Electric Bass: Difference between revisions - Bose Portable PA Knowledge

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=== It costs ''how'' much? ===

The high cost of the {{L1}} system is the proverbial elephant in the room. There is no avoiding the fact that an extended-bass {{L1}} system, employing four {{B1}} bass modules, one {{L1}} system, and one {{A1}} amplifier is among the most expensive bass rigs one can buy, on a par with the most exclusive of boutique amplifiers.

The high cost of the {{L1}} system is the proverbial elephant in the room. There is no avoiding the fact that an extended-bass {{L1}} system, employing four {{B1}} bass modules, one {{L1}} system, and one {{A1}} amplifier is among the most expensive bass rigs one can buy, on a par with the most exclusive of boutique amplifiers. Even the minimum recommended configuration of an {{L1}} and two {{B1}} modules is a lot of money compared to the typical bass rig.

The immediate and obvious question is, "is it worth it?" And the obvious answer is, of course, "it depends." The L1 does make a fine bass amp, but those with limited resources are faced with some hard choices. As with all things, there are tradeoffs.

The primary benefit of the {{L1}} is its dispersion characteristic. While still a factor for the electric bass due to the overtones present in the signal, this attribute is of less importance than it is for sources that are centered in a higher frequency range. If a listener steps out of the directional "beam" of a guitar amp, the difference is instantly noticeable. With a bass amp, the difference is more subtle.

The primary sonic benefit of the {{L1}} is its dispersion characteristic. While still a factor for the electric bass due to the overtones present in the signal, this attribute is of less importance than it is for sources that are centered in a higher frequency range. If a listener steps out of the directional "beam" of a guitar amp, the difference is instantly noticeable. With a bass amp, the difference is more subtle.

It is entirely possible to get good overall bass tone by using a conventional bass rig in a band that is otherwise exclusively built around {{L1}} systems. The conventional rig will of course retain the limitations of all such amplifiers, in particular directionality. However, as noted above this is far less noticeable than it is for an electric guitar.

From a practical standpoint, the biggest reason to abandon a conventional bass rig is the physical size and weight of these rigs. Some cabinets can weigh 100 pounds or more and be almost the size of a refrigerator. Indeed, in 2003 as a marketing promotion Ampeg took the housing for an SVT-810 bass cabinet and actually did install a working refrigerator in it!<ref>http://namm.harmony-central.com/SNAMM03/Content/Ampeg/PR/SVT810-Fridge.html</ref> With an extended-bass {{L1}} system there are several pieces, but the heaviest one still weighs less than a typical amp head…and all are relatively compact, which makes transport easy.

From a practical standpoint, the biggest reason to abandon a conventional bass rig is the physical size and weight of these rigs. Some cabinets can weigh 100 pounds or more and be almost the size of a refrigerator. Indeed, in 2003 as a marketing promotion Ampeg took the housing for an SVT-810 bass cabinet and actually did install a working refrigerator in it!<ref>http://namm.harmony-central.com/SNAMM03/Content/Ampeg/PR/SVT810-Fridge.html</ref> With an extended-bass {{L1}} system there are several pieces, but the heaviest one still weighs less than a typical amp head…and all are relatively compact, which makes transport easy. The dramatically smaller and lighter power stand of the {{Model II}} makes this contrast even more marked.

If money is a real issue, these benefits alone are not in my opinion sufficient reason to warrant the high cost, assuming the {{L1}} is to be used solely as a bass amp. Where it does make sense from a financial standpoint is if the system replaces both a conventional bass rig ''and'' other equipment.

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 === It costs ''how'' much? ===
-The high cost of the {{L1}} system is the proverbial elephant in the room. There is no avoiding the fact that an extended-bass {{L1}} system, employing four {{B1}} bass modules, one {{L1}} system, and one {{A1}}  amplifier is among the most expensive bass rigs one can buy, on a par with the most exclusive of boutique amplifiers.
+The high cost of the {{L1}} system is the proverbial elephant in the room. There is no avoiding the fact that an extended-bass {{L1}} system, employing four {{B1}} bass modules, one {{L1}} system, and one {{A1}}  amplifier is among the most expensive bass rigs one can buy, on a par with the most exclusive of boutique amplifiers. Even the minimum recommended configuration of an {{L1}} and two {{B1}} modules is a lot of money compared to the typical bass rig.
 The immediate and obvious question is, "is it worth it?" And the obvious answer is, of course, "it depends." The L1 does make a fine bass amp, but those with limited resources are faced with some hard choices. As with all things, there are tradeoffs.
-The primary benefit of the {{L1}} is its dispersion characteristic. While still a factor for the electric bass due to the overtones present in the signal, this attribute is of less importance than it is for sources that are centered in a higher frequency range. If a listener steps out of the directional "beam" of a guitar amp, the difference is instantly noticeable. With a bass amp, the difference is more subtle.
+The primary sonic benefit of the {{L1}} is its dispersion characteristic. While still a factor for the electric bass due to the overtones present in the signal, this attribute is of less importance than it is for sources that are centered in a higher frequency range. If a listener steps out of the directional "beam" of a guitar amp, the difference is instantly noticeable. With a bass amp, the difference is more subtle.
 It is entirely possible to get good overall bass tone by using a conventional bass rig in a band that is otherwise exclusively built around {{L1}} systems. The conventional rig will of course retain the limitations of all such amplifiers, in particular directionality. However, as noted above this is far less noticeable than it is for an electric guitar.
-From a practical standpoint, the biggest reason to abandon a conventional bass rig is the physical size and weight of these rigs. Some cabinets can weigh 100 pounds or more and be almost the size of a refrigerator. Indeed, in 2003 as a marketing promotion Ampeg took the housing for an SVT-810 bass cabinet and actually did install a working refrigerator in it!<ref>http://namm.harmony-central.com/SNAMM03/Content/Ampeg/PR/SVT810-Fridge.html</ref> With an extended-bass {{L1}} system there are several pieces, but the heaviest one still weighs less than a typical amp head…and all are relatively compact, which makes transport easy.
+From a practical standpoint, the biggest reason to abandon a conventional bass rig is the physical size and weight of these rigs. Some cabinets can weigh 100 pounds or more and be almost the size of a refrigerator. Indeed, in 2003 as a marketing promotion Ampeg took the housing for an SVT-810 bass cabinet and actually did install a working refrigerator in it!<ref>http://namm.harmony-central.com/SNAMM03/Content/Ampeg/PR/SVT810-Fridge.html</ref> With an extended-bass {{L1}} system there are several pieces, but the heaviest one still weighs less than a typical amp head…and all are relatively compact, which makes transport easy. The dramatically smaller and lighter power stand of the {{Model II}} makes this contrast even more marked.
 If money is a real issue, these benefits alone are not in my opinion sufficient reason to warrant the high cost, assuming the {{L1}} is to be used solely as a bass amp. Where it does make sense from a financial standpoint is if the system replaces both a conventional bass rig ''and'' other equipment.