Nine Stone Ring Productions

My Rig History

This rig history is incomplete and the chronology may be off. I only recently (12/05) started it and don't remember all the variations I've gone through in the past (which is why I'm starting this up). It will have all the high points and cover the major variations I've been through in the past.

Markbass LittleMark II	The Markbass LittleMark II is 350/500W at 8/4 Ohms in a 6.4 lb box that's all solid-state with less indicators and connectivity but maybe a better sound for me than the Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 I tried. I prefer the sound of the BX1200 through the LS1503s but it weighs about 4 times what the LMII does. I may find another Yamaha BBT-500H for a lighter carry (11-12lbs) when I dont' need the volume and pair it with the BX1200 where the BX1200 does the heavier lifting and the BBT does the quiet things. Or I may really like the LMII with the Schroeder and stick with it. The LMII was nice and clear with big bottom end (which fixed my complaint with the Shuttle 6.0 - lack of real lows) but when combined with my LS1503s it was too shy of top end presence. And the lows could get a bit pillowy/loose at times as well. I found I liked the BX1200 combo with the LS1503s much better. So I'm offing the LMII and looking for another BBT500H for quieter things when I can tradeoff lower power for lighter weight.
Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 Genz Benz ShuttleMax 12.0	These are great quality, the company stands behind them well and I really wanted to like them. Unfortunately I didn't like the voicing. They seemed to lack deep lows/fundamental with the standard voicing and the "deep" button (dial on the Max 12.0) didn't give me back what I wanted easily. I want an amp that I like flat and then tweak for flavor and these weren't it, as great as they are. I wanted something with enough watts to drive both 15+Ls for outdoor gigs (I'll have to see how well that works) and finally went with the Genz Benz ShuttleMax 12.0. I love the quality of the GB, their support and the indicator lights (they actually cover everything I worry about). The 12.0 takes care of the one tonal nit I had with the Shuttle 6.0 - the extra low end shape is adjustable instead of fixed. It is more complex than I'd like and larger (but still very lightweight) so I don't know if it will become the "primary" amp or not. It turned out that the level control on the low end shape control wasn't enough for me. I'm sure with a diligent enough application of the eq I could have found an overall tone I liked it did not suit me nearly as well as my Carvin BX500 which makes me smile with everything flat (that I can tweak from there). Since I bought it new I was able to return it.
Ashdown Little Giant 1000 head Schroeder 15+L	I'm gonna try the Ashdown Little Giant 1000. 3.5 kg, fairly small, 500W @4Ohms x2. So it would be able to even replace my BX1200 in non-bridged mode. I'm hoping it floats my boat tonally and proves reliable enough to keep me from investing in a Genz Benz Shuttle 12.0 Max (which will cost about 2X as much but will definitely take care of me tonally). If the tone isn't quite there for me I know the Carvin BX500 will make me happy and then I may use the LG1K as an external power amp for when I need/want to run 2 cabs and as a backup amp. The LG1000 was fine but the Carvin BX500 is my tonal match. So I don't need the LG1000 around any more. I may try a GenzBenz ShuttleMAX 12.0 to get the same type of power but with my desire to not do gigs that require earplugs I might be able to live with the 500W from the BX500 into either 1 or 2 1x15s. If not I'll find something else, maybe a lightweight power amp, for when I need more oomph. So I'm willing to send the LG1000 on to a new home.
