"Y" ask "Y"?

[luvpbass]

Every year our band does several outdoor gigs that require a fairly large bass rig to create the kind of thump that easily is produced indoors.

I've been using a rack system with a PA power amp, which works well in such case because it runs down to 2 ohms, which means all I have had to do is add one or two additional cabs as needed.

But I am in the process of downsizing to one of the new 4 ohm GK MB 4x10 cabs and will pick up the 800mbe when it becomes available. I think that combination will work well for the vast majority of our gigs.

But when the venue calls for a wall of bass sound, I'd like to be able to use the new set up and just somehow come out of the GK head and into a PA power amp plugged into some additional cabs.

So, can I just put a Y jack at the DI, send one to the board and another to a power amp and speaker? Will it reduce the output of both? Is the DI signal enough to drive a PA amp or will I need to use some type of mixer or pre in front of it?

[kb9wyz]

Depends on the DI. Passive probably will, but I cannot vouch for that totally. What I can vouch for is that I have used a SansAmp and a Radial J48. Both active, never had a problem with signal loss. The SansAmp has a parallel out before the EQ and two outputs after the EQ that can be used together. The Radial J48 has a parallel out that can be used to go to a stage amp with an XLR going to the board. Works great.

Hope this helps.

[Mingo Sanders]

I'm old. I come from a time when "DI" and "Countryman" meant the same thing. A high quality DI can drive a balanced signal over 100'. I'm not sure, but it sounds like you need your bass to drive three different rigs: a regular backline bass rig, a bass rig onstage utilizing a PA-type power amp, and the house PA.

Plug the bass into the DI. Come off the 1/4" DI out to the conventional bass rig. One down, two to go.

Next, come off the balanced DI out to the snake to drive the board. It doesn't matter if you have a separate monitor board. Drive the PA in the usual manner. With the monitor send, don't drive the stage monitor system. Instead, send a signal back to the stage to drive your "second" onstage bass system.

"Y" cables lose 3 or 6 dB, I can't remember which. Either way, avoid them if you can. It's an everyday task to run a bass signal through three systems: backline, PA, and monitors. What you're doing is simply bringing your own "monitor" rig rather than running through wedges or sidefill, so you shouldn't need to resort to a "Y" cable. Enjoy!

[kb9wyz]

3dB

[B-string]

Doesn't the G-K MB series have an effects send (this is line level post EQ)? Should drive a power amp just fine.

[IvanMike]

you need to preamplify the signal before sending it into a poweramp. Just plugging into one (post DI or pre DI) won't cut it unless you're talking an active one meant to be a preamp like a U5.

Using the effects send of most amps acts as a line out to slave poweramps.

However, at an outdoor gig big enough to require that much volume and throw - you should be using a PA that does all the work.

[luvpbass]

i typically use the fx send return for a pedal board that has an a/b stomp to avoid unplugging when i switch between electric and abg, and a chorus i like for ballads. we have up to five people singing, so we don't run anything into the stage monitors except vocals. My separate stage rig is so I can turn the backline amp sort of sideways for the drummer and stage right players and another rig up where i can hear myself best. so i'm thinking the di idea is great, plug into that, 1/4 to my bass amp and post di out to the foh, the balanced out to the stage pa amp and cab. if the signal needs boosted, i'll have to find something to drive it. will a sansamp do it? I know the 1/4 inch out will drive an amp, but i'm not so sure the straight thru di will. i

[Mingo Sanders]

Okay, I just read your profile. What GK head will you use? When you say sansamp, are you talking about your RBI or a bddi or other unit not in your profile?

[will33]

Put the a/b box and pedal(s) between the bass and first amp input i.stead of in the effects loop. Set the gains so you have the same input volume with the effects on and off. Bass amp speaker outs drive the first cab(s), effects send drives the poweramp/second cab(s) and the nass amps di sends you to the board. Same stuff you already have, just run a different way, you don't have to add anything. A pedal board shouldn't cause any problems between bass and amp if the gains are set right. You may lose the ability to mix wet/dry signals this way but on a gig that big and loud it ain't gonna matter, just set the pedals for the desired effect. Most pedals are made to run on your instrument level signal....rack effects, etc. go in effects loops, aux sends/returns, etc.

[kb9wyz]

Originally Posted by Mingo Sanders

Okay, I just read your profile. What GK head will you use? When you say sansamp, are you talking about your RBI or a bddi or other unit not in your profile?

I was talking about the SansAmp Bass Driver DI

The GK I have is the MB115.