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dbx 286A for bass guitar?

#2
Unfortunately you can't plug a bass straight in, you'd need a DI box between them. The 1/4" input is for line level gear. Also, the gate, expander, and de-esser would not be very useful for most bassists, so that's sort of a waste.

If you search on "channel strip" here and in the catalogs of Sweetwater/MF/other gear retailers, you'll find a lot more options that may be better suited to bass, with an instrument input on the front panel and more useful functions.
 
#3
link wray said:
Has anyone tried the DBX 286A for bass? - i want a preamp-poweramp config but the dedicated bass preamps all are either too expensive, are not rackmountable, or lack other things i like. I dont really use EQ anyway, and the compression of the DBX is always good. Anyone ever tried this?

dbx 286A
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I just plugged my passive p-bass into the line input- works fine- I did have the output going into a line mixer and into my studio power amp however- so I plugged it directly from the dbx out into the power amp- bypassing the mixer- - a few gain adjustments and it sounds frekin great! At least through studios monitors- Old - but refurbished Urei 809's - Between the gain controls and the enhancer settings it's a very usable sound. Fiddlin with the gain and drive/ density settings gives a bit of hair-like tube sound. I might take this on a gig and see how it goes. I'll use the DI on my GK MB200 for the house feed. Fyi- the MB200 is a great amp- I use it live in a Kansas Tribute Band called Know Return and it's plenty powerful -with a good cab. I built mine with an Eminence 12 and a horn - kind-of a poor mans takeoff on the Audio Kinesis design using a stock Parts Express x-over.
It hauls ass!)
 

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