Do you prefer passive tone or hi cut with active EQ?

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

So....what´s the best buffer for metal??

Ok now seriously. There are active guitars too and I think KJung explained it good enough.

 

[mjmeche]

I would strongly disagree with some of this. An active circuit buffers the signal, resulting in, for many, and improvement with any pickup used. It widens the frequency response a bit (resulting in a deeper low end and more extended top end, with a more relaxed mid response), it eliminates (for the most part) difference in speaker cable capacitance, and as a bonus, it gives you a touch of additional control over EQ without going back to your amp.

Sadowsky, Fodera, and many other top line manufacturer's/luthiers do it right.... a high quality preamp, high quality pickups, a classic passive tone control, and the ability to bypass the preamp for traditional passive operation. With a passive tone control and a bypass switch (like on the Pope pre, the Sadowsky pre, the Nordstrand pre), there is literally no downside to having this capability, since when bypassed, it is literally like the preamp isn't there.

That being said, if you ALWAYs prefer the passive tone (like I do with my P Bass), then the downside would be a waste of money!

This , I have fat stacks , mike pope Pre wired act/pass also passive tone and single coil tap. Depends on song and what tone I want. When I first installed pu's and Pre. I was amazed at the sound now I an more familiar with system I find myself making adjustments. Be active with bass low/hi mid treb /single coil or passive bucker or single coil. With passive tone available always.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Passive sits in the mix so well for tracking. So I decided to stick with passive basses.

My job requires speed. I need to get the tone to fit the song fast so I can do as many songs as I have sent over that day.

BUT, I also own a tonehammer and other active pres so I have the flexibility. Certain genres really shine with an active bass tone.

I like both..keeping my basses passive and then running through active pres. It is incredibly flexible. Of course, I am not a bass collector, so I only have 2 basses.

 

[darkstorm]

I dont conicder either of those good choices. Id rather have active 2-3 band active eq with both boost and cut and center flat detent.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

+1 The way I conceptualize the difference is that a passive tone control acts more like a lo pass filter. In other words, it kind of cuts a CONSTANT AMOUNT of LOWER AND LOWER frequencies the more you turn it up.

Not really. A passive tone control cuts at a single frequency, dependent on the value of the tone cap combined with the inductance of the pickup. They form a 2nd order resonant low pass filter. But the frequency does not change, just as it does not change with an active treble shelving filter.

If you have a two pickup bass, and combine both pickups in parallel, you will hear the cut off frequency of the passive tone control raise. If you switch them into series, it will lower. You can hear the same affect with a humbucker with series/parallel switching.

The other thing about a passive tone control is from 10 to about 5, the cap is not really doing much in the circuit. The reason is that the impedance of the cap in the range of the resonance is a lot less than the pot value. So you are just getting resistive loading.

Once the control is at zero, you get a small resonant boost. This is something that active controls don't do.

If you have an active treble control voiced at a low enough frequency, it will sound very similar to a passive tone control. But many people like having the active treble boost at a higher frequency. This is possible with certain active tone circuits though.

I find though that I can get all the passive type tones I need with my 2 band preamp by boosting the lows and cutting the highs for those types of tones. If I want a brighter more modern tone, I boost the highs.

 

[KJung]

Not really. A passive tone control cuts at a single frequency, dependent on the value of the tone cap combined with the inductance of the pickup. They form a 2nd order resonant low pass filter. But the frequency does not change, just as it does not change with an active treble shelving filter.

If you have a two pickup bass, and combine both pickups in parallel, you will hear the cut off frequency of the passive tone control raise. If you switch them into series, it will lower. You can hear the same affect with a humbucker with series/parallel switching.

The other thing about a passive tone control is from 10 to about 5, the cap is not really doing much in the circuit. The reason is that the impedance of the cap in the range of the resonance is a lot less than the pot value. So you are just getting resistive loading.

Once the control is at zero, you get a small resonant boost. This is something that active controls don't do.

If you have an active treble control voiced at a low enough frequency, it will sound very similar to a passive tone control. But many people like having the active treble boost at a higher frequency. This is possible with certain active tone circuits though.

