I would assume they got the EQ out via the FX Send, which is directly after the EQ stage (see block diagram).
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I would assume they got the EQ out via the FX Send, which is directly after the EQ stage (see block diagram).
Probably so, I can't recall if the headphone out carries the cab sim or not. I would have to research the output specs before diving into such a test to make sure I'm getting a true, unfiltered output.
Doug, these are good questions that have been asked before. And part of the original reason for the Fender Rumble 500 Frequencies Wiki page was to address them. But, alas, I got so far into presenting the curves that I left out a lot of the context! 
Sorry.
I have now added a "Posted here" link to each curve for seeing comments made at the time. They never answer all questions about this very technical subject but, at least it's a bit more background than was previously presented. I hope this helps.
Sorry.I have now added a "Posted here" link to each curve for seeing comments made at the time. They never answer all questions about this very technical subject but, at least it's a bit more background than was previously presented. I hope this helps.
I believe you're right, stingy, that a tone, instead of a bass, was played thru the amp into an o-scope program while turning knobs. More of a "bench test" situation than a bass playing experiment. 
And you're quite correct too, stinger, that the cab sim in the XLR Out & the Headphone Out (yep, it's there, too) does "scoop" the output even more than the "all noon" settings do! In this review I found, and added, a curve I call "Comparison of Output Connections" showing those differences.
And you're quite correct too, stinger, that the cab sim in the XLR Out & the Headphone Out (yep, it's there, too) does "scoop" the output even more than the "all noon" settings do! In this review I found, and added, a curve I call "Comparison of Output Connections" showing those differences.
Correctamundo, sir! In the newly added Credits / Source section a link specifies the FX Send as the source connection. As you correctly saw, the block diagram shows the FX Send is the only output without the "scooping" cab sim.
sting, sir, if you can replicate these curves there may be other questions you could answer! 
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This all has got me thinking of whether something like a tech 21 sansamp should be plugged into the normal input jack (bass>sansamp>rumble input) or into the FX in (bass>sansamp>fx in)?And maybe then headphones should be in the FX out if you want what the sansamp is doing to the tone, especially if blending with the Rumble tone??? Or if you want ro bypass the rumble and use 100% sansamp (100% on blend knob)tone?
I will have to experiment I think
I will have to experiment I think
sting, sir, if you can replicate these curves there may be other questions you could answer!
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Sounds like an interesting test - but alas, my amp spends the majority of its life at my bands rehearsal space and is rarely at my house. At home, I'm using a 1st-Gen Rumble 100 for practice.
Worth trying both ways - to see which way sounds better to your ears. The only downside to going FX IN, is that you will sacrifice any & all Tone controls from the Rumble. If you feel the SansAmp alone gives you all the tone control you need, then you're golden. If not, I would go to the amp IN and make EQ adjustments that work with and enhance the SansAmp tone.
Can I join the club with my humble Rumble 40?
I've had one for at least a few months but just got around to making a recent gear picture; Rumble 500.
Bass: Reverend Triad
Pedalboard, left to right: Earthquaker Tone Job, Boss ODB-3, EH Bassballs, Boss TU-2
Love the Rumble. The overdrive is very tasty. My Triad offers a lot of tonal flexibility, and the Rumble builds upon that very nicely. Also, being 20-30 lbs. lighter than other 500W offerings is a huge, huge plus.
Edit: That's also a little Rumble 25 on the left, used as a practice amp.
Bass: Reverend Triad
Pedalboard, left to right: Earthquaker Tone Job, Boss ODB-3, EH Bassballs, Boss TU-2
Love the Rumble. The overdrive is very tasty. My Triad offers a lot of tonal flexibility, and the Rumble builds upon that very nicely. Also, being 20-30 lbs. lighter than other 500W offerings is a huge, huge plus.
Edit: That's also a little Rumble 25 on the left, used as a practice amp.
Attachments
Hello everyone,
Can I join the club with my humble Rumble 40?
I've had one for at least a few months but just got around to making a recent gear picture; Rumble 500.
Bass: Reverend Triad
Pedalboard, left to right: Earthquaker Tone Job, Boss ODB-3, EH Bassballs, Boss TU-2
Love the Rumble. The overdrive is very tasty. My Triad offers a lot of tonal flexibility, and the Rumble builds upon that very nicely. Also, being 20-30 lbs. lighter than other 500W offerings is a huge, huge plus.
Edit: That's also a little Rumble 25 on the left, used as a practice amp.
Woo hoo! Happy Two-fer ... uh, ... Monday!?! @TheChavezGuy, you are now member #1431 in the Fender Rumble Club. Congratulations and welcome. And @chrisabides, you are now member #1432 in the Fender Rumble Club. Congratulations and welcome.
Both you guys should put your number in your TalkBass Signature for safe keeping. Then make yourself at home here and on your Rumble Club Wiki page, the repository of all Rumbling wisdom and knowledge.
Please let us know a bit about yourselves, such as your bass experience in general and your Rumble journey in particular. Whatever your situation you're going to fit right in here 'cause we have all kinds. But we all love to ... ...
Rumble On!
Rumble On!
.
Rumble On!
.
Thanks! I've been playing bass since 1995, but have taken very long breaks, so my skill level isn't necessarily that of someone who'd call themselves "playing for 26 years". I've re-dedicated to improving and playing during the pandemic (I'm sure that's a common thing), and have doubled-down on that by getting solid equipment, the Rumble 500 being part of that.
