Amp Connection Problem

[Stingbass7154]

Hi, I am wondering if you can help me with something. I have a home studio setup that is giving me problems. I use a line 6 bass pod multi effects, a boss cdr 900 studio, a Parker pb41 bass, and a monoprice bass amp 40w. I use the main input from the effects pedal and connect it to the bass. I have the d.i. from the amp running into the guitar bass input of the studio. And I use either the model, d.i., or phones output going into the input of the amp. I am getting little to no sound from the amp and can't hear the effects from the pedal. But when I plug straight into the amp from my bass, the sound is fine. Is there something that im doing wrong or a different way I should be connecting everything?

 

[agedhorse]

Your connections are really messed up and make no sense.

Go back and read the owners manuals, that will prove helpful.

 

[WayneP]

I use the main output from the effects pedal and connect it to the bass.

That's a fail right there. You're connecting an output to an output. The bass should be connected to the input of the EFX pedal.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

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[Stingbass7154]

That's a fail right there. You're connecting an output to an output. The bass should be connected to the input of the EFX pedal.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Make Your Own Cables: A How-To Guide Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Official Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Official Heartfield Club #36
Administrator, Official Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Official Pre-Gibson Tobias Owners Club
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly
Make Your Own Cables: A How-To Guide

It's actually an input on the effects pedal. I typed that wrong.

 

[Stingbass7154]

Your connections are really messed up and make no sense.

Go back and read the owners manuals, that will prove helpful.

I have done that. The only way I can get sound with the effects is using the phones jack but it seems like a very hot signal with a lot of treble.

 

[agedhorse]

Start simplifying until it starts making sense.

 

[ardgedee]

Start by plugging your bass into the amp. If that works, insert one device. If that works, insert another device, and so on. Debugging problems is mostly a matter of reducing complexity to a manageable level.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

But when I plug straight into the amp from my bass, the sound is fine.

This step eliminates the bass and the amp. Re-use the cord you used for this step, and verify a few other good cords using just the bass and amp.

Then start inserting one item at a time between the bass and amp as described by @ardgedee.
You can insert items individually to see if they all work by themselves & if they do, you can start pairing them. Use the known good cords for this. Write out each connection string as you test, example; (bass—->line 6 in—>line 6 out—->amp in. Works! or failed!).

You'll soon have everything working, or will discover the point of failure with the remaining items working.

 

[AgingEngineer]

If I am reading right, your signal chain is:

[BASS] --> [LINE 6 BASS POD] --> [AMP] --> [BOSS STUDIO]

SYMPTOMS:

1. LINE 6 BASS POD Model output to AMP = Little to no sound
2. LINE 6 BASS POD DI output to AMP = Little to no sound
3. LINE 6 BASS POD Phones output to AMP = Hot signal with lots of treble

QUESTIONS:

1. When you plug in heaphones to the LINE 6 BASS POD, does it sound normal?
   (This will test to make sure you've got decent gain on the Line 6 and it's functioning.)
2. Are you using a standard cord between the BASS POD and the AMP, or is it a TRS (3 conductor) cable?
   If you are going into your amp, this needs to be a standard guitar cable.
3. Have you tried going direct from the LINE 6 BASS POD into your BOSS STUDIO?

 

[mambo4]

I assume you meant a Boss BR-900CD
Sounds like the issue is with the line6 unit
Time to get out the manual and make sure you are using it right
is it the old kidney bean or the new box shaped unit?

According to the manual a POD has something called an A.I.R. Switch
and the manual specifies how it must be set for amp input vs any other input.

It would be worthwhile to remove the POD entirely and ensure you can otherwise get a decent signal recorded

I use the main input from the effects pedal and connect it to the bass.

It is clearer to say Bass is connected to the main input of the pedal. The usual way of describing signal flow is SOURCE to DESTINATION. Your description is rather reversed and or jumbled, which may cause confusion and lead to suboptimal responses. I also think your set up is:

[BASS] --> [LINE 6 BASS POD] --> [AMP] --> [BOSS STUDIO]

But I'm not 100% certain based on your wording.

TLDR: if the POD is not broken it is likely the AIR switch

 

[abarson]

Does the Monoprice amp really contribute anything to the sound? Couldn't it be bypassed and you just connect the Line 6 to the Boss recorder?
If it's just a monitor to hear youself while recording, either use headphones or the monitors connected to the Boss.

 

[Stingbass7154]

Does the Monoprice amp really contribute anything to the sound? Couldn't it be bypassed and you just connect the Line 6 to the Boss recorder?
If it's just a monitor to hear youself while recording, either use headphones or the monitors connected to the Boss.

