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Problem with small cabs on small stages
- Thread starter gtirard
- Start date
If you don't want to bring a stand of some kind, put the cab on a chair at the gig. Keep your Barefaced! It rules!
The floor coupling is a real thing, but not a good element for a stage mix; whether or not you like it. That happens due to the pressure waves coming off the drivers.
You can essentially eliminate that effect by getting the cab / combo at least 15” to 18” off the stage plate. I use one of these; though I see Amazon no longer offers it.
This is what the setup looks like. The cab is sufficiently closer to your head so you can hear your instrument well enough.
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That would not do anything for lower frequencies, higher beaming frequencies yes to a degree.
I don’t see this as a good option! Spills and toes can damage the amp so easily in this position.
Another option for tilt is a simple block of hard foam.
Yep - turns out I had all the materials in my shop, so it was cheap to build.
@gtirard, a couple of people floated the PJB Ear Box, which is a great idea. You could probably do the same thing with a Galaxy Hot Spot monitor, for a lot less money – you can find them cheap on ebay.
I did something similar after the first time I used my Barefaced on a small stage and realized I couldn’t hear a thing with it right behind me.
You can send a line out from your Genzler or Quilter to a mini-amp like the TC Electronics BAM200, which would power the Hot Spot that sits on a mic stand. It would basically give you midrange definition, while you’d still be getting all the lows from the Barefaced.
The BAM has both bass and midrange controls, allowing you to roll out the lows to keep from overdriving the little speakers, and use the midrange control to maybe dial in more definition.
Even on the smallest stages, there should be room for a mic stand you can place close to you. It does generate a bit more equipment to tote around, but the amp and speaker are small enough to fit in a gig bag.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
Ecclesia: Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Administrator, Official Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Official Heartfield Club #36
Administrator, Official Tobias Club #133
Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
My Basses
I did something similar after the first time I used my Barefaced on a small stage and realized I couldn’t hear a thing with it right behind me.
You can send a line out from your Genzler or Quilter to a mini-amp like the TC Electronics BAM200, which would power the Hot Spot that sits on a mic stand. It would basically give you midrange definition, while you’d still be getting all the lows from the Barefaced.
The BAM has both bass and midrange controls, allowing you to roll out the lows to keep from overdriving the little speakers, and use the midrange control to maybe dial in more definition.
Even on the smallest stages, there should be room for a mic stand you can place close to you. It does generate a bit more equipment to tote around, but the amp and speaker are small enough to fit in a gig bag.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
Ecclesia: Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Administrator, Official Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Official Heartfield Club #36
Administrator, Official Tobias Club #133
Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
My Basses
Sonoma Bass
(was "Ukiah Bass")
I've ditched the traditonal bass "cab" and now use a column speaker. It's actually a PA but does amazingly well as a dedicated bass amp if you want to use it as such. Mine is an Electro-Voice EVOLVE 50M. It's a 12-inch subwoofer and six 3.5" speakers in the array. You hear it clear as a bell. 1,000 watts split between the top and bottom. Best bass cab I've ever owned. Of course, it's wonderful as a PA, which is why I bought it for playing in assisted living centers and nursing homes. Max. Output: 127dB. The top of the array is seven feet high.
You can also use a short pole for a more discrete footprint.
You can also use a short pole for a more discrete footprint.
I have used the ubiquitous black milk crate many a gig until I finally got around to buying a metal luggage stand.
agedhorse
Commercial User
- Feb 12, 2006
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Better high-pass the crap out of a hot spot or it will become a snot shot pretty quickly.
Ive fought this issue for years, with low profile cabs on small stages hitting the back my legs. I have a few good stands now that work well. However recently I picked up a MarkBass CMD 102P V for a great price, the design is super practical, lightweight, all front facing controls, wedge shape so no extra stand needed. Now it won't project on a large stage area or at higher volumes, but for small stages it works good.
