Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Mighty sound from a couple well-placed little boxes?


music-man

Recommended Posts

Originally posted by music-man:

I'm thinking I need to actually test this idea out, and report back. Which means I'll need another little cabinet.

 

Hmmm. What to buy ... :thu:

Maybe Joey G's will let you "test drive" a pair of AccuG Tri-110s?

 

A WM 1x10 extension cab? You should be able to find one of those for testing purposes somewhere.

 

Would you explore this possibility just for bass, or also for your cello performances?

 

Peace.

--SW

spreadluv

 

Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars.

Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 36
  • Created
  • Last Reply

fun

 

Have fun. This is a simulation for two longitudinal waves. it shows what happens when sources next to each share the same frequency. Note : If you're play with time based effects on one of the sources it essentially changes the path length of the signal, thus this image isn't as true. But notice the light areas vs dark areas. Dark areas are louder than light ones. To understand the difference between high and low in correlation just imagine your position to be closer to the sources for low end. Because the wave are longer the area of effect is bigger. When dealing with sounds and acoustics there are plenty of theories and there is nothing wrong with thinking outside the box. I guess what I've been getting at is there is a reason why surround systems only have one subwoofer, its for clarity. Also, we must keep in mind the nature of the source which we haven't gotten into yet. But different cabs are going to have different patterns, not necessarily pure monopoles, which are what is shown in the simulation.

Together all sing their different songs in union - the Uni-verse.

My Current Project

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had a gig last night with a quartet, and used my AccuGroove rig as PA. It is without doubt the best sounding small PA I've ever used, no nonsense. Had my bass, elec. piano, sax mic and a drum overhead mic going though it, and provided enough power for a funky jazz set for people to dance to, and I wasn't even having to drive it. The saxophonist was over the moon that it a) didn't have an artificial high end so it actually sounded like a sax, and b) that the reverb sounded so crystal clear...

 

This really is the ultimate multi-purpose kick-ass rig.

 

Was running it in Stereo (mackie desk and QSC power amp - my usual bass rig) and suffered no loss of lowend at all. Kicked out enough to shake the dance floor, for sure... ;)

 

Steve

www.stevelawson.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those do sound like they are very nice cabs.

 

I think the key to understanding this thread is in this Steve Lawson quote:

"For some time now, my sound has been getting more and more hi-fi," says Steve. "I've also started running my system in stereo; but normal bass amp and cabinets aren't really designed for that task. Finally there's a solution!"

Together all sing their different songs in union - the Uni-verse.

My Current Project

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Steve Lawson:

[QB]Had a gig last night with a quartet, and used my AccuGroove rig as PA. QUOTE]

 

Interesting! Tell me, where did you place the cabinets--backline or FOH? If FOH, did you raise them off of the floor or??

 

Thanks in advance.

Steve Force,

Durham, North Carolina

--------

My Professional Websites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by forceman:

Originally posted by Steve Lawson:

[QB]Had a gig last night with a quartet, and used my AccuGroove rig as PA. QUOTE]

 

Interesting! Tell me, where did you place the cabinets--backline or FOH? If FOH, did you raise them off of the floor or??

 

Thanks in advance.

They were both! We had no other monitoring, just the 'grooves - so they were spread fairly wide, one near me, one near the pianist, either side of the drum kit. They were on the floor, and I think one was kicked slightly back using a rack front cover...

 

enough sound for us to use them as monitors and PA all in one!

 

cheers

 

Steve

www.stevelawson.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by music-man:

Alex - I let this slide before, but since it came up again ... I'm not sure I buy that the "spatial position" problem would be that big a deal.

I really think it is. When any sound is coming from a single source it sounds less muddy and more clear than if it were coming from multiple sources. This is due to a combination of human brain stuff (the brain expecting a sound to come from a point and thus being able to 'lock onto' the sound more easily if it does) and sonic stuff (interference patterns and the resulting EQ and phase weirdness).

 

However there are two distinct gig situations which really shouldn't be lumped together, i.e. where the bass amp is providing the FOH bass sound vs where the bass amp is solely providing stage monitoring and the PA providing the FOH bass sound.

 

In the former case I'm going to stick to my guns and continue to eulogise the single source, ideally a nice tall narrow stack so you have the multiple benefits of acoustic LF coupling (for greater bass efficiency), the onstage clarity provided by speakers nearer ear level, and the FOH projection and clarity of a full-range line source. Most PAs at small/medium venues are crap at providing honest clean bass reproduction and will be shamed by a decent 4x10" for FOH bass sound.

 

In the latter case, you really want to keep the onstage bass sound from being heard out front, and let the main PA speakers/subs carry all the FOH bass sound. As most stage monitors are dire at producing bottom end, the best bet would be to spread your own cabs around the stage, so they act like bass-only monitors. By separating them you'll reduce the risk of bass boom due to acoustic coupling, and stop them from projecting the midrange out into the audience. Ideally they should tilt up to get the highs and mids up to the band's ears.

 

Then there's the pain-in-the-neck situation of when neither the bass rig nor the PA system have enough oomph to handle the FOH bass sound on their own. In that case I'd take the single source approach to minimise interference patterns and try and get the amp as close to centre-stage as possible, so that its position matches its pan in the mains (should be centre as it's bass, and anyway, most PAs are run in mono).

 

You can test this theory out when recording - make a stereo recording of your band using a stereo mic (or matched stereo pair) and also DI the bass and close mic as many instruments as possible onto separate tracks on the multitrack. Pan each of the channels so that the L-R position matches that heard by the stereo mic. Then try moving each of those channels off the correct pan and notice how everything just gets muddier.

 

Originally posted by Steve Lawson:

Had a gig last night with a quartet, and used my AccuGroove rig as PA. It is without doubt the best sounding small PA I've ever used, no nonsense.

I've done the same with my Acme rig with similar results. The only difference is that the Acmes demand more power to reach the same volume levels. They also do an amazing job as studio monitors, incredible midrange clarity combined with extended frequency response.

 

Alex

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...