I find though that I can get all the passive type tones I need with my 2 band preamp by boosting the lows and cutting the highs for those types of tones. If I want a brighter more modern tone, I boost the highs.

Interesting. I guess it is all the interactive stuff you mention that results in the ear hearing a gradual lowering of the frequencies impacted as you turn the knob.... Very gentle impact and very useful to just take the edge off the upper treble sizzle through nothing but dub left when all the way off.

It is pretty much the only control I use during a gig.

 

[smeet]

Yeah, that interesting. I also hear it as lowering the cutoff frequency. While it might not be doing that, it seems that perceptually it has that effect, at least more than the active treble controls I've tried.

And at least on a Precision, I find the passive tone to have a huge and complex-seeming effect on the tone that would be difficult to duplicate with a 2 or 3 band active eq.

Speaking of which Ken, I have an ash/maple vP5 on its way to me as we speak, just cuz I wanna be like you!

 

[Biggbass]

I prefer having the option. I use passive most of the time but there have been some venues I've played where the active EQ was a must have to achieve clarity of note out front.

 

[KJung]

Yeah, that interesting. I also hear it as lowering the cutoff frequency. While it might not be doing that, it seems that perceptually it has that effect, at least more than the active treble controls I've tried.

And at least on a Precision, I find the passive tone to have a huge and complex-seeming effect on the tone that would be difficult to duplicate with a 2 or 3 band active eq.

Speaking of which Ken, I have an ash/maple vP5 on its way to me as we speak, just cuz I wanna be like you!

I hope you dig it. I continue to just love mine.

+1, especially on the P Bass, that control seems to do a LOT. The post above seems to indicate that (lots of interaction with pickups, etc. Interesting stuff. Definitely not anything like an active shelving control to my ear. Whatever it is doing, I find it quite useful, especially on the P Bass... going from total old school thud to 'articulate pop P tone' to full out 'Ready Freddie Washington' splanky slap and pop!

 

[Barcza]

You are mistaken on at least one point: Audere can in fact provide you with a Jazz plate onboard preamp that includes a passive tone control. You would simply need to configure it during the ordering process. Done.

MM

On the Audere's site, I just see passive tone with four knob version, ( must modify to side jack ), I asked in email few years ago, can they make a custom three knob version with passive knob, but they didn't aswer.

 

[Rusty G String]

I just made my Ibby SRX300 strictly passive. It had passive p/u's with a 2 band active eq. I removed the eq and now have just volume and blend. I always left my eq flat and just used the blend to change tone and other adjustments at the amp, which is usually just the initial setup for venue. Too many knobs and I can't find a tone I like. I need to keep it simple.

 

[JimmyM]

I like both. Who says you have to make a choice? I'm just as apt to bust out a bass with EMG's and a 3 band pre on it as my Precisions. It's not brain surgery to operate those pres. Just got to remember what the knobs do.

 

[Munjibunga]

I am coming to be of the opinion that onboard preamps are pointless. A tone knob is all that is needed.

LOL.

 

[Rusty G String]

My main gig bass is an SR500. I leave the 3 band eq flat and set from my amp. We play rock and classic rock and that's fine. But if I ever got in a jazz band where the bass is more distinct, I like knowing the preamp will be there to fine tune my sound. I still just prefer a passive bass, though.

 

[DaveyM69]

Both together.

There is no reason (apart from possibly lots of knobs and restricted control cavity space) why a fully featured passive setup can't then be fed into a preamp to give both available in active mode.

My main bass has VBT passive feeding a Bartolini 5.4A/P (Treble, Mid with 3 frequencies selectable and Bass). I'm waiting for a few parts to arrive, then I'll also have coil switching, pickup series/parallel and selectable passive tone frequency too - all on 6 knobs and one toggle.

 

[Barcza]

I talking about a '74 Fender Jazz Bass, with 3 knob and a tight cavity. If I have space, I would go for Sadowsky preamp with VTC, but I have no space....

 

[joelb79]

Not the same. I like to have both, but given the choice, I gotta go with passive tone.

+1 which is my current setup in my active bass. EMG BTC with EMG VOL-VOL-Tone setup. Love it.