BTW, this stand fits a Mesa 115 perfectly
www.musiciansfriend.com
BTW, this stand fits a Mesa 115 perfectly
Musician's Gear Deluxe Amp Stand
Get the guaranteed best price on Amplifier Stands like the Musician's Gear Deluxe Amp Stand at Musician's Friend. Get a low price and free shipping on thousands of items.
www.musiciansfriend.com
The bass control on the little dedicated amp will help with that. Plus, being only a couple feet from your face, it doesn’t have to be very loud. Naturally, not recommended for gigs so loud everyone has to use ear plugs.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
Ecclesia: Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Administrator, Official Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Official Heartfield Club #36
Administrator, Official Tobias Club #133
Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
My Basses
Recently used a foldable stool to de-couple and it worked pretty well.
(2) I use a small wedge of foam under the front edge of the cab, tool drawer liner so amp head doesn't slide. A few degrees tilt is enough. Works well, weighs next to nothing.
Moreover, at some point I came to the conclusion that parallel surfaces and right angles are "bad" for speaker cab placement in smaller spaces; I angle my cab up a little (foam wedge) and rotate it so that there are no parallel surfaces in front or behind the face of the speaker (esp the back wall of the audience).
I have no idea if this theory has any scientific merit, but it seems to help a lot - even if it's just in my head.
Moreover, at some point I came to the conclusion that parallel surfaces and right angles are "bad" for speaker cab placement in smaller spaces; I angle my cab up a little (foam wedge) and rotate it so that there are no parallel surfaces in front or behind the face of the speaker (esp the back wall of the audience).
I have no idea if this theory has any scientific merit, but it seems to help a lot - even if it's just in my head.
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When I used my own 110/6 cabs, I used a small Ashdown Superfly head. I could stack the cabs horizontally or vertically. If I wanted to use only one 110/6 I'd tilt it back.
Even when horizontal I wanted my Superfly head secure to the top of the cab (no accidental cord pull off, or vibrating off). I used velcro. Simple, easy, can barely see it and the amp couldn't even be pulled off!
Of course these cabs were my own design (back in the fEARful days). You can see the height when stacked vertically standing next to my fEARful 15/6.
Even when horizontal I wanted my Superfly head secure to the top of the cab (no accidental cord pull off, or vibrating off). I used velcro. Simple, easy, can barely see it and the amp couldn't even be pulled off!
Of course these cabs were my own design (back in the fEARful days). You can see the height when stacked vertically standing next to my fEARful 15/6.
- Apr 13, 2006
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- If you heard me play, you'd stop reading what I write.
This was often a problem for the loud, dumb band I was in. Back then I had a 3x10 cabinet, but it was still pointed at the back of my knees an a small stage.
I thought the real solution would be for everyone (me and the 2 guitarists) to put our amps on stands, like in v. 3. Since we all had our amps singing to our ankles, we couldn't hear ourselves, so we all predictably cranked up all the way, turning every stage into a war zone.
But the guitarists weren't interested, and I never found a stand that was tall enough, steady enough, and portable enough. Easier problems to solve with a small cab. I like the stability and portability of these tilt-back options ... just no idea how well they work in practice.
FWIW, I think decoupling from the stage is usually a feature more than a bug. The added 3db you get from proximity is in low frequencies that might help if you're playing reggae. More often I find they cause problems. And of course it's worse if the stage is a big hollow drum that sings along.
I thought the real solution would be for everyone (me and the 2 guitarists) to put our amps on stands, like in v. 3. Since we all had our amps singing to our ankles, we couldn't hear ourselves, so we all predictably cranked up all the way, turning every stage into a war zone.
But the guitarists weren't interested, and I never found a stand that was tall enough, steady enough, and portable enough. Easier problems to solve with a small cab. I like the stability and portability of these tilt-back options ... just no idea how well they work in practice.
FWIW, I think decoupling from the stage is usually a feature more than a bug. The added 3db you get from proximity is in low frequencies that might help if you're playing reggae. More often I find they cause problems. And of course it's worse if the stage is a big hollow drum that sings along.