Do active basses sound better than passive basses to many because it is louder?

[mystic38]

this response was closest to actual reality...

After all, a bass guitar system comprises a pickup, a pre-amp with eq/shaping and then an amp/cabinet combination.

So in reality, where you put the pre-amp and eq controls, or add additional EQ is entirely up to you.. and for some the benefits of "at hand" tone shaping for those playing a mixed set are significant.

but no parrt of the answer has anything to do with volume... try a G&L SB-2

Originally Posted by toddoutloud

Passive- that's why there's a preamp with EQ on my amplifier and a sound guy out front.

[capnsandwich]

With an 18v onboard eq, the sound man's getting a nice, full signal. Actually, it may be a little too full. I never cut frequencies. I'll run them flat at the least.

[meatwad]

I played active basses exclusively for over a decade, but now my passive Precision is my go to bass these days.

I toy with the idea of swapping pickups, adding a preamp, ect.. But I don't want to lose the strong upper register this passive beauty possesses, as already mentioned within this thread.

OTOH, my active 3-band StingRay is a tone monster straight out of Hades. You can't "F" with a MM when it comes to a fat, grindy tone, slap 'n pop cut, and playability, except for their ever present "weak G". For example, the little bass solo during Iron Maiden's "Number Of The Beast" just sorta disappears on my 'Ray in a live setting. Not that all active systems behave this way.

I suppose it depends on the individual bass, but I like both active and passive overall. Some fit where others don't.

[tekdiver500ft]

Okay, whatever you say, Cap. One day, I hope to know everything, too.

[capnsandwich]

Seriously? We're going there? We can't have a reasonable conversation without getting our pride hurt? I'm just stating my experiences.

[Melonthief]

I appreciate my passive basses when I'm broke. 9v batteries are $5 apiece!

[tekdiver500ft]

My pride isn't hurt, my point is that your mind is made up, so there's no point in trying to help you understand reality my point. You seem determined to misunderstand me.

[Misty Mountain]

It's funny, but the active (18v) pre in my Cirrus is lower output than most passive basses I've come across. But I believe that it's not an active vs. passive thing, but the bass/amp combo that makes the biggest difference. Example: I picked up an early 80's Peavey Combo 300 for very little money, I had a passive Millennium at the time (J style pickups), and after the first song we practiced, my guitarist was really impressed with the tone. About a week later, my Cirrus arrived. I could never find a tone that I really liked with that combination. I tried everything between the bass preamp and the active EQ on the Combo. Yuck. Then I hauled my little practice amp to a rehearsal (70's TKO 80) and the Cirrus sounded killer. The Millennium never sounded like much through that amp. Sold the Combo to a guy who had a nice AmStd P with a Quarter Pounder, and the second he plugged in we both were blown away with the sound.
So, which is better? Depends on what amp I'm playing through.

[capnsandwich]

I've heard your point but I think you may have misunderstood mine. I realize that the sound guy is ultimately responsible for how the crowd hears the mix. I also have experience where the stage volume and stage acoustics are atrocious and all I hear is mud.......on stage. That's where my active basses help. Now, please respond to this with your opinion. I'm open to hearing it.

[tekdiver500ft]

Two issues:
1. If you change your sound at the bass, the engineer has to change everyone's EQ.
2. If you make your sound thin and trebly at your bass, the engineer can't make it full in the house, the information isn't there. You have to send a full signal so he can choose which part of your sound needs to be cut or boosted so you fit in the mix. This is why engineers don't like active basses, the bassist can do too much to his own signal. Passive can change their sound, too, but not the critical mids. This is why I said that the best situation is to use a passive bass, then DI, then active preamp, then amp. This gives everyone what they need to sound great on stage and off.

[Baker69]

My Sandberg California has the best of both worlds in that it is both Active and Passive. I predominantly use the Active setting for live work as it has a very smooth and powerful sound favoring the bridge pickup in particular, but for recording I find the Passive mode is better.

[bassgod0dmw]

My G&L is the only active bass that I have that is louder than my passives.

Lately I've been favoring my passive basses. No real reason for it, I just enjoy the sound I'm getting. I'm more of a set it and forget it type. Once I get my tone to where it needs to be at a gig, that's where it stays. I don't need to have 2 different preamps to help me do that.

I did play an active bass at my gig last night though and I had a great sound with that as well. There are also certain active basses that have "that" sound to them. Spector and Stingray come to mind. IMO, you can't get their tone in a passive setup.

[FrednBass]

Well, all of my heros achieved great tones using passive basses... so there you go.

And i don't have to worry with dead battery.

