Could use some guidance and advice on using direct boxes and smaller amps for gigs....

FWIW, my bass player has used the Tech 21 DI stuff for years now, direct into the board.
For years, it's been one of these:
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/T...fJMTymEayZG2Jfl7GlfabkBv81R_kU_BoC6CsQAvD_BwE
but it just starting acting up a bit, and he's gotten a Tech 21 bass Fly Rig.
He's always gotten good results, and it sure is a lot lighter to carry.

 

I think a Fender Rumble 40 might be just the thing you're looking for - sounds good, decent loudness, 10" speaker, XLR out, etc. and it only weighs 18 lbs. I have one and it's great. I also have a Rumble 500 Combo w/ a 2x10 extension cab but it's really overkill for me. I use the Rumble 40 more than the 500 combo.

 

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Some have used a Joyo American Sound pedal as a cabinet simulator direct to a powered speaker, house PA, or recording.
It's a $35 Tech21 Blonde clone.
Otherwise you would have the traditional small heavy amp to a mic to the PA.




Joyo makes these little amps, which when compared with a pine speaker cabinet can make for a light weight carry.
Orange micro amps are similar size/weight/performance.


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Yes to all the above? I obsess over bass tone and I have been hauling around an Ampeg fridge stack for years. I hate to admit this but the best I ever sounded was when I showed up to a bar gig with just my bass, a tuner, and a Tech21 VTBASSDI. It's an Ampeg clone and is supposed to do everything from Flip Top to SVT. I gave my XLR with cab sim out to the sound guy and went through the PA. I wish I hadn't hauled that rig all these years.

 

You could send your signal from your amp to the house via the XLR output and use the amp as a monitor at the same time. You wouldn't need a really big amp in this instance if you wanted to get something for recording at home and use as a monitor onstage.

 

Here's the Rumble 40 manual if you want to read up on it more.

 

There’s Rumble 40 “Studio”, I think that caught my eye recently — touted as lightweight, loud enough for home/practice/very small gigs and XLR out to send to the board or recording device. Has an effects loop too, I think. 18lbs blew my mind. I put it out of my mind, but you have me thinking about it again now! Hmmmm

 

Last question first- Yes to pumpkin pie...

As for the light amp with great sound and XLR to board- Yes on Rumble 40. Very good EQ section and tone shaping- 40 watts enough for practice and smaller gigs- Our band does have a drummer, but he’s tasteful- our music goes from bluegrass, C&W, Rock (REM, Journey, Rush, Mudcrutch).
As mentioned, it’s light, you can use it as a monitor while XLR goes to board- I’ve had it for six years and really love it.
For DI box, another great thing that can get you to PA with Ampeg sound- great for tight stages etc, and if your amp dies... I have two- both about $30- you really can’t go wrong with ‘em.
Behringer BDI 21, and the Caline Wine Cellar- here they are- both just SansAmp 21 clones at 1/6 the cost!



I also have a small Ampeg Micro CL mini stack that is great when you need a bit more “oomph”. Has a 100watt head, and a 2x10” cab, doesn’t weigh that much (30lb for cab, I think?). It only has an unbalanced 1/4” output that you can run to a PA, but you can put the DI box in front of it, and go XLR out of that, or even just mic up the cab. I think it’s great- here is a shot of that one- It’s cute, AND an Ampeg!

Hope this helps!!
OBTW- Rumble 40 only $200. Maybe less if you can find used- Ampeg a bit more ($325?? I got a deal using “loyalty bucks” at MF...)
Carl (C-Note )

 

Mark Bass 12" amp hands down!!!

IS small, sounds amazing, weights nothing, built in DI, sturdy and even nice

We had a 80's Fender BXR300 and our bass player came with a Markbass Mini, I believe is the Mini CMD 121P

 

My bassplayer dropped his MiniMark bass head loading after practice, dislodged the fan board. Common issue with them.

That weekend's gig, it started thermalling out halfway through first set. I took a line out of his preamp straight into the board. Pulled back the bass/mid/treb controls to about 10 o'ckock at this bar gig we did. Two Altec TS210 speakers. Sounded great the rest of the night.

 

For a direct box you can use when your amp doesn't have XLR out, I used a Radial JDX:

https://www.radialeng.com/product/jdx-48

It sits between the amp (head) and speaker, so if your amp supports external speakers this might be an option. Worked well for me for several years. When I switched to a new amp it was no longer necessary, since that one had XLR output.

 

Per my recommendation my bass player has a Rumble 40 and a Rumble 200. We do classic country and these amps fit the tone. The 40 covers 80% of our gigs. The 40 is super extra extremely lightweight. The 200 has covered our outdoor gigs and get loud in a bar stuff.

 

Why not pick up the rumble 40? That is what our church uses for about the same size venue (160 or so). It has a DI out to tie into the PA and it weighs about as much one of my guitar pedals...

 

just about every sound person I ever worked with, and when I ran sound, hated when bass players would use the direct XLR out on their amp. I preferred, and the sound person also, to use a a DI between the bass and the amp. Every bass player I ever worked with would go change the controls on his amp several times trough the job, using the Direct out of the amp also changed the front of house mix that would then have to be fixed. The bass player usually changed his amp due to ear fatigue.

 

OP, you didn’t state whether you were using this for bass or guitar. I’m assuming bass, as have most of the respondents.

Presumably, your Rumble 100 is one of the v.1 or v.2 earlier models. The v.3 Rumble 100 is under 20 pounds, and has a post-EQ XLR line out plus an effects loop. When I auditioned it fo Church use, I found the new Rumble 100 very muddy in its basic tone. I chose the Rumble 40 instead. It has the same EQ controls in the preamp, and it also had the post-EQ XLR line out. I preferred the tone of the 40 - more open and clear than the 100, and the lack of an effects loop is a non-issue for me. The 40 was a couple of pounds lighter, a bit more compact, and $100 USD cheaper.

We also have moved toward a silent stage at my Church (pre-Covid-19), and prior to the pandemic had very good results using the Behringer BDI21 mentioned earlier. Build quality is quite sufficient for my needs.

I recommend looking into the version 3 Rumble 40. Three years down the line, it’s been a great piece of gear. The XLR out will probably be all you need, and at 18 pounds, it’s an easy load-in/load out. Use whatever you need to prop it up facing you as your on-stage monitor facing your ears, and it’s likely to be all you need. Proper EQ settings will allow it to handle a 5-string bass for newer country tunes, if that’s a requirement.

Double gig bag with two basses + two instrument cables and two XLR mic cables in the gig bag pocket, plus an 18 pound Rumble 40 and something to put it on is an enviable one-trip-to-the-car load out after the gig. Stick a BDI21 in the gig bag pocket, and you’re covered in case of an amp failure. Dirt cheap insurance.

 

This certainly could happen, but the XLR out on the Rumble 40 actually sounds pretty good. I carry a passive Whirlwind DI and a Behringer GI100 with a switchable 4x12 cab sim “just in case”, and I’ve only been called out by a sound man once, for not using a Countryman.

Everyone has their own prejudices.

 

This certainly could happen, but the XLR out on the Rumble 40 actually sounds pretty good. I carry a passive Whirlwind DI and a Behringer GI100 with a switchable 4x12 cab sim “just in case”, and I’ve only been called out by a sound man once, for not using a Countryman.



A lot of the XLR outs on bass amps sound good. The problem comes when the XLR is post eq and any change on the amp changes the signal going to the front of house.