Big Bass Rig: Carvin BX-1200 head Carvin LS1503 x2	This is new ground for me. The Carvin LS1503 cab is actually a 3-way PA cab with enough volume for usable lows from the 15" driver. In theory this rig will be extremely clear/uncolored and will do double-duty as PA when needed. At 58lbs (nominally) the LS1503 is heavier than I'd like but a single cab handles loud rehearsals and small gigs. The pair should handle my outdoor events better than my previous cabs could. These cabs are 58lb, 400W 3-way PA cabs. I moved to the Carvin BX1200 head from a rack rig to simplify things a bit. It has plenty of power (it's equivalent to my old faithful Carvin DCM1000 power amp) and all the features (mute, switchable effects loop, biamping) that I could want. Also my favorite tone in recent years was my Rumblefish PJ through a Carvin B800 so I'm hoping I can reproduce that experience with the BX1200. The only place it lacks for me is that it weighs a little more than I'd like - but not too much (which is why I didn't go with the Carvin B1500 - it weighs "too much"). The recent addition of a wind synth makes having/using a 3-way speaker a great benefit as I can use the rig (albeit with a mixer&power amp instead of a bass amp) for wind synth amplification as well. I can also use the Yorkville 12+tweeter wedges I have as my "wind synth" rig. Hi-fi, full range speakers are "polite" to my ears after years of using Avatars with harsh tweeters. My testing showed it's just that the tweeters/high-end on the Avatars were loud/hyped. The LS1503 can get just as bright/sharp and then some by turning the high end EQ up some. So they have more solid lows, as much high-end as you want and are smoother overall. I've dropped Eminence 3015LF drivers into the LS1503s to drop some weight (5 or 6 lbs) and incidentally get better low end extension and higher power handling. The gaskets are larger/deeper so I need to keep an eye on whether I have any grill noise issues going forward. The weight savings wasn't that noticeable but every lb helps since these are a bit heavier than I'd like. The crossovers are suspect (I've replaced them once already) so I may need to upgrade to a more robust Peavey 3-way crossover. It is bigger, heavier and not as convenient from an interconnect standpoint but those are the breaks. If these Carvin crossovers give out again (and I'm only going to run the BX1200 in stereo, so only 275W per cab) then I'll get replacements and not use them (I'll upgrade to the Peavey crossovers instead). I may also try biamping the rig to reduce stress on the crossovers. One LS1503 is the "medium rig" and it can handle quite a bit. On a recent outdoor gig I got distracted and only hooked up one of the LS1503s instead of both and although it didn't like the B on a 5-string at that volume (I may need to add some spacing on the grill since the 3015LFs apparently can slap the grill) it cranked out all the volume and bottom I needed with a 4-string. I love the sound of this rig but a recent medical condition has me minimizing the weight of everything I've got. So as good as this rig sounds I'm going to sell it off and stick with lighter weight things. I may try an Acme Low B1 or two to keep the 3-way option in my collection but in a smaller, lighter package. I'm also going for a Carvin BX500 head for the same tone as the BX1200 in a lighter package that matches better with my other cabs.
Bass Rig: Genz Benz NeoPak Carvin LS1503 cab x2 (58lbs, 400W 3-way PA cab)	The Carvin LS1503 cab is actually a 3-way PA cab with enough volume for usable lows from the 15" driver. In theory this rig will be extremely clear/uncolored and will do double-duty as PA when needed. At 58lbs (nominally) the LS1503 is heavier than I'd like but a single cab handles loud rehearsals and small gigs. The pair should handle my outdoor events better than my previous cabs could. The NeoPak is a reasonably powerful head (225/350/500 Watts at 8/4/2 Ohms) in a very lightweight (8.5 lbs) package. It reduces my poundage haul required for most things (rehearsals, small-med gigs, etc.). It has a tube pre and parametric mids for plenty of tonal flexibility along with a mute switch (required for me). The tube pre can vary from clean and quick to overdriven and burpy. The key is finding the sweet spot for the sound you like - for me that's getting a bit of drive on the top but keeping the bottom clean and defined. Hi-fi, full range speakers are "polite" to my ears after years of using Avatars with harsh tweeters. My testing showed it's just that the tweeters/high-end on the Avatars were loud/hyped. The LS1503 can get just as bright/sharp and then some by cranking up the high end EQ. So they have more solid lows, as much high-end as you want and are smoother overall. Sometime I'll have to try them out with a crossover to see if I think that makes a difference. Some Eminence KappaLite 3015LFs are also on the future slate to drop some weight, increase the low end extension, bump the power handling and flatten the response curve. The recent addition of a wind synth makes having/using these PA speakers a great benefit as I can use the rig (albeit with a mixer instead of a bass preamp) for wind synth amplification as well. If I don't want to haul the big cabs I can also use the Yorkville 12+tweeter wedges I have as my "wind synth" rig. The crossovers on the LS1503s are proving to be a weak point. Greenboy on TB pointed 1503 users at a Peavey 3-way crossover that is better built. I've got one on order to try installing in the cab to see if that restores both full, buzz-free functionality to the cab and peace-of-mind to me. I'll put the brand new LS1503 crossovers from Carvin away for if/when I sell the cabs. In the end I decided hot-rodding cabs (beefing up crossovers, swapping drivers) wasn't what I wanted to do. So I got new crossovers from Carvin under warranty and traded the cabs to a BABPer for a Dr Bass 3-way and some cash. But then the 1260 Neo did nothing for me and I paid cash for it (and resold it) and kept the 1503s.
