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[Rubberbass]

I play through a Markbass CMD12P and frankly it doesn't like the Ashbory. After a few numbers it just gives up and sulks whereas it just loves my Rickenbacker. I'm assuming that the high output of the Ashbory is causing the amp to overheat with all the work it has to do at which point it just shuts down so is there any way of getting the output down or modifying the output in some way so that bass and amp can carry on an enlightened conversation as amp crashing in mid gig is not fun.

[Brock]

That's an odd problem I've never heard of before.

You could try rolling the volume off a little on the Ashbory and maybe that would help. Also, perhaps changing inputs will do something (I'm not familiar with your amp).

Something else that might work, as I learned in the days of having lower powered amps, is that if the amp is dialed in with less low end and more high end it is less demanding on the amp at a given volume. At least in theory the Ashbory puts out a lot more low end than a Rickenbacker typically does. This might be a difference.

There could be some sort of impedance issue that is problematic for your amp, since the Ashbory is active and the Rickenbacker likely isn't. Again, pure speculation. 

This is the first report I've ever seen of an Ashbory being problematic for an amp, and people like to use smaller than average amps with Ashborys as a whole because a more portable amp goes along with a more portable bass.

You might talk to Markbass about your problem. They might have some insight.


-Brock

[topher]

Needing a very small monitor amp for my bass, I bought a Gallien-Krueger Backline 110. It cost about $230 new.

It sounds great with the Ashbory. I tried it with my electric bass guitar, and it sounds sorta OK but not anywhere near as good as my Kustom KBA80. And if I play my string bass (with a Realist pickup & Baggs DI) through the GK, it sounds absolutely awful.

But the Ash sounds really good through it, I think.

[Brock]

topher,

You're not the first person I've come across using a GK Backline 110 for Ashbory use. People seem to like that combination.

I'm using a Yorkville XM200 for personal use and we have another XM200 we use for testing Ashborys in the office. They are an unusual match for an Ashbory in that they're a big combo (15 inch speaker) to go with a small instrument. The GK Backline is more size appropriate. One guy was getting to gigs on his motorcycle with a Backline amp and an Ashbory! I though that was cool.


-Brock

[ausbun]

I've bought a Kustom KBA16 (8" speaker) to practice with, but the small speaker really doesn't reach the lows I would like with my Ash. I've been thinking about using the external speaker output of the amp to power a monitor-style speaker cab that I would build, but I haven't been able to nail down a speaker that seems to fit. I've considered a Peavey Black Widow 15" or an Eminence Basslite 15," both of which seem to be reasonably priced on eBay. Before you jump me about this harebrained plan, let me say:

1. I know, pushing a 15" speaker with the 16-watt output of the Kustom won't work well. I just want to give it a try, and if the cab sounds good, I'll get a more-powerful amp, preferably tubed, later.

2. Building a cab is fraught with its own hazards, especially designing it myself. This will be a hobby-style project, the way I view it, not a professional endeavor. If the cabinet farts, I can take the speaker out and start over.

3. I even considered an 18" Peavey speaker. but decided that might be overkill. Also, the speakers that size seem to be PA speakers rather than bass guitar speakers.

Does anyone have any advice?

[Rubberbass]

I've solved the problem. I now play through my 30 watt Laney practice amp and take the direct out into my Markbass in effect using the Laney to limit the output of the Ashbory. I have the input gain on the Laney turned fairly high but of course the output is low leaving the Markbass to just amplify the sound of the Laney.

[garyb]

I've bought a Kustom KBA16 (8" speaker) to practice with, but the small speaker really doesn't reach the lows I would like with my Ash. I've been thinking about using the external speaker output of the amp to power a monitor-style speaker cab that I would build, but I haven't been able to nail down a speaker that seems to fit. I've considered a Peavey Black Widow 15" or an Eminence Basslite 15," both of which seem to be reasonably priced on eBay. Before you jump me about this harebrained plan, let me say:

1. I know, pushing a 15" speaker with the 16-watt output of the Kustom won't work well. I just want to give it a try, and if the cab sounds good, I'll get a more-powerful amp, preferably tubed, later.

2. Building a cab is fraught with its own hazards, especially designing it myself. This will be a hobby-style project, the way I view it, not a professional endeavor. If the cabinet farts, I can take the speaker out and start over.

3. I even considered an 18" Peavey speaker. but decided that might be overkill. Also, the speakers that size seem to be PA speakers rather than bass guitar speakers.

Does anyone have any advice?

There are many considerations.  Low, loud, efficiency, power, size for example. 

Bass sound rolls-off as the frequency gets lower (your ear - hearing - rolls-off as well).  To overcome this you need either a efficient enclosure or high power with bass boost.  Bass amps normally use large drivers in relatively small enclosures so they require powerful amps. 

Generally the purpose of the enclosure is to prevent the rear wave of the speaker from canceling the front wave (they are 180 degrees out of phase) or to induce the rear wave to reinforce the front wave through a designed box and port (hole in the baffle).

An efficient enclosure is sized and designed for the driver (speaker), usually a bass reflex (ported) design where small enclosures require small drivers.  Conversely large drivers require large enclosures.  Recent developments in long-throw driver design have reduced the required size of the enclosure. 

To get low with a small enclosure you either need a lot of power or a small driver. It is not hard to build a large cabinet with a large driver and Brut-force it with 100 + watts of power.  However it takes a expensive high-quality driver and an enclosure designed and built to match the acoustic paramaters of the driver to build a speaker that is efficient to 42 HZ (low E), drive it with 15 watts and get reasonable sound (low and loud).

So, either buy an efficient speaker (this means a big magnet) of moderate size - 10" or 12" and build a large closed-back cabinet for it or research bass reflex designs and DESIGN and build an effecient ported cabinet for it.  In fact do the design and then buy the driver.  Expect the cabinet to be at least 1.5 to 2 cu 1'x1'x2' ft for a 10". 

Research - search on "raw speakers" "speaker enclosures construction", "building bass reflex", etc  to get started.  Don't expect good results without some planning.

 
Good luck with your project, you can do it, hope this helps.