Need more azz

[woody357]

I played last night for the first time with my new bass a Music Man Bongo 5HH. My sound cut through like I wanted and my tone was fine, but I could not get that fat bottom that I was looking for. The gig was outside. I was using my GK 800rb with my Yorkville xc115 cabinet, and I was mic. My question is, was it my set up (the amp, cabinet), or am I doing something wrong.

 

[oli@bass]

IMO, fat bottom through the FOH is fine (but none of your business), but fat bottom on stage is just asking for muddy trouble. I generally get way enough low end rumble from the FOH, so I can have a the lows set flat on my amp.

Something to think about: How far were you standing from your amp, and were the speakers directed at your ears or at your knees? Did you have your bass signal on the wedge monitors?

 

[woody357]

Something to think about: How far were you standing from your amp, and were the speakers directed at your ears or at your knees? Did you have your bass signal on the wedge monitors?

I was standing in front of my amp, but I had a friend who plays bass play it s i went out front to hear what it sound like. Like I have said other than not getting more bottom, I love what it sound like. I got plenty of comps on my sound, but I was looking for a little fuller sound.

 

[oli@bass]

Not been there, and not heard that, I just can offer the following ideas:

- if you've been in front of the stage where the audience has heard you, the FOH subs should have provided the necessary low frequencies. Probably the sound during the concert was much fuller than during sound check. That's something I've experienced quite often.

- if you had just your xc115 to fill the room without support from the FOH, the cab may just be too weak. At a power handling of 300 watts you'll probably not get the deep low end you'd expect or are used to when standing close to your amp.

- experiment with other cabs, maybe the vx410 gives you more deep bottom than the 115. The general consensus on 115 vs 410 is that the single 15 has more midrange and less sub. This is somewhat logical since the 115 has less area to move air than the 410.

 

[mynan]

IMO, 200W into a 115 at an outdoor event isn't going to give you fat bottom...not without a ton of PA support.

 

[woody357]

IMO, 200W into a 115 at an outdoor event isn't going to give you fat bottom...not without a ton of PA support.

A big mistake that a lot of people make when they are being mixed is that they have to be loud, but really it is better if you keep your stage volume down it makes it easier on the sound person. Your amp is more like monitor so you and the rest of the band can hear what you are doing, if it wasn't for that you really could just use a DI box.

 

[MingusBASS]

A big mistake that a lot of people make when they are being mixed is that they have to be loud, but really it is better if you keep your stage volume down it makes it easier on the sound person. Your amp is more like monitor so you and the rest of the band can hear what you are doing, if it wasn't for that you really could just use a DI box.

The Bongo has more than enough booty on tap.

How it sounds out front is the sound persons deal. If your sound on stage lacks booty, it's because you are playing through a low powered rig that in an outdoor setting is going to sound pretty anemic.

 

[mynan]

A big mistake that a lot of people make when they are being mixed is that they have to be loud, but really it is better if you keep your stage volume down it makes it easier on the sound person. Your amp is more like monitor so you and the rest of the band can hear what you are doing, if it wasn't for that you really could just use a DI box.

...which is why I said "...not without a ton of PA support".

I'm just saying that bringing small rig like that to an outdoor event puts you completely at the mercy of the sound tech and his rig. It sounds like he is the one you need to be asking these questions...or bring a bigger rig next time.

 

[Caca de Kick]

I love 15" speakers, but one 15 is never enough, especially outdoors. That'd be two minimum for me.
But in this case blame the soundman for the weak tone, not the bass.

 

[oli@bass]

I love 15" speakers, but one 15 is never enough, especially outdoors. That'd be two minimum for me.

I imagine... I also get tinnitus by just looking at pics of your full rig

BTW, regarding number of speakers and loudness on stage: I rather have more cabs on stage than less, simply because it gives me a larger area where it projects the bass sound. And thus it can even be turned lower than a single small cab.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Rather than 15s, smaller drivers such as 8s or 10s project a lot better and cut through on stage easier.