When to change Batteries????

[LilRay]

Guys,

In showing my "newbieness" to the Roscoe world. I need to know when to change batteries in the pre.

Here's my situation;

Pre set entirely centered including blend

Vol @ 9/10

Amp set with everything at 5 (dunno if that's "flat" or not) including gain & master.

Roscoe plugged into the -15db input

I'm getting a mild distortion on certain notes.

Am I "overdriving" the pre in my amp or ?

I've not lost (at least noticeably) any volume/output.

Help a doofus out.



God Bless, Ray

[Darkstrike]

It should take years Ray, unless you leave the cable plugged in between uses, as long as the cable's in, the battery drains, they don't draw on the batterys much, if you keep the cable out between jams, you'll notice the tone sounding weak and dull if the battery is dying.

[Danny R.]

Get one of these:

http://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/batt-o-meter/

They're $24.99 @ Gueetard Center. Best $25 I've ever spent!

[LilRay]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

It should take years Ray, unless you leave the cable plugged in between uses, as long as the cable's in, the battery drains, they don't draw on the batterys much, if you keep the cable out between jams, you'll notice the tone sounding weak and dull if the battery is dying.

It's never been left plugged in, but as I say I get a "buzz" kinda like a blown/farting speaker. But it's only on certain notes and not all the time . I've got to be "overdriving" something.

Being new and inexperienced I'm gonna "cool it" 'till I find out what's happening.

Originally Posted by Danny R.

Get one of these:

http://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/batt-o-meter/

They're $24.99 @ Gueetard Center. Best $25 I've ever spent!

Thanks Danny, I'll look into it.



God Bless, Ray

[Darkstrike]

It does sound like what happens with mine when I throw too much gain into my amp, try turning down the gain in the preamp of the bass, the little white contol in the back, you'll need a very small flathead screwdriver.

Cut that in half and you should be good to go.

[LilRay]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

It does sound like what happens with mine when I throw too much gain into my amp, try turning down the gain in the preamp of the bass, the little white contol in the back, you'll need a very small flathead screwdriver.

Cut that in half and you should be good to go.

Yea It could be my attack too. I've never been the most "even handed"

I'm assuming left (counterclockwise) is less?

Thanks!



God Bless, Ray

[Darkstrike]

Thats it exactly!

[LilRay]

Took the Roscoe to my "Big Rig" and no issues. Gotta be a setting on my Ampeg



God Bless, Ray

[Gard]

...I'm so good, I fix issues without even posting...












Actually, that was going to be my first recommendation - get a different signal chain going, see if you are having an issue.

A lot of times these "problems" end up being a bad cable, a weak battery in a stomp box, or a changed setting on an amp that you didn't notice.

Process of elimination is key in isolating noise/distortion issues.

[LilRay]

Originally Posted by Gard

...I'm so good, I fix issues without even posting...












Actually, that was going to be my first recommendation - get a different signal chain going, see if you are having an issue.

A lot of times these "problems" end up being a bad cable, a weak battery in a stomp box, or a changed setting on an amp that you didn't notice.

Process of elimination is key in isolating noise/distortion issues.

OK Mr "So Good" Answer me this;

Is it "possible" to overdrive an amps pre with the gain turned down on both the Roscoe and the amp?

I've got a standard GC 10 foot cable in my bedroom (with the Ampeg) but I use a monster cable with my Peavey. I just got home so I haven't switched the cable out (I will shortly). But after turning the Gain counterclockwise considerably less the issue is still present.

Also could it be possible that the Rosxoe puts out a lower frequency than the Ampeg combo can handle?

I know these are 'Class 101" q's but I gotta get edjumacated somehow


Thanks guys!



God Bless, Ray

[Jim Nazium]

Originally Posted by Danny R.

Get one of these:

http://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/batt-o-meter/

They're $24.99 @ Gueetard Center. Best $25 I've ever spent!

Does that work for 18 volt preamps?

[VroomVroom]

Originally Posted by Jim Nazium

Does that work for 18 volt preamps?

Yes. And no. Works like a charm for telling you remaining hours, but it's an overall number and doesn't tunnel down to each battery.

Ray, my two cents, and I know this seems to be counter-productive given your issue, but...

Kill the pad on your amp's input. You can adjust your volume (or pre-gain, if needed) on the instrument accordingly, but you're sending a signal from a pretty awesome instrument into your amp...you don't want to kill it by 15dB before the amp does anything with it. Anyway, this is maybe the best tidbit of advice I ever got, and I thought I'd pass it along. If you have a pad (whether it's labeled by dB, or as "active/passive"), always disable it. Your smile will increase by at least 15dB.

