Members REMUS Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I've always been under the impression, based solely upon my own logical deduction that an amp had more bearing on the sound. With efficiency, quality, diameter and cab design being the major contributing factors to the sound a cab creates. So which has the greatest effect on your final tone? I've never sat down with the same amp and compared different cabs to see if there is a huge difference and vice versa, can anyone shed light on this question? This topic is not intended to encompass the properties a bass guitar contributes in this equation. I apologize if this thread isn't to lucid, i'm pretty darn tired! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretless Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 for a quick answer I will say amp , a tube amp can/will change it's tone as it gets louder too . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FreestyleIntruder Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I think it's the camp. Or maybe the ab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Death Hands Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 The speaker has a MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE effect on how the sound is relayed, so I vote cab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mudbass Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 It's the amp, but a rotten cab can bring a great amp to its knees in a hurry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members been_effected Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 for a quick answer I will say amp , a tube amp can/will change it's tone as it gets louder too . not just tube, solid state too. Theres a difference in tone between my 1200 at low volume compared to high Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members L-1329 Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I've never sat down with the same amp and compared different cabs to see if there is a huge difference and vice versa, can anyone shed light on this question? I never realized how huge the difference was until I ran my head through the different cabs I had at the time. Try it, and you'll see. Besides what can possibly have more effect on the sound, than the component that actually, physically MAKES the sound waves themselves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WynnD Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Most good amps sound very similar. Most cabinets don't. (And I have fifteen. Nine that I could play bass through.) I won't say that matching them up doesn't matter. It does, but choose the speaker cabinet first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members King Kashue Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 How was the first post in the thread not "screw amps and cabs, tone comes from your cables"? Honestly, I think the amp is a bigger deal, but both have a decently large effect. I still maintain that the biggest generation of tone is your hands. You will always sound like you, your instrument/amp/cab merely color your existing tone (just like whether you wear shorts/t-shirt or a tuxedo, you're still you). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 FWIW, I'm of the camp that regardless, it's easier to find the right cab for you if you have already chosen the right head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Death Hands Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 How was the first post in the thread not "screw amps and cabs, tone comes from your cables"? Honestly, I think the amp is a bigger deal, but both have a decently large effect. I still maintain that the biggest generation of tone is your hands. You will always sound like you, your instrument/amp/cab merely color your existing tone (just like whether you wear shorts/t-shirt or a tuxedo, you're still you). Which is why I love me some transparent amplification. Not to say that I'm anything close to being tonally awesome. I just like hearing what I put in and not much else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members L-1329 Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Which is why I love me some transparent amplification. Not to say that I'm anything close to being tonally awesome. I just like hearing what I put in and not much else. That Randall head would be great for that, it has a very clear uncolored tone, that still manages to somehow be rich and full. Great little amp... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Death Hands Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 That Randall head would be great for that, it has a very clear uncolored tone, that still manages to somehow be rich and full. Great little amp... Exactly. It's gonna be hard to move up from it, if I ever end up doing so. Hahaha. I really like how it interacts with the new fretless, especially when EQing. It's amazing, to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fiery Furnace Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 A different amp will give you a different tone. A good cab will reflect those tones. If you have {censored} tone, getting a new cab probably isn't the first step, but you probably won't have great tone without a good cab. It's like asking, which is more important in a car, the body or the engine? You can't have a good car without a good engine, but that engine is pretty useless in a broken body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretless Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Good , so we all agree then :poke: IMO a bass cab should be neutral , but in the real world they are not , but close enough for me . As long as it pumps and doesn't fart when pushed (like lug) then I can use any cab . Yes it is a factor and I agree with KK , especially when recording , man 1 slip of the finger and the track is crap , so many tonal variations , good and bad come from your hands , placement , attack , etc.etc. It all starts there , then the cable or lack of :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitargod0dmw Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Most good amps sound very similar. They do? I've got a