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channel strip advice

dluoma

dluoma

Feb 19, 2009
304
1
Minnesota
#1
Hi guys. I am looking for some advice or recommendations. Here is my current setup. Thumb nt5 - Markbass compressore - Frequency central odzilla(for hair) - mxr phase 90 - bk3 - aguliar db659 - crown xls 1500 - 2 eden d210xst cabs.
I am a long time ampeg guy and am comming off a SVT Pro that I couldnt get the mids right but the low lows were awesome.
the aguilar has a GREAT tone and I love the mids but I feel I could use more in the 50hz and below range that I cant seem to dial in with the Aggie. I have this empty space in my rack an I thought I could fill it with a eq/compressor. Would like more tonal control and possibly a higher quality compressor might help although I like my compressore a lot. I am looking for Ideas. I like to keep it under $1000. I am considering an Aphex channel, aphex project channel, ( had the big bottom before and prefer over the sonic maximizer) or maybe Joemeek sixq.
I have tried a sonic maximizer and it did improve that low low response but fell it robbed a little mid tone and messed with the highs even with the process control rolled off.
Advice?
 
#6
Take a look at the Art Pro Channel II - feature rich - low price.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/nad-art-pro-channel-ii-889975/

lg_pro_channel_ii_front.jpg


http://artproaudio.com/art_products/signal_processing/input_channel_strips/product/pro_channel_ii/
 
#7
Thanks for the input Foz. I looked at that one too but I'm trying to stay in one rack space. I pulled the trigger on the presonus studio channel today at GC. I figured if I find the compressor crap or it colors my sound too much I'll return it. I don't want to stray from my aguilar sound but just compliment it. I may roll a couple tubes to experiment. Too many features for the money not to try.
 
#9
Adding more and more stuff is a lose lose to me. A good bass with optimum pickup height good cord ( not expensive not cheap) should sound complete through any rig and better through the better rigs.

How are your batteries? Does your bass's jack look rusted or copper inside? If so replace.

Listen to your bass unplugged and procede from there. Perhaps your bass will never sound like the sound in your head.. If it does play though just your pre and amp with eq flat. Can you adjust your tone with minimum tweaks?

It may not be a good match for you if you have up dial tone too extremely.

If not is it your strings?

Go play a lot of rigs and see without prejudice whether they do what you want with next to no tweaking.
 
#10
I agree less is much more and if you can get a great tone simpler it's always the way to go. I should say I love this aguilar sound with a great aggressive midrange. Nice, clear, tubey warm goodness. I am rolling a touch go mids back at the bass but the amp is pretty much flat. I am used to more subs that I got with my svt pro. I do like the db659 much better, just wanted to juice up more subs if I wanted. The Aggie s bass controll says its at 40hz but it sounds much higher than that to me....I may need to roll the tubes.
 
#12
dluoma said:
I pulled the trigger on the presonus studio channel today at GC. I figured if I find the compressor crap or it colors my sound too much I'll return it. I don't want to stray from my aguilar sound but just compliment it. I may roll a couple tubes to experiment. Too many features for the money not to try.
Click to expand...
Although I've never used it for bass, I have a Presonus Studio Channel in my PA rack. Nice compressor and very flexible EQ. Currently using it to process kick drum.

In my opinion, tube rolling is pretty much a waste in anything that runs off a wall wart.
 
#13
wcriley said:
Although I've never used it for bass, I have a Presonus Studio Channel in my PA rack. Nice compressor and very flexible EQ. Currently using it to process kick drum.

In my opinion, tube rolling is pretty much a waste in anything that runs off a wall wart.
Click to expand...

I was referring to changing tubes in my db 659. Took the lid of today and it has sovetek 12ax7wa's. Might be original tubes. I haven't heard any pops or ticks and volume is fine but the bass eq seems just to roll up a loose wide bass that muds it up. could it be the tubes? I'll find out in a bit....wife is still sleeping.
 
#16
i think for more 50-30hz you need much more than 4 ten inchers. yes, they go that low, but if you measure the room response with a sound level meter and a sine wave, you will see the 80-150 hz range is much higher by comparison. (the larger the room, the larger the difference between the 30 hz and 100 hz will be.)
 
#17
i dont think the tubes would be responsible for that. (although the sovtek tubes are sometimes classified as strident sounding). if your gonna try new ones, go 1960's or 50's rca. even the cheaper grayplates will sound nicer than the sovteks. but i dont think they will add the lows you are missing, but by being less harsh, may make it sound fuller by comparison.
 
#18
Before tube rolling - maybe you need to adjust the internal trimmers on the 659 [does it have them?].

Getting these set right in my old DB 680 was a noticeable improvement.

Contact Aggi - but as an example - the instructions on the 680 were

Test Signal: Inject a -20dBm (.0775VRMS), 1kHz sine wave into the front panel input

Default Test Conditions: All knobs at 12 o'clock, "Bright" off, "Deep" off, 10K load at 1/4" output, "Passive" selected

Measure VRMS with Fluke multimeter at designated test point. Use TPGND as the ground reference. Adjust designated trimmer to the target voltage. It is important that you do the adjustments in this order. Make sure that you turn off the Deep switch before you adjust the output level.

Test Point Test Condition Trimmer Target Voltage
TP1 default adjust Trim 1 1.500VRMS
TP2 Deep + activated adjust Trim 2 1.560VRMS or as close as possible
TP2 Deep ++ activated adjust Trim 3 1.890VRMS or as close as possible
Output default adjust Trim 4 0.500VRMS
 
#19
Well although the studio channel is feature rich, nice eq and compressor it colors my sound too much so its going back. I was able to get all the lows I wanted but at the cost of loosing the lively midrange that I like a lot in the aguilar. I think I may need some time to play it. I'm looking forward to playing in a band setting cause I'm sure those growly low mid will be great. If I was to add a compressor/eq it would have to be a very transparent piece. Is love to try a grace m103 with it. I might try a graphic but I can't have tone suck or its just not worth it.
 

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