Bass Rig: BBE Bmax/QSC PLX1804 rack Carvin LS1503 cab x2 (58lbs, 400W 3-way PA cab)	This is new ground for me. The Carvin LS1503 cab is actually a 3-way PA cab with enough volume for usable lows from the 15" driver. In theory this rig will be extremely clear/uncolored and will do double-duty as PA when needed. At 58lbs (nominally) the LS1503 is heavier than I'd like but a single cab handles loud rehearsals and small gigs. The pair should handle my outdoor events better than my previous cabs could. The BBE Bmax is my "old faithful" preamp for a clean bass sound I like and the QSC PLX1804 is the best watts/pound/$ tradeoff I could find (my trusty old Carvin DCM-1000 is a close second - more weight, less $, about the same watts albeit in bridged mono vs. the 1804's stereo-only operation). Hi-fi, full range speakers are "polite" to my ears after years of using Avatars with harsh tweeters. My testing showed it's just that the tweeters/high-end on the Avatars were loud/hyped. The LS1503 can get just as bright/sharp and then some by flipping the bright switch on the Bmax or turning the high end EQ up some. So they have more solid lows, as much high-end as you want and are smoother overall. Sometime I'll have to try them out with a crossover to see if I think that makes a difference. Some Eminence KappaLite 3015LFs are also on the future slate to drop some weight, increase the low end extension, bump the power handling and flatten the response curve. The recent addition of a wind synth makes having/using these PA speakers a great benefit as I can use the rig (albeit with a mixer instead of a bass preamp) for wind synth amplification as well. If I don't want to haul the big cabs I can also use the Yorkville 12+tweeter wedges I have as my "wind synth" rig. I'm looking at getting a Carvin BX1200 to replace the pre/power setup. I'd prefer the simplicity although I think I'd be gaining a few pounds with the BX1200. It has the features I want and plenty of power (it's equivalent to the DCM1000s I've had and sworn by for years). It would give me a lot more eq flexibility than I have with the Bmax (no bass or treble cut available).
Current/Old Rack Rig: Yamaha BBT-500H or BBE Bmax/QSC PLX2402 rack Avatar B112 (8 Ohm/450W/40lbs) Avatar B210Neo (4 Ohm/500W/44lbs) Avatar B212Neo (4 Ohm/500W/56lbs) Avatar SB112 (8 Ohm/500W/48lbs) usual standalones: B112 B210 usual stacks: B210/B112 B112/B112 B210/B212	After going through a lot of amp gyrations (Yamaha BBT500H, Schroeder cabs, Carvin B800/BRX112Neo) trying to find something lighter that I like as much I've returned yet again to my "old faithful" rig of a BBE Bmax preamp with a power amp. This time I've got a QSC PLX2402 for the power amp for more power and a few less pounds than my Carvin DCM-1000. The rack is still heavier than I'd like and the Avatar cabs can be more than I want to cart around (although none are over 50lbs) but it provides the sound & setup flexibility I want out of a rig. I also kept a Yamaha BBT-500H around because it's so lightweight (11 lbs), sounds great and can handle rehearsals and smaller gigs on its own. I may end up just driving a power amp from it for big gigs. The Avatars are great "bread&butter" cabs. No frills, sold direct via the internet, standard boxes with Eminence drivers. I like how they sound and think they are a great value. I'd like them to be a little lighter but can live with them. I really like the Line-X coating I got on the B210Neo and am finding it to be my favorite cab of the Avatars I've had. I don't like the B212 as a standalone (so far) but it's super as part of a stack and I've found I want that volume & grunt in a bar or outdoor gig situation. The B210/B112 stack is great for rehearsals (which shows my current band is TOO LOUD) or smaller indoor gigs. The lure of the Carvin LS1503 cabs sucked me in - the ability to use them as bass cabs or PA speakers (that can handle bass in the PA) was too much. So the BBT500H didn't have enough watts any more and the Avatars had to go to pay for the Carvins. I'm still a big Avatar fan/supporter, I just found something else that works for me.
Rig Carvin BRX112Neo combo Avatar B112, SB112 extension cabs	The BRX112Neo is a great combo - 800W @ 2 Ohm Carvin head, 1x12+tweeter cab in a tiltback housing weighing in at 47 lbs. It puts 300W into the internal speaker (8 Ohms) along with a 50W section for the tweeter. That's enough volume for rehearsals and quiet gigs. I can add one or both of the Avatar 12s for louder things and even slave my DCM-1000 off of it for more wattage (I could max out at 1300W into 3x12s). My favorite sound lately was my Rumblefish PJ into a Carvin B800 head (same as in the BRX112Neo) into my pair of Avatar cabs. I'm hoping I get the same sound in an easily portable package with the BRX112Neo. Unfortunately the combo was buzzy at higher volumes (what I'd need for using it as a 1-unit solution for rehearsals with my loud band) and that was unacceptable. I had to return it and decided not to get a replacement and just stick with the rack rig. I later picked up a used on that didn't buzz and used it for a while. A great portable solution but in the end I kept ending up with a more "driven" sound than I wanted at volume (like with the B800 before it). So it went and I reverted to a Bmax/power amp rig.
