FOH sound

ilnickyJ said:

Im having problems with my FOH sound, im using a Orange Terror Bass Head, SP410 cabs. Phantom Power in on the desk, and you can't just set it to certain channels.

So the problem is when i go through the DI on the head im being told to turn down on stage (and theres nothing on the fader for the bass on the desk) and if i turn down i cant hear myself... is this because phantom power is on. If i use my seperat DI it runs of phantom power but im still having the same problem.

I could mic up but im not really a fan of it, but if i need to mic it, where would be the best place to place the mic on the SP410 cabs?

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I can't see that the DI on the amp has a level control. If not (and I suspect it does not) you have one of two scenarios.

• The level is controlled by the master volume
• The level is fixed

In the first instance (which I suspect is the case) you need some way to control the signal between the DI out and the PA input. Putting the bass into a PA channel with an input gain control would do the trick. In the second, the line level output of the amp's DI is overdriving the PA's input, again, the bass into a PA channel with an input gain. Phantom power is an unlikely issue.

You could, optionally, split the signal BEFORE the amp, routing one to the amp, the other to a DI. Of course, this bypasses the amp for FOH, and the tone may not be to your liking. I see an effects loop on that amp, and that could be used (as I would imagine it's a pre-EQ output).

You mention using a separate DI ... but what are you driving that with? Just the guitar? Should be no problem. A better description of your signal chain(s) would be useful.

Real irritating all those outputs that are controlled by the master volume, I don't quite get the reasoning behind them because when ever I've come across them it's been slave outputs which I though might need to be a little more consistent, otherwise it just seems that if you don't use alot of output on the main amp your not getting a very clear signal to the other.

Kinda surprised you own an Orange and DON'T want to use a mic, definite anomaly in the status quo there. If you get yourself a decent mic you might be surprised though, there are a few mics that go very low and are mostly flat for the rest of the frequency range i.e. Heil PR40 and EV RE-20, so you won't lose any precious bottom end.

ilnickyJ said:

Im having problems with my FOH sound, im using a Orange Terror Bass Head, SP410 cabs. Phantom Power in on the desk, and you can't just set it to certain channels.

So the problem is when i go through the DI on the head im being told to turn down on stage (and theres nothing on the fader for the bass on the desk) and if i turn down i cant hear myself... is this because phantom power is on. If i use my seperat DI it runs of phantom power but im still having the same problem.

I could mic up but im not really a fan of it, but if i need to mic it, where would be the best place to place the mic on the SP410 cabs?

Click to expand...

Let me get this straight, the problem is your stage volume is too loud to include any of the DI signal in FOH?

OR Is the DI signal too hot for the console at FOH?


I'm confused at what the problem really is. If your stage volume is too loud, then the soundman won't put you in the house. That's just the way it works in the real world, regardless of the amp you are using or whether it's DI or a mic.

ilnickyJ said:

Im having problems with my FOH sound, im using a Orange Terror Bass Head, SP410 cabs. Phantom Power in on the desk, and you can't just set it to certain channels.

So the problem is when i go through the DI on the head im being told to turn down on stage (and theres nothing on the fader for the bass on the desk) and if i turn down i cant hear myself... is this because phantom power is on. If i use my seperat DI it runs of phantom power but im still having the same problem.

I could mic up but im not really a fan of it, but if i need to mic it, where would be the best place to place the mic on the SP410 cabs?

Click to expand...

There are really 3 questions to answer here:

1. Regarding phantom power: it should be off. Phantom power is used to power condenser microphones or active DI boxes that do not have their own power source. The DI on your head does not require phantom power. In some cases phantom power can actually damage the preamp section of your head (I had this happen to a Trace Elliot head a few years ago).

2. The manual for your amp is poorly written and leaves out some valuable info, notably whether the DI output is fixed or follows the master volume and whether the DI is pre or post-EQ. You can certainly find out at your next gig by turning the master volume of your amp all the way off and see if you are still sending signal to FOH. You can also turn the bass control all the way off and see if it affects the signal going to FOH.

3. Placing a mic on your cabinet is really quite easy. Just place a mic directly in front of one of the front speakers towards the outer half of the cone (avoid pointing a mic directly at the center of the cone, it doesn't sound good). Using a dynamic mic with good bass response (like the Heil PR30 or PR40, Sennheiser MD421, EV RE-20, Shure SM7B) will send great sound to FOH without picking up a lot of stage rumble & ambient noise that condenser mics do.

If you're struggling to hear yourself, remember two things: one, put some more distance between you and your cab (standing too close means you're feeling your signal more than you're hearing it) and two, add midrange to your signal (midrange is heard, bass is felt).

Good luck!

Buy a good DI.

Passing through a DI makes that if you change anything on your monitor (bass amp) , it won't change a thing at the FOH.

Even if you change your amp one day , you'll still have it.

Some people regard their amp as more then a monitor

ilnickyJ said:

No im quite low on stage but when using the DI theres no control with the mixer.

Cheers for help so far

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Go back and read my post again. In it lies your answer.