Complicated Setup? Help

ODDBALL · #1 01-18-2011, 08:38 AM

Hello All Bassist out there,

Is my setup to complicated or is it normal? I only ask this because I am usually just a bass to amp kind of guy. So now that I have everything setup this way it feels very complicated to me. Is this normal to feel this way or should I think of getting a whole new rig? Also, on a second note would this make for a good rig for a band or possibly a live situation.

Setup:
Bass < Line6 Bass PodXT Live (Floor Model) < A/B box < A channel to the Power Amp in of a Peavey Bam 210. < B channel to a Rack mount tuner < Aphex Bass Exciter < To the Power Amp in of a Peavey 115 Combo amp.

I am using the Line6 as the Pre Amp for both Combo Amps.
Peavey 115 Combo 200Watts
Peavey Bam 210 350Watts

Thanks for any advice or comment you might have.

Shaun

christw · #2 01-18-2011, 08:40 AM

Have you looked in the effects forum at the "Show Your Pedalboard" threads? They've got enough gear to fly to Mars. Yours isn't so crazy. Complex? Maybe. Cool? I think so. I like thinking outside of the box occasionally.

onosson · #3 01-18-2011, 08:51 AM

I know how you feel ... any time I start using more than two pedals in my setup, I start to feel that it's getting to be too much! Sometimes even two pedals feels like too much... however, I often gig with a separate keyboard rig which I double on, which has its own set of pedals, stand, etc. so I try to keep my bass stuff ultra-simple - at this point it's just a tuner and compressor into my amp.

dmrogers · #4 01-18-2011, 09:51 AM

If this works for you and you don't mind the setup and loading, then don't worry about it.
However, if I were using a setup like that, I would make sure that I could easily bypass anything in the chain easily in case something messes up. But then, I like a backup of everything.

My son's bought me a wireless system for Christmas, and I love it. Never used anything like that before, but just to be on the safe side, I have a instrument cable ready to use in case something happens to the wireless.

When I played guitar, I had my pedalboard setup with a true bypass switch so I could totally bypass the board in the event that any device malfunctioned.

Mo'Phat · #5 01-18-2011, 09:58 AM

I'm not sure why you're using an A/B box...are you running the amps one-or-the-other or are they both running all the time?

Your PodXT is stereo, so you should just skip the A/B box.

If it were me, I'd simplify by using just the PodXT, run the left into the input (not the power amp in or effects return) of the 210, and the right in to the input of the 115.

That way, you have the added benefit of adjusting levels of the 210 or the 115 for the room, or tweaking the EQ's a hair at the amplifiers to really fill out the sound.

The tuner on the XT (even on the floor) is a good tuner, and the benefit of the Aphex unit can be negligible with smart equalization.

ODDBALL · #6 01-18-2011, 10:59 AM

Thanks for all the input so far.

I have had the XT going directly to the inputs on both combos. But I thought to truly maximize the XT it should be ran bypassing the pre’s on both combos. I want to use the amp modeling as the pre for both combo’s. Maybe I should ask Which is the best way of setting this particular rig up? What is the most effective way?

Thanks
Shaun

Munjibunga · #7 01-18-2011, 11:13 AM

"Normal" is:

Bass > tuner > amp > cab.

ODDBALL · #8 01-18-2011, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

"Normal" is:

Bass > tuner > amp > cab.

Yes, 100% agree.

Shaun

ODDBALL · #9 01-18-2011, 02:27 PM

“Your PodXT is stereo, so you should just skip the A/B box.

If it were me, I'd simplify by using just the PodXT, run the left into the input (not the power amp in or effects return) of the 210, and the right in to the input of the 115”

I do not think the pod XT is capable of stereo mode. But it you can Bi-Amp it, using the output of the model and DI output. I can try this out sometime this week, send all the highs to the 210 and lows to the 115.

Shaun

Stumbo · #10 01-18-2011, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODDBALL

I do not think the pod XT is capable of stereo mode. But it you can Bi-Amp it, using the output of the model and DI output. I can try this out sometime this week, send all the highs to the 210 and lows to the 115.

Shaun

I checked out the pod manual, I couldn't find any reference to stereo.

As far as "bi-amping" it. Couldn't find any reference to that either.

It looks like both the output to the amp and the line out/DI are full range since each one is for a different purpose.

If you do set it up utilizing the amp/line out, one thing you'll be able to do is set the over all volume with the amp that receives the line out and then dial in the volume of the amp that's utilizing it's pre-amp to balance things out.

SteveC · #11 01-18-2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

"Normal" is:

Bass > tuner > amp > cab.

My normal is:

Bass > Combo Amp
(Tuner via the Tuner out)

ODDBALL · #12 01-18-2011, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumbo

I checked out the pod manual, I couldn't find any reference to stereo.

As far as "bi-amping" it. Couldn't find any reference to that either.

It looks like both the output to the amp and the line out/DI are full range since each one is for a different purpose.

If you do set it up like that, one thing you'll be able to do is set the over all volume with the amp that receives the line out and then dial in the volume of the amp that's utilizing it's pre-amp to balance things out.

I was just looking at the manual that it came with. I believe in chapter 3.4 it talks about Bi-Amping and using the Di output to connect to the lows and the model output for the highs.

Shaun

ODDBALL · #13 01-18-2011, 03:00 PM

I am sorry, I am refuring to the Pod XT Live.

Shaun

christw · #14 01-18-2011, 03:00 PM

Yes, and mine is usually Bass > Amp > Cab.

Occasionally it looks like this:

Bass > VT Deluxe > Amp > Cab

+Preamp out into small tube amp > Cab for OD

+Tuner

Mo'Phat · #15 01-18-2011, 03:05 PM

My bad. I didn't realize the only outs were Model and DI.

Allow me to be irked that this can't be run stereo...but it looks like the guitar version can.

ODDBALL · #16 01-18-2011, 04:48 PM

I love being able to control both the 210 and 115's volume differently.

Shaun

Munjibunga · #17 01-19-2011, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveC

My normal is:

Bass > Combo Amp
(Tuner via the Tuner out)

Well, mine are actually like that, but I didn't want to go to the trouble of figuring out how to diagram the tuner out on a parallel track.

ODDBALL · #18 01-19-2011, 02:01 PM

Since the pod XT can Biamp. What if I send the lows to the 115 and highs to the 210? Cut out the A/B box, and into the power amp in of both combos and bypass the pre's of the combos? And use the one volume of the Pod XT.

Shaun

ODDBALL · #19 01-19-2011, 05:08 PM

What do you think of the above idea?

Shaun

MuzikMan · #20 01-19-2011, 05:43 PM

I wouldn't bother biamping. Your cabs are designed for full range use so you should use them that way. Leave biamping for sub > midrange cab rigs.

I would also get rid of the rack tuner and the Bass Exciter. With your gear my signal chain would be:

POD XT > Instrument input of Bam 210 (has a tuner built in) > preamp out of Bam 210 to poweramp in of Peavey 115 combo.