Rig Sennheiser 1092D Digital Wireless --> ART Tube Channel --> QSC PLX2402 power amp --> Schroeder 1210L cab Schroeder 1212L cab (OTW)	ART is a low-priced channel-strip (preamp, compressor, and eq in a single rack unit) that sounds pretty nice as a bass preamp and has the optical compressor (that I don't really use) and semi-parametric EQ (that I also don't really use much) in a single rack space. It's only drawback is that the input is on the back of the unit. The PLX2402 is 1500W @ 8 Ohms bridged which is about double the rating of the Schroeder and 2400W @ 4 Ohms bridged so I can add a second Schroeder and exploit their full potential. It weighs in at 21lbs (nice and light) and has other useful features (HPF, clip limiting). The Schroeders are my answer to the desire for a 1-cab, lightweight solution for the bulk of my rehearsal and gigging. It's speced at 40lbs and 103db 1W@1m with 800W power handling. So loud, relatively light and compact. After checking out what the 1210L did with 700W into it I picked up the PLX2402 and a 1212L so that I have a 1-cab solution for pretty much anything indoors and a 2-cab solution for outdoor or really big/loud indoor gigs. This rig dominated as far as volume went and the cabs were easy to haul. Unfortunately they didn't quite do it for me sound-wise. A true bummer as the size/weight/volume ratio is tremendous.
Rig Sennheiser 1092D Digital Wireless --> ART Tube Channel --> QSC PLX1804 power amp --> 1 Avatar SB-112 cab 2 Avatar B-112 cabs	The ART is a mic pre so I could use this for sax/keys/whatever and it's like going into the PA. For non-bass instruments I could use my Yorkville wedges with it and have a light, portable rig that can amplify anything. I can use my pedalboard for additional color (overdrive from the M80, effects). The Sennheiser is a great digital wireless that doesn't kill my low end. But I do have to avoid overdriving it. This time around I am not keeping it in the rack to make life easier. I do need to build an enclosure for the receiver but I only use it for gigs (if then) so that reduces my every-time carry and simplifies the rack setup. The QSC PLX1804 is 600/900 W per side at 8/4 Ohms and only 13 lbs and 9 inches deep. Many watts in a compact lightweight package. It's not bridgeable but that's fine with the cabs I have and desire. The SB-112 has more lows but seems to be missing a little something in the mids. It's also bigger/heavier than the B112s. The B112s are more luggable and sound pretty good but don't have the absolute lows you might want. But in normal situations (bars, churches, auditoriums) they produce when fed enough juice. The BBT didn't have enough power even for rehearsals with my louder band and the quieter group is no more. So rather than carry 2 racks to each and every event/rehearsal I went back to the rack rig. And in the end realized I want a smaller & simpler solution for rehearsals and "normal" (not outdoor) gigs.
Rig Sennheiser 1092D Digital Wireless --> Yamaha BBT-500H head --> QSC PLX1804 power amp --> 1 Avatar SB-112 cab 2 Avatar B-112 cabs	The BBT-500H is ~11lbs and 500W @ 4 Ohms. Not bad for lower volume settings and I like the clean sound and the driven sounds. Racked with the wireless it's nice and light. And when I need more oomph I slave the PLX1804 to it. The Sennheiser is a great digital wireless that doesn't kill my low end. But I do have to avoid overdriving it. The QSC PLX1804 is 600/900 W per side at 8/4 Ohms and only 13 lbs and 9 inches deep. Many watts in a compact lightweight package. It's not bridgeable but that's fine with the cabs I have and desire. It's racked separately. The SB-112 has more lows but seems to be missing a little something in the mids. It's also bigger/heavier than the B112s. The B112s are more luggable and sound pretty good but don't have the absolute lows you might want. But in normal situations (bars, churches, auditoriums) they produce when fed enough juice. In the end I didn't want to cart around both the BBT-500H and a power amp for most things. So the BBT went back to MF and I went back to the pre/power rack (albeit with the wireless out of the rack to simplify it).
