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Ampeg BA 210 volume with active bass...

G

Guille Brea

Jan 4, 2022
15
8
#1
Hi everyone and sorry about my English (not my first language). I recently bought an Ampeg amp and as expected have some distortion with the B string using the passive input with a Sire active bass. But if use the active option (a switch that cuts -15dB) it cuts too much gain and I loose MOST of the amp volume... and need MORE THAN DOUBLE on the volume knob to get the same output. On active, the 250w amp sounds almost like a 50w one (bass volume at max).

Does anyone have the same issue or knows how to fix it?

I know that the output in the onboard pre of the Sire can be adjusted, but before doing that (actually is compensated in factory to equal passive and active volume) I prefer to ask, assuming that the amp cant have so a huge difference between both options. Thank you...

Screen Shot 2022-01-05 at 01.05.53.png
 
#2
Patient: "Doc, it hurts when I do this..."
Doctor: "Don't do that."

If I'm reading you correctly, you were hoping that using the input in the active mode would clear up the distortion on the B string. The input pad is there to prevent overdriving the first preamp stage with a 'too strong' signal, but if you're not overdriving the input in the passive mode, it's pointless to engage the pad. I suspect that if the other strings are not overloading the input stage, the B string isn't either. It seems more likely that the speaker is breaking up with the low frequency information, IMO.

Do you hear the same distortion if you listen to the headphone output?
 
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#3
Thanks Doctor, but I do hear it on headphones too. And is specially audible in the B string, but not only.
To simplify the question: is reasonable that the pad “eats” almost 60% of the volume of the amp? Does this happen to every Ampeg user or is my brand new unit? And in such case what‘s better: use a DI or reduce the output in the bass preamp circuit? Tks.
 
#4
It's strictly my opinion, and I don't play active basses or use outboard pedals, but I have never seen an occasion where a player needed any sort of 'active' input switch at all. Most amps seem to have a -10dB pad, which is too much for my taste, so yes, I think -15dB is much too much attenuation. I guess I can see the point of it if one used pedals with a lot of gain, but that really is a lot of attenuation for a normal bass signal.

To directly address your situation: I'm not sure what you intend by using a DI, but there's no harm in reducing the output of the active bass to see if that has any effect on the problem. You could also turn the output of the active bass UP and then use the input pad on the amp. You could also experiment with using the bass's volume knobs, which would have much the same effect as turning down the gain of the preamp. (Unless that's the source of the distortion.)

I'm presuming you don't hear the distortion when using this bass with another amp. When playing your bass without using the amp's -15dB pad, did you find that you could not increase the volume knob very much before the amp got too loud? If not, I would suspect that the problem is not something that is going to be resolved by adjusting the gain structure.
 
#8
Is there another amp you can try? Or another bass into the same amp?
Does the B cause distortion on another amp? Could a slight pickup height reduction eliminate the issue? Is the scrambler on? Are you boosting the lows on your bass preamp? For that matter are you putting a line level preamp out into the amp's front end? No assumptions of user error just offering some troubleshooting ideas.
 
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#10
I had a BA210 at one time, and seem to recall that it somewhat muddied the sound at lower frequencies. Those things have an effects loop, so you could try going directly into the effects return to bypass the preamp to see if you get the same issue (and if you don't, you've isolated the issue to the preamp). If you have a compression pedal available, it would also be worth giving that a shot to see if it cleans up the lower frequency sounds, but keep your test simple to ensure it's doing what you want...bass --> compressor --> BA210 to eliminate the possibility of any other pedals causing an issue.
 
#14
I have that amp. I've never used that switch, but just played with a bit. The volume reduces, but not so much that it isn't useable. I can't get into decibel comparison but I wouldn't say that the volume halved with the -15 engaged.

My preference is to ignore that switch and simply use other knobs (bass and amp) to get the volume I need. I don't really do OD, so don't need my volume full on on the bass.

YMMV
 
#15
mrcbass said:
I have that amp. I've never used that switch, but just played with a bit. The volume reduces, but not so much that it isn't useable. I can't get into decibel comparison but I wouldn't say that the volume halved with the -15 engaged.

My preference is to ignore that switch and simply use other knobs (bass and amp) to get the volume I need. I don't really do OD, so don't need my volume full on on the bass.


Wich bass are you using, please?
Click to expand...
 
#16
Guille Brea said:
Hi everyone and sorry about my English (not my first language). I recently bought an Ampeg amp and as expected have some distortion with the B string using the passive input with a Sire active bass. But if use the active option (a switch that cuts -15dB) it cuts too much gain and I loose MOST of the amp volume... and need MORE THAN DOUBLE on the volume knob to get the same output. On active, the 250w amp sounds almost like a 50w one (bass volume at max).

Does anyone have the same issue or knows how to fix it?

I know that the output in the onboard pre of the Sire can be adjusted, but before doing that (actually is compensated in factory to equal passive and active volume) I prefer to ask, assuming that the amp cant have so a huge difference between both options. Thank you...

View attachment 4529853
Click to expand...
50w, is a lot of power.


Well, when you hit the pad switch, it lowers your input gain by 15 decibels. 15 decibels is a massive difference either way. If your bass is driving your amp without pressing in the switch, why press the switch?

That simply means that your bass isn't loud enough to require the switch. Win.
 
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#17
Guille Brea said:
Hi everyone and sorry about my English (not my first language). I recently bought an Ampeg amp and as expected have some distortion with the B string using the passive input with a Sire active bass. But if use the active option (a switch that cuts -15dB) it cuts too much gain and I loose MOST of the amp volume... and need MORE THAN DOUBLE on the volume knob to get the same output. On active, the 250w amp sounds almost like a 50w one (bass volume at max).

Does anyone have the same issue or knows how to fix it?

I know that the output in the onboard pre of the Sire can be adjusted, but before doing that (actually is compensated in factory to equal passive and active volume) I prefer to ask, assuming that the amp cant have so a huge difference between both options. Thank you...

View attachment 4529853
Click to expand...

It sounds like the pad is a little too much cut for you. It’s possible your EQ settings on the amp (or bass if you ever run active) are helping overdrive the amp if something is booster too much. What are your current settings?

When you say you lose most of the volume, are you expecting a certain volume level like enough to keep up with a band and drums, etc? More information will help us help you :)
 
#18
Thank you for taking time to help. I bought this amp yesterday, tried it with the active bass using the passive input an the sound was very saturated, specially on lower notes. So I tried the attenuation pad and for my surprise discovered that the pad cuts a lot of the amp volumen, and I mean A LOT. So I decided to ask here if was a common Ampeg problem or what. Several colleagues gave me tips to solve it and I for sure will, but still cant believe that they sell an amp that so drastically reduces its performance if you hace an active bass.
 

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