Question About Low Volume/Home Setup

[Sonoma Bass]

At low volume, the speaker or speakers will have more to do with quality and feel of bass tone than watts. In my home studio, I often run at low volume and the 212 I'm using sounds much better than the 6x5 powered cab I recently had. And better than the last 112 I had. The 212 also sounds better than my small combo amp. Again -- this is all at the same relative low volume. I've got way more watts than I need for most local gigs when using the 212. The 212 also happens to sound fabulous at low volume, which is what I play most of the time here at home.

 

[Sonoma Bass]

 

[ectoflanger]

Hey! Looking for a good sounding rig for home use. My question has to do with how to maximize good sound at low levels.

Is it best to go with a low powered head (500 watts) with a single speaker (112), or is it best to get a high powered head (800 watts) with multiple speakers (410)?

Or, does it make sense to use an 800 watt head with a single 12? Again this is about getting the best tone at a relatively low level.

I just want to understand if one approach makes sense over another. Please don't get hung up on the wattage amounts, etc. Thanks in advance!

You might consider some of the offerings by Phil Jones Bass amps which excel at high quality tone at lower volumes.

Phil Jones Bass: Our mission is to bring musicians around the world revolutionary products that deliver performance, reliability, and quality

There's also a Phil Jones Club thread here at TalkBass-

 

[FeltTipPen]

OP here. This is just for home. Money is not a concern. This is for me alone. I had a Bergantino Forte and an HDN112 and didn't love it. Sold that and then got a Rumble 40...which is awesome, but it does reach a point where there is no more heft (obviously being only 40 watts into a single 10). I have a bunch of passive Fenders but recently picked up a Stingray Special and a Stingray Classic. The Classic is the bass that sort of made me look for a new setup as this little amp can't take all of the bass.

I hope this clarifies...I appreciate everyone's help! Believe it or not, I am leaning towards a Hartke LX8500 and a matching HL112. Based on this conversation though, the LX5500 (500 watts) may be the better choice.

I played a number of setups and I really like the Hartke. It's funny that it doesn't get too much love on TB....

If you really like the Hartke go for it!

I've had a few different setups for home and my current gigging is ampless. For me I really like having a multiple speaker situation so my Trickfish Bullhead .5K and their 2x8 really sound great at home and I have fun (one day I'd love to gig with that setup!).

 

[FeltTipPen]

This is my bedroom setup. It works best for me. Fabulous at any volume. But what works best for me may not work best for others.
View attachment 5280159

I had that rig for a time and it was just killer!!! Wish I kept it!

 

[ctmullins]

You are waaaaaay overthinking this.

For home practice, get something that sounds good and inspires you to play more.

The wattage does not matter.

The driver size does not matter.

The number of drivers does not matter.

All that matters is that you can hear yourself clearly, and the tone brings a smile to your face and a dance to your fingers.

Gigging is another story altogether.

 

[gstaats]

The answer is no

This... There is no consensus as there are many good ways to do this. Personally, I run an Ampeg B-15R for home practice when running with an amp. 95% of my practice time is through headphones.

You are waaaaaay overthinking this.

For home practice, get something that sounds good and inspires you to play more.

The wattage does not matter.

The driver size does not matter.

The number of drivers does not matter.

All that matters is that you can hear yourself clearly, and the tone brings a smile to your face and a dance to your fingers.

Gigging is another story altogether.

And this... All that matters is that you like what you hear. You wanna look at a wall of drivers? More power to you. You want an amp that is tiny and compact? More power to ya... Like the glow of tubes? Go for it? Want a certain logo on the equipment? Go for it.

 

[Super Bass]

Believe it or not, I am leaning towards a Hartke LX8500 and a matching HL112. Based on this conversation though, the LX5500 (500 watts) may be the better choice.

I played a number of setups and I really like the Hartke. It's funny that it doesn't get too much love on TB....

The Hartke stuff is amazing to me. I have 2 HA3500 and a LH1000 with a XL410 and a HD410 and they are punchy, loud and sound great and I use them at home...

 

[Clark Westfield]

I run a 500 or 600 watt into a 210 cab.

Low volume with some extra oomph when needed.

Perfect for daily practice.

Like today, nobody was home, so I let it breathe a little bit.

Actually I let them

all breathe a little bit!

 

[bherman]

Another vote for way over thinking. There are endless rigs that will sound fine at low volumes - everything from a Fender Rumble 40 for less than 200 bucks to a vintage Ampeg B-15N for 3K. Just find something that you like the looks of and spend your time playing instead of obsessing over gear.

