Going without an amp for Bass

[Doc H]

(I was going to drop this question on the Talk Bass forum but the musicians there seem to be rather against the idea of playing without a cabinet). I've gone with a Kemper for guitar and really have it optimized for what I play. All good there.

I'd like to do the same with bass and I am looking to center everything around a Darkglass Infinity preamp. Its got everything I need for a plug and go rig. plus I use it already for recording bass in the studio.

Here's the rub. For the Kemper I'll be toting a Seymour Duncan Power Stage for those instances that I need to power a cab (this is happening less and less with IEMs being affordable and most venues not arguing about supporting them anymore). But I come to a dead end for the bass, with the only option I can find being the Ashdown Ant. However this would mean using the Ashdown preamp that's built-in (maybe - if it doesn't color the sound I've already gotten with the Darkglass).

Is anyone aware of a throw it in a backpack Class D pedalboard power amp that would support the frequency range of a bass?

[michaelhanson]

Maybe this is a silly question, but as another Bass player who also plays guitar when needed, won’t the Kemper capture a Bass head and cabinet well?  

I ask because I have seen other players use a Helix, Sansamp or even now Tonex has captured Bass amps and cabs. 

For me my Bass came out of my Markbass head direct out and to front of the house most of the time.  I usually ran it low volume through the cab, even while going to the mixer, just so I could feel some vibration.  
 

 

[Jim Roseberry]

We play a fair bit around Central OH.

Our bass player used to carry an Ampeg bass amp (which was run DI out to FOH).

He now uses an Ampeg preamp.

With proper sound, monitoring is never an issue.

We've played shows opening for Night Ranger, Dokken, Brett Michaels, Lynch Mob, etc... as well as many smaller shows... and Kent's P-Bass always sounds good.

Nobody misses the Amp. 😉

[HOOK]

EDIT.  I misread what you were asking.  Good luck with your search.

Edited October 3, 2023 by HOOK

[craigb]

I used to know several guys that gig with only a Line 6 Bass Pod Pro going DI to the FOH board.

I once had this rig:

But it was soooo overkill for my to practice with that I couldn't really hear it in my little room (though the neighbors sure could! 😆).  I ended up going DI through a Bass Pod Pro (like those I mentioned above) into a mixer and my JBL Eon PA speakers instead.

Side-note:  After taking several bass lessons (from a guy who had moved up here from the Hollywood area where he had taught at Guitar Institute Tech) and every lesson was trying to get me to have a sense of timing, I gave up and left the low-end to others. 😂

[Doc H]

6 hours ago, michaelhanson said:

Maybe this is a silly question, but as another Bass player who also plays guitar when needed, won’t the Kemper capture a Bass head and cabinet well?  

I ask because I have seen other players use a Helix, Sansamp or even now Tonex has captured Bass amps and cabs. 

For me my Bass came out of my Markbass head direct out and to front of the house most of the time.  I usually ran it low volume through the cab, even while going to the mixer, just so I could feel some vibration.  
 

 

Yes the Kemper would. But I just can’t get it to replicate the way that the Darkglass  Infinity sounds. You’d think that wouldn’t be a problem for the profiler. But for some reason I just can’t get it dialed in. And like guitar, for me tone is part of the feel that inspires how I play.

There is that one off gig every once in a while where the PA is…. Well, not all there but there’s usually a back line where the amp is crap but there’s at least a cabinet. I currently have a Positive Grid modeling bass amp that will fit in the back pack. But you know…. Sometimes you just don’t find out till you’re there. and I guess I’ve gotten an infatuation with the Darkglass.

I’m thinking maybe a call into Seymour Duncan might be in order tomorrow. 

[Doc H]

6 hours ago, Jim Roseberry said:

We play a fair bit around Central OH.

Our bass player used to carry an Ampeg bass amp (which was run DI out to FOH).

He now uses an Ampeg preamp.

With proper sound, monitoring is never an issue.

We've played shows opening for Night Ranger, Dokken, Brett Michaels, Lynch Mob, etc... as well as many smaller shows... and Kent's P-Bass always sounds good.

Nobody misses the Amp. 😉

That’s it exactly! I hate lugging around what I don’t necessarily need. I’m just one of those guys that likes being Johnny on the spot when the stars don’t line up and the PA is crap, there’s a house bass back line and that amp is crap….. but there’s a cabinet that could get me half the way there. 
 

I’m probably overthinking this. 

[HOOK]

Overthinking...perhaps.  Have you checked out any of the Darkglass profiles?  I just took a look...they're out there.  And there are ridiculous VST profiles that come stock with the Kemper.  I have a hard time thinking the Kemper wouldn't suffice in one way or the other.

[Jim Roseberry]

I agree with James... the Kemper can surely function as a bass preamp/amp replacement.

 

There are many small/light DI solutions.

Jack Russell's Great White; the bass player brought a SansAmp to plug into the backline amp.

Guitar player for FireHouse used a Fractal FM3.  

Our guitar player uses a POD-Go.

Most of the guys playing regularly here (Central OH) are using a DI rig.

 

Many analog DI options go all the way down to 20Hz.

Depending on the monitor speaker, Kent sometimes asks the engineer to remove deep sub-bass frequencies from his monitor.

Inquire before the show... and make sure you have proper monitoring.

If so, enjoy the convenience (and clean stage) of going DI.

[Doc H]

15 hours ago, HOOK said:

Overthinking...perhaps.  Have you checked out any of the Darkglass profiles?  I just took a look...they're out there.  And there are ridiculous VST profiles that come stock with the Kemper.  I have a hard time thinking the Kemper wouldn't suffice in one way or the other.

Yeah, I have. Even tried to profile the Darkglass Infinity that I have. It doesn’t quite sound right though.