Been in a band since last February; we're looking to play out and/or record later this year. It's instrumental wankery, but it should be fun.
Awesome thanks!
I echo what @chrisabides said.
I started playing bass at 14 or 15 but only played for a few years and than stopped just because life got busy and everyone I played with moved away. I did play in a little garage band which was fun and played at a high school a couple times. After that I’d just play here and there but my basses mostly sat in my closet.
Early last year (At 35 years old) I wanted to sell my basses but then my friend who I used to play with convinced me not to. So I started fixing up my basses and started playing again. Now I’ve been playing almost everyday since. Even got a couple new basses and am not turning back!
My skill level is pretty weak but I’m trying to learn things I never would of attempted before so even though it takes me a while I’m picking up skills I never had which is awesome!
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I just backed out of selling my Rumble 15 on Craigslist. I thought I'd plug it in before meeting the guy to make sure everything was working okay. If I turned it up past halfway with two different Fender basses, the speaker rattled. I pulled the speaker and held it away from the cabinet while hitting a note and it rattled. I put it back in securely and yep, still rattles. It works fine at low volume. I'm not going to sell it like this to some unknowing person. Unfortunately, there are no 8 inch bass speakers that I know of cheap enough to replace it with. I'm not going to put money into an amp I was selling for $40. Never had a problem with my 100 or 200. I'm really surprised, but then I only paid $50 for it used a few years ago.
I am glad you have such a wise friend!
Just an observation - if I'm reading this right, the graph of the output EQ curves shows that the Headphone out (Yellow) only emulates a cab-sim type of roll-off on the highs, but not the low end. Cool though that there are 3 distinct EQ options to choose from when deciding where you want to take an output from (and where to go with it depending on the EQ each carries).
Blue = FX output
Yellow = Headphone output
Red = XLR output
Blue = FX output
Yellow = Headphone output
Red = XLR output
The Line Out is fed by a HPF and the headphone output is not. The Line Out appears to be rolling off at -6dB/octave. Different cab sims are used by the line and headphone outputs. My Quilter 101R guitar amp simply uses a LPF as a "cab sim" for headphones (AFAIK), so no removal of the low end. Maybe Fender is doing something similar.Just an observation - if I'm reading this right, the graph of the output EQ curves shows that the Headphone out (Yellow) only emulates a cab-sim type of roll-off on the highs, but not the low end. Cool though that there are 3 distinct EQ options to choose from when deciding where you want to take an output from (and where to go with it depending on the EQ each carries).
Blue = FX output
Yellow = Headphone output
Red = XLR output
View attachment 4529889
Yeah, it’s a little puzzling. The “cab sim” is supposed to make the headphones sound about like it sounds coming out of the speaker. I suppose. But why the more extreme effect on the XLR out? I’d think the XLR should be unaffected, like the effects loop.
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Normally, a typical, dry XLR out - I would expect to be flat. However, I would expect the XLR to look pretty much like it does in the graph if it's got cab emulation going on. Bass cabs naturally roll off the bottom end usually around 50Hz and at the top end too (depending on whether it's a tweeterless cab or not).
I imagine the scoop in the middle at about 700-800Hz is to add some speaker-like coloration and to knock back a little of the harshness when the signal is going to FOH, and then presumably going to be pumped out at high gain levels. Kind of similar to what SansAmp emulation does with their cab simulation EQ curve as well.
I’ve got some more tone technicals for you all.
There is sometimes a flat=good, scooped=bad oversimplification that’s around on talkbass. Just because too much scoop can sound good solo but get lost in a mix.
This: Fender Rumble 500 Frequencies | TalkBass.com
Shows the normal “scoop” with the eq at 12:00. I was a little surprised as I was under the impression the Rumble was pretty flat.
I used to have a Fender Bronco 40 with “amp modeling.” The Rumble setting sounded pretty flat, while the GK and Ampeg settings were scooped and the SWR Redhead more treble biased. There were also bass heavy amp settings. (I sold it as it was small and too many distractions; I just wanted a straight amp with eq that sounded like itself). The Ampeg setting was especially dramatic sounding, with a thick bass response, I think due to scoop and compression.
This “Ampeg setting” reminds me of that from the Bronco:
Fender Rumble Club
Nice dramatic bassy setting, really fun. But I can see where it could get lost in a busy mix except for the low bass indistinct hum. At any rate, the scoop on the Rumble is apparently relatively mild.
There is sometimes a flat=good, scooped=bad oversimplification that’s around on talkbass. Just because too much scoop can sound good solo but get lost in a mix.
This: Fender Rumble 500 Frequencies | TalkBass.com
Shows the normal “scoop” with the eq at 12:00. I was a little surprised as I was under the impression the Rumble was pretty flat.
I used to have a Fender Bronco 40 with “amp modeling.” The Rumble setting sounded pretty flat, while the GK and Ampeg settings were scooped and the SWR Redhead more treble biased. There were also bass heavy amp settings. (I sold it as it was small and too many distractions; I just wanted a straight amp with eq that sounded like itself). The Ampeg setting was especially dramatic sounding, with a thick bass response, I think due to scoop and compression.
This “Ampeg setting” reminds me of that from the Bronco:
Fender Rumble Club
Nice dramatic bassy setting, really fun. But I can see where it could get lost in a busy mix except for the low bass indistinct hum. At any rate, the scoop on the Rumble is apparently relatively mild.
