Genz Benz Streamliner Part 9

[KJung]

Originally Posted by smeet

Gain button was off for me also. There was a bit of "hair" but overall the tone was that of a clean, powerful tube amp (and nowhere NEAR muddy!). If the gain was on, it would have been quite overdriven, and I definitely didn't want that.

That setting is very cool! I dig it. The Streamliner tone controls are so interactive. You wouldn't think that the tone you get from that setting would be 'what it is' with 'normal EQ logic'.

Your description is right on.... a super punchy all tube amp vibe, sounding like it is being driven to just the point of noticeable break-up. P Bass heaven there!

Of course, the absolute gain settings would vary a bit from player to player given technique and instrument output. With my moderately hot output Nordy P, and my relatively soft touch, that dual 3 o'clock setting on the initial gain structure hits that 'right at the edge of warmth and noticeable distortion' level.

Dig it!

[adivin]

For even more mids and even less logic try same settings but cut at 1.2k.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by adivin

For even more mids and even less logic try same settings but cut at 1.2k.

+1 shifts everything down a touch. The Streamliner continues to just fascinate me. Nothing else really like it on the market (for better or worse, depending on what you are looking for).

[svtb15]

Yes, the interaction on the streamliner controls are alot of fun to play with.. And it is NOT a one sound box...

What i have been having fun with the past few days is the Contour combo which has a Shuttle type EQ but with a Contour Control which really makes alot of changes when combined with the Semi Para EQ. I started a thread somewhere on the Genz Contour C500 combos... Just have not had time to update.

[johnk_10]

Originally Posted by adivin

For even more mids and even less logic try same settings but cut at 1.2k.

you'd have to use an outboard eq to cut at that freq since there is no 1.2K setting on a streamliner. the mid control clicks are 220, 600, and 2.5K.

[adivin]

Originally Posted by johnk_10

you'd have to use an outboard eq to cut at that freq since there is no 1.2K setting on a streamliner. the mid control clicks are 220, 600, and 2.5K.

Oops, my bad, I meant to say 2.5k.

[p0k]

I'm excited to try this new setting. Seems like people are liking it.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by johnk_10

you'd have to use an outboard eq to cut at that freq since there is no 1.2K setting on a streamliner. the mid control clicks are 220, 600, and 2.5K.

+1 He just meant the upper mid setting of the semi-parametric.

[DLaunder]

Originally Posted by p0k

I'm excited to try this new setting. Seems like people are liking it.

I was very pleased with this setting as well. It seams to let all of my basses sound as they where intended to by their builder (i.e. the EQ doesn't get in the way). I prefer a little less hair on my tone so I've rolled back the gain dial to 12:00 or 1:00 depending on song. By far my favorite setting for my P bass! Sounds great with my Mesa Boogie Diesel 115 and and my Avatar 210 at 8 ohms each.

[kaiser_sosea]

Interesting, I found a similar setting myself when messing about last week without having had read about it first. With 2 x Genz NeoX-112T cabs I run ; Gain switch out, Gain 3, Vol 3, Bass 10, Mid 9, Mid switch @ 600 (for scoop) or 2.5 (for mid forward), High 10, Master to taste. All settings in o'clock format. I really dig the tone and "feel" of the amp with these settings. The first time I had a Streamliner I did my typical flat with a boost here and there but this cutting to get where you need works out really well.

[steve_rolfeca]

Originally Posted by KJung

...The Streamliner tone controls are so interactive. You wouldn't think that the tone you get from that setting would be 'what it is' with 'normal EQ logic'.

...With my moderately hot output Nordy P, and my relatively soft touch, that dual 3 o'clock setting on the initial gain structure hits that 'right at the edge of warmth and noticeable distortion' level.

I was in like with this amp from the first time I tried it, and haven't found anything else that gets as close to my target tone. Still, I always seemed to be chasing the EQ around the dial- close, but never quite "there".

I have been enjoying it a lot more since I gave up on logic, and started just twisting knobs until it sounded good. It also helped a lot when I started raising the gain recently. I'm not into fuzz bass, so the gain button is always out, but still, the clean tones on this amp get a lot more complex and interesting once you start pushing the front end a bit.

I still like it best with just the merest hair of tone shaping from my Empress ParaEQ, but with the gain turned up, I could almost get by without it.

[woolysock]

^^^
I agree. Turning up the gain adds complexity and richness to the tone.

[adivin]

Initially it was said that lower gain made for a quicker response. I wonder if that was logical expectations or actually the case?

[temmrich]

I've been relentlessly twisting knobs since I got my streamliner. I've found that I much prefer lower gain settings when I'm playing without a band. It sounds sweeter and is less harsh on the mids. Very pleasing to my ears. But when you add a hard hitting drummer, fuzz
drenched guitar, and a screaming sax, up goes the gain and those harsher mids find a home nestled in the mix.
And through it all, it always gets a big thumbs up from soundguys.

p.s. I tried the previously mentioned setting and Loved it with my p-bass. I boosted the lows to about 11 o'clock, went to 220 on the mids, dialed off the neck pickup and tone a bit on my jazz and found that it was perfect.
So, with two knob turns on the amp I can switch between my P-bass and my Jazz for two completely different tones. No outboard pre's or effects switching. Mute, twiddle, un-mute, play. In less time than it takes a guitarist to tune.

