline only. 

[Downunderwonder]

Just now, MrDinsdale said:

I thought they had a PA so it’s purely for onstage monitoring? I skimmed the thread so may have missed something. 

I am thinking of the need to jump into other offers of work at some stage. Carry the big stick and speak softly for the meantime.

 

1 minute ago, MrDinsdale said:

Ahhh missed the bit about the 2nd band being backline only. 

I think both bands are pretty low key for volume requirements but it's good to be prepared.

 

One time I took a total overkill rig to a trad celtic jam, just on the off chance that it might go off later in the evening as it was a farewell do. It so happened that there was a band booked for the later part of the night and they were sans bassist so I got a gig as well!

[jezzaboy]

To the op.

 

Re your other thread, yes a pa cab will do the biz. I use a RCF 715 but any decent 12" or 15" pa cab will do, Yamaha, QSC, etc. I stick a Sans amp in front of it, play in a loud rock band and have used it as a monitor and as my backline with no problems. But a decent one will cost you from £450 and upwards if bought new. 

[Chienmortbb]

On 27/09/2023 at 14:30, asingardenof said:

Or make sure your cab has good dispersion as that'll mean less faff.

Exactly, you will find a cab with good dispersion will mean that you, your band and the audience will all hear things clearly. I use one of @stevie cabs, they put out what you put in and you can hear them from anywhere on the stage. The new Monza is a monzta. 

 

As for the amp, the one thing that came out of the recent amp shoot-out at the South West Bass Bash was that most of the amps there were very capable. watch out for that soon.

[Stub Mandrel]

I'm not entirely sure why a preamp and a powered pa speaker brings any physical benefit over a bass head and cab or a combo?

[Downunderwonder]

2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I'm not entirely sure why a preamp and a powered pa speaker brings any physical benefit over a bass head and cab or a combo?

Easier to relieve yourself of gas by swapping preamps.

[tauzero]

7 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I'm not entirely sure why a preamp and a powered pa speaker brings any physical benefit over a bass head and cab or a combo?

 

That depends entirely on which preamp, powered PA speaker, cab, head, and combo you're talking about. Weight is a consideration for me, my 500W combo is under 10kg so that beats any PA speaker. The sound of a particular cab may be preferable to you to the sound of an active cab, for when you're backline only.

[xgsjx]

14 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I'm not entirely sure why a preamp and a powered pa speaker brings any physical benefit over a bass head and cab or a combo?

The advantage for me is aurally rather than physically. 
I play synth as well as bass. Most often it’s synth bass, but for a few songs, I split the keyboard & have the right hand playing something like synth pads, keys or a brass sound. 
So the bass goes through my board with a preamp on it & then to a small mixer & the synth goes straight to the mixer. Then they both go to the PA cab.  Di can come from the mixer, but can also be taken from the preamp for bass only. 

[Jack]

15 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I'm not entirely sure why a preamp and a powered pa speaker brings any physical benefit over a bass head and cab or a combo?

For me it means I don't have to carry a separate monitor wedge.