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[Peter Imbesi]

I think it's also important to create some separation in the mix between the bass guitar and the kick drum. If they're both hammering away at the same frequency, to your speakers that's like 2 fat guys trying to walk through a doorway at the same time. For example, if you're beefing up the kick by boosting 60Hz, then don't use 60 or 80Hz to beef up the bass guitar. Go for 120Hz instead.

This is true to both recording and live PA mixes.

[Paul Dershem]

Walter Wright wrote on Mon, 06 December 2010 00:34

yes, power amps are used all the time for bass rigs, and yes a sansamp pedal into said power amp makes for a lovely bass rig (it's what i use). a good 4x10 bass guitar cab will have well more power-handling, clarity, highs and lows than a similar-sized single 15 or 18 bass guitar cab. think about it: you've got way more speaker cone area, and it's being driven by 4 voice coils, not just one. people think they need a 4x10 "for the highs" and a single 15 "for the lows", when that 15 actually just produces more fat midrange, while the 4x10 tends to get the highs and the lows. (i like the grindy, old-school midrange for bass, so i use two 1x15 cabs.) PA-type subs or cabs are usually not ideal for bass guitar, as they tend to have too much stage-wrecking lows or deadly, directional highs.

In addition to what Walter said (with which I concur), the best bass cabs in my current arsenal have mid-range drivers that provide excellent dispersion on stage; if I've learned nothing else in 42 years as a bassist, it's that great midrange dispersion is critical to provide good sound without inordinate volume; LF is already omni-directional. The frequencies between 100Hz and 800Hz are critical to me because they convey power, solidity, impact, and articulation.

I've played through lots of backline rigs that beamed so badly that, although the audience had lots of bass, my band mates couldn't hear me clearly, and I had to turn up my volume higher than necessary to appease the band.

If the bass cabinet is elevated or tilted toward my ears, I can lower my volume; 4x10 cabinets aim their prodigious sound toward my shins where I can't hear it clearly until I'm several feet away. Bass cabinets like the Ampeg 8X10 typically roll-off rather steeply below 100Hz; ported bass cabinets typically extend to around 60Hz before falling off. Ten-, twelve-, and fifteen-inch drivers beam more than a dedicated mid-range driver.

One of the reasons I like playing venues with pro sound reinforcement is because I can carry a much smaller on-stage rig; with bass through FOH, my on-stage rig can be a three-way 1x12 or 2x12.

One of the reasons so many "small-time" bassists have big rigs and their volume is too high is because they're used to playing without bass in the PA; club survival tactics; they've "learned" that battlefield sound levels on stage are necessary to sound good.

[Scott Weidenfeller]

I'm enjoying the crap out of using my bass pedal-board only with a Sansamp direct to the PA and no Bass Rig to carry around. I use either in-ear or monitors to hear the Bass (in-ear preferable). I think the sound is cleaner and much more controllable and the stage volume is 1,000,000% better.

[thomas jones]

I've been on the bottom for 48 years and my evolution has come to a 5 string active neck-thru bass, 15" Ciare and a Soundpipe HF 1" in a Geoffrey cab of my own design. I place the cab on one side of the stage and aim it across. I power with an unmentionable EPX3000 and one of many preamps. My line out goes to FOH and my stage volume is low to moderate and very clear. I get attaboys whenever I play because my mistakes are right out there where they oughta be. Most modern PA power amps will provide 20hz-20khz with minimal thd at somewhat less than full power. The trick is to get a cab that will do the same and few will. The low B fundamental is essential otherwise why have it? Few 10" speakers are capable of anywhere near a flat response at 31.5hz nor are there any cabs that are tuned this low so we "settle" for the harmonics above the B and imagine the rest. Well I don't. My cab will sterilize at high power while still remaining clear and articulate. With that said let me add that I don't have to push it to Feel that B. The fundamental of high A on a bass (14th fret on the G string is 220 hz. There is, however, much useful sonic information up into the 1000's hz. So a mid or HF driver is necessary to give the full sound.

[Tim Padrick]

Peter Imbesi wrote on Tue, 28 December 2010 19:04

I think it's also important to create some separation in the mix between the bass guitar and the kick drum. If they're both hammering away at the same frequency, to your speakers that's like 2 fat guys trying to walk through a doorway at the same time. For example, if you're beefing up the kick by boosting 60Hz, then don't use 60 or 80Hz to beef up the bass guitar. Go for 120Hz instead. This is true to both recording and live PA mixes.

I prefer to have the umph of the bass under the kick - that's where the fun's at.