Silly Ampeg 810 question.

[Jouni]

Hi!!

Our bassplayer seems deaf. The amount of low end and volume he is using drowns everything out, makes drums resonate so that the drummers kick-triggers are making ghosthits when the bassist plays on the fifth fret, and STILL.. he's bending downwards to hear himself when we're playing.

He is playing through an Ampeg 810 "dual"-something...

What I gather from the online manual and the connections at the back, you can play mono the bottom 4 speakers 4ohm, or all speakers mono 8 ohm... or something..

BUT, can it be hooked up so that the TOP 4 speakers are running, 4 OR 8 ohms?

appreciate the help.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Using just the top jack, (usually black plastic) is the top 4 speakers at 4 ohms and using one of the bottom jacks (usually silver colored metal) is all 8 speakers at 4 ohms, using both the top jack and one of the bottom jacks creates dual mode which is all 8 speakers at 8 ohms, not exactly sure how that one works since the head I use with mine is 4 ohms so I just plug into the top or bottom jack according to how much air I need moved.

Hopefully that explains everything for you. My best guess though is your bass player is either deaf or an idiot, let's hope it's the former and not the later.

 

[ggunn]

Using just the top jack, (usually black plastic) is the top 4 speakers at 4 ohms and using one of the bottom jacks (usually silver colored metal) is all 8 speakers at 4 ohms, using both the top jack and one of the bottom jacks creates dual mode which is all 8 speakers at 8 ohms, not exactly sure how that one works since the head I use with mine is 4 ohms so I just plug into the top or bottom jack according to how much air I need moved.

Are you sure about that? I have an MTI era SVT with dual 4-10's, and I'm pretty sure that all the speaker jacks (two on the amp and two on each cab) are all in parallel. I don't think it makes a difference to the impedances involved whether you connect both cabs directly to the head or daisy chain them out of one output.

In answer to the OP's question, tell your bass player to put more mids in his sound, and if your guitarist(s) are boosting their low end, tell them to back off.

 

[Farview]

There are three reasons I can think of why he can't hear himself:

1. He is too close to the cabinet. Those things are meant to throw sound a long way.

2. His sound is nothing but low end and gets lost on stage with the guitars raging. It's overpowering, yet indistinct. The answer to this is to add more mids and highs so that he can hear some definition to what he is playing.

3. He is deaf. Ear plugs might help him because they filter out a lot of the hash that confuses people with hearing problems. When people start to lose thier hearing, everything turns to mush. I'm sure we have all been on a stage where the monitors are really loud, but you can't hear anything. That's the type of thing someone with hearing damage is dealing with.

Of course, it could be any combination of the above.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Are you sure about that? I have an MTI era SVT with dual 4-10's, and I'm pretty sure that all the speaker jacks (two on the amp and two on each cab) are all in parallel. I don't think it makes a difference to the impedances involved whether you connect both cabs directly to the head or daisy chain them out of one output.

In answer to the OP's question, tell your bass player to put more mids in his sound, and if your guitarist(s) are boosting their low end, tell them to back off.

Yes I am sure that's the way mine is and I'm pretty sure OP's bass player has the same more recent model which I have. Probably should have asked him that...

 

[Jouni]

Hi again!
before I got answered here, I went ahead and plugged the bassists head to the sole upper hole of the cab.
Well, I'm positive that at least the top4 speakers are operational now.

Unfortunately, didn't help much.
..It could be that it is me that is loosing hearing.

I obviously just IS NOT CAPABLE of hearing drums in a band context.

Me and the drummer, ok, but add a guitarist and a bassist.. OR in my other band where I play bass, add the guitarists...
I NEVER get to hear the kick and snare properly.. I think I've played the last 5 years leaning on cymbals alone.
-Our rehealslplaces ARE too small... So are the venues.

Fuck this shit, I'm opting for in-ear-monitors... Might, just might do the trick. A e609 between the kicks pointing at the snare should do it at rehealsals..

 

[ggunn]

Hi again!
before I got answered here, I went ahead and plugged the bassists head to the sole upper hole of the cab.
Well, I'm positive that at least the top4 speakers are operational now.

Unfortunately, didn't help much.
..It could be that it is me that is loosing hearing.

I obviously just IS NOT CAPABLE of hearing drums in a band context.

Me and the drummer, ok, but add a guitarist and a bassist.. OR in my other band where I play bass, add the guitarists...
I NEVER get to hear the kick and snare properly.. I think I've played the last 5 years leaning on cymbals alone.
-Our rehealslplaces ARE too small... So are the venues.

Fuck this shit, I'm opting for in-ear-monitors... Might, just might do the trick. A e609 between the kicks pointing at the snare should do it at rehealsals..

You might just try turning everything down and asking the drummer to ease off on his volume at rehearsals. Your ears will saturate at some volume level and hearing anything with any definition is impossible.

It is possible that musicians' acoustically flat earplugs could help you hear better; if you are rehearsing and performing at stupid loud volume you need them anyway.

 

[Lt. Bob]

You might just try turning everything down and asking the drummer to ease off on his volume at rehearsals. .

lol ^^^^^ this ^^^^^


never gonna happen but it does sound like ya'll are practicing way too loud.

 

[Farview]

Why are you trying to get more volume out of your bass amp in an effort to hear the kick and snare better?

Turn all the instruments down and/or wear earplugs.

 

[Jouni]

lt. Bob had it nailed, never gonna happen!
Oh, yes I've tried telling the dudes to back off on volume.

The original question was to elevate the bass speakers from the floorlevel to closer to the bassist's ears, so he MIGHT drop off some volume. ..didn't happen.
We wear earplugs. We have to, the kick and snare are triggered through some 250watts of amplification right into the back of the drummers head so he can hear himself.
I KNOW this is f*cked up..

Maybe.. If I replace the amps of the bassist/guitarist to 50/30watters... That might work..