• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Dem + QSC + Schroeder = One heart-throbbing bass system!

#21
After over a year's worth of minor tweaks here and there to my system, I'm really, really happy with my tone at this point.

Tweakage:

* EQ fine-tuning (SR5 & Dem 201S preamp: think I have this nailed down -- only adjustments should be for room acoustics and the condition of the strings I have on my bass)
* Re-tubing my Dem with Jan Philips 12AX7WA tubes
* Adjusted the internal trim-pot on my Dem
* Tried various setting on my PLX power amp (clip limiter, filters, stereo or parallel settings while in bridge mode)
* I like DR Low-Rider strings, I tried a nickel plated set and like them better than the stainless steels
* Tried various positions of the angled baffle with my cab -- settled on horizontal
* Plugged the 0.25 inch jacks in the back of the cab with earplugs

Pretty much, the only things I would still like to try are:

* Fender Roscoe Beck V bass guitar (into a good outboard pre -- John East, Fodera, or Sadowsky)
* Telefunken & Mullard preamp tubes
* Crown MA2402 power amp (or a Lab.Gruppen fP series amp)
* Millennia TD-1 preamp/DI

So, I'm not totally GAS-free, but I am VERY happy with my current tone (I think it has come a long way).
 
#23
anyonefortennis said:
I been gassing for an HT322 for a while but you are kinda changing my views here.

As far as killing the gas, I'd love to hear your set up but with the Dem Tube Power amp instead of the QSC. :bassist:
Click to expand...
I make no bones about it: the HT322 is a fantastic cabinet.

With a different bass or different power amp, I might have stuck with it, I don't know (I do know I can hear myself better on stage with the Schroeder).

At this level of quality, it's all just a matter of personal tastes and there's no bad choices.

Some have heard the Schroeders & prefer the Bergantinos & some prefer the Schroeders.

I've heard some really good things about the Demeter power amp.
 
#24
SMASH said:
:confused:
Click to expand...

Normal position where angled baffle is angled to the left of where the cab is facing.


Been meaning to try this. Gonna have to get someone to plug/unplug the holes while playing at proper volume. Is that how you did it?
Click to expand...
No. I just plugged them before a practice -- I think the cab sounds a little tighter, but it's a subtle difference (if any).



Awesome bass. Doesn't need a preamp - you'll be amazed what a passive bass can really do - but if you do go for one IMO the East is too coloured even when set flat so IMO/IME it's a much better match for a bass with weak tone (that's assuming it's the same as the onboard, which I've read it is). By contrast the Sadowsky is benign and can be completely flat so it's better suited to a bass that already has a big rich tone. Never tried the Fodera.
Click to expand...
That's good to know. Your's sure sounded good on those sound clips you posted.
 
#26
lo-freq:

Thanks for the thread, I stumbled onto it researching power amps and it was good reading. I do have a quick question:

In the pictures in your first post, I notice that the QSC is mounting +1 rack space from the bottom, with a plate on the bottom rack space. I was just wondering if there's any particular reason for this. I know that with my SM-900 SWR makes a point in the manual to recommend mounting the SM-900 at the very bottom of your rack whenever possible (for support reasons), so i'm just curious about how you have yours setup (I wonder if that bottom 'plate' is actually much more than just a plate :). Thanks,

John
 
#28
I am interested in checking out one of these Schroeders.
Does anyone have one I can check out near NYC (no auto). I noticed Mr. Hart has kindly offered but I don't know how easy it would be to get to his place without a car........

BTW what's with the ultra-negative review by Bill Price on BGRA for the 1210? Is this guy legit?
 
