Eden Navigator into GK MB800

[red_rhino]

A few years ago, I downsized my rig from an Eden Navigator / QSC PLX-1602 rack to a simple GK MB800. Love the GK. Since then, the Navigator has been sitting unused in my music room. Well I recently decided to sell the Nav and listed it in the TB classifieds.

I wanted to make sure the Nav was in good working order, but the QSC has been re-tasked for other things and I didn’t want to change dip switch settings, etc. So instead, I decided to run the output of the Nav into the power section of the MB800. It sounded great! I dialed in a bit of the Nav’s onboard compression and tweaked the EQ just a bit and it sounds amazing. Different from the GK by itself (which I still love), but warmer with a touch more low-end punch. I pulled the ad.

So I found myself thinking that maybe I should find a nice, light 1U class D power amp to rack with the NAV, or maybe a Crown XLS @ 2U. Then it occurred to me that if I like the way the NAV/GK sounds, maybe I should just rack them together. It would make for a light rack (9 lbs + 6 lbs), I would potentially have both sounds available (depending on what cabling and switching options I can come up with), and I could always pull the GK whenever I wanted to go with an extra small footprint. Seems pretty darn flexible.

Just sharing.

-Alan

 

[Mystic Michael]

Sounds like a plan.

If you dig what the MB800 power section is giving you, bear in mind that you might find a close tonal match in a one-space Class D power amp...or you might not. GK is one of those manufacturers that has invested some serious R&D resources into developing its power module(s), rather than putting all its R&D into developing the preamp, then buying something off the shelf to provide the power. So the MB800 performance won't necessarily be widely replicated among the existing power amp options.

I can see no down side to using the dual-option rig that you suggested, but some attractive up sides to it. Go forth and rock, Grasshopper.

MM

 

[red_rhino]

If you dig what the MB800 power section is giving you, bear in mind that you might find a close tonal match in a one-space Class D power amp...or you might not.

Pretty much my thinking as well. It was the "might not" part that made me consider just racking the GK with the NAV. And even if I did like another power amp just as much, it would be needless duplication.

Thinking about picking up some rack ears for the GK, but now I'm wondering if I can come up with some sort of slide mount arrangement to make racking/unracking easier. (Never underestimate the ingenuity of laziness. )

 

[MuthaFunk]

You can get a two space drawer for a rack and just velcro the MB800 in there.

As far as I know, the GK doesn't have any specific engineered power module. It's the same module that's used in the 900 Watt Genz heads, and the 500 W Aguilar. GK does have it's own specifically engineered limiter that is pre power module and post effects return so that will impart it's own character to the sound even when using the nav.

 

[red_rhino]

So now I've gone and patched from the send of the GK effects loop to the input of the Eden, and then back to the GK right after the Eden compressor; a GK MB800 using an Eden onboard compressor. Again, sounds really good; the compressor adds a lot of flexibility to the GK sound. Seems like a long way to go if it was just getting a compressor into the chain; I'm sure there are more direct and simpler solutions. But the ability to utilize various aspects of each preamp has been entertaining. Now I'm considering cabling & switching solutions that would allow me to use either configuration on-the-fly. Inputs and levels need to be adjusted, but so far, getting a sound I like from each has been pretty intuitive.

Anyone have recommendations for patch bays, switchers, and the like?

-Alan

 

[MuthaFunk]

It's cumbersome but the Boss LS-2 is a very handy piece of equipment for the $$ and as far as I can tell, it's perfectly transparent sonically.

You could take your bass into the LS-2 Input and the A Output to the Eden input and send back, B Output to the GK input and send back, LS-2 Output to the GK Effects Return. Set the pedal for A<->B and enjoy!

I've read that someone once converted an LS-2 to a single rack space for just such a setup. I think it was Putnam who did the work but can't really remember.

 

[red_rhino]

You could take your bass into the LS-2 Input and the A Output to the Eden input and send back, B Output to the GK input and send back, LS-2 Output to the GK Effects Return. Set the pedal for A<->B and enjoy!

I think that routing would allow me to switch between the Eden and GK preamps, both using the GK power module. Not sure if there's a way to get the Eden comp into the GK pre signal chain that way. Good suggestion, though. That seems like a good place to start, especially if I end up having to build something myself.

 

[MuthaFunk]

So what are you looking for? You want the Eden compressor into the GK and just the straight GK sound?

Depending on how the GK's return is wired it may just be a A/B=Y switch. Bass into Y. A to the Eden input out to the GK effects return, and B to the GK input.

 

[Eric Moesle]

The Boss LS2 is NOT transparent, it cuts lows..... I used to use one but ran from it as soon as I noticed the difference with it out of my chain.