[odarellmc]

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

There are some passive basses that are much louder in output than the average active bass.

My passive p bass, is much louder than my active jazz...

[IronLung1986]

it's kinda weird but even though my active basses are louder than my passives, i often prefer them for playing quieter music. i think it's because they have a smoother sound, which is nice if i'm playing with mic'd acoustic guitars and little or no drums. also, when the sonic space is wide open like that, it gives the active EQ room to breathe and not get lost in the mix or sound tinny.

when it comes to the business of anchoring a rock band i'm gona go with the passive P eight times out of ten. it just blasts through at a more focused frequency range and retains more of an identity when things get loud.

[IronLung1986]

Originally Posted by tekdiver500ft

It absolutely astounds me when bass players talk about "cutting through the mix."

First, the vast majority of bass players don't have the foggiest idea what they sound like in the house during the show, and what you hear on stage is nothing like what is in the house. Ever.

Second, you don't need to "cut through," you need to sit in your part of the spectrum, then everyone can be heard. It isn't about "cutting" someone else's sound, it's about making the band sound good as a whole. Unless you're Jaco or Victor, nobody is there to hear a bass solo with lousy, stomped on guitars and drums. They are there to hear the lead singer, supported by an entire band.

Third, it isn't your job to determine where you should be in the mix, it is the engineer's. When you keep fiddling with your active knobs, you screw the entire mix, sometimes for a couple of songs. You change your sound, so the engineer has to change your settings, which then often necessitates changing someone else's so that you can both be heard - pleasingly - and he may then have to change other settings. By the time all that is dialed in, the bass player is fiddling with his bass again, trying to "cut through." Of course, since he can't hear what's in the front of the house, what he's really doing is creating a really thin, clanky tone that isn't bassy and sounds horrid and kills the guitars and vocals, or a really boomy, bassy sound that totally ruins the drums.

Fourth, it doesn't matter what it sounds like on stage as long as you can tell what notes you are playing. You don't need "great tone" on stage, you need to know what notes to play. Guess what? In order to do that, you need to hear everyone else, not just your prima donna self. Yes, the bass player brings the funk, the bass player is the time keeper, the bass is the most important instrument. I agree with all of that, but you still need to hear everyone else so you know that they are with you, and can adjust if they aren't.

Get a passive or active, it doesn't matter, but set your tone the way you think you want it, then see if the engineer can work with that. If not, take his suggestions to heart, and make the appropriate changes. Then leave it alone for the night. Let the engineer make the song to song changes that are needed. He hears what the crowd hears, and knows what to do to make it sound right for the song.

this is some good technical insight. i can do without the "bass, git back in the kitchen and make me a sammich!" sentiment, but it's true that we bass players rarely know what the audience is really hearing. the sound of our instrument changes so much over distance, even without a PA the audience is hearing a very different bass sound at 20 - 50 feet away than we are at 5 - 10. i sometimes try to ameliorate the issue by using a ridiculously long cable to stand out where the listeners would be during sound check. that way i know where i stand in the mix.

[chadds]

As a musician you do need to know how you fit in the mix. It shouldn't be dependent on the engineer. He does sound reinforcement so if your group is balanced in volume and eq and by your arrangements out if each others sonic space he will have it very easy. My point? Sound great and balanced without a PA ( I know the vocalist needs amplification ) because you are serving the music.

[Emibass]

Originally Posted by chadds

As a musician you do need to know how you fit in the mix. It shouldn't be dependent on the engineer. He does sound reinforcement so if your group is balanced in volume and eq and by your arrangements out if each others sonic space he will have it very easy. My point? Sound great and balanced without a PA ( I know the vocalist needs amplification ) because you are serving the music.

+100000001

[MrLenny1]

Yes, they sound better to me.
Ever since I started using them I hear the same comment,
"that bass really cuts thru the mix."

[RadioRob]

I have an active Traben with a 5 way selector. Talk about an array of choices. But I love it

I also have a Ibaniez Geo (Back Up Bass) that started out passive and sounded weak. Could of been the wood its made of or the cheap pickup it had.
I added an EMG pickup and a BTC preamp and now its to hot with no mids.

Now I play mostly small bars and I have to run the sound also, not by choice.
I add a small amount of low bass in the mix with a very flat EQ and have a louder stage volume so i can change my sound on the fly.

On the rare occasion I play with my friends Country band, I try not to mess with my knobs and selector to much and only make subtle changes.
Because its a big venue with a sound guy and a large PA.
With Country its only two sounds anyway. A bassy sound for older song and a clean sound for modern songs. Unfortunately I have to control that.