 

[ectoflanger]

I have a TC Electronics RH 450 mated with their RS210 cabinet which I really like as a home setup (I live on a sailboat for the most part), mainly because, at 46 pounds, I'm not inclined to lug the cab around.

Here you can see it on the port settee back and to the left.

Been considering the much lighter (22 lb) lFender Rumble 100 1 x 12 for a secondary residence on land-

 

[jdbassie]

My acoustic image doubleshot cabinet is my favorite home practice cabinet. It fills the room without being super loud. It’s a front facing 5” speaker and 2 10” speakers facing sideways with a full range sound. So I guess I vote multiple full range speakers. I think at lower volumes they sound better. My big rigs sound great too at home, but they gotta be played a lot louder.

 

[Iristone]

Any amp with a headphone output is okay for home practice. You get to hear more of your nuances without cabinet high-cut, anyway.
Otherwise, your amp's got the Master Volume knob, and you can buy a large enough amp for stage and dial down the master volume for practice. Though I wouldn't really call a 500W amp "low power"!

 

[Grinderman]

I don't know if I already said this here but... Does it have a master volume knob on it? Turn it up!

 

[MCF]

I had that rig for a time and it was just killer!!! Wish I kept it!

The M6 Carbine and the two channel TT800 provide almost every tone imaginable.

 

[MCF]

I have a TC Electronics RH 450 mated with their RS210 cabinet which I really like as a home setup (I live on a sailboat for the most part), mainly because, at 46 pounds, I'm not inclined to lug the cab around.

Here you can see it on the port settee back and to the left.

View attachment 5280478

Been considering the much lighter (22 lb) lFender Rumble 100 1 x 12 for a secondary residence on land-

Rumble 500 minimum. Otherwise don’t bother IMO.

 

[ectoflanger]

Rumble 500 minimum. Otherwise don’t bother IMO.

Given that it's for home and not traveling, you have a point there, because weight wouldn't be an issue. Given the convenience of lighter weight one might consider GR Bass amps and cabs. The only is thing they're really expensive and hard to get in the United States, being made in Italy.

Kind of thinking on these by GR Bass-

Their 22 lb 2 x 10 Cab-
AT 210V – GRBass

Mated with the Bass One 800 watt (4 ohm, 400 watt at 8 ohms)

ONE – GRBass

 

[Marc DLarosa]

OK, everyone... hate me now.

I still have an SWR Workingman's 10 in my den. A Workingman's Pro 12 in my guest room. My "rigs" are STILL a GK-800RB through Hartke 210 + 110XL's (for my ACTIVE Basses), and an SWR Black Beauty 1x15, with an SWR 2x10 Goliath Jr. on top (for my Passive basses). Depending on the situation...

Now... here's the kicker... these... still... to Me, are lightweight amps, compared to what I started with. Yep, I'm old. And... yeah... I realize that I don't do this for a LIVING. Nor do I have to LUG them around 3, 4, 5 times a week. Heck... it's probably only 3, or 4 times a year, as most "Jams" happen at my home, and PAID sessions are few annually. But... I LOVE MY AMPS (and my OLD heavy basses) !!!

One day, My back will give out, and well... I'll just quit.

My point? If it's just a HOME/PRACTICE amp, and You aren't gonna be schlepping it around, save some money. Get something older, heavier, cheaper. It'll sound great, and you can save towards your lightweight, gigging RIG.

Just PLAY.

Peace,
Marc

[Edit] P.S.
I just gave my Nephew my Hartke HA5500, and a Hartke 410XL. DAMN, THAT SOUNDED GREAT!!! He's only 24, and LOVES IT.

 

[David McIntire]

I don't have a practice bass, then a rehearsal bass, then a gig bass. I practice at home thru the same rig I gig with.

 

[Carl Hillman]

Hey! Looking for a good sounding rig for home use. My question has to do with how to maximize good sound at low levels.

Is it best to go with a low powered head (500 watts) with a single speaker (112), or is it best to get a high powered head (800 watts) with multiple speakers (410)?

Or, does it make sense to use an 800 watt head with a single 12? Again this is about getting the best tone at a relatively low level.

I just want to understand if one approach makes sense over another. Please don't get hung up on the wattage amounts, etc. Thanks in advance!

I practice through my upright amp…an Acoustic Image Coda. It’s got 10” and 5” speakers, and I rarely turn it over a quarter of the way up.

I know what my bass sounds like at gigging volume, so, when I’m practicing, I’m more concerned with the notes I’m playing than audiophile-quality tone. My practice amp only has to compete with my metronome or boombox as far as volume goes.