#29
jnprather said:
lo-freq:

Thanks for the thread, I stumbled onto it researching power amps and it was good reading. I do have a quick question:

In the pictures in your first post, I notice that the QSC is mounting +1 rack space from the bottom, with a plate on the bottom rack space. I was just wondering if there's any particular reason for this. I know that with my SM-900 SWR makes a point in the manual to recommend mounting the SM-900 at the very bottom of your rack whenever possible (for support reasons), so i'm just curious about how you have yours setup (I wonder if that bottom 'plate' is actually much more than just a plate :). Thanks,

John
Click to expand...
The Gator thing at the bottom isn't covering a rack space. It's just part of their design that they use as a label.

I have the PLX at the bottom with the Dem right on top because the Dem's vents are on top of the preamp.
 
#30
SMASH said:
I'm having trouble getting the tone of this post to be clearly discussive and jovial vs. crabby or talking down. It's meant to be just thinking out loud and riffing off what you wrote/asked. ...

I'll first reiterate what I said : "IMO the East is too coloured even when set flat so IMO/IME it's a much better match for a bass with weak tone."

Also IMO, Just because a great luthier does something does not mean it has merit or is better than other options. Some great luthiers don't even play bass, much less have any relevant technical know-how to judge electronics, including the greatest - Leo Fender. And some, even againt their own better judgement or preference perhaps, will include whatever the customer wants or is the flavour-of-the-day. That's good business and just an observation, not a condemnation.

To actually answer your question, I've had his preamps on two J basses (a Fender '74 and homemade recent one) and a Fender P bass. The merits of his preamps are widely known and I found a lot to like about them. What bothered me was that they're extremely coloured even when set "flat". So, if your bass already has a rich tone even when set flat the preamp will make it that much thicker and once you play at gigging volume and the lows really bloom and soon you're twiddling knobs to compensate, or you've got to back off on the tone knobs on your amp to start with, etc. Some will totally dig that - to each their own, but to me that ain't versatile, to sort-of start off tonally painted into a corner. And I dig rich tones.

Still, I found I preferred my basses passive. The problem then was that the passive switch isn't "true bypass" and was weak sounding compared to removing the preamp and being truly passive. Apparently the passive switch is meant as a "get out of trouble if the battery dies" and not really to be used as a tonal option. That's from the maker, after I asked why the passive tone was weak on my basses. He said some pickups just don't match up well impedance-wise on the passive side and I guess that was my case, though mine were stock Fender p'ups. Others might dig their passive sound of course. Maybe I would have too, or would have thought I 'needed' the preamp, had I never heard the bass truly passive.

Bottom line, I think it's great at home but too much live .. but again it depends on the bass, strings, volumes you're playing, cabs, etc. I regard it more like a SansAmp or "bass boost" gimmicks which are awesome if something in your chain needs to be compensated for or you're at low volumes, but somewhat useless or even negatives (IMO!) if you've got great gear that can do the job.
Click to expand...
Thanks Smash!
 
#32
VintageBT6Lover said:
BTW what's with the ultra-negative review by Bill Price on BGRA for the 1210? Is this guy legit?
Click to expand...

I don't know, each to his own I suppose. Mines FULL of yummy tone goodness and more punch than i'd ever need (my band always give me sarcastic crap, saying things like 'Make sure it's got that punchy tone eh!' when i'm setting up :rolleyes: ).

And (I do know that this review is from '04) but I think it'd be safe to say that it's more than just hype on TB, seens that it's been over a year now and still the schroeder thread grows.

My tweeter is sweet and noiseless. Crisp, but not harsh. I still get zing if I want it (not hot hot sizzle, but crisp enough) and i'm going through an all tube amp!
 
#34
chaosMK said:
What type of music do you play lo-freq?
Click to expand...
Since I've had the Schroeder 410, I've been in a straight-up rock band (50% original -- somewhat like Dokken, but very unique, 3 Doors Down, a fair bit of classic rock and just a little country-rock: other members had a Marshall 100W half stack, a Blue Voodoo 120W half stack, and a very hard hitting drummer); an eclectic band that does some funk, R&B, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Ian Moore, SRV, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Santana, Clapton, etc.: Fender Hot Rod DeVille 212, 1960's Fender Deluxe Reverb, a versatile drummer that can hit hard, but usually doesn't; and a 'mostly' top 40 Country band: 2 guitars, keyboard, and a loud drummer.