Rig Sennheiser 1092D Digital Wireless --> ART Tube Channel --> QSC PLX1804 power amp --> 1 Avatar SB-112 cab 2 Avatar B-112 cabs	The ART is a mic pre so I could use this for sax/keys/whatever and it's like going into the PA. For non-bass instruments I could use my Yorkville wedges with it and have a light, portable rig that can amplify anything. I can use my pedalboard for additional color (overdrive from the M80, effects). The Sennheiser is a great digital wireless that doesn't kill my low end. But I do have to avoid overdriving it. The QSC PLX1804 is 600/900 W per side at 8/4 Ohms and only 13 lbs and 9 inches deep. Many watts in a compact lightweight package. It's not bridgeable but that's fine with the cabs I have and desire. The SB-112 has more lows but seems to be missing a little something in the mids. It's also bigger/heavier than the B112s. The B112s are more luggable and sound pretty good but don't have the absolute lows you might want. But in normal situations (bars, churches, auditoriums) they produce when fed enough juice. The ART was "ehh" (clean and clear but nothing exciting) and I missed what the BBT-500H would give me. So I decided to go back that way keeping the PLX1804 around for when more power is needed.
Crate Powerblock (OTW) --> 1 Avatar B-112 cab	The Powerblock is actually a guitar amp and I'm picking one up because it's only 4.5 lbs and 150W at 8 Ohms or 75W into 4 Ohms stereo. I figure I can use it for "almost unplugged" practices where bass is the only thing amplified and it might also work as a micro power amp to run the PA with my quiet group for rehearsals (have to try it and see). As a $99.99 special deal (closeout?) from MF I couldn't resist trying it out. Who knows what my kids will play and what I'll be doing in the future so having it around will be just fine. It's got a headphone out and RCA CD in so it can be used as a headphone amp as well as a guitar/keys/whatever amp. It's unusable as a bass amp (IMO) - too much distortion at any reasonable level into a single Avatar 12 (either directly in or with my Dunlop M80 DI into the effects return). It sounded nice as a guitar amp (I do have an electric guitar sitting around) and I haven't tried it as a keys or PA-type amp. But since I can't get bass volume out of it I'm not sure I'll get reasonable clean volume for anything out of it so it's probably going to go back to MF.
Carvin B800 --> 1 Avatar SB-112 cab 2 Avatar B-112 cabs	The Carvin is maybe a touch heavier than I'd like but 500W @ 4 Ohms should take care of me (and it will do 800W @ 2 Ohms so I can do 3 or 4 8-Ohm cabs when needed). I'll see how I like the sound. The only things I see that are missing on it feature-wise are rackability, series/parallel on the effects loop and switchable overdrive. But those are all things I can live without. I prefer the sound of the SB-112. The B112s are much more compact and lighter so I may keep one or more around for a couple of years until I get a car thats easier to load cabs into. I may look into getting a Schroeder 1210L or 1212L for maximum output in the smallest package. At 4 Ohms it would cover almost everything I do by itself and I could add 1 or 2 more 12s to it when needed. Sonically the B800 varies from "clean, quick and quiet" to "edgy and nasty" depending on how much drive you apply. And I like that in a rig. Relatively small, light and compact it's easy to cart around and fits nicely on my Avatar 12s. I played a small festival gig with it and my bugeye Rumblefish PJ and achieved tonal nirvana. But then I played an outdoor/parking lot gig with it and a pair of my Avatar 12s and couldn't get the clean volume I wanted (that I had gotten with a pre/DCM1000 rig). I got plenty of volume but it was more overdriven than I necessarily wanted. So although I really like the sounds out of this rig the B800 isn't quite enough watts for me with my current cabs. So I'm heading back to a rack rig for clean volume with my cabs.