That's actually what I have been doing. But I have to use the headphones output from the line 6 into the guitar bass input of the studio.

 

[Stingbass7154]

I assume you meant a Boss BR-900CD
Sounds like the issue is with the line6 unit
Time to get out the manual and make sure you are using it right
is it the old kidney bean or the new box shaped unit?

According to the manual a POD has something called an A.I.R. Switch
and the manual specifies how it must be set for amp input vs any other input.

It would be worthwhile to remove the POD entirely and ensure you can otherwise get a decent signal recorded



It is clearer to say Bass is connected to the main input of the pedal. The usual way of describing signal flow is SOURCE to DESTINATION. Your description is rather reversed and or jumbled, which may cause confusion and lead to suboptimal responses. I also think your set up is:


But I'm not 100% certain based on your wording.

TLDR: if the POD is not broken it is likely the AIR switch

The only problem is I use effects very heavily because I record experimental electronic music.

 

[Stingbass7154]

I assume you meant a Boss BR-900CD
Sounds like the issue is with the line6 unit
Time to get out the manual and make sure you are using it right
is it the old kidney bean or the new box shaped unit?

According to the manual a POD has something called an A.I.R. Switch
and the manual specifies how it must be set for amp input vs any other input.

It would be worthwhile to remove the POD entirely and ensure you can otherwise get a decent signal recorded



It is clearer to say Bass is connected to the main input of the pedal. The usual way of describing signal flow is SOURCE to DESTINATION. Your description is rather reversed and or jumbled, which may cause confusion and lead to suboptimal responses. I also think your set up is:


But I'm not 100% certain based on your wording.

TLDR: if the POD is not broken it is likely the AIR switch

Bass to line6/ line 6 (only phones output seems to give me sound) to amp. D.i. of amp to studio.

 

[abarson]

That's actually what I have been doing. But I have to use the headphones output from the line 6 into the guitar bass input of the studio.

Why? If you get rid of the amp, your connection is Line 6 Output --> Boss Input. I would not use the headphone output for recording.

 

[Stingbass7154]

If I am reading right, your signal chain is:

[BASS] --> [LINE 6 BASS POD] --> [AMP] --> [BOSS STUDIO]

SYMPTOMS:

1. LINE 6 BASS POD Model output to AMP = Little to no sound
2. LINE 6 BASS POD DI output to AMP = Little to no sound
3. LINE 6 BASS POD Phones output to AMP = Hot signal with lots of treble

QUESTIONS:

1. When you plug in heaphones to the LINE 6 BASS POD, does it sound normal?
   (This will test to make sure you've got decent gain on the Line 6 and it's functioning.)
2. Are you using a standard cord between the BASS POD and the AMP, or is it a TRS (3 conductor) cable?
   If you are going into your amp, this needs to be a standard guitar cable.
3. Have you tried going direct from the LINE 6 BASS POD into your BOSS STUDIO?

It's a 1/4 cable, just a little thinner. The thing is if I plug directly into the amp from my bass the sound is normal. My last amp I used this same signal chain and everything was fine. Same cables and everything.

 

[Stingbass7154]

This step eliminates the bass and the amp. Re-use the cord you used for this step, and verify a few other good cords using just the bass and amp.

Then start inserting one item at a time between the bass and amp as described by @ardgedee.
You can insert items individually to see if they all work by themselves & if they do, you can start pairing them. Use the known good cords for this. Write out each connection string as you test, example; (bass—->line 6 in—>line 6 out—->amp in. Works! or failed!).

You'll soon have everything working, or will discover the point of failure with the remaining items working.

I'm gonna try to test each cable directly from bass to amp to start.

 

[Stingbass7154]

Why? If you get rid of the amp, your connection is Line 6 Output --> Boss Input. I would not use the headphone output for recording.

That's the only way I can get sound from the amp or from the monitor while using the effects pedal. I rely on the effects pedal because I use effects in every sound I record.

 

[abarson]

That's the only way I can get sound from the amp or from the monitor while using the effects pedal. I rely on the effects pedal because I use effects in every sound I record.

Forget the amp. Leave it out completely.
Go Line 6 --> Boss. Monitor with speakers or headphones on the Boss so you hear what you are recording.

 

[Stingbass7154]

I tried each cable from bass to amp without anything else and they all sounded normal. Then I tried the other setup and still no sound. Then I tried a different cable from line 6 to amp and no sound. Then later on it started working with the new cable. Right now I have line 6 input to input of bass/ model output of line 6 to input of amp/ d.i. of amp to studio. And of course monitor to studio. Everything seems to be working fine. Maybe it was the cable?