With the first two bands, I've played a total of 4 outdoor gigs & some medium sized clubs and I've never needed a PA.
 
#35
VintageBT6Lover said:
...

BTW what's with the ultra-negative review by Bill Price on BGRA for the 1210? Is this guy legit?
Click to expand...
I'm thinking that post was a blivit.

None of his comments matches anyone else's experience (even people who have said that the Schroeders are not their 'cup-o-tea').

He's either crazy or someone deliberately trying to torpedo Jorg.

[I actually emailed BGRA and asked them to check the guy out or pull the review -- no response.]
 
#36
pablomigraine said:
Lucky man you are. My setup right now:

MM SR5 - BBE Bmax T - Crest LT 1000 - Schroeder 410

Beats the hell out of everything else. Still not happy with me eq tho.... still hunting for that sound in my brain......
Click to expand...
I've been wanting to try a BMax-T.

Have you tried EQing at your SR5?

I cut my bass' treble a fair bit.

I usually only boost the bass control just a little -- I'm thinking with the BMax pre's you might need to use a little cut (depending on the room).

Experiment with the 'T''s para-mid control; you might find a sweet spot to do some boosting that will give you some higher-mid juice and cut.
[I have my Dem 201S's mid control maxed out, but I think that's only 6dB or so.]

Good Luck!
 
#37
lo-freq said:
I'm thinking that post was a blivit.

None of his comments matches anyone else's experience (even people who have said that the Schroeders are not their 'cup-o-tea').

He's either crazy or someone deliberately trying to torpedo Jorg.

[I actually emailed BGRA and asked them to check the guy out or pull the review -- no response.]
Click to expand...

The response was that BGRA did some checking.

I can only speak as a review editor and not on behalf of BGRA, but here is what I recall about this:

The post is legit. BGRA checked it out and found it to be one
individual's sincere opinion. We don't always agree. Different
strokes for different folks. Each individual must come to their
own conclusions on gear by using their own ears. :eyebrow:

Gear reviews are opinion. We fact check as best we can for
outright errors, and try to clean up formatting, and at times,
fix spelling and grammar. We don't change opinions, but may
edit offensive language. :cool:
 
#38
nice reviews man

do yourself a favor and get some mesa castors for that cabinet, the knd that can be removed easily. makes transportation a dream.

i definetly afree with puttint TONNES of power into the schroe 410. i got my ca9 bridged into my 410 and i love it

e
 
#39
I've never tried the 410, but I've heard lots of good things about it. I drive two 21012s (one is a regular and one is a light) with a Crest CA9 and they sound great from very low volume all the way up to as loud as I dare make them and not risk bringing the house down.

I am well-pleased!;)
 
#40
popinfresh said:
I don't know, each to his own I suppose. Mines FULL of yummy tone goodness and more punch than i'd ever need (my band always give me sarcastic crap, saying things like 'Make sure it's got that punchy tone eh!' when i'm setting up :rolleyes: ).

And (I do know that this review is from '04) but I think it'd be safe to say that it's more than just hype on TB, seens that it's been over a year now and still the schroeder thread grows.

My tweeter is sweet and noiseless. Crisp, but not harsh. I still get zing if I want it (not hot hot sizzle, but crisp enough) and i'm going through an all tube amp!
Click to expand...
I can understand the 1210 not being for everyone. I tried one after owning a 21012 for several months and while certainly didn't hate it, I much preferred the sound of the 21012, so I bought a 21012 light. I find the 21012 to behave better in the mid range and I love the extended lows that it has. But that is just me and my sound, and could very well have a lot to do with my tube preamp and the axes I am playing. I also find the highs to be very sweet and not sizzly at all with the horn on about 2 o'clock (60 degrees).
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back