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Cutting down around 50 - 60hz

jd_watt

jd_watt

Mar 22, 2013
378
27
#1
Hi All,

Looking for a quick, experienced answer. Is it common to cut frequencies on the bass below 100 or 80hz? I'm thinking of significant cuts - just keeping the bass around 100hz and up?

I know every situation, band, and room are different. I'm just looking for generalities. Does it improve a mix and/or kick/bass relationship? Thanks!
 
#2
I think there times when this is called for. Fdeck makes a box to do this and it can help protect your cab from potentially damaging lows and allow you to run more watts to the cab. I've heard that many amp manufacturers will do this in the preamp. I typically cut some lows when mixing to make room for the kick drum.
 
#3
zac2944 said:
I think there times when this is called for. Fdeck makes a box to do this and it can help protect your cab from potentially damaging lows and allow you to run more watts to the cab. I've heard that many amp manufacturers will do this in the preamp. I typically cut some lows when mixing to make room for the kick drum.
Click to expand...

That is for upright bass, to help control the mess of frequencies below 35HZ that is created by piezo contact p/u on acoustic instruments. It can also help taming the low end on an amplified upright.

On a solid body electric bass with magnetic p/u, to me that is not needed as a general start point.
 
#5
There is a version of the fdeck HPF that is fixed, but his latest version has an adjustable freq.

I'm seeing a growing contigency (via posts on Talkbass) of DB & BG players who use more of a full-range cabinet (Fearful for example) who are pairing their preamps with an fdeck HPF. Some amps don't naturally roll off sub-frequencies, in other cases, especially if you have PA support, having a simple HPF allows for very controlled roll off of un-needed freq on stage without having to do it on your preamp, where the Q might not be as steep, and you are also effecting freq you might not want to.
 
#7
Rolling off below about 80 HZ definitely will improve the kick drum/bass relationship. How much really depends on the tone of the Kick drum. The more boomy the kick is, the more the bass needs to be rolled off. The sharper the kick the less bass roll off. IMO and experience.
 
#8
Thanks, guys. Those tips give me some good stuff to experiment with. I've played a few gigs recently where there really wasn't a sound man at all. Id really like to help my band to acheive the best sound possible, particularly in the low end - of course!
 
#10
i just scored an older PLX 3002 amp, with the high-pass filter DIP switches on the back.

first gig, i assumed that i didn't need anything below 50Hz on my rock P-bass into my LDS 15 cabs, and set the filter at 50; it was loud, but empty, and boosting the bass on my sansamp didn't help :(

second gig, set it for 30Hz cut-off, and that's just right! still deep and full (and freaking loud if i want), but doesn't tax the speakers and doesn't flood the rest of the stage with rumble like my previous amp with no low filters did.

i don't know how sharp that low-cut filter is, if it really only kills 30Hz and below, but i like it.
 
#12
walterw said:
i just scored an older PLX 3002 amp, with the high-pass filter DIP switches on the back.

first gig, i assumed that i didn't need anything below 50Hz on my rock P-bass into my LDS 15 cabs, and set the filter at 50; it was loud, but empty, and boosting the bass on my sansamp didn't help :(

second gig, set it for 30Hz cut-off, and that's just right! still deep and full (and freaking loud if i want), but doesn't tax the speakers and doesn't flood the rest of the stage with rumble like my previous amp with no low filters did.

i don't know how sharp that low-cut filter is, if it really only kills 30Hz and below, but i like it.
Click to expand...

That's been my experience w/ an XLS1500 and RPM. 50 hz HPF kills my low end presence so I use the bypass mode. Goes against conventional wisdom but it works and I think I know why:

*RPM has, by design, a roll-off below 80 hz.

*Both of my favorite cabs, Acme B2 and LDS, are ported and require the full range to complement the tuning characteristics.

Riis
 
#16
I also use an Fdeck HPF pre. The key utility is removing subsonic bass signals that cannot be reproduced by the speakers. As I understand it, the speakers are flapping harder to reproduce sound you can't hear, which degrades their overall performance. Cleaning out the sub-35 Hz (and sometimes higher) makes them work more efficiently and produce better overall tone. That's especially useful with cabs I have with an 8 inch driver. But it also works with larger drivers.

I always keep the Fdeck in my chain. "Don't leave home without it!"

Might also help segment some space between the kick drum and the bass.
 
#18
i generall cut everything below 65hz and lower, but im thinking about throwing some back in to see what I get soundwite. the vnue that our band frequents used to go direct from my sansamp but now they mic the cabs so I feel like maybe throwing in some lower freqs. will myable help fill out the sound? idk though
 
#20
I had to deal with this last night. Long, tall, hard room. I didn't think to cut lows at the amp, grabbed my active bass and rode the bass boost/cut to try to get enough volume to be heard. Ended up with pretty much a Guns N Roses clank tone all night. Thanks for the info!
 

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