Where's my problem

[DirtPoorRobins]

My rig is a little mark 2 into two TC Electronic RS210's. I'm have a Nordy VJ4 with big singles and an audere preamp maple board. I thinik the sound is too modern and wide. I miss the mid bark when the whole band comes in, I feel like all i can hear is the highs and lots of low end. So what variable needs to change, amp, cab, pickups, preamp? I bet Kjung will have a good answer for this.

[rbonner]

DPR, I did a little research as I didn't have and answer for you off hand.

I noticed JAUQO III-X had a post on another forum discussing his Audere.

"I have a 71 fretless Fender Jazz that I got new in 79,I later had the original Maple fb replaced with an ebony fb and many years later I've had a set of Bartolini J Bass pickups added,it would cross my mind often to add an on board preamp in it to slightly modernize the sound and having so many Basses with various preamps and having played so many Basses with various preamps I chose to just keep it with out a preamp,until I came across the Audere preamp.I spoke with David Meadows of Audere engineering and Man did I have ?'s,he knows what it takes to create what I feel is a well thought out product.what I got is a system that came attached to a J Bass control plate called the JZ 3 band model it has a master volume,balance/mid range stacked and bass/treble stacked and a 3 position switch called A Z-Mode switch,this switch changes the loading on the pickups to 3 different settings,The blend is Active while the
Treble boost/cut of 10 dB at 3K Hz
Mid is boost/cut of 8 dB at 500 Hz
Bass boost/cut of 10 dB at 100 Hz

and when the Z mode switch is in the Bass Boost mode,you can really hear the added bottom,it's almost as if the presence of the Bass is 10 times what it originally was(so much Low end that it will really shock you and it's not muddy or have I yet to notice any low end distortion).and if you want more low end or less there's two small adjustment screws for the Z modes Bass boost and the mid boost out put.
there's also a blue LED on the control plate to let you know when your 9volt battery is getting low.

what does it sound like

well first remember I took a passive J Bass and turned it into an active Bass.the Audere preamp works on changing the loading of the pickups(passive pickups)so if you feel your Bass is dull and lack character this preamp will not only enhance your Bass but what ever overall quality's your Bass may have this preamp will definitely add to it and it his totally quiet(no hiss at all even when I add more treble).I like a certaint growl when I play Fretless and even tho there was growl to begin with the Audere definitely brings a wealth more.Adding the Audere preamp in a Bass that I have always loved the sound of but wanted just a little drop of modernism has only taken it up a few more notches the overall enhancement of my fretless.the Audere is not at all a refined clone it really has it's own offering."

Back to me here. Your preamp is probably your issue. It could be tweak a bit differently and go a different direction. Just tweaking my American Deluxe Jazz EQ on the bass the wrong way can wreck things fast. If you're lost on the settings call Audere and ask them what they think.

Hope this helps, BOB

[DirtPoorRobins]

I just find the audere to be voiced very differently then anything I've ever played. I just can't like it. I'm thinking of changing it to the nordstrand pre, and the pickups to single coils, but was wondering if ae112's instead of the rs210's would be a good road to go down as well.

[pfschim]

I understand that you are asking a broad question that has to do with both your bass (Nord w/Audere pre) as well as your amp/cabs (LM II thru 2 TC 2x10's).

Sounds like you may feel this issue has more to do with the bass than the amp/cab set-up. Perhaps you will get more input in the basses section (?)

I would think the LM II and the TC cabs would give you just about whatever amount of mid-bark you would want, as long as the Nord/Audere combination could deliver it to the amp. The Audere seems to have a lot of tone shaping potential, it seems that it would be odd if it could not get you growling with the right settings. Do you feel as if you have had it/used it long enough to really suss-out the tonal options it offers ?

good luck

[DirtPoorRobins]

I've had the bass about 9 months. I thought it was the cab/amp combo because I thought the big singles would have plenty of bark in them. I've really been looking into the ae112's or ht112er's. I have an old HT112 and think it has more going on in the mids and is more organic as opposed to hi fi sounding like the rs210's. So my question is if a different amp then the little mark with the rs210's would work better, or if an ae112 stack could do it with the little mark.

[rbonner]

Try simplfying the situation. Grab another bass and plug it on. Like a standard jazz or P one without the preamp or active pickups and see if you can get the sound you are looking for.

If a base level J or P can't get the tone you are after, then you will have to replace the amp or cabs. I personally think you'll find the issue in the bass.. Whether pickups, preamp, or strings.

BOB

[JimmyM]

i agree. that audere pre sounds like a great pre for people wanting to play with that modern trebly bitey sound, but based on that description, i wouldn't let it anywhere near my fender basses.

[capnsandwich]

How's your EQ set, both on your bass and amp? And also, do you have a tweeter on your cabs and is it turned on? Every venue is different and requires a different onboard preamp setting. I usually leave my amp settings flat and just adjust my onboard settings. There are actually some places where I have to have my mids on my 3 band Aggie OBP-3 preamp cranked just to push through the mix.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i agree. that audere pre sounds like a great pre for people wanting to play with that modern trebly bitey sound

Jimmy that's the biggest myth about the Audere pre. It really isn't doesn't really have a very over the top high treble out put.


The Audere pre is modern but at the same time it's not modern. That's because for the most part the Audere is transparent. Most of what one gets out of the Audere has a lot to do with what type of pickup(s) that's being used in conjunction with the Audere.

[JimmyM]

fair enough, jauqo. well maybe he can use the vle knob and mid controls on the lmii to get rid of what's bothering him.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

fair enough, jauqo. well maybe he can use the vle knob and mid controls on the lmii to get rid of what's bothering him.

Jimmy there are small control modules under the Audere that can help him find that sweet spot in regards to the bass, mid and treble response and output.

[DirtPoorRobins]

I'm thinking its the cabs too, though. I don't know if I like the rear porting because the sound is sooo different when there is a wall directly behind it or not. When there is a wall, its a tone of bass and boom, and adding mids just makes it honky sounding. Does anyone have this problem with rear ports? As for the audere, how do I adjust the frequency response?

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by DirtPoorRobins

As for the audere, how do I adjust the frequency response?

Look under your Audere pre and you will see some small blue squares with a white top on them. Just use a small screwdriver to make adjustments as needed.

[JimmyM]

btw, port location is immaterial. if it's boomy from rear porting, front porting won't make any difference since those lows are omnidirectional. true you don't want to stuff a rear ported cab directly against a wall, but you really don't want that with front ported cabs either.