Do you prefer active or passive basses?

[Pet Sounds]

I also have both but personally prefer passives.

 

[Danielkr]

a Stingray and an active cort.
so i voted active ;D

 

[ysand]

Depends on the sound i need.

 

[bassbenj]

OK, but what does that mean? Is the difference something you can quantify, or is it another discussion like tone woods where it's all subjective and there's no real data?

No question all my passive basses have a better sense of humor and the tone has more sheen!

 

[rational baze]

Same again,have both prefer passive

 

[4-string]

Active.

 

[Kobaia]

wow a lot of passive, i would expect active/passive switches would be more relevant and therefor weigh in favor of active basses with that option

 

[pringlw]

what passive basses are aggressive?

Rickys.

 

[pringlw]

I think this whole question depends on the specific bass.

I like Rics, they are passive
I like Stingrays, they are active
I like active Jazz Basses
I like passive Precision Basses

Many many other basses both active and passive that I drool over.

 

[dinogroovie]

Passive. Guess that's why I'm always playing the Ric and the Jazz and looking to sell the Sting Ray.

 

[Fuzzbass]

What's the difference? I know the difference, electrically/electronically, but what's the diff in sound? Many bassists say they prefer one over the other, but what's driving the preference? Does one or the other have more dynamic range, for instance? Or IS there any across-the-board, consistent difference other than the different kinds of EQ available?

The biggest difference: active basses have higher fidelity, in large part because the output is buffered, which means that there's no loss of treble due to capacitance in the instrument cable (I think I said all of that right ).

Passive basses are therefore lower fidelity... but that's not worse or better, it's just different. Many prefer passives because they have a more traditional tone... less "zing" in the treble range translates to "warmth". Also, passives will transmit less hiss, buzz, and fret noise precisely because the highs are attenuated: this can be especially noticeable on a tweetered bass cab.

As usual, there's no right or wrong, only personal preference. Jaco was passive, Marcus is active... it's all good.

 

[number11]

Active pickups, passive EQ.

A la Steinberger.


I find passive basses too much work lve and I'm supposed to be singing, so I don't need teh distraction.

Also there's an active top-end that you can't EQ into a passive bass afterwards. Can't remember why.

 

[Mikio]

Passive are quite comforatble, because they're simple. So they can't fail. I have a 100 dollars bass that's passive and everybody loves the tone, and works for band situations (I don't like the bass that much) and I have a 560 dollars one that's active and nobody cares for.

I think that if you want an active bass, it HAS to be a expensive one in order to work the way it's supposed to (most of the time)

 

[tdub0199]

Passive

 

[zachoff]

wow a lot of passive, i would expect active/passive switches would be more relevant and therefor weigh in favor of active basses with that option

From what I can tell there aren't many basses with an active/passive switch that will still work in passive without a battery. Plus I generally like P basses and there aren't many active Ps.

 

[johnk_10]

From what I can tell there aren't many basses with an active/passive switch that will still work in passive without a battery. Plus I generally like P basses and there aren't many active Ps.

the CIJ jag bass works both ways, but that's the only one i can think of.

 

[zachoff]

the CIJ jag bass works both ways, but that's the only one i can think of.

I'm told the G&L L2000 does as well but yeah... There aren't many.

 

[KingRazor]

I don't care if the pickups are passive or have a built in preamp. What I DON'T like are onboard EQ controls.