Ampeg Rocket Bass Combos

[Yahboy]

My new EQ setup on RB112, try to make clean Ampeg Tube voice which has better full low end meanwhile without loosing nice bite on top via relax finger style playing.
Direct mic record via Zoom H1, place on 10 inch from speaker.

 

[iagtrplyr]

My new EQ setup on RB112, try to make clean Ampeg Tube voice which has better full low end meanwhile without loosing nice bite on top via relax finger style playing.
Direct mic record via Zoom H1, place on 10 inch from speaker.

Classic Ampeg tone, very SVTish. 10” away from the speaker, huh? I usually hug my 112’s speaker but I might try it further away next time I mic it.

 

[Yahboy]

Classic Ampeg tone, very SVTish. 10” away from the speaker, huh? I usually hug my 112’s speaker but I might try it further away next time I mic it.

The mic i using are cheap Zoom H1 XY mic. Since she has great result and lively sound on acoustic Drum, classical guitar and piano recording, unexpected result she able handle mic recording on bass amp too.
I put the mic distant in 10 inch just because the SGT hiss (Grid at 9 oclcock, level 4 oclock , master volume just pass noon a bit) are notable when place it on 4 inch.

I spend much time to try to mimic Ampeg tube-thing , i able get some nice heft with SGT engage previously , but hard to get the " Classic Ampeg Vroom~" out from the RB112. Been try the Ultra Lo engage with turn up MID knob still lacking that Ampeg Vroom.

I am happy to share my EQ setup via picture by tomorrow.

 

[doctaj]

Cool
I did get a replacement RB110 delivered and even though the hiss(white noise) is about 1-2db lower on this unit, it's still there unfortunately. Maybe Ampeg(Yamaha) just gained the units up so much in order to meet the wattage specs or something. Lowering the treble helps a little bit but it also dulls/muffles the bass sound. I just grabbed a Radial DI for recording purposes. Maybe someone will figure out an easy mod to improve the S/N ratio and help get rid of the hiss on both the speaker and built-in DI. I actually thought about trying an inline XLR pad on the DI but haven't had time.

 

[Yahboy]

Cool
I did get a replacement RB110 delivered and even though the hiss(white noise) is about 1-2db lower on this unit, it's still there unfortunately. Maybe Ampeg(Yamaha) just gained the units up so much in order to meet the wattage specs or something. Lowering the treble helps a little bit but it also dulls/muffles the bass sound. I just grabbed a Radial DI for recording purposes. Maybe someone will figure out an easy mod to improve the S/N ratio and help get rid of the hiss on both the speaker and built-in DI. I actually thought about trying an inline XLR pad on the DI but haven't had time.

The hiss are notable even no SGT engage ?

My current RB112 are hiss free when ultra hi engage and treble at 2 o'clock. But story change once SGT button pressed.

 

[doctaj]

Yes,
SGT off and knobs fully counter-clockwise, main volume fully counter-clockwise, and the bass/mid/treble all flat(12 O'clock). I first heard the issue when wearing headphones to record a few practice takes at night. The hiss is very clear as soon as I plug in the DI.

 

[Le beau JP]

The RB210 I owned for a month did hiss quite a lot, which is one of the reasons why I sent it back

 

[doctaj]

Ya, when I emailed Ampeg they said I should expect the noise at this price point. They didn't try troubleshooting my issue at all. Sweetwater asked way more questions and tried to help.

 

[Yahboy]

Classic Ampeg tone, very SVTish. 10” away from the speaker, huh? I usually hug my 112’s speaker but I might try it further away next time I mic it.

My EQ setup on RB112

Ultra hi ON / Ultra lo Off
This setup for P bass with Ti flat.

On my jazz bass with cobalt flat, a tiny bit dial down on the Grid knob and raise the treble knob to 10 o'clock for sweeter jazz bass tone.

 

[doctaj]

Your eq settings just gave me an idea to try a work-around for the hiss.
I will turn down the bass/mid/treble all to equal settings and do some test recordings of the DI

Thanks

 

[Yahboy]

Your eq settings just gave me an idea to try a work-around for the hiss.
I will turn down the bass/mid/treble all to equal settings and do some test recordings of the DI

Thanks

Suggest you feedback again to Sweetwater customer service team, return the replacement rb110 then top up for RB112.

If they agree, don't forget asking them do a video clip for you to prove the RB112 has no hiss before send out.

 

[doctaj]

Suggest you feedback again to Sweetwater customer service team, return the replacement rb110 then top up for RB112.

If they agree, don't forget asking them do a video clip for you to prove the RB112 has no hiss before send out.

Thanks but I'm actually done with it LOL. Reading through this long thread I saw that the hiss issue happens in all the RB models and not just the 110. I will keep it as a learning/practice amp as that was my main reason for buying it. I'm just disappointed with the built-in DI and thought it would be much cleaning than it is. I mix projects mostly but also have much better preamps to record anything critical if needed.

