Directly driving a power amp?

[David Houck]

Cool story Sam!

[terryc]

Any pics of that huge rig Sam??
I have never played through anything that large, you said that how more intense it would have been with an Alembic but I bet the Jazz did it justice.

[benson_murrensun]

Back to the SansAmp part of the thread: when I was considering buying the Bass DI I took notice of the claim that this unit could drive a power amp. I went ahead and bought it, and found that there was not enough output to get any kind of volume comparable to using a normal preamp. I was disappointed, to say the least. I like the sound and flexibility of the unit, but their claim that it can be used to drive a power amp directly did not work for me. I tried it with passive and active basses; it is possible that a VERY high output bass would have made a big difference, but there was no indication of that in SansAmp's advertising, and none of my basses had enough output to make this a viable option.

[oddmetersam]

Terry,
Sad to say there are no pics of that rig (to my knowledge).  I forgot to add that the Alembic cabs were rectangular with the JBL's offset from center; we stacked 'em on their sides.  As loud and killer as they were, at one point I remember looking back during that Stanford gig and some guy was actually LYING DOWN RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY STACK with the most blissed out expression...  
 
That was back in the days when we had roadies...and groupies (I was a wide-eyed nerd too scared to indulge. Crap-o-rama!!!).
 
But to continue with the original thread, I have a Radial Bassbone that I use to switch between my Alembic and Line 6 Variax basses. The Bassbone is a great unit that not only has a built in DI but separate level controls for its two channels PLUS an additional boost circuit.  I'll hook it up directly to my Crest LT-1500 power amp and see how it sounds...

[bigredbass]

Back in the day you needed roadies:  
 
It's a wonder we survived double 15 cabinets (anybody remember the big 215's in a scoop cabinet?) or the folded-18's (also know as w-bins) with Macs or SVTs or Sunn Coliseums.  Back then the idea of an SVT pushing its intended 2-8/10 cabinets was breathtaking:  Now it just seems backbreaking.  Damn I hate middle age . . .
but it is amazing to kids that you played all of the originals of the presets on a Bass Pod !

[sonicus]

bigredbass  
                   You got that right, but being the pack rat that I am, I still have kept most of my GOOD big  cabinets   ,  In fact I am having some JBL D140's  reconed by my friend and speaker reconer .  I think I am about to make a big RUMMBLE in a new  band.

[David Houck]

Hi Joey!!!!!!!!

[jet_powers]

My favorite cabinet is still my Peavey 612 from the early 70's. My guess is that it was their answer to the SVT. I don't move it around anymore (unless I have some help and a truck) but I still like to use it in my own studio space.  
 
JP

[keith_h]

... Back then the idea of an SVT pushing its intended 2-8/10 cabinets was breathtaking: Now it just seems backbreaking. Damn I hate middle age ...
 
Joey,
After moving two 301's around and now using itty bitty cabinets, I prefer to look at it not so much as damn middle age but as the gaining of wisdom. :-)  
 
Keith

[lenny_d]

...stories from the new guy, if I may...
 
I read these last posts with nostalgic rheumatism, caring to share a 'gear' story...
 Back when I was a budding bassist, I joined a band whose leader promptly told me you want an SVT. We went to the local store and there was a used model, two cabinets and all, that I took ownership of. Played that rig for a number of years first with a Hofner Beatle bass, then with my then new Fender Jazz. Groups evolved and I was using this rig now with acquired Taurus pedals and a MiniKorg as supplements. One night a fire destroyed a music club and its contents leaving me with my portion of insurance money and one SVT cab. that got left in the truck for stage space limitations. I then outfitted the cab. with 8 10 Gauss speakers, and utilizing a small mixer, stereo 10 band EQ and a BGW power amp. Here's the nostalgic part - when I fitted the cabinet with the Gauss's, I attempted to upright the cabinet. I was astonished at how much effort that took! Later that night the roadie came to pick up the beast (in it's Anvil case!!) and he almost quit on the spot. It competed mightily with the Hammond B3 (in it's Anvil case!).
 
Later I refinished the cabinet (all the Tolex was ripped) and secured a steady club gig 5 nights a week. Mr. Alembic had been with me for about 2 years and by then I had acquired a used F-2B, and swapped the BGW for a Crown DC 300, dispensed with the mixer, and upgraded to a Minimoog Model D., and built the fretless playing that combination of gear for the next 5 1/2 years.  
Without a doubt, that was the most incredible sound of tight, deep punchy lows, and crystal clear mids and highs I have ever known. I still miss it today, nothing reasonable to move around comes close. I did kind of split up the 'wall' and had a guy build a 4x10 and 2-2x10 cabs. that I outfitted with 4 old SVT speakers (for lows) and 4 Gauss's that were biamped with a GK 800RB. That was a nice sound but not nearly the headroom of the Crown. I don't have the resources to haul that suff around anymore so the F-2B and the 800RB GK power anything from a 1 10 SWR to an Ampeg 2x10 SVT outfitted with neodymium speakers. And no more synths., those days have passed. Just the SII (in a soft case!) and a tiny rig go to a typical gig.
 
Ahh, youth........(looks for aspirin bottle)
 
Lenny

[sonicus]

Hey Lenny ,  
 
  I liked that story.  I really love gauss bass drivers  too . I have a 15
 2 /12's and an 18  all in Old Alembic birch cabs. They have held up but  my JBL d140's needed to get re-coned. For my small rig I like to use The GK micro-bass series of which I have 3 , in combination with  a 2 /10 EV cab and  a 1/12 JBL .