Darkglass Microtubes 900 Class D Amp

[hintz]

I'm assuming it's one or the other.

I'm not sure how useful it would be for me to switch between them without separate controls for each. I don't typically have my B7JU and VMTU set the same.

That is sorta a compromise isn't it!? I have to mess with mine more to see if I can find a drive setting that I will dig with both, but as of now the deluxe switch is sorta useless because if this!

With the help of my sound tech, we found some cool stuff with the eq settings to quickly transition between rock/metal to slap or more popular tones(it was hard for me to be objective being I was digging all of the settings), and I really wanted to get the low/hi midrange dialed in with all the newer options...

For hard rock/metal he was digging the lo-mid at 500hZ and *cut* to clear up that sorta boxy sound, to quickly transition to a more popular tone he was digging the lo-mid at 250hZ also equally cut to clear up the mud and to boost the bass. I seen to remember him and myself digging on 750hZ for hi-midrange but when I brought it home I noticed it was at 3khz so I will ask him again later today.

I'm gonna actually read the manual while I wait for an appt and after hitting him up and taking notes I will tweak it further at home. Tomorrow I will be making a much better demo with the help of my guitarist who(unlike myself) is a whiz with audio visual and I will possibly delete this other demo as it'll be the sane idea but streamlined (I did it off the cuff), showcasing this amp's versatility since most I've seen are djent based(I will play none of that, not a fan!).

Another note and of no surprise,but my sound tech told me this is literally the best sounding bass amp he has *ever* heard *period*.

I will post my better demo *only* in this thread when its done. I was seriously considering the DSM omnicabsim, but my sound tech and myself agree that it'll be totally unnecessary!!

 

[bassjamn]

That is sorta a compromise isn't it!? I have to mess with mine more to see if I can find a drive setting that I will dig with both, but as of now the deluxe switch is sorta useless because if this!

With the help of my sound tech, we found some cool stuff with the eq settings to quickly transition between rock/metal to slap or more popular tones(it was hard for me to be objective being I was digging all of the settings), and I really wanted to get the low/hi midrange dialed in with all the newer options...
View attachment 1040193
For hard rock/metal he was digging the lo-mid at 500hZ and *cut* to clear up that sorta boxy sound, to quickly transition to a more popular tone he was digging the lo-mid at 250hZ also equally cut to clear up the mud and to boost the bass. I seen to remember him and myself digging on 750hZ for hi-midrange but when I brought it home I noticed it was at 3khz so I will ask him again later today.

I'm gonna actually read the manual while I wait for an appt and after hitting him up and taking notes I will tweak it further at home. Tomorrow I will be making a much better demo with the help of my guitarist who(unlike myself) is a whiz with audio visual and I will possibly delete this other demo as it'll be the sane idea but streamlined (I did it off the cuff), showcasing this amp's versatility since most I've seen are djent based(I will play none of that, not a fan!).

Another note and of no surprise,but my sound tech told me this is literally the best sounding bass amp he has *ever* heard *period*.

I will post my better demo in this thread when its done. I was seriously considering the DSM omnicabsim, but my sound tech and myself agree that it'll be totally unnecessary!!

Good tips on the EQ setting hintz, I also like boosting hi mids at 750 hz
Will try cutting 500 low mids next rehearsal.

On a related question what cab do you guys like so far pairing with your darkglass?
for Rock/metal my bergantino NV412 sounds super cutting, monstrous...but looking for a smaller cab 1x12 or 2x10 to use in my jazz ensemble next
May just have to hold out for Doug to release that compact cab!

 

[Cuzzie]

Barefaced

Any.....

 

[hintz]

Barefaced

Any.....

Barefaced was originally my first choice, but I went fearful being also a flat response cab which are loud n' light. Plus it was awesome building one! Its amazing how little noise comes from this amp!!

