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Club Sadowsky!!!

#42,801
I would like Club Sadowsky thoughts...
I've been feeling guilty that I've been using the passive mode so much on my Metro RV4 that's almost a year old. Basically, I feel I'm not fully utilizing the fantastic active electronics. Maybe it's the style I'm playing--lots of Classic Rock, and the passive mode is handling it beautifully . But I definitely need to tinker with things more on the active side.
 
#42,802
drlndrve said:
I would like Club Sadowsky thoughts...
I've been feeling guilty that I've been using the passive mode so much on my Metro RV4 that's almost a year old. Basically, I feel I'm not fully utilizing the fantastic active electronics. Maybe it's the style I'm playing--lots of Classic Rock, and the passive mode is handling it beautifully . But I definitely need to tinker with things more on the active side.
Click to expand...

Just start with the preamp flat.....your tone should be almost the same....and then experiment with some selective boosting.
 
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#42,803
Sadowsky said:
Just start with the preamp flat.....your tone should be almost the same....and then experiment with some selective boosting.
Click to expand...

IME, if you perceive the tone to be a bit brighter in active mode as opposed to passive, it's because the pre buffers your line to the amp; the cable capacitance doesn't diminish the highs at all. Just roll a bit off the VTC, and you'll be good.
 
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#42,805
Ewo said:
IME, if you perceive the tone to be a bit brighter in active mode as opposed to passive, it's because the pre buffers your line to the amp; the cable capacitance doesn't diminish the highs at all. Just roll a bit off the VTC, and you'll be good.
Click to expand...

Somewhere I heard/read that a passive tone control (such as the VTC) changes output impedance of an active bass so that it's somewhat closer (???) to passive than active, and therefore somewhat affected (???) by cable capacitance. My Sadowsky P5 did seem brighter through my rig when I was using a wireless than when using a 20 foot cable.

So, question to the experts: am I posting truth, half-truth, or urban legend?
 
#42,807
Fuzzbass said:
Somewhere I heard/read that a passive tone control (such as the VTC) changes output impedance of an active bass so that it's somewhat closer (???) to passive than active, and therefore somewhat affected (???) by cable capacitance. My Sadowsky P5 did seem brighter through my rig when I was using a wireless than when using a 20 foot cable.

So, question to the experts: am I posting truth, half-truth, or urban legend?
Click to expand...

From my perspective, there should be no truth to this. If your output is active, you should not affected by cable capacitance. But everything in the chain affects everything else......so as the old statement goes, "All Constants Are Variable!"
 
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#42,810
Agree with Roger that there are a lot of variables going on.

My main current gig has gone ampless; and I am finding that signal chain to be much more similar to what happens in the studio. Plus, pedals get involved; and at least some of the pedals don't behave very well with a high amplitude signal going into them. I agree with other comments that passive outputs work really well with that kind of signal chain. OTOH, I am getting VERY great results in active mode dialing the volume and band gains back a good bit. So, the active circuit still works, even though it kind of feels like driving a Ferrari around in first gear in a 25 mph zone much of the time.

In any case the bass doesn't exist independent of signal chain. The behavior and results are relative. My $0.019.
 
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#42,811
Ewo said:
IANA tech, so this is just me, spitballing...

Wouldn't be surprised if the wireless ran some companding (compression/expansion) on your signal, or even added a touch of boost to the high mids.
Click to expand...

I had an X2 wireless. You could be right about the companding, I have no idea (IANA tech either), however the X2 unit actually had a hi-cut switch -- reason being, wireless connections are not subject to wire capacitance. Of course the switch was primarily there for passive instruments that suddenly became brighter via wireless. With my Sadowsky, the only difference I noticed was in the high-highs, when I was using a tweetered cab. But I could well have imagined it. Or, maybe I what I observed happened with one of my passive basses and not my Sadowsky.

Anyway, thanks to Roger for the correction. :thumbsup:
 
#42,814
drlndrve said:
I would like Club Sadowsky thoughts...
I've been feeling guilty that I've been using the passive mode so much on my Metro RV4 that's almost a year old. Basically, I feel I'm not fully utilizing the fantastic active electronics. Maybe it's the style I'm playing--lots of Classic Rock, and the passive mode is handling it beautifully . But I definitely need to tinker with things more on the active side.
Click to expand...

I have been doing the same with my RV5 - just passive with the tone control. I am sort of old school, and the RV5 is just an excellent evolution of a JB type 5-string bass with a good B-string, no dead spots and the HB PUs already give it a modern sound with strong mids. As long as it does what I need, I am happy....
 
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#42,816
Alrighty now, fellow Sadowsky fans! Here's a dose of bass pr0n for yez...



IMG_0295.JPG
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#42,820
This is my retirement treat for myself. Ordered it last October, when I locked in my plans to retire this past May.

Already had a couple high-quality gig bags, so I asked for the new hard case. Pretty cool, I think.

Ash body, morado board, with the super J pickup set. Was aiming for something of a chameleon, as to the ash/maple and alder/rosewood J bass archetypes.

The things is amazeballs light. Will do the bathroom scale thing on it later, but it is _light_.

'Scuse me, whilst I go plug it in...
 
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