bass rig applications: small NYC venues, minimum power?

[Mezclar_NY]

I'm an amatuer bass player looking to make the transition to "rookie" working bass player.

 

I am looking at the Nemesis NA320, 200W @ 8ohms, 320W @ 4ohms, BW=10Hz-18kHz, with a DI: XLR out if I need to goto the venues' PA.

 

The cab is a Schroeder Mini 12+ with super tweeter, 12'' woofer, SPL=103dB @ 1W/1M, 500W rating @ 8ohms, BW= 40Hz-20kHz.

 

Will I have enough to get the job done (with some headroom) in a NYC small venue environment playing alt-rock or lite metal. (Audio Slave type music, or Cold Play type music, etc., maybe a little heavier)? Portability is an issue (and my budget). Its gotta fit in the trunk of a NYC taxi cab. But I could step up to an NA650 or an SWR Working Pro 400 (on back order...way back!!)

 

Alfredo, Mezclar NY

[picker]

You will want a 4x10 in that style of music, minimum. And go for the SWR head. 200 watts and a 1x12 w/tweeter simply won't do the job, not for bass, anyway. You'll be pushing your amp into distortion just to be heard, and that will eat up your cab in nothing flat. I have an Avatar B410 Neo I picked up used for $140, and it almost fits in the trunk of my '99 Geo, so I am postive it would fit in a NY cab with room to spare. You could carry the head and axe in the back seat with you, if need be.

[music-man]

Welcome to the forum. Short answer: Yes, you have enough.

 

Your head is powerful enough for now, don't spend money on another, unless you like buying stuff. I've never heard Schroeder cabs, and cabinet specs say very little about how they sound ... and so I can't say whether your current cab is enough. But in most rooms either the club will have a cabinet to use, or if you have to bring your own, a 1x15 will be perfect. If the Schroeder is similar in volume and in moving air to a typical 1x15 (Ampeg, Eden, SWR, etc.), then you'll be fine.

 

If you prefer 10" speakers, I've had no absolutely no problem using an Eden 210XLT in most of the NYC clubs where you'd start out with a new band that plays that kind of music (Arlene, Mercury Lounge, Acme Underground, Bitter End, Coda, Galapagos, Lion's Den, Luna Lounge, the myriad dives on Bleeker, etc.). Lots of these places have their own backline anyway; with some you couldn't fit a big rig on stage if you tried (i.e. C-Note, Mo Pitkins, etc.). Honestly, I have rarely needed my Epifani UL310 (but I love it, so I'm keeping it.)

 

I would not suggest buying a 410 - it's more than you will need, and therefore not worth the backache and effort. Let's not forget that 50% of NYC taxis already have the driver's crapola in the trunk, which makes squeezing a huge heavy thing in even more ridiculous, particularly if (as recently), it's raining ...

 

You might consider booking your first few gigs at clubs (like Arlene) that have a decent backline, so that you get a feel for what it's like to get your current rig to and from gigs, and also how it stands up to gig use with your band. That way you have a better sense of what you need and what you can tolerate in the way of schlepping. It also allows you to save some bread for gear, if you decide you need it.