I'm gonna try the Ehrlund with Preamp into my Headway tonight and a stupid question arises: where should I set the input impedance on the Headway? hi, hi+ or active? Thanks.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Double Bass Ehrlund and EBD-2 Pre-amp
- Thread starter DB Slidefunk
- Start date
without knowing the Headway, I can tell you that the Ehrlund pre has an input impedance of about 5MOhms, so the highest setting is likely to work best.
best
sidecar
Thanks, Ric for the manual. To answer basgeek's question, the "Hi" setting on the EDB2 would result in a match to the Ehrlund pre's input impedance. It's interesting that the EDB2 manual gives the frequency response spec at 20 kHz and claims that the response of the low-frequency end is dependent upon the "Range" and bass-control positions. That's rather odd. One would think that with the bass-control set at "0," they would want to claim a flat response regardless of where the Range control is set. Hmmmm...
What makes the mystery deepen is your experience, Ric, that the Ehrlund pre in front of the EDB2 makes it sound warmer. Regardless of the frequency response of the EDB2, it's difficult for me to understand why the sound would be altered by inserting what is essentially a flat buffer amp. The only thing I can think of is impedance/loading interactions between the devices. That really shouldn't be an issue between active, line-level devices such as the Ehrlund pre and the EDB2. The only explanation I can offer is that the Ehrlund pre somehow loads the transducer differently than the EDB2. Now, one would think that the load impedance alone would be what essentially controls the response. We don't really know the design of the front end of the Ehrlund pre. In any case, that's where I'd place my bet.
If they were both flat, then one would not sound "warmer." "Warmer" is a function of a frequency-response anomaly, typically a slightly-exaggerated lower midrange. Given two neutral panes of glass, one will not end up coloring the transmitted image.
What makes the mystery deepen is your experience, Ric, that the Ehrlund pre in front of the EDB2 makes it sound warmer. Regardless of the frequency response of the EDB2, it's difficult for me to understand why the sound would be altered by inserting what is essentially a flat buffer amp. The only thing I can think of is impedance/loading interactions between the devices. That really shouldn't be an issue between active, line-level devices such as the Ehrlund pre and the EDB2. The only explanation I can offer is that the Ehrlund pre somehow loads the transducer differently than the EDB2. Now, one would think that the load impedance alone would be what essentially controls the response. We don't really know the design of the front end of the Ehrlund pre. In any case, that's where I'd place my bet.
If they were both flat, then one would not sound "warmer." "Warmer" is a function of a frequency-response anomaly, typically a slightly-exaggerated lower midrange. Given two neutral panes of glass, one will not end up coloring the transmitted image.
Last edited:
Sorry to hear that, yes, they used to much cost less here in the U.S. then they do now. Warmth to me, simply means that the midrange timbre my of bass is pleasing to the ear, without detracting from the treble or bass response. Just my take, the Headway EDB-2 works very well with the Ehrlund EAP provided you have a decent power amplifier.
Ric
Thanks, Ric for the manual. To answer basgeek's question, the "Hi" setting on the EDB2 would result in a match to the Ehrlund pre's input impedance. It's interesting that the EDB2 manual gives the frequency response spec at 20 kHz and claims that the response of the low-frequency end is dependent upon the "Range" and bass-control positions. That's rather odd. One would think that with the bass-control set at "0," they would want to claim a flat response regardless of where the Range control is set. Hmmmm...
What makes the mystery deepen is your experience, Ric, that the Ehrlund pre in front of the EDB2 makes it sound warmer. Regardless of the frequency response of the EDB2, it's difficult for me to understand why the sound would be altered by inserting what is essentially a flat buffer amp. The only thing I can think of is impedance/loading interactions between the devices. That really shouldn't be an issue between active, line-level devices such as the Ehrlund pre and the EDB2. The only explanation I can offer is that the Ehrlund pre somehow loads the transducer differently than the EDB2. Now, one would think that the load impedance alone would be what essentially controls the response. We don't really know the design of the front end of the Ehrlund pre. In any case, that's where I'd place my bet.
If they were both flat, then one would not sound "warmer." "Warmer" is a function of a frequency-response anomaly, typically a slightly-exaggerated lower midrange. Given two neutral panes of glass, one will not end up coloring the transmitted image.
Les,
I think maybe I equating "warmer", with the way the Ehrlund EAP and Ehrlund Pre Amp interact with each other, to provide optimal loading for the pickup. So I'll go with your "bet", which has been spot on before. Interestingly, I've always preferred the "Hi" setting
on the Headway EDB-2 so once again you're right on the money. The difference comes when you compare the tonal palate of the Ehrlund Pre Amp to the Headway EDB-2, both are great, but the Ehrlund Pre is, for lack of a better term "warmer". The only
way that I've discovered to replicate that timbre, is to insert the Ehrlund Pre in front of the Headway EDB-2. Just my experience, others may vary.
Ric
Well, then all of your experience and all we've been able to glean about the electronics seems to align with an explanation based on the loading of the Ehrlund pickup by the Ehrlund pre.
