Best all-rounder bass cab for recording?
- LupineSound
- gettin' sounds
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 1:42 pm
- Location: Pawtucket, RI
- Contact:
Best all-rounder bass cab for recording?
I'm looking to get a bass cab for the studio to have available for clients. Is there any certain model you guys have found to be exceptionally good for recording? I'm imagining a single 15" would be preferable to a 4x10, but not sure...
- A.David.MacKinnon
- ears didn't survive the freeze
- Posts: 3819
- Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 5:57 am
- Location: Toronto
- Contact:
- A.David.MacKinnon
- ears didn't survive the freeze
- Posts: 3819
- Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 5:57 am
- Location: Toronto
- Contact:
- Randyman...
- takin' a dinner break
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 8:30 pm
Agreed - Single driver to avoid comb-filtering - Mainly talking 15". I have a 90's Ampeg B3-15" that I like for this (not a tube B15 unfortunately, but a solid state "B3" model with a subtle "Drive" control - mics up well).
Another cool trick is to "Mult" the bass signal to a GUITAR AMP and mic that on its own track for the mid/high "dirt/drive/harmonics" to get the bass to speak well on smaller speakers, and either use the mic'd 15" or a DI for the low-end (depending on what kind of low end you're looking for). Parallel Amp Sims are always fun on Bass, too IMO...
Another cool trick is to "Mult" the bass signal to a GUITAR AMP and mic that on its own track for the mid/high "dirt/drive/harmonics" to get the bass to speak well on smaller speakers, and either use the mic'd 15" or a DI for the low-end (depending on what kind of low end you're looking for). Parallel Amp Sims are always fun on Bass, too IMO...
Randy V.
Audio-Dude / Musician / PC Guru / Crazy Guy
Audio-Dude / Musician / PC Guru / Crazy Guy
-
- takin' a dinner break
- Posts: 157
- Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 10:08 pm
- Location: where the sidewalk ends
- losthighway
- resurrected
- Posts: 2347
- Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:02 pm
- Contact:
Good to see some more 15" speaker love around here. I often hear people saying they can't get a bright bass sound out of a 15 and I think that's crazy. They seem to be understood to be "muddy" and "slow". I've had to ask people to turn treble down playing through my Sun 2x15 loaded with Eminence speakers.
I also agree that 1x15 is even more ideal. I had an SWR on indefinite loan for a while that I used to record different heads through. I'm thinking of getting an Avatar 1x15 and having everyone who's flexible record through it. A lot more fun than picking which of the 8 ten inch speakers to put a mic on, and how to keep the sounds coming out of the guy's fridge sized cabinet from bleeding out of the bass cave and into the live room.
I also agree that 1x15 is even more ideal. I had an SWR on indefinite loan for a while that I used to record different heads through. I'm thinking of getting an Avatar 1x15 and having everyone who's flexible record through it. A lot more fun than picking which of the 8 ten inch speakers to put a mic on, and how to keep the sounds coming out of the guy's fridge sized cabinet from bleeding out of the bass cave and into the live room.
It really depends on what kind of sound you are looking to get out of bass.
I personally am not a huge fan of the 15" speaker (its all about the 18", really), but I would definitely prefer it to a setup that involves extra BS like a tweeter/horn?.and its certainly always been usable, its just not my favorite.
For me I like a 10" or 12" speaker, but then I like dirtier/rockin' bass sounds if I'm going to mic it. If I wanted extreme lows I'd be taking a DI.
I personally am not a huge fan of the 15" speaker (its all about the 18", really), but I would definitely prefer it to a setup that involves extra BS like a tweeter/horn?.and its certainly always been usable, its just not my favorite.
For me I like a 10" or 12" speaker, but then I like dirtier/rockin' bass sounds if I'm going to mic it. If I wanted extreme lows I'd be taking a DI.
-
- zen recordist
- Posts: 10890
- Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2003 1:26 am
- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Contact:
We have a '72 Ampeg B15N for the classic stuff and an Orange PPC 4x12 with Celestions in it for the louder stuff at Old House. Seems like the Orange can take a nice, loud bass signal without folding. It'll pair well with a number of amps, including a '78 JMP and an Orange AD-30, and of course, bassists are welcome to bring their own, but it gets the most use with the Traynor TS50B that we have. It's not that loud, but it's got an absurdly cool fuzz bass sound.
Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC
Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC
If you're considering modern-manufactured cabinets, do not make any assumptions correlating tone and speaker size. There have been lots of advances in speaker manufacturing/design, especially for bass cabs. For older designs, the size/tone correlations (myths?) are a bit more "established", but blanket statements still don't always apply to every cab (15's sound this way, 10's sound that way, etc.) even then.
And if you happen to like a cab that uses a mid driver or a tweeter, just approach it as you would any other sound source that radiates from multiple places (saxophone, piano, etc): find a nice spot for the mic that captures it.
All that said, I second the Bag End recommendation. Their S15D is a pretty great cab.
And if you happen to like a cab that uses a mid driver or a tweeter, just approach it as you would any other sound source that radiates from multiple places (saxophone, piano, etc): find a nice spot for the mic that captures it.
All that said, I second the Bag End recommendation. Their S15D is a pretty great cab.
-
- alignin' 24-trk
- Posts: 62
- Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:39 pm
- Location: Sunny California
- Contact:
To add to what was just said about new small designs...
The Genz-Benz Shuttle Cabs (I use the single 10") provide an impressive and tight low end in an improbably small and light box. The combination of mic on the cab with the balanced DI out of the lightweight head is usually perfect for recording. They're discontinued now, but can be had all over the place. The head and cabinet together weigh just 18 lbs.
http://www.genzbenz.com/?fa=detail&mid= ... 610&cid=95
I still have my BIG amp, but it never gets used any more for gigs or recordings as I've come to prefer the sound of the little one.
The Genz-Benz Shuttle Cabs (I use the single 10") provide an impressive and tight low end in an improbably small and light box. The combination of mic on the cab with the balanced DI out of the lightweight head is usually perfect for recording. They're discontinued now, but can be had all over the place. The head and cabinet together weigh just 18 lbs.
http://www.genzbenz.com/?fa=detail&mid= ... 610&cid=95
I still have my BIG amp, but it never gets used any more for gigs or recordings as I've come to prefer the sound of the little one.
-
- re-cappin' neve
- Posts: 679
- Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 4:25 am
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Contact:
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 60 guests