 

[NOLA Bass]

I'm in a quandary about a new cab. Currently have the GK NEO 112 II's (2 of them) and the Fender Neo 410 (sounds good with my 100T but that is about it). I always play on the b3k setting of my Darkglass head, so something that really works great with the distortion.

 

[NOLA Bass]

I asked on Sunday and was told the cabs are still in prototype and we're looking at about a year out.

Yeah, October seemed like the earliest in talking with Doug at NAMM, but they are still working on them and sourcing materials, etc. My guess is they won't hit the street until 2018. Granted, that 210 sounded fantastic!

 

[GBass001]

I'm in a quandary about a new cab. Currently have the GK NEO 112 II's (2 of them) and the Fender Neo 410 (sounds good with my 100T but that is about it). I always play on the b3k setting of my Darkglass head, so something that really works great with the distortion.

I'm really liking my F212 & F112 Greenboy Fearless cabs. Believe me with this DG head they are not shy in the low end.. But also love them with distortion. I've used the B3K mainly as my dirt with these boxes and love everything that pedal does with em. Fwiw, my .02, etc.

 

[NOLA Bass]

Bergantino introduced an NV212, which is definitely a possibility. At 60#, it is still a little heavier than I wanted, but I know that should sound great with it and the Fender 100T.

 

[gravesbass]

I am pushing a Mesa PowerHouse 412 or an Aguilar GS412 cab with the Microtubes 900. It handles the bigger cabs fabulous.

 

[Nic.]

Hi. Yes, there is. An amplifier whose output volume control is set at more than shut and less than full, still will produce up to 100% of its maximum output if its input signal is high enough.

I see, so it's like a just-in-case thing so that it doesn't blow if you hit the input too hard?

 

[tombowlus]

We had a great visit at the Darkglass booth at NAMM. The new Alpha-Omega pedal sounds great! I gotta get one!

Here is a video we shot in the booth.

 

[dBerriff]

Hi. Yes, there is. An amplifier whose output volume control is set at more than shut and less than full, still will produce up to 100% of its maximum output if its input signal is high enough.

This would only be true if the preamp output was not voltage limited, and in practice it very much is. The Overload indicator is there to show you when you are hitting the stops, as it were. It is still good practice to reduce the amp max power though because anything can happen during gigs.

 

[Snaxster]

I see, so it's like a just-in-case thing so that it doesn't blow if you hit the input too hard?

My understanding is that an instrument amplifier's output control is a convenience for the human: since the player will tend not to play with such a wide dynamic range that it will risk damaging the speakers with the effect I described, by setting the output control for usable perceived volume, both usable sound and safety are achieved... in typical practice.

This would only be true if the preamp output was not voltage limited, and in practice it very much is. The Overload indicator is there to show you when you are hitting the stops, as it were. It is still good practice to reduce the amp max power though because anything can happen during gigs.

But nothing will save the speakers when by chance the input is high enough to drive the amplifier to make output that will damage them. Not even an overload indicator, since worst case, by the time the human sees it the damage is done. A flaky cable or connection can cause this; it doesn't have to be playing inputs.

As I see this question debated online ad nauseam, I note two main camps of thought: 1. better safe than sorry, so always match amp and cabinet of compatible power ratings, or 2. it's the player's responsibility to listen for speaker distress, so use amps with much higher ratings than your cabinets if you'd like to.

Those who follow 1 never report frying their speakers with their amp, because their amp cannot ever overpower their speakers. But usually neither to those who follow 2, since they are too embarrassed OR since their speakers die over time from gradual fatigue rather than catastrophic failure. When the 2s do admit it, it's always with bravado mixed with a mea culpa in that "bro culture" sort of way.

To each their own. I myself mostly do 1, but also a bit of 2 because it sounds/feels so darn good. But if I were a working musician again, it would be 1 all the way: safety first.

 

[dBerriff]

I don't disagree with the practicalities and mostly do 1 myself. From the electronics point of view though, the master volume control comes before the power amp and buffer - it is there on page 8 of the Microtubes manual.

