Double Bass Clarus with Tone Dexter Help

[lurk]

I use a tondex with a clarus sl. Which input on the clarus do you use, and why - hi imp? low imp? effects return? Thanks.

 

[brianrost]

Use the effects return only if you want to bypass both the Clarus EQ and high pass filter.

As far as impedance, high is 10 Mohms, low is 1 Mohms. For the buffered output from the TD, it shouldn't matter at all, but try both to hear for yourself.

 

[scottcharles]

Like you I have both pieces, and have not experienced a meaningful difference between the two main inputs on the Clarus fed from the ToneDexter.

The TD manual states a 300ohm output (unbalanced cable) and a 600ohm output (with balanced cable). In theory i believe you would want 10x the output ohm at the next input (the amp), generally the the bigger difference between output/input impedance the less loss of outputs signal at the input, so the 10megohm would be the better bet. In practice I have not noticed any lost volume or audible frequencies with the low z input on the Clarus and ToneDexter.

What I did find made a difference is using the right cable from instrument to tone dexter. If you read the manual, it states the input impedance of the TD is 1megohm with a standard mono cable, but you can get 10 megohm input by using trs with the ring disconnected (floating ring).

 

[longfinger]

The TD manual states a 300ohm output (unbalanced cable) and a 600ohm output (with balanced cable). In theory i believe you would want 10x the output ohm at the next input (the amp), generally the the bigger difference between output/input impedance the less loss of outputs signal at the input, so the 10megohm would be the better bet. In practice I have not noticed any lost volume or audible frequencies with the low z input on the Clarus and ToneDexter.

What I did find made a difference is using the right cable from instrument to tone dexter. If you read the manual, it states the input impedance of the TD is 1megohm with a standard mono cable, but you can get 10 megohm input by using trs with the ring disconnected (floating ring).

Output is 300 Ohm or 600 Ohm...
10x that would be 3000 Ohm or 6000 Ohm (3kOhm, or 6 kOhm).

The input options are 1 Mega-Ohm (1 million Ohms) or 10 Mega-Ohms (10 Million Ohms).

Even the 1 MOhm input is 1670 times the 600 Ohm output. If as you write, 10x is good, does going from 1670x to 16700x (10MOhm) matter?

It's ok, I think it was a simple mis-read of Ohms vs kOhms.

About this part..
"• Input impedance: 1MΩ if using a standard mono plug, 10MΩ if using a TRS plug with RING unconnected"

Is it common to have a TRS cable with the Ring unconnected? Where did you get such a cable? How much difference does it make? Or is it a regular TRS cable, the ring being unconnected as there is nothing in the p/u to connect with it?

 

[lurk]

is it a regular TRS cable, the ring being unconnected as there is nothing in the p/u to connect with it?

It's this. My basic issue I guess is that I don't really understand the role of impedance in the amplification of a piezo. Does it matter only at the place I plug in, in this case the tone dex input?

 

[longfinger]

It's this. My basic issue I guess is that I don't really understand the role of impedance in the amplification of a piezo. Does it matter only at the place I plug in, in this case the tone dex input?

The first in-line is where it matters most. Piezo -> ?
In this case the Tonedexter.
Try with a TRS cable instead of a TS cable. If you hear a difference, then go with that.

As a player I find that kind of impedance switch (using a TS or TRS cable) very weird compared to a switch on the device itself.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

As a player I find that kind of impedance switch (using a TS or TRS cable) very weird compared to a switch on the device itself.

It is, but since that was a later modification (AFAIK), that was a way to do it without designing a new board and changing the front or back plate for a switch. And not that complicated to use with a different cable.

BTW, I would either use a short cable or modify a mono cable with a stereo plug on one side with the ring unconnected. That way there is less risk to get noise into the open ring cable. But if a TRD cable works well without noise, why do the cable mod then.

 

[scottcharles]

Output is 300 Ohm or 600 Ohm...
10x that would be 3000 Ohm or 6000 Ohm (3kOhm, or 6 kOhm).

The input options are 1 Mega-Ohm (1 million Ohms) or 10 Mega-Ohms (10 Million Ohms).

Even the 1 MOhm input is 1670 times the 600 Ohm output. If as you write, 10x is good, does going from 1670x to 16700x (10MOhm) matter?

It's ok, I think it was a simple mis-read of Ohms vs kOhms.

About this part..
"• Input impedance: 1MΩ if using a standard mono plug, 10MΩ if using a TRS plug with RING unconnected"

Is it common to have a TRS cable with the Ring unconnected? Where did you get such a cable? How much difference does it make? Or is it a regular TRS cable, the ring being unconnected as there is nothing in the p/u to connect with it?

Thanks for clarifying and reading more closely than I did. That makes sense, and clearly the TD-AMP choice of input won’t make a large difference as seems to follow my experience.

Using the TRS does make a noticeable difference with certain piezos and the TD in my experience, though it is not night and day. I would be more concerned about it in a recording situation with tone dexter. They are not super common, I had a nice red one specially made, along with a red Y cable for the effects loop. though there are ready made options out there. I also have some 3.5-1/4in floating ring cables that I use for interface and synths too but that’s a different thing all together I believe, the TD TRS seems to be just a way to flip a switch.