High Quality Sound with a small profile

[punchdrunk]

I'd really consider Audiokinesis. The cabs are very lightweight, powerful, and mate very well with any amp you choose.

 

[briandavismurph]

I'm looking an amp and cabinet or combo that will provide great bass tone, high quality sound, but has a small profile for those coffee house gigs. Any suggestions from the professionals out there gigging regularly and that are all about the sound quality?

I've been using Ampeg 3Pros and SVT 4 heads with 810, 610 and 410 cabinets. I also keep thinking about how nice the Ampeg SVT Classic head would be to gig with, but honestly not sure I have the muscle and don't like asking for my bandmates to help lift and move my equipment at gigs. I just joined a band that does a lot of coffee shops and small venues. Everyone has scaled back equipment with small amps. I'm feeling the shame of bringing a big 410hlf cabinet (my smallest rig) on these gigs, but I really don't want to go cheap and sound bad. After all it's all about the sound!! All the 15" speaker cabinets seem to be too low end and mid range only cutting out the highes. The 12" cabintes of course are all highes and mids and cuts the lows (not good for the bassman). That pushes me to a combo of a 15" and 2x12 cabinet which is bigger than my 410 cabinet. Seems to be no way around physics. Anyone have a great sounding, but small rig/combination to suggest? Cost is not the driver in my selection, I have a few bucks to spend.

I'm looking an amp and cabinet or combo that will provide great bass tone, high quality sound, but has a small profile for those coffee house gigs. Any suggestions from the professionals out there gigging regularly and that are all about the sound quality?

I've been using Ampeg 3Pros and SVT 4 heads with 810, 610 and 410 cabinets. I also keep thinking about how nice the Ampeg SVT Classic head would be to gig with, but honestly not sure I have the muscle and don't like asking for my bandmates to help lift and move my equipment at gigs. I just joined a band that does a lot of coffee shops and small venues. Everyone has scaled back equipment with small amps. I'm feeling the shame of bringing a big 410hlf cabinet (my smallest rig) on these gigs, but I really don't want to go cheap and sound bad. After all it's all about the sound!! All the 15" speaker cabinets seem to be too low end and mid range only cutting out the highes. The 12" cabintes of course are all highes and mids and cuts the lows (not good for the bassman). That pushes me to a combo of a 15" and 2x12 cabinet which is bigger than my 410 cabinet. Seems to be no way around physics. Anyone have a great sounding, but small rig/combination to suggest? Cost is not the driver in my selection, I have a few bucks to spend.

There are so many 1-10 or 1-12 cabinets that can cover that size room with ease, really much larger rooms if you choose, I have been using Hartke HyDrive 1-12 and Ashdown MiBass 2.0 that sound great and won't break the bank

 

[Stu_Bass]

I'd really consider Audiokinesis. The cabs are very lightweight, powerful, and mate very well with any amp you choose.

They also offer cabinets with side and rear firing options that will fill a coffee house environment with a more reverberant/complex sound

 

[interp]

Greenboy F210 or F112 with a good quality micro bass head. I prefer the Quilter Bass Block 800. The F210 in particular has a very narrow footprint, yet very good lateral dispersion.

 

[4SG]

View attachment 2823289 Can’t go wrong with Mesa Subway series.

Amen to that. All of the Subway stuff is outstanding, and light. If you'd consider a combo, the Fender Rumble 200 is much better than it should be. Have played 30+ shows with mine in the last year and it sounds good in a variety of rooms, looks nice, weighs only 36 lbs., has a small footprint, and has proved to be super durable.

 

[pudgychef]

I recently got a Trace Elliot Elf and 2x8. Super compact, sounds great, plenty of power. Can bring it to gigs and rehearsals on my motorcycle without issue.

The cab can take 400w so could be paired with a more powerful head, but I find the Elf has no issue keeping up and puts out more than it should.
Trace Elliot

 

[Luckydog]

Aguilar tone hammer 500 with the compact 15 of your choice.

 

[Element Zero]

Amen to that. All of the Subway stuff is outstanding, and light. If you'd consider a combo, the Fender Rumble 200 is much better than it should be. Have played 30+ shows with mine in the last year and it sounds good in a variety of rooms, looks nice, weighs only 36 lbs., has a small footprint, and has proved to be super durable.

I’ve read nothing but good things about the new Rumble stuff.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

They also offer cabinets with side and rear firing options that will fill a coffee house environment with a more reverberant/complex sound

Thank you. Not everything that I do along these lines is up on my website yet - my web designer's day job has left them virtually no free time lately.

 

[ljazz]

If you can find one, the series 1 gk neo 112's have a very small footprint, and sound fantastic. I push either one or two with an old GK 400rb. We host a blues jam in a very small room, but this rig sounds great.

 

[Ekulati]

Ampeg BA112 if you wanna stay small.

 

[Munjibunga]

Bergantino B|Amp/forte and HDN210. Phenomenal sound in way less than two square feet.

 

[DigitalMan]

Little known fact, the original working name for the Subway series was “CoffeeHouse”.

(Ok, I just made that up)

 

[singlemalt]

Acoustic Image ten2 is a winner. Weighs in at just 30 lb. 600 Watts at 4 ohm, and the two channel class d head is removable, with a slick docking feature.

Nice tilt back feature, too.

I use mine at small open mike gigs and I’m always impressed when I hear it from out in the room when there are other bassists using it. It sounds good up close too.

 

[39-Bassist]

try the Fender Bassman 100 combo...great tones easy to move and decent pricing. Just another thought...

 

[AE1]

it's all about the sound!! All the 15" speaker cabinets seem to be too low end and mid range only cutting out the highes.

If you compare manufacturer frequency response curves you can easily see that size does not make much difference

What does make an important difference is cone mass and stiffness, coupled with suspension stiffness

A thick, stiff cone will deliver solid bass to the exclusion of highs - e.g. a sub-woofer. Conversely a thin flexible cone will deliver mids and highs at the expense of bass - e.g. a PA speaker designed for voice.

A speaker with a stiff suspension is good for an open back cabinet but not much bass at high power levels

There are many great 15 inch speakers available which will give you the sound you want

If you are really chasing top-end (brightness) then consider a twin-cone speaker

And don't forget the cabinet's role - the bigger the better for bass

The only realistic way to find your ideal speaker is to try before you buy - you will not be able to tell by just looking at them

 

[Yahboy]

combo that will provide great bass tone, high quality sound, but has a small profile for those coffee house gigs.

Hartke KB12 or KB15. Both is light weight and affortable price. There is no MID-lacking issue with 15' Hydrive on KB15 !

 

[eaglemachine]

I agree with those who suggested the Ampeg B100R. Especially since you're an Ampeg guy. Used one currently on the GC site too.

There's a small-ish room I gig regularly that has one as backline. It's easy to dial in, great sound, has no problem filling the room even when full of dancers carousing.

No need for the big-ticket reinventing-the-wheel stuff.

I used to have one of these (regret selling it). They sound fantastic but they are pretty heavy. Get the casters if you go with this option.

 

[shadven]

I am a huge fan of the old Ampeg B100R, aka Rocketbass. You can find them for around $300. 1x15 combo, 100 watts, tube pre-amp. Looks retro kinda like a B-15. They sound great and are pretty much indestructible.

 

[DWBass]

Best kept secret.....Peavey Headliner 112. Some spots are selling them for $200 brand new with warranty. That's if you're not looking to spend a lot of money. I bought one for the same reasons. Small footprint, quieter gigs and rehearsals. I use my GK MB200 with it. Perfect. Full sounding cab and not too much highs from the tweeter.