BBE Bmax Rack Rig Sennheiser digital wireless--> BBE Bmax preamp --> Carvin DCM-1000 --> 1 or 2 Avatar B112 cabs 1 Avatar SB-112 cab	I've gotten tired of the weight of this rack (45-50lbs) when I have to cart it around more than once a week. See my amp churn page to see the two ways I may be moving amplification-wise. I'm keeping it around for the time being as I really like the sound of this setup and the stereo power amp makes it very flexible (use 1/2 to power cabs, 1/2 for monitors -- bridge into 1 or 2 cabs, split into 3 or 4 cabs -- etc.). It's great when I don't take bass cabs and run through the PA - use the preamp and then use the power amp to drive the PA speakers. I would love to drop some weight from the rig by replacing the 25lb Carvin DCM-1000 with a lighter power amp. The problem is the Carvin is only 10.5" deep which lets me put it in a shallow rack and keep the whole thing nice and compact. The new QSC PLX-1104 and 1804 look good as does the Crown XTi-1000 and 2000. I just need a few paying gigs to get to where I can afford one. The B112s are ~18"x18"x15" (kind of like a Bag End S-15D), rear ported and have an Eminence Kappa 12 speaker and tweeter. They are very compact and lightweight and sound good to me. The SB-112 is a bit larger and front ported with an Eminence Delta 12LF speaker. It has a bit more lows but seems to want more wattage to open up and speak nicely. In the end I just wasn't enjoying the Bmax sound any more. And even with the ultralight PLX1804 I wasn't enjoying the 4-space rack. So I decided to try something different.
Current Rig Sennheiser digital wireless--> Yamaha BBT-500H head --> Carvin DCM-1000 (optional) --> 1 or 2 Avatar B112 cabs 1 Avatar SB-112 cab	This is my new "ultralight" rig. The BBT is 10.5 lbs and puts out 500W @ 2 Ohms (250W @ 4 Ohms). Not super powerful but through 2 1x12s it can handle my loud band's practices. So for rehearsals I can haul a much, much lighter load than before and still get the job done. For gigs (especially outdoor ones) I can slave a power amp to drive the speakers for more watts. I like the variety of sounds in the BBT - I'm partial to the SVT-like ones for "rock" and the flat or "tube" ones for my more acoustic group. This gives me all the amp sounds I might want in one very lightweight package. In a 4-space rack with BBT, rack tuner and wireless together with a power strip and various cables ran about 28lbs - better than the 45-50 of my BBE-based rack but more than I had hoped. I was trying a Behringer rack tuner and found that muting/unmuting it make a loud crackle/pop which made it unusable in the signal path. And the green "in tune" light wasn't very visible outdoors. So I returned it and put the BBT by itself in a 3-space rack. Now that's lightweight. I'll continue to plug my Boss TU-12H tuner in as needed and toss the wireless in the rack or just bring it along and set it up for gigs. The B112s are ~18"x18"x15" (kind of like a Bag End S-15D), rear ported and originally had an Eminence Kappa 12 speaker and tweeter. I replaced the Kappa 12s with Neo 12s at 4 Ohms to get the max output from the BBT head (and save almost 10lbs in magnet weight). The tuning is probably off and the port tubes look glued in so I don't know if I'll be changing that any time soon. They are very compact and lightweight and sound good to me. The SB-112 is a bit larger and front ported with an Eminence Delta 12LF speaker. It has a bit more lows but seems to want more wattage to open up and speak nicely. I converted the SB-112 to 4 Ohms using a 4 Ohm version of the Kappa Pro LF so no weight savings there. I may try one of the Neo 12s in it and see what I think. That would save 6lbs, give more mids (from the Neo speaker) and should have more bottom (from the larger box) than the B112s. I recently revisited the BBE Bmax/Carvin DCM-1000 rig that was my longer term "go-to" setup. The rack ends up being somewhere in the 40-50lb range and the cabs (if taken back to 8 Ohm config) probably 40-45lbs. While the weight of each piece is not outrageous by any means (all easy 1 person carry) and I use a rock-n-roller cart for transport over flat surfaces I found I didn't want to haul those pieces around. I think the main factor in the equation is that I'm driving a sedan ('98 Nissan Maxima SE) and the gyrations necessary to get the pieces (which are fairly compact) into the trunk opening or through the back doors are what bugs me (and causes pulled muscles in my back). So while pieces <50# are doable, they are too much to wrangle into my vehicle. So the answer is to stay with the ultralight setup (BBT, Neo-ized B112s) until I get new vehicle in '08, and to make sure it's got an easy-entry hatch. At which point only stairs will be my nemesis. In the end I decided that a lightweight power amp-based rig would be more flexible overall for me. I can run bass off one side and PA off the other for rehearsals and only have to carry one rack. With a 12lb power amp it's only a few pounds more total than the BBT-based rig and I don't have to ever worry about headroom again and can try any cabs I want in the future.