If the master volume control is passing 10% of the preamp voltage to the power amp then at worst you are going to get 10% of the pre-amp Vmax hitting the power amp. It might be a nasty square wave, but there will still be some throttling back. That is all I was trying to say.

 

[Snaxster]

Question for @Darkglass: Does this amp have a built-in filter for sub-sonics? You know stuff below 35Hz that could get into the signal.

Great question! Yes and no: there aren't any HPF's cutting any low end for that only specific purpose but there are several on the circuit nonetheless as any RC network where the resistor is connected to either rail will be a first order HPF.

So no worries, your speakers are safe given that you use the appropriate power rating yet your sound can be as fat and full of low end as you want.

Doug, I accept your point about safety. But what about efficiency?

Do the implicit first order HPFs in the M900 circuit provide the same kind of optimization as a purpose designed audio HPF? For example, I use and like an sfx micro-Thumpinator; will the M900's circuit obviate my use of such a device with it? Thanks.

 

[Darkglass]

Doug, I accept your point about safety. But what about efficiency?

Do the implicit first order HPFs in the M900 circuit provide the same kind of optimization as a purpose designed audio HPF? For example, I use and like an sfx micro-Thumpinator; will the M900's circuit obviate my use of such a device with it? Thanks.

Hi! The power consumption/RMS output ratio on most class D amps is actually off the charts by push pull standards (tube or solidstate) so efficiency is the least of our problems nowadays.

I am not familiar with the SFX so I cannot comment.
On a personal note, as much as I love knowing every technical aspect of pretty much anything I get my hands on, when it comes to amplifier performance (actual power output and tone) are extremely easy to test.
If your amplifier is loud enough for your needs and the sound is what you want then pseudo technical specs that have a very arguable perceivable benefit are just marketing gimmicks in my opinion.

 

[Darkglass]

Oh and as for speaker safety regarding power output we added some power tweak-ability with the 2Ohm switch: with it on you have approximately 500W at 4 ohms and 350 at 8 so as long as you stay within the power specs of your cabs you should be fine (also by remembering that there is plenty of filtering for subsonic frequencies across the whole preamp circuit).

 

[Snaxster]

Hi! The power consumption/RMS output ratio on most class D amps is actually off the charts by push pull standards (tube or solidstate) so efficiency is the least of our problems nowadays.

I am not familiar with the SFX so I cannot comment.
On a personal note, as much as I love knowing every technical aspect of pretty much anything I get my hands on, when it comes to amplifier performance (actual power output and tone) are extremely easy to test.
If your amplifier is loud enough for your needs and the sound is what you want then pseudo technical specs that have a very arguable perceivable benefit are just marketing gimmicks in my opinion.

Hi Doug. Thanks for your in-depth reply. I should have been more clear: what I meant was speaker efficiency, not amplifier.

As I understand them, the purpose of a bass instrument-oriented HPF is to spare the speakers the burden of low frequencies that are assumed to be 'sub-musical'. For fixed HPF devices the cutoff frequency usually is 30 Hz, below which is a quick, sloped attenuation to zero audio. Others enable a variable cutoff frequency within a small range, again typically starting at 30 Hz.

Here's the one I use. Though I can't see it on my phone now, there should be a nice video at this webpage, showing the decreased speaker excursion with the HPF employed:

Invalid Link Removed

 

[tombowlus]

Here's the one I use. Though I can't see it on my phone now, there should be a nice video at this webpage, showing the decreased speaker excursion with the HPF employed:

Invalid Link Removed

I use the Micro Thumpinator, as well. Great little piece of kit!

 

[Nic.]

This would only be true if the preamp output was not voltage limited, and in practice it very much is. The Overload indicator is there to show you when you are hitting the stops, as it were. It is still good practice to reduce the amp max power though because anything can happen during gigs.

Good point, I totally forgot about the dreaded *POP*. And thanks for all the detailed discussions!