[Gard]

Originally Posted by LilRay

OK Mr "So Good" Answer me this;

Is it "possible" to overdrive an amps pre with the gain turned down on both the Roscoe and the amp?

I've got a standard GC 10 foot cable in my bedroom (with the Ampeg) but I use a monster cable with my Peavey. I just got home so I haven't switched the cable out (I will shortly). But after turning the Gain counterclockwise considerably less the issue is still present.

Also could it be possible that the Rosxoe puts out a lower frequency than the Ampeg combo can handle?

I know these are 'Class 101" q's but I gotta get edjumacated somehow


Thanks guys!



God Bless, Ray

Interesting...when you swap cables, let me know what happens.

FWIW, when all else fails, change the batteries anyhow, you might have a "bad" battery (i.e. not fully charged when installed) issue as well.

Let me know...

[VroomVroom]

Originally Posted by Gard

FWIW, when all else fails, change the batteries anyhow, you might have a "bad" battery (i.e. not fully charged when installed) issue as well.

Totally agreed. Cheap way of taking a variable out of the equation. I'm OCD on this, but I change batteries every three-four months, just to be safe. Probably makes me Duracell's poster child, but I'm okay with that.

[LilRay]

Originally Posted by Gard

Interesting...when you swap cables, let me know what happens.

FWIW, when all else fails, change the batteries anyhow, you might have a "bad" battery (i.e. not fully charged when installed) issue as well.

Let me know...

I've narrowed the issue down to the cable or the Ampeg itself. Seeing as how I played the Roscoe through the Peavey with absolutely no issue, common sense says it can't be the Roscoe.

I'll be turning my gain back up though

I'm all CDO with stuff like this too Jerry so I'm gonna follow through anyway

I'll report findings of the investigation



God Bless, Ray

[Bipslapper]

Originally Posted by Danny R.

Get one of these:

http://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/batt-o-meter/

They're $24.99 @ Gueetard Center. Best $25 I've ever spent!

So, do Y'all agree, this is a good investment? The price is more than fair and we all have active basses plus effects, etc. I saw it on Amazon for $28.99. Curious what other Playyas are thinking (ie: Jerry or "Pa Roscoe" )
Who Loves Ya, Baby!

[VroomVroom]

I think it's cool, for sure...but it's not high on my radar. Of course, I probably change batteries far more frequently than I need to. Good 9V batteries aren't cheap - if you like to extract as much reasonable life as possible out of them, I'd think this would be a good investment. It'd certainly pay for itself in peace of mind until the dollars-and-cents ROI kicks in.

[ubone]

Trip to Home Depot, Package of six 9 volt Energizers, one package for each bass. Change the batteries when I think it's needed. No problem...

[Bipslapper]

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

Kill the pad on your amp's input. You can adjust your volume (or pre-gain, if needed) on the instrument accordingly, but you're sending a signal from a pretty awesome instrument into your amp...you don't want to kill it by 15dB before the amp does anything with it. Anyway, this is maybe the best tidbit of advice I ever got, and I thought I'd pass it along. If you have a pad (whether it's labeled by dB, or as "active/passive"), always disable it. Your smile will increase by at least 15dB.

+1
Totally agree, all my bass amps have the 15dB pad and all my basses are active. For years I thought we needed to buffer the signal (My SWR and GK), but not so. The GK has an 5 string and 4 string switch (for eq contours) and the dB pad. I find distortion when my bass has too much "bass" or Mid turned up on the instrument and the amp is set flat, but cranked up at gigs where I am not in the sound board.

[PlanetEarth]

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

Kill the pad on your amp's input. You can adjust your volume (or pre-gain, if needed) on the instrument accordingly, but you're sending a signal from a pretty awesome instrument into your amp...you don't want to kill it by 15dB before the amp does anything with it. Anyway, this is maybe the best tidbit of advice I ever got, and I thought I'd pass it along. If you have a pad (whether it's labeled by dB, or as "active/passive"), always disable it. Your smile will increase by at least 15dB.

Just FYI/FWIW 'cause I know you're playing a GB; the input gain toggle (according the schematic for the MAX12) is not a pad, it's actually a gain boost. So when you hit 'high gain' toggle your actually bringing an op amp into the circuit and boosting the gain ~10db. i.e. The toggle off (low gain) would be the same as an amp with an actual pad that was NOT engaged. Of course the final judge is your ear and if it sounds good it sounds good so again, just FYI.

They probably should label it differently; maybe just 'Boost - on/off' or something.

-PE