few very "good" amps...and not one of them sounds the same...hence the reason why I own them all. Most tube amps sound nothing like an all SS amp, but if you wanna get crazy...two tubes amps that sound nothing alike are: Mesa 400+ vs. Aguilar DB359 (I'd say that just about everyone here would agree that both Mesa and Aggie are considered "good" amps) I think that both amps and cabs have a huge effect on the overall tone. If you use the same head in a bunch of different cabs, they are all going to put out a different sound. Also, if you use different heads on the same cab, again...they are all going to sound different. However, if you get an awesome head and put it into a crappy cab, I don't think your going to be using it's full potential. If you are using a crappy head into a really good cab, I do think it might be a little more usable. Still not to it's full potential though. The biggest change to my sound was switching cabs. It did make a huge difference to making me like my tone. I went from Ampeg --> SWR --> Aguilar. The progression went something like ok --> meh --> SWEET! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Oh, and your only as good as your weakest link -golden rule of pro audio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RSBro Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 FWIW, I'm of the camp that regardless, it's easier to find the right cab for you if you have already chosen the right head. Yup. My Mesa sounds like a beast through my 8x8, through an Accugroove Whappo Jr., any Schroeder, or Mesa Diesel or Powerhouse. Find the amp that suits you best, and adjust your cabinetry to taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kindness Posted October 16, 2007 Moderators Share Posted October 16, 2007 I've never sat down with the same amp and compared different cabs to see if there is a huge difference and vice versa, can anyone shed light on this question? I have done this quite a bit. I currently have a Thunderfunk, an Ampeg V-4B, a Fender Tweed Deluxe and a Fender Dual Showman Reverb and have used all of them with no fewer than 10 different cabinets in the last two months, but primarily a pair of Acme Low B2s, an LDS 1x15+1x8, a Genz Benz NeoX-212T, an Aguilar 4x10, an Aguilar 1x12 and a Carvin 2x10. I have viewed the cabinet as having the greatest influence on tone because I tend to set all of the amps pretty close to flat (not flat on the tone controls, flat on the output - which in some cases takes a bit of tweaking of the tone stack) and then the biggest variation in signal reproduction occurs at the cabinet. Taking amp EQ out of the equation, the variation between amps is minimal, probably less than +/- 1 dB over the usable spectrum. However cabinet variation is large, from voicing, to cutoffs, to dispersion, to compression... Listening/reading to everyone else's opinions, it occurs to me that the cabinets have the most inherent influence on tone, but amps have the most potential influence on tone. If you start twisting up the EQ, you are going to wildly affect the sound. As I think more, the power output and overdrive characteristics also play a larger role than I was giving them credit for. There is a marked difference between my Acme cabs and the GB 212; however, there is a bigger difference between my Ampeg cranked into full out grind mode with a bit of mid boost and my Fender Showman pumping out some mid-scooped and treble attenuated juicy fatness. So, after giving it more thought in a broader context, my opinion has been changed. I get sick of people complaining that internet discussions never lead to anyone changing their minds, so someone bookmark this and point them here the next time that comes up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Listening/reading to everyone else's opinions, it occurs to me that the cabinets have the most inherent influence on tone, but amps have the most potential influence on tone. Very well put. I generally run my amp flat. If I have to EQ, then I'm using the wrong cab or head. That's why I say it's easier to grab your head of choice along with your bass and try as many cabs as possible to get your ideal rig. Heads can have more inherent influence on sound when your are comparing all tube to all tranny to hybrid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitargod0dmw Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 when your are comparing all tranny Generally, I don't like to compare trannys. I find them nasty and repulsive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bnyswonger Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Listening/reading to everyone else's opinions, it occurs to me that the cabinets have the most inherent influence on tone, but amps have the most potential influence on tone. If you start twisting up the EQ, you are going to wildly affect the sound. As I think more, the power output and overdrive characteristics also play a larger role than I was giving them credit for. There is a marked difference between my Acme cabs and the GB 212; however, there is a bigger difference between my Ampeg cranked into full out grind mode with a bit of mid boost and my Fender Showman pumping out some mid-scooped and treble attenuated juicy fatness. So, after giving it more thought in a broader context, my opinion has been changed. I get sick of people complaining that internet discussions never lead to anyone changing their minds, so someone bookmark this and point them here the next time that comes up. You are way too intelligent to be posting here. Flee! Flee now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 In reality, there are 5 seperate (major) influences in tone, they are (in no particular order): cabinetampbassstyle/techniqueacoustics. Some of these you have little control over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kindness Posted October 16, 2007 Moderators Share Posted October 16, 2007 You are way too intelligent to be posting here. Flee! Flee now! I beg to differ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members willsellout Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I beg to differ. So do I Dan:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.