[adivin]

Originally Posted by temmrich

I've been relentlessly twisting knobs since I got my streamliner. I've found that I much prefer lower gain settings when I'm playing without a band. It sounds sweeter and is less harsh on the mids. Very pleasing to my ears. But when you add a hard hitting drummer, fuzz
drenched guitar, and a screaming sax, up goes the gain and those harsher mids find a home nestled in the mix.
And through it all, it always gets a big thumbs up from soundguys.

p.s. I tried the previously mentioned setting and Loved it with my p-bass. I boosted the lows to about 9 o'clock, went to 220 on the mids, dialed off the neck pickup and tone a bit on my jazz and found that it was perfect.
So, with two knob turns on the amp I can switch between my P-bass and my Jazz for two completely different tones. No outboard pre's or effects switching. Mute, twiddle, un-mute, play. In less time than it takes a guitarist to tune.

You mean cut the bass to about 9 o'clock?

[thisSNsucks]

Originally Posted by smeet

I played my first gig with my fEARful 15/6/1 (and the Streamliner 900 which I've been using for a while). As always the Streamliner sounded great, even better through the fEARful, with amazing low-end definition. I used the SVT settings (gain and volume at 3:00, bass and mid at 9:00, mid freq at 600Hz, treble at 11:00).

But... We played LOUD, with no PA support for bass. Since the fEARful is an 8 ohm cabinet, I had to turn up the amp higher than I ever have. The master was at 1:00 and gain and volume were as I said at 3:00. This made the amber peak LED flash on the attack of pretty much every low note for the whole show. It sounded great, but I just wanted to make sure that this is OK to do.

Thanks for posting those settings, I love my streamliner even more now!

[temmrich]

Originally Posted by adivin

You mean cut the bass to about 9 o'clock?

No, actually I meant boost to 11 o'clock. slight typo. The settings were already at 9.

[theaterbass29]

Tired of cutting bass, like I was.... I found my answer. Sovtek 7025 in V1, EH 12AU7 in V2, and a 7025 in V3. The AU7 dramatically cuts that EQ gain and the knobs now act as you would expect. I know have my familiar eq on any amp settings, Bass 2 o'clock, mids flat or slightly dipped at 600, and Treble at 9-10 o'clock. Use 600 to find your favorite attack, and your done! I have my gain button in with gain set at 10 o'clock, vol at 3, and master to taste. Now I just dial out a tiny bit at 400 off my Tri Logic and I have my favorite sound. I can't say enough about this guys, if you like the Aguilar DB 750 or 680 Pre, well here ya go!

[Gab124]

Myself, and at least one other, a few pages back talked about our limit/peak/3dpm lights flashing. This has bothered me a bit for one reason, I know it means I am starting to push the limits of the power section - I have a 600 into a 4ohm TB153. This should by all accounts be a good match, and does sound great, but at many shows I either have to cut back volume or change my tone to one less demanding of power, and both of these have their issues for me. So this has led me to start wanting to change my setup to make sure I get the volume and tone I am looking for. #1, upgrade to a 900 - reasonable decision. #2, maybe go with the tone from my pedal board to a lightweight power amp - also reasonable and room for expansion. These are the two ideas that have occupied my time lately until last nights rehearsal. I just brought my 600 to go direct into the PA. For some reason we were having some issues with the amps/board etc and I needed a cab, so I grabbed an idle 2x15 PA cab of low quality, behringer I think. 8ohm. Jeesh! Not only did it sound really good for what is was, but I had great volume with NO clipping/peak light. I always knew that increasing speakers would give more volume, but I did not expect that much, and it was an 8ohm to boot, I was using even less power. So now my thoughts are that I need a larger cab as option #3. What are some good 2x15 or singles stacked out there with the STL - or other arrangement of course?

[tekdiver500ft]

Originally Posted by theaterbass29

Tired of cutting bass, like I was.... I found my answer. Sovtek 7025 in V1, EH 12AU7 in V2, and a 7025 in V3. The AU7 dramatically cuts that EQ gain and the knobs now act as you would expect. I know have my familiar eq on any amp settings, Bass 2 o'clock, mids flat or slightly dipped at 600, and Treble at 9-10 o'clock. Use 600 to find your favorite attack, and your done! I have my gain button in with gain set at 10 o'clock, vol at 3, and master to taste. Now I just dial out a tiny bit at 400 off my Tri Logic and I have my favorite sound. I can't say enough about this guys, if you like the Aguilar DB 750 or 680 Pre, well here ya go!

I decided to try this, since I had a couple of Sylvania NOS 12AU7 WAs laying around. I left the Ruby 12AX7s in V1 and V3, put a Sylvania in V2, and DAMN! Instantly, flat was flat. Now, the knobs act exactly like they should, and tone is easy to find. I have gain and volume at noon (button in), bass at 1:30, mids at 2:00 (2.5k), treble at noon. Full, round bottom end, slightly mid-forward with well-articulated mids with just a touch of grit, and crystal clear treble. Thanks for the tip!