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Random Question: Powered vs. Unpowered Speakers


bassplayer5217

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Here's the deal: I am looking to get an extension cab real cheap. A DJ friend has an old, beat up Yamaha 15" speaker cab that actaully sounded pretty decent. I am wondering whether if I were to play through a head to a speaker whether it needs to be "powered" or not. What are normal bass cabs?

 

Thanks,

 

Germain

.~.
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Random answer: The strings on Yamaha 6-string basses are too close together.

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Originally posted by bassplayer5217:

Here's the deal: I am looking to get an extension cab real cheap. A DJ friend has an old, beat up Yamaha 15" speaker cab that actaully sounded pretty decent. I am wondering whether if I were to play through a head to a speaker whether it needs to be "powered" or not. What are normal bass cabs?

What?

 

You can't plug your bass straight into a speaker. That won't work.

 

Usually, you would have a bass->head (preamp + poweramp) -> speaker.

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If you are playing through a head then that is your power. If it is a "powered speaker" like for a PA, you can go direct. I'm not sure what happens if you plug a line from a bass head into a powered speaker...
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You're totally lost, man, sorry.

 

You have a speaker. You have an amplifier (which actually includes a preamplifier).

 

Your bass amp preamp section shapes the tone and amplifies your bass to a level at which it can be amplified. The amp section powers the speaker.

 

The speaker produces the sound.

 

There is such a thing as a powered speaker cabinet. It has an amp built right into the cabinet.

 

The JBL Eon speakers which are commonly used for small pa systems have amplifiers in the speaker cabinet.

 

I am using a powered monitor for my vocals so I can control my own volume and not be dependent on whether there is power available in the main PA for an extra monitor.

 

The only powered bass speaker that I know of is the old Acoustic 360.

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Dude, if that 15 is a powered cab and you hook up the speaker out of your amp to it, you'll be in a world of hurt.

 

Why don't you tell us the models of the stuff you have...you can get a definitive answer, then.

"For instance" is not proof.

 

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EBS makes powered bass speaker cabs -- I think they do a powered sub for bass.

 

The vast majority of bass speaker cabs are not powered.

 

zeronyne made a good suggestion. Why not give us some more specifics?

 

Peace.

--SW

spreadluv

 

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The powered speakers I speak of (hehe) are Yamaha Professional Audio speakers. I was just checking that if one wanted to play from bass to head to speaker and the speaker wasn't a "bass cab" then it should be "unpowered".

 

Thats all.

 

ps. and yes, I assume the speaker I played out of wasn't powered otherwise it wouldn't have sounded as good as it did.

 

- Germain

.~.
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Woah. You need to start speaking English and forming sentences.

 

Just because a speaker is a non-bass-guitar cabinet does not make it "powered."

 

These are unpowered:

 

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/Images/ProAudio/Product/Views/seseries_front.jpg

 

These are powered:

 

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/Images/ProAudio/Product/Main/msr100.gif

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lemme ask a question on the same topic...

 

if i have a POWERED MIXER and two unpowerd speakers, and i want to add 2 monitors into it. could i hook the monitors into the powered mixers without having to use an external power amp.

 

this is a berhinger powered mixer and speakers, which only uses Speakon inputs/outputs for the main speakers, but has a 1/4" input for a monitor??? wtf? where do i plug in the monitors??? :confused:

-BGO

 

5 words you should live by...

 

Music is its own reward

 

---------------

My Band: www.Myspace.com/audreyisanarcissist

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OK, its like this:

 

(In GENERAL terms)

 

You CANNOT use it as an extension speaker!

 

Powered speaker cabinets are used for PA systems and studio monitors. They are simply a means by which to avoid having to use a rack full of heavy power amps to power FOH cabs and monitors. There are pros and cons with this type of arrangement. However, I am not aware of anyone using one to substitute for an instrument amp. I suppose that it is feasible, but you would still have to use a preamp of some kind. Furthermore, PA cabinets are usually not good stand alone bass cabinets as they are not voiced properly.

 

And they are not inexpensive.

 

So all in all I dont think that you would be satisfied with the results. Stick with a proper bass amp.

 

Cheers

Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai

 

Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands.

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I'm betting the monitor outputs are not SPEAKER outputs, but line leve outputs.

 

That means you need an external power amp.

 

Or, maybe powered speakers? There's an idea.

 

but then how do i hook the monitors in? if Beringher speakers only have Speakon in's and outs? throught the normal PA speakers? :confused:

-BGO

 

5 words you should live by...

 

Music is its own reward

 

---------------

My Band: www.Myspace.com/audreyisanarcissist

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The monitor outs are just regular outs like from a keyboard. You connect those to a power amp, and then go from the power amp to the speakers.

 

Sometimes, the power amps are built into the speakers...oddly, they are known as powered speakers.

 

Your main outs and monitor outs are completely separate entities. It's just that the power amp for the mains built into the mixer.

 

Does that make sense? You wouldn't want your monitors to be pumping out the same mix as your mains, would you?

"For instance" is not proof.

 

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BGO

 

Some Mixers are "powered" in other words they have a power amp built into them. Depending on the features some of the boards have the ability to split the power amp into two channels so that you can power the "Mains" (the FOH cabs) on one channel and monitors on the other.

 

Usually on these systems you have the option to power just the "mains" with the internal power amp (basically you're "bridging" the internal amp for full power.) and then you can send the monitor signal to an external power amp.

 

Usually the lower end models only power the mains and require you to use a seperate power amp for the monitors.

 

A "Speakeron" is just a type of connector (jack). They are gaining popularity because unlike 1/4"jacks or banana plugs, they lock in place (Kind of like mic cables do).

 

Hope this helps

Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai

 

Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands.

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i didn't quiet understand Zeronyne's explaination though.

 

i use Speakons on my bass rig, so i understand them, but i am just stuck on where to plug the monitors in. if someone could just tell me what input on the Beringher Powered mixer to hook em up to, i would be fine. they are unpowered monitors by the way, with only Speakon in's and out's.

 

sorry to be so difficult. :(

-BGO

 

5 words you should live by...

 

Music is its own reward

 

---------------

My Band: www.Myspace.com/audreyisanarcissist

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Originally posted by Bass_god_offspring:

i didn't quiet understand Zeronyne's explaination though.

 

i use Speakons on my bass rig, so i understand them, but i am just stuck on where to plug the monitors in. if someone could just tell me what input on the Beringher Powered mixer to hook em up to, i would be fine. they are unpowered monitors by the way, with only Speakon in's and out's.

 

sorry to be so difficult. :(

You need a separate power amp.

 

Monitor Out -> Power Amp -> Monitors

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