 

[richntiff]

Cool
I did get a replacement RB110 delivered and even though the hiss(white noise) is about 1-2db lower on this unit, it's still there unfortunately. Maybe Ampeg(Yamaha) just gained the units up so much in order to meet the wattage specs or something. Lowering the treble helps a little bit but it also dulls/muffles the bass sound. I just grabbed a Radial DI for recording purposes. Maybe someone will figure out an easy mod to improve the S/N ratio and help get rid of the hiss on both the speaker and built-in DI. I actually thought about trying an inline XLR pad on the DI but haven't had time.

never rely on the di out on ANY amp - I think they almost all have issues.

 

[Yahboy]

Thanks but I'm actually done with it LOL. Reading through this long thread I saw that the hiss issue happens in all the RB models and not just the 110. I will keep it as a learning/practice amp as that was my main reason for buying it. I'm just disappointed with the built-in DI and thought it would be much cleaning than it is. I mix projects mostly but also have much better preamps to record anything critical if needed.

Do you consider this one ?

Ampeg SGT-DI Bass Preamp Pedal and DI

I do believe Yamapeg will use this dual voice preamp on their future Portaflex head.

 

[Lowbrow]

My EQ setup on RB112

View attachment 5052843

Ultra hi ON / Ultra lo Off
This setup for P bass with Ti flat.

On my jazz bass with cobalt flat, a tiny bit dial down on the Grid knob and raise the treble knob to 10 o'clock for sweeter jazz bass tone.

You've offered some very useful setting suggestions over the course of this thread -- thank you.

 

[Michael Eisenman]

…
I will turn down the bass/mid/treble all to equal settings and do some test recordings of the DI
…

I don’t know whether you were expecting those settings to retain a flat response. You will get dips at the three frequencies.

 

[doctaj]

Do you consider this one ?
Ampeg SGT-DI Bass Preamp Pedal and DI
I do believe Yamapeg will use this dual voice preamp on their future Portaflex head.

No haven't tried it.
For clean bass DI I love the Avalon U5 and really need to buy one next. What I current have for tracking are the vt737, 6176, 3124+, or 1073 preamps after a ProDI or Pro48 depending on the bass itself. The 6176 gets picked the most and the lower imped settings sound the clearest. ProDI>6176(mic 500) or front Hi-Z input(47k).

I don’t know whether you were expecting those settings to retain a flat response. You will get dips at the three frequencies.
View attachment 5053310

Nope, not aiming for a flat response at all. Just going to experiment in free time when I can. I looked through the manual a few days ago and it did not specify if the treble and/or bass EQs were peak or shelving. They seem to behave like shelving EQs but i could be wrong. The RB108, RB110, and RB112 EQ settings are listed as:
Bass +14/-13 db @40Hz
Mid +15/-9 db @ 500hz
Treble +12/-20 db @ 4k

 

[Michael Eisenman]

it did not specify if the treble and/or bass EQs were peak or shelving.

Oh, yeah; I didn’t think about that when I made my drawing. They probably are shelving.

 

[Yahboy]

No haven't tried it.
For clean bass DI I love the Avalon U5 and really need to buy one next. What I current have for tracking are the vt737, 6176, 3124+, or 1073 preamps after a ProDI or Pro48 depending on the bass itself. The 6176 gets picked the most and the lower imped settings sound the clearest. ProDI>6176(mic 500) or front Hi-Z input(47k).




Nope, not aiming for a flat response at all. Just going to experiment in free time when I can. I looked through the manual a few days ago and it did not specify if the treble and/or bass EQs were peak or shelving. They seem to behave like shelving EQs but i could be wrong. The RB108, RB110, and RB112 EQ settings are listed as:
Bass +14/-13 db @40Hz
Mid +15/-9 db @ 500hz
Treble +12/-20 db @ 4k

You are Pro on sound recording man.

 

[Yahboy]

You've offered some very useful setting suggestions over the course of this thread -- thank you.

I been own a Tech21 VT200 combo before the Ampeg RB combo, i do love their factory Fliptop EQ myself. But she sound more forward to clean side.
Since there are vary of B15 voice on that era, i have no idea which are the best because all of them just sound great.

Here is my Fliptop EQ that i try to mimic/chop B15 voice several months ago with my friend's Avri 63P on my RB112 . His P bass come with stock .1uf wax cap and well broken-in labella DTF760FL. This bass sound better than my cheap CIC Squier Mattfreeman P (with Fender 70s p body loaded , Wilkinson WPB pup and Labella LTF4A combination). He prefer play with pick and sometimes with palm mute.

I try to get both clean flip top voice (in practice/recording volume ) and crank-up farting voice which some people mention it when crank up the volume knob on the real 25watts tube B15 ,i make this voice change on Rb112 with just a single tweak.



Full Master volume and Both Ultra Hi/Lo are OFF.

Studio volume ( 15~20 % tone knob roll back on p bass)

Crank up ( Wide open tone knob on pbass)

This tiny level increase make huge character voice change.

Honestly, i love the SGT overdrive mode than my previous combo which provide same feature. They just sound unreal compare to Rb combo.

Hope you guys enjoy it.