Buying first combo amp. How do I plug everything in? What does everything do?

[Squid-TEGH]

Okay, so I have a couple of questions.
I'd assumed that I'd be plugging everything together like this:

Guitar------> Guitar in on Zoom Box (B1x0n fx box) Line out ----------> Line in AMP

But it has some other squiggly things as well.

The amp has an XLR IN (okay?)
The amp has a LINE OUT (does this go to second speaker?)
The amp has a TUNER OUT (what is this for?)
The amp has an EFFECT SEND/RETURN (***?)
The amp has a GROUND LIFT SWITCH (yikes?)
The amp has an XLR out (again?)

I'm a little confused, and want to make sure that I'll be able to run it as I've planned in the weird diagram above . Hopefully, some of you fine folks can tell me what the other things do too. Can I use line out for headphones? Will it mute the speaker if I plug headphones in?

I want to be able to plug the bass into the Zoom box, and maybe plug the pc into the Zoom box too, using the guitar in and line in ports on the zoom box, respectively. Then I want to connect to the amp, and have the audio from the bass and the pc routed through the amp to the speaker.

Amp is a Markbass CMD JB Player's School Combo: Invalid Link Removed

Thanks in advance, I should pick her up on saturday, ideally.

 

[Jazz Ad]

Start by reading the manuals for both your combo and the Zoom, from cover to cover.
It answers all these questions.

 

[Squid-TEGH]

Start by reading the manuals for both your combo and the Zoom, from cover to cover.
It answers all these questions.

I certainly will. Though I don't have the combo yet, I may be able to find a PDF online .
EDIT: I did. It didn't.

 

[MrLenny1]

When all else fails read the destructions. lol

 

[nashvillebill]

-Are you sure it's an XLR in? Kinda unusual. (It does have a regular input jack too I take it?)
-Line out is NOT to plug directly into a speaker (unless it's a powered speaker). Line out is at a "line level" meaning it can go to a mixer, other power amp, or the like.
-Tuner out is so you can plug a tuner into that jack, then often there's a Mute button that will mute the output of the amp so you can use the tuner without the audience hearing it.
-Effect send/return: a set of jacks so you can plug various effects into that section of the amp (if you don't want to use the effects between the guitar and amp). Your signal will come out of the combo, go through whatever the effects are that you might plug in, and then return into the combo's power amp.
-Ground lift switch: sometimes weird things happen and you may get hum. Leave the ground "unlifted" normally but if there is a weird situation, like plugging the amp into a mixer causes a hum, then try using the ground lift switch.
-The XLR out is the preferred way to transfer your amp's signal to a mixing board, so if you need support from the PA, just plug a mic cable into the XLR out and then into the board.

Hope that helps. I'm not familiar with the Markbass but these type of connections are pretty common.

 

[dgrizzly]

Here is the manual for your new amp:
Invalid Link Removed

Unfortunately, it doesn't give much information on what everything does.

nashvillebill answered most of your questions above..

I will just add that yes, you can use either an XLR in or your standard 1/4" instrument cable. They're just giving you options.

And, you will probably want your Zoom in between your bass and your amp as you have described in the OP. However, you should look up the manual for that as well to see what Zoom recommends (front of amp or in the effect loop).

 

[Squid-TEGH]

-Are you sure it's an XLR in? Kinda unusual. (It does have a regular input jack too I take it?)

Yeah, one of each...

Invalid Link Removed

Line Out is intended to be plugged into another 8 ohm device I think. I'm not sure if that includes "other" cabs, but people do seem to mention that you can hook two of these combos together for 250w@4ohms.

Thanks all for replies .

 

[RickenBoogie]

The Line Out is NOT for a speaker, it's a 1/4" version of the XLR Direct out. Neither are for a speaker cab. There would be SPEAKER Outs for that.

 

[Squid-TEGH]

The Line Out is NOT for a speaker, it's a 1/4" version of the XLR Direct out. Neither are for a speaker cab. There would be SPEAKER Outs for that.

Yeah, I looked at the diagram and it has a speaker out and a "speaker out speakon 1/4 combo jack" whatever one of those is. Would I be able to plug earphones into the speaker out? I can't see what else they'd plug into.
I know I will ask at the store, but I don't wanna spend days getting excited about the combo if it won't do what I want it to .

