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Double Bass Advice wanted on amps and pre-amps

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pod222

Mar 24, 2009
9
0
#1
I'm considering upgrading my current set up (a Nemesis combo) but I'm confused about how to put all the parts of my setup together, particularly about redundancy (for want of a better description).

Here's my confusion: I have the Fishman Pro-EQ, an ART MP tube preamp and a K&K pickup. The Fishman has EQ and compression; some amps do as well; the ART MP has a tube preamp (obviously), some amps do as well.

So if I got a new amp with compression and tube preamp, it seems to me I wouldn't use (and likely sell) the other parts since I presume I don't want twice the compression and twice the tube preamp. Alternatively, I could keep the parts, get an amp without compression (if possible) and no preamp tube, and maybe save some money on the amp. A third alternative is to keep the parts and by-pass compression and preamp (through a Effects return, for example), but what's the point. By the way, I'm considering a mirco amp, to save the heavy lifting (Genz Benz, TC Electronic, etc.).

I appreciate there may be a significant difference in quality between an amp's compression and Fishman's compression; likewise for the ART tube preamp and the amp's tube preamp. Thanks for any help!
 
#4
Compression can be a useful tool under some conditions of sound reinforcement. Playing jazz in small-to-medium sized combos, I've never even considered employing it. Equally valid is the question of why having a tube pre-amp is important to you. I've never identified any sonic or practical advantages of tube pre-amps (or power amps) when it comes to amplifying the DB, although there can be disadvantages. Take a look here and follow the links, if you wish.
 
#5
pod222 said:
Excellent question. Being a bit of a newbie, since
the Pro-Eq and the amp both have compression, and many other amps, I presumed it was useful, or at least common. Maybe not.
Click to expand...

A while back I bought an SWR Baby Blue because it had single 12 AX7 in it's pre amp. Frankly, my Walter Woods with FET's
sounded so superior, that I pulled the head from the SWR and connected it to the Woods until I could buy a SWR 2X8 Baby Blue extension cabinet. I actually have a B-15N and it doesn't travel outside my home.

Ric
 
#6
I have to agree, even at high volumes, compression isn't a huge benefit, if any at all to live upright bass tone.

As far as a tube pre...maybe it's a matter of taste...I've had a couple amps with tube pre's...sometimes I swore I liked that little 'something' it gave, but not usually...tubes bring in a certain midrange forward quality that creates harmonic stuff that makes it easier for the bass to feedback...wow, terrible sentence structure! Also, the midrange it does bring out is usually EXACTLY what I don't want...most upright players I know use their eq's to cut frequencies more often than to add anything. Esp., in the Mids.

All that being said, Genz Benz makes pretty awesome, lightweight, 'hifi' sounding amps with amazing eq, and although it's a very clean amp, there is a single AX7 pre tube that you can drive to add some snarl.

Amplifying URB is such a moving target...every night it changes at least a little.
 
#7
The "forward midrange" of those amps was likely a function of intentional "voicing" on the part of the manufacturer. That's not a general characteristic of tube circuitry, per se. As I've mentioned before, the "tube sound" really comes into play in musical instrument amplification when the tubes are intentionally over-driven to produce distortion. When amplifying DB, that's not something we usually want to do.
 
#8
Thanks for the great advice everyone.

I may have fallen into the trap of thinking because it's there, it must be good, or useful, or necssary, such as with compression. Likewise, with a lot of talk about tubes, assuming they are the best. I'll likely need to do a bit more work to figure out my "sound", although I don't have much access to a lot of amps or cabs and can't yet afford a stable of them.

Thanks again.
 
#12
pod222 said:
It's 1x15, bulkier than I'd like and I just can't seem to hear it well on stage. I wouldn't mind a bit more power too.
Click to expand...

aside from the power and bulk issue, the Fishman preamp you own may help get where you want tone-wise. It might help to cut out some of the low frequency and/or boost something in the mid range.

Otherwise there's a TON of stuff on the market that works well for amplifying upright bass. Frankly, tubes or compression aren't necessarily going to help your cause.
 

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