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18 volt batterie mod!

#41
javier69 said:
I think that a good amp can make a similar job (and get a good Head room) getting a good set up
Click to expand...

:confused:
Absolute nonsense.

Once you have limited your headroom with one component in the signal chain, you can't add headroom later with an amp, it simply doesn't work that way.

If you're preamp does not have a lot of headroom, you are stuck with that limitation. The preamp cannot transfer the signal from the pickups without distorting/compressing it.
 
#42
line6man said:
:confused:
Absolute nonsense.

Once you have limited your headroom with one component in the signal chain, you can't add headroom later with an amp, it simply doesn't work that way.

If you're preamp does not have a lot of headroom, you are stuck with that limitation. The preamp cannot transfer the signal from the pickups without distorting/compressing it.
Click to expand...

Are you really sure about it_ take a look to the solid state amps and compare the tube stuff using the same guitar... and you see what Im talking about, is the same issue... but with bass stuff, a good amp make real diference in sound and in multiple sound isuues...
 
#43
javier69 said:
Are you really sure about it_ take a look to the solid state amps and compare the tube stuff using the same guitar... and you see what Im talking about, is the same issue... but with bass stuff, a good amp make real diference in sound and in multiple sound isuues...
Click to expand...

A good amp does nothing if you've already degraded your signal with a preamp that does not have high enough headroom to handle what you are doing.
(Of course, how much headroom you need/get from the preamp is debatable, but the principle of the matter remains the same.)

Kind of like saying "My power amp sounds like crap, so new speakers will make it better."
The speakers may indeed improve the sound to a degree, but you are still limited by the quality of signal from that power amp, and if it sounds like crap, a set of speakers won't fix it.
 
#45
Although I'm using an 18v battery box this thread was helpful since I wanted to solder a connector to operate in series. I'll try to give a subjective opinion of running the EMG 35DC pickups with vol vol controls at 18v. I use no pre and the pickups are wired with only vol vol controls so it should be interesting to see if 18v gives any advantage to this setup...


...and if it doesn't it will be easy to wire the battery box in parallel so I just get more battery life!
 
#46
Gopher Bob said:
Although I'm using an 18v battery box this thread was helpful since I wanted to solder a connector to operate in series. I'll try to give a subjective opinion of running the EMG 35DC pickups with vol vol controls at 18v. I use no pre and the pickups are wired with only vol vol controls so it should be interesting to see if 18v gives any advantage to this setup...


...and if it doesn't it will be easy to wire the battery box in parallel so I just get more battery life!
Click to expand...

EMG pickups sound a lot better on 18 volts. It's very noticeable. If you also have a preamp in the bass you really should use 18v.

This is a slightly old thread, but just to reinforce what others have said; some preamps can not run on 18 volts, and you will burn it out. Some JFET preamps that are set up for 9 volts will be nosier at 18v, and might have more distortion.

And more headroom does not make the bass louder, it only allows the transients to sound less compressed.

Also going back to the original photos, don't mix alkaline and "heavy duty" zinc chloride batteries. In fact don't use zinc chloride batteries in active basses if you can help it.
 

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