 

[Dogbertday]

If the zoom has headphone outs, use those. This combo won't do the headphones the way you're describing on its own.

 

[Squid-TEGH]

If the zoom has headphone outs, use those. This combo won't do the headphones the way you're describing on its own.

Yeah, I didn't think of that. drool

Also, does Dogbert Day have cheap, tacky gifts dangerous fireworks, visits from unpleasant relatives corny parades and bad barbecues?

 

[Dogbertday]

Yeah, I didn't think of that. drool

Also, does Dogbert Day have cheap, tacky gifts dangerous fireworks, visits from unpleasant relatives corny parades and bad barbecues?

It has every custom from every holiday. Including a special watermelon hat.

 

[Squid-TEGH]

It has every custom from every holiday. Including a special watermelon hat.

To facilitate the drum solo played on your own skull with spoons, right?

 

[ddnidd1]

Yeah, I looked at the diagram and it has a speaker out and a "speaker out speakon 1/4 combo jack" whatever one of those is. Would I be able to plug earphones into the speaker out? I can't see what else they'd plug into.
I know I will ask at the store, but I don't wanna spend days getting excited about the combo if it won't do what I want it to .

If you do, it will be the last time you ever use those headphones.

 

[Squid-TEGH]

If you do, it will be the last time you ever use those headphones.

Won't be doing that then!

 

[gjbassist]

My LMIII head had that XLR input feature as well. If I remember correctly it meant to be used with a double bass pickup.

 

[DavC]

most manuals have lots of pictures showing several types of setups and ways to plug stuff in ...

trying to do multiple things using the same hookups might be a problem ... different functions might require different cables and monitoring .. ?!

 

[nshnth]

Lemme See if i can help.

The XLR INput (Balanced Input) on the front is used for Mics and Double Bass pickups.
The Effect Send/Return is probably an effect loop. It allows you to plug in effects after the preamp/ EQ but before the power amp.
The Tuner out is a clean signal that should work even if the amp is muted, to allow you to tune.
The XLR output is a DI output, to allow you to plug into a mixing desk. The Line Out control up top controls the level of this output.
The Ground Lift switch is to eliminate ground loops when plugged in to the DI Output.

DON'T Plug headphones into the SPEAKER OUT. It's meant only to connect to another speaker.


The manual (mentioned above, here it is again: Invalid Link Removed) mentions the inputs and outputs pretty clearly. And the amp should be labelled as well.

 

[Doner Designs]

Looks like your question has been answered. Nice choice for a first amp!

 

[dgrizzly]

Congrats on the new amp Squid - just to clarify real quick..

The amp has an XLR IN (okay?)
The amp has a LINE OUT (does this go to second speaker?)
The amp has a TUNER OUT (what is this for?)
The amp has an EFFECT SEND/RETURN (***?)
The amp has a GROUND LIFT SWITCH (yikes?)
The amp has an XLR out (again?)

Amp is a Markbass CMD JB Player's School Combo: Invalid Link Removed

The Bass Guitar Magazine article you linked does says your amp has a "Line Out" AND an "XLR Out", but I think that's a typo on their part...

The manual for your amp shows (at the bottom of page 3) that you actually just have an "XLR Out" (which you would use an XLR cable to send your bass signal to the PA at a gig). The manual also shows that your amp has 2 "Speaker Outputs".
Invalid Link Removed

One of these will be already connected to the speaker in your combo, but the other one can be used to connect a second 8 Ohm speaker cabinet like you mentioned. If you add another cab, though, just make sure it is 8 Ohms. Very important! Or you could damage your amp.

The Line Out is NOT for a speaker, it's a 1/4" version of the XLR Direct out. Neither are for a speaker cab. There would be SPEAKER Outs for that.

DON'T Plug headphones into the SPEAKER OUT. It's meant only to connect to another speaker. And the amp should be labelled as well.

Important differences between "Line Out" and "Speaker Out" so be sure to check which one you have when you get the amp. From the information on this page you'll know how to use either one correctly.