Live Bass Rig

[cwileyriser]

Sorry if this is slightly off topic for a recording message board, but I trust the opinions of the people here more than most.

I've been gushing lately about how much I love the Avalon U5 DI. I miss it when I'm playing through my SWR Workingmans 15 combo amp that I use for live gigs. I could just run through the U5 into the SWR combo, but I'm thinking that it makes more sense to rack the U5 in a shockmount case along with a power amp and use that with a speaker cabinet.

Anyone have any suggestions for a power amp and speaker cabinet combo that makes sense?

The stuff I'm playing is rock/folk-ish - think Neil Young's On the Beach LP, if Robert Wyatt were co-writing songs with Neil. Or listen to some stuff at www.myspace.com/summerhymns or on our website at www.summerhymns.com I play a standard 4-string J-bass, fingers, no pick, pretty straight up, almost always using just the neck pickup with the tone pot turned all the way down - sometimes a touch of the bridge pickup or the tone pot. I also occasionally play upright bass through an amp. Both of my uprights have Gage Realist pickups. Venues are your typical indie rock clubs, some big, some little. I like enough stage volume to hear myself, but not enough to be annoying.

I want something that won't kill me to tote around - a 2x10 cab maybe? The U5 has put considerably more bottom in the bass sound on my recordings, so maybe it will do the same for a live rig without a 15. I'm looking for something pretty neutral that still can sound decent at lower volumes.

I'm considering a used Hafler Pro 5000 power amp (900W bridged 8ohms)and a (probably new, since used ones don't show up much) Acme Low B2 2x10 cabinet. The Acme cab is reputed to be pretty straightforward and uncolored, with good low end for its size, and it's smaller and lighter than most other 2x10's. Haflers seem to be available for reasonable prices - I guess because they're out of business now? I guess I'd want a compressor in the chain too - I've got several rackmount mono compressors that I could spare for a live rig.

Anyone have other suggestions or thoughts?

Thanks.

[Catoogie]

I think you should look into Avatar Speaker cabinets (avatarspeakers.com) I have a B210 and I think it's awesome and.....$219. I have heard that their B212 (2x12") cab is awesome!! Even Avatar says that it's their best sounding bass cab.

As for the power amp, a very good friend of mine who has great tone bought one of the newer Behringer power amps and it sounds great. He loves it. He playes 4 or 5 nights a week and it's held up really, really well. Although I should say that another friend bought one as well and it crapped out on him the second week he had it. Took it back to GC and they replaced it, it's been fine ever since.

Good luck!!

[comfortstarr]

First, nice songs...

I have an Aguilar 1 x 12 that I've been playing live in rehersal situations (much louder music than you'all)--haven't actually gigged it out yet, but I always thought rehersals were tougher volume-wise anyways. I really like it. I run with an iAMP 350.

I'm somewhat of a "returning" bassist. Before, many years before, I lugged around two 1 x 15s and a GK head racked with a compressor. Either technology has advanced or my own tastes have changed, but my current little set-up (the iAMP and 1x12) is equal the old, exceedingly heavy set-up. The 1x12 is kind of weird in that there's definately a tone--maybe even volume--difference when you're 3 feet away as opposed to 10. It sounds better 10 feet away.

If you're trying to keep it light, and stick with the U5, you might want to look for a single space power amp (but I think those are pricey).

My opinion on live electric bass in clubs was always that you're handicapped by the P.A. If you're DI'ing for most of the front of house sound, the cab/amp on stage isn't much of a factor. Maybe you're micing too?

[kayagum]

You don't have to be Rube Goldberg about it at all.

Use your U5, the mic level out to the PA, use the instrument through to your SWR amp. Tell the sound guy to mix to taste.

Also, if you have a favorite setting, use the EQ charts on the U5 literature to approximate on your SWR. http://www.avalondesign.com/pdfs/hr_avalonLit_U5.pdf