running multiple heads

[elm_ersglue]

i've noticed recently a lot more bassists in bands using at least two heads at local hall shows. i've noticed a HUGE difference in both their volume and tone. i've been using a hartke 350 with an ampeg 8x10, and recently have borrowed a ampeg 350h and an ampeg classic head, but still havent achieved the ooomph i hear coming from the rigs these guys have. i dont know if anyone has any imput. they arent just running one heads output inot the input of the other are they? and they cant be splitting the signal up with like an a-b switch right? i dont know. i'm really interested, and i googled it real quick but couldnt find out how, maybe i'm just really stupid.

[zenfascist]

You don't need to run multiple heads to get awesome tone. What you could be seeing is equipment from bands that haven't played their set yet stacked along with everyone else's gear, and they probably have PA support for volume increase. Get a good head (not a Hartke) to start with, and EQ it properly. A good-sounding bass always helps too. Tell us about your bass situation.

[phatster]

Occasionally I use a Y-cable into two seperate heads....you can also use a A/B box but its really necessary.Gives you more power and more tone options but its hard on the back!

[illidian]

They may be slaving them. I know that in Mesa's manuals, they usually say how to do this.

 

Other than that, a few possibilities exit. A Y cable would do the trick. Or a Sansamp (running a dry and affected signal, possibly as well) BDDI. Or maybe one for highs and one for lows?

[Darkstorm]

Some may be useing two heads cause they are running stereo. Even with the cabs close together you get a fuller sound that way. Its a result of the little diff's in signal created by stereo chorus, reverb, etc which results in your mind perceiving the inbetween freq's. Similiar to that fuller sound heard in comparing a stereo boombox radioto a mono radio with comprable or even bigger size speaker. For example if I switch between stereo and mono with my little monitor rig, everyone hears the diff & says the stereo version sounds fuller. Even though the two cabs are stacked on top of one another. Also benefits recording direct more so then running two mono lines to the mixer.

[nephilymbass]

my advice would vary depending on your intentions. Are you a rock player? I have several friends that use this situation to there advantage. You can get a huge sound mixing two DIFFERENT tones. for example, if you had a AMPEG SVP, a sansamp, and a stereo power map, using two cabs, you could run a clean tone with the ampeg, and get a little dirty with the sans amp, and together it'll make your tone huge.

 

Personally me I'm a clean freak, I prefer my SWR 750 into my Ampeg 810 . and I mix the line out of the 750, with a shure 58 to get the two tones. Which is a much cheaper and in my opinion better was to go about it. Don't try a beta 58, but if you got a regular shure 58 Im telling you they are the best thing out there for bass players that like mids. If you don't like mids, try mixing the direct line with an AKG112 kick drum mic.

 

I've also seen several bassist blend guitar equipment in with their rigs, IE on LD50 Mudvayne's bassist Ryan Martinez used an SVT 4 and an 810 rig combined with an SWR head driving a MESA Boogie 412, and it you listen that particulat record, his bass cuts like a mofo.