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Double Bass Blast Cult Channel Blaster issue

Z -Bar

Z -Bar

Sep 9, 2009
129
20
Grand Rapids, MI
www.reverbnation.com
#1
I bought a Blast Cult Channel Blaster earlier this year when they had them on sale. The unit seems to work but there seems to be a huge amount of background noise. Enough to be distracting. I'm currently running a K&K RB upgrade with a Krivo pick-up and before that I used a Fishman system. Neither of these introduced much noise. The noise seems to be from the Channel Blaster unit itself. I've tried the Blast Cult transducers and Krivo/K&K's and the noise is the same. I've also tried several Brand new TRS cables to connect the bass to the unit and even different amps. I've sent several e-mails and left phone messages about the issue with Blast Cult over the last month or so and so far had no replies.
I'm hoping it's something that I'm doing and not the unit but any insight would be appreciated.
 
#5
Update: I got the Channel Blaster back yesterday from Blast Cult and I am deeply disappointed. The same white noise is still there, sounding like a radio in-between stations. It seems they simply sent the unit right back to me.
My K&K unit with the FB and Bridge controls at 6-7. I can turn my amp up to 8 or nine before I get noticeable background noise. Regardless of where the controls are on the Channel Blaster (unless the volume is turned all the way down) it's unusable at 6 on my amp.
If anyone has any experience using the channel Blaster I would really appreciate any real world advice you might have.
I guess I'm going to have to e-mail Jason Burns and see if I can return the unit for a refund. I'm kind of bummed, I really wanted this to work so I could move away from metal core strings and reduce feedback but I can't see myself modifying my bridge for a unit that's this noisy.

Note: Edited for clarity. I removed the "o-clock" from noting control settings to accurately convey what I meant. I didn't know why I used the "o-clock" wording.
 
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#6
Update: I e-mailed Blast Cult telling them about the noise and Jason Burns answered back and offered a full refund which is the best a customer can ask for so I have to applaud him for that.

He also added that the unit WAS tested, the chip replaced and tried out on several different amps but they could not get any noise. So he suggested that it was from somewhere else in the signal chain - though I get the noise with only the unit, amp and a Mogami cable.

They used a Mesa Boogie Big Block 750, Ampeg SVT, Orange Bass Terror 1000, and an Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 without finding any noise, which got me thinking that maybe it just doesn't like my amps. The main amp for my upright is a Carvin MB12 Micro with a 115MB extension cab and this is the one that has the most noise with the Channel Blaster. My other amps are a Marshall MB4210 combo and a Marshall MB450H with a MBC115 cab. These have noise as well but not as bad as the Carvin.

So before I take Jason up on his gracious offer I'm going to take the unit to several of the local music stores and see if I can find an amp it likes.
 
#7
Update: I'm back from the music stores and I have found that indeed the amp DOES make a difference in the amount of background noise when using the Channel Blaster. This wasn't a shoot out between amps, I just wanted to see how much of a difference the amps played in the issue. It was just quick and dirty. All controls on The Channel Blaster and amp at 12:00, a new cord and switch the unit on and listen. I listened to a Markbass, Ampeg, G&K, TC Electronic, Orange, Hartke, and Genz Benz amps.

I went to two stores, one local and one a Guitar Center. I listened to about 10 different amps most new but a couple that were used. I found two that were almost silent - a Markbass and an Orange Terror. The rest had some noise but would be usable though they did very widely. It seems my Carvin Micro stack is the noisiest of all and my Marshall's are as noisy as any I tested (when using the Channel Blaster). My K&K RBU and Krivo does not have this effect with the Carvin or the Marshalls and is pretty quiet.

Bottom line: I'm going to pass on Jason Burns offer for a refund and instead buy a new amp.
 

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