BBE Bmax Rack Rig Sennheiser digital wireless--> BBE Bmax preamp --> Carvin DCM-1000 --> 1 or 2 Avatar B112 cabs 1 Avatar SB-112 cab	I've gotten tired of the weight of this rack (45-50lbs) when I have to cart it around more than once a week. See my amp churn page to see the two ways I may be moving amplification-wise. I'm keeping it around for the time being as I really like the sound of this setup and the stereo power amp makes it very flexible (use 1/2 to power cabs, 1/2 for monitors -- bridge into 1 or 2 cabs, split into 3 or 4 cabs -- etc.). It's great when I don't take bass cabs and run through the PA - use the preamp and then use the power amp to drive the PA speakers. I would love to drop some weight from the rig by replacing the 25lb Carvin DCM-1000 with a lighter power amp. The problem is the Carvin is only 10.5" deep which lets me put it in a shallow rack and keep the whole thing nice and compact. The new QSC PLX-1104 and 1804 look good as does the Crown XTi-1000 and 2000. I just need a few paying gigs to get to where I can afford one. The B112s are ~18"x18"x15" (kind of like a Bag End S-15D), rear ported and have an Eminence Kappa 12 speaker and tweeter. They are very compact and lightweight and sound good to me. The SB-112 is a bit larger and front ported with an Eminence Delta 12LF speaker. It has a bit more lows but seems to want more wattage to open up and speak nicely.
Thunderfunk TFB-420 Avatar B-112 (x2) Avatar SB-112	I had a Gibson GB-440 (predecessor to the TFB) in the past and it had plenty of power (rated at 400W @ 4Ohms) and was nice and light. My biggest complaint with it was no fan and the case was part of the heat sink so it got mighty toasty. The TFB-420 has a fan so it won't get as toasty and should be just as light and powerful. My short time with the Gibson showed it to be brighter than the BBE but it has much EQ capability and probably just the timbre control will get things where I want them. I'm keeping the BBE around, in a rack with a remaining DCM-1000, as a second rig. That will be a luxury for me. I've had multiple basses but this will be the first time with multiple rigs. It feels decadent (even though I'm dropping from 4 basses to 3 to finance the new Thunderfunk rig). The Thunderfunk never got much play. It was traded for the JB-2, gotten back and offered up for sale/trade before it even reached my door. Since my "ideal rig" goal allows driving a small PA with the power section an integrated head isn't quite the right thing so I'm moving back in the "ideal direction".
Yamaha BBT-500H Yamaha BBT210S Avatar B-112 (x2) Avatar SB-112	The rack rig was too much to haul around with any regularity (what can I say, I'm lazy). So I looked to downsize in a serious way. The BBT-500H is 8.5lbs, 500W@2Ohms and has a digital front end that lets you save 5 settings. I'm figuring I can find a couple of sounds I like out of it and be good to go at a much, much lighter weight. And I will still have a DCM-1000 I can slave off of it if necessary. And on clearance the BBT-500H was $399 - not a bad deal at all. Because of the 2Ohm max output (and I want that 500W) I needed to adjust the cab setup in some way. So I found the BBT210S also on clearance for $250. It's a "matching" cab for the BBT-500H head and is a 4Ohm cab and 46lbs. So the rig permutations become: 125W --& 1 8Ohm 1x12 250W --& 2 8Ohm 1x12s 250W --& 1 4Ohm 2x10 375W --& 1 4Ohm 2x10 & 1 8Ohm 1x12 500W --& 1 4Ohm 2x10 & 2 8Ohm 1x12s Depending on what I think of the BBT210S and the BBT-500H with the Avatars I could buy another BBT210S and drop some 1x12s convert 1 or 2 of the 1x12s to 4Ohm (do a speaker swap) I'm really looking forward to checking out the BBT-500H and hope it works for me. Unfortunately while the BBT-500H sounded great, as far as the switchable sounds went, it seemed to have/caused/amplified noise that wasn't there using another (headphone) amp right on top of it. It also didn't have enough oomph for me. The BBT-210S cab was nothing to write home about. Well made but "eh" for tone, akward to carry and not efficient enough. So this stuff all went back.
BBE Bmax SS Carvin DCM-1000 (x2) Avatar B-112 (x2) Avatar SB-112 (x2)	I much prefer the sound of the B112s over the SB112s, at least at sane volumes, so the SB-112s are "auxillary" cabs. They need to be paired up with a B112 and usually only get used for an outdoor gig. My usual needs these are for 1/2 of the DCM-1000 and 1 B112. A careful evaluation of what I've actually used over the last year led me to believe that I really didn't need both SB-112s. So I sold one to reduce my clutter. And I may sell one of the B112s as well. But I like having 3 cabs just in case.
