Bi-Amping does anyone do it?

tedcrop · #1 01-08-2011, 07:46 AM

So do people bi-amp and run effects and drive through one amp and cab and clean low end through another

I am building my new rig:

Right now i have: Avatar 4x10, BBE BMAXT, Peavy IPR 3000 (1000w at 4ohm) for the low end.

I want to add:

Sansamp RBI, a second Avatar 4x10 eavy IPR 3000 (1000w at 4ohm) for the dirty effected

And in the effects loop of the RBI some pedals:

POG2, rotary, Chorus, Drive\dist, envelope filter

Do people do it this way. Just looking for some feedback.

murphy · #2 01-08-2011, 07:56 AM

I recall reading about someone doing it live years ago in a bass magazine.
Sounds like a good idea and what is often done in a studio situation.

Live you might just want use your sansamp for distortion, or go for a SVT rig..... Guess it depends on how much gear you want to be hauling and setting up.

billfitzmaurice · #3 01-08-2011, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedcrop

So do people bi-amp and run effects and drive through one amp and cab and clean low end through another

That's not bi-amping, it's dual amping, and many do it. But since both effects and distortion affect only above 100Hz that's usually handled with a guitar amp; a 25 to 50 watt combo is plenty.

tedcrop · #4 01-08-2011, 08:49 AM

that's not a bad idea. i have actually experimented with using a guitar amp for top end.

I have a classic 30 collecting dust maybe I will re-visit the idea today.

Qvist · #5 01-08-2011, 09:00 AM

I know the guy from Shadow's Fall does it, his tone is massive, very punchy and precise...

plangentmusic · #6 01-08-2011, 09:03 AM

Did it. Don't like it.

Since bass speakers are full range speakers, they sound best when pushing all frequencies. Allocating highs to smaller ones and lows to bigger ones doesn't activate the speaker entirely and leave a "hole" in the sound. And the mids always seemed weak. It's CLEANER, but it loses a lot of guts. To me.

tedcrop · #7 01-08-2011, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plangentmusic

Did it. Don't like it.

Since bass speakers are full range speakers, they sound best when pushing all frequencies. Allocating highs to smaller ones and lows to bigger ones doesn't activate the speaker entirely and leave a "hole" in the sound. And the mids always seemed weak. It's CLEANER, but it loses a lot of guts. To me.

good point.

my main deal is I want a clean sound and a dirty effected sound I can fade

tedcrop · #8 01-08-2011, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murphy

I recall reading about someone doing it live years ago in a bass magazine.
Sounds like a good idea and what is often done in a studio situation.

Live you might just want use your sansamp for distortion, or go for a SVT rig..... Guess it depends on how much gear you want to be hauling and setting up.

yeah svt rigs are not heavy huh.

i figure my entire 2000w rack will weigh less than 40LB
Cabs are 65LBs each
Pedal board about 15LBS

my old rig boogies in flight case and old tube head i needed a donkey to haul

edbass · #9 01-08-2011, 10:37 AM

I've run both multi amp methods mentioned here; clean/dirty and actual bi-amped.

I've never experience the problem of a "hole in the sound" or that "the mids always seemed weak" with a dedicated bi-amped rig (in fact I generally have to back off mid frequencies with the configuration I use), but I always took the effort to EQ it properly. To clarify; by my definition “properly” involves a RTA, noise generator, and a whole bunch of time rather than just twisting knobs on a preamp.
Most big SR systems are multi-amped, and it's pretty much the same; if you know what you're doing bi-amp, tri-amp, etc. is very efficient, but it certainly can have some serious attendant "baggage" as far as cost, effort, size, time etc.
I still have the bi-amped rig I used in the early 90’s, but it’s way too much effort for the compensation I get nowadays, and not at all what I'm looking for anymore tonally, but certainly no problem with "guts" or "holes".
If you need big league stage SPL, you're into the big, powerful, balanced squeaky clean sterile thing, and have the wherewithal and perseverance to deal with it, not a bad way to go IMO.

The clean/dirty is more forgiving and much easier to dial in IMO, but as billfitzmaurice points out an entirely different thing than “bi-amping”.
Lots of players do this with their bass rigs. I personally only do it with a stereo bass; bridge PU to a dirtier guitar amp and neck PU to a bigger clean bass amp, but… I only have a couple of basses wired that way, and as with my comments above it’s generally too much effort for the gigs I play nowadays.
Forum member nysbob comes to mind; Bob runs a Marshall Super Lead and a SVT in his “big rig”, and it flat kicks *ss.

These days a strong tube amp, a 215, a Jazz and a P pretty much gets the job done for me.

bassman5959 · #10 01-22-2011, 03:15 PM

I use an 800RB that has it's own internal crossover. As best I've noticed, Bi-amp can sound incredible when the crossover is done correctly like on my head, but I seriously doubt that I would be able to get as good of a sound with seperat rack units setting things manually. And also there is no "better" option. Like anything else in music and audio, if it sounds right, it is right. I prefer Bi-amp, it sounds bigger and fatter to me, but to each his own.