GK 700RB-II	I love the light weight of the GK (17 lbs for 480W @ 4Ohms) and some of the features (front panel DI, front panel tuner out, tuner mute) and the only thing it is missing for me is a power section clip light. However I'm still struggling a little with the sound. In the end the tone of the Bmax won out so the GK is on the block to pay for other things I'll use.
Gibson GB-440	One of the predecessors to the Thunderfunk. It had a good sound, but a bit edgier than the Bmax. I loved the light weight and it, with a pair of Avatar 12s, handled a bar gig with no problem. But I didn't like the "hot box" effect it had and preferred the Bmax sound.
BBE Bmax SS Carvin DCM-1000 (x2) Avatar B-112 (x2) SB-112 (x2)	Somewhere in there I tried some other things but settled down on this conglomeration. I know I had another RBI or two in the interim. And at one point I compared the ART Tube Channel, Sansamp RBI and BBE Bmax together. And settled on the Bmax. It had a better clean sound than the others (IMO) and worked better with my piezo-equipped Godin A4. I also tried an Acme Low B2 in there and found out, after I sent it off, that the mid/high protection bulb was shot so it wasn't too surprising that it was lacking in highs. I'd like to try one again someday.
Behringer V-amp Pro Carvin DCM-1000 Avatar B-111 (x2)	I tried out a Behringer V-amp pro and it lasted 1 and only 1 gig. I just didn't like the sound. It may have been the settings (it wasn't configured for going through speakers) but the tuner didn't work well and it was too much hassle. I figured out I prefer a simpler setup.
ART Tube Channel Carvin DCM-1000 Avatar B112 (x2)	So I picked up an ART tube channel (tube pre, optical compressor and tube EQ in a single rack space) and another Avatar B112 (sold the Ampeg and the C15). The ART sounded pretty good and the two B112s could really cover just about anything other than a big-time outdoor gig (particularly with 1000W hitting them). Put it all in a 3-space rack to make it nice and compact.
Ampeg B2r Avatar B112 & C15	Even with the Carvin the rack was fairly bulky and heavy so I tried an Ampeg head. It sounded fine and was plenty loud. But then I put it in a rack for protection and it seemed just as bad as the rack rig.
Sansamp RBI Carvin DCM-1000 Avatar B112 & C15	The Carvin saved a lot of pounds over the QSC RMX which was banished to vocal monitor duty. The C15 was the same size as the B112 (~18x18x15). In the end I liked the sound of the B112 better than the C15 and the C15 was heavier (see a theme?). The C15 was damaged when it was shipped to me and I had to replace the speaker with absolutely no financial help from the person I bought it from (used). He "put in a claim" agains the shipper but never followed up as far as I know because I never saw any benefit.
Sansamp RBI QSC RMX-850 Avatar B112 & CB112	I had a QSC RMX-850 for use with some monitors. So I picked up a Sansamp RBI for the pre and a couple of Avatar cabs - one B112 (~18x18x15) and one CB112 (roughly the same size as the current Avatar SB112 but oriented for vertical use). That was a nice sounding rig but the RMX850 was a heavy beast and the CB112 was bulky compared to the B112 and I liked the sound of the B112 better.
Genz Benz ML200-112t and Genz Benz ML-12t	I added a Genz Benz ML200-112t to my older combo for a "stacked combo" rig. The newer combo had 200W and a more EQ options on the head. It sounded good but more "modern" or "hi-fi" than the original. I found that both GB combos had noisy effect sends/outs so that I couldn't slave one from the other without getting a whole bunch of noise. That sucked. The ML200 was powerful enough to do a lot of things on its own. It's power section could be split but then it was like 2x100W @ 4 Ohms - not so hot. After getting a lot of good use out of it I ended up selling both combos and moving to a separates rig again.
Hartke HA-4000 head SWR Workingmans 15t cab	This was my first separates rig. It worked great. I couldn't imagine needing more volume at the time. Played some outdoor parties (backyard-type) with it and it was more than enough. I liked the sound although the HA4000 was relatively heavy. The WM-15t was compact and lightweight for a 15. Ended up selling it when the band I was in at the time (Detour) put together enough of a PA that I didn't really need a rig other than for stage monitoring. And I still had the GB ML12t for that. Sold the head & cab off to Phil in Liquid Youth/Skylar Blue.
Genz Benz ML-12T 135W, 1x12+tweeter, tiltback	My first bass amp. A trooper that has handled practices, house parties and stage monitoring. Very solid and dependable. More of a "vintage" sound than the newer ML200-112t. Well built and more of a "dark gray" than "black". Finally sold when I dropped the "2-combo" rig and moved to separates completely.