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Flat setting = optimum tone?

GroovyQ

GroovyQ

Dec 24, 2011
89
44
Quebec City, Quebec
#1
I have a ampeg b2 and My usual setting is bass 2, umids 4, trebble flat, graffic eq similar to my knobs except a little of the 3 trebbles freq

Yesterday I was currious to compare my setting to the "flat" all 3 knobs at noon and 9 graf eq off. I asked my drummer which sound he prefer without telling him what I changed. Both of us prefer the flat sound. The tone was more natural, warm and more definition between notes. My usual setting was more agressif but kind of too much push & squeecher...

Amp gurus, did you experimented something similar?
 
#2
Kind of a well-worn topic. For the vast majority of amps, 'noon EQ' is far from 'flat'.

Think of 'noon EQ' as one of an almost infinite number of EQ curves. And, of course, once you connect the amp to a speaker cab (ALL of which have peaks and dips), 'flat' becomes a pretty nebulous and relatively useless concept when only considering one part of the signal chain.

Turn the knobs to where it sounds good to you. If it makes you feel better, consider that setting 'neutral, transparent, and flat':p:D:)

Edit: +1 all the way to your point that if you really crank the knobs, that is usually not a particularly good thing, since you will be dialing in pretty massive valleys and peaks in your tone.
 
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#3
Sometimes it sounds good to do so, sometimes it doesn't. I don't get those who won't move knobs if it doesn't. Beats standing there helplessly while your sound screws up the band and sounds like poopycaca.
 
#5
You never know what people will like. Are you playing with a guitarist too? I bet your original tone will sit better in the mix if your dialing-in experiments are just you and drums.

The only time the members of my girl band commented on my sound was when I played a low end bass with old strings through a Peavey Combo amp with a flat/non-descript tone. Usually I use my USA Cirrus through a Mesa rig (D180/PH 112). I guess my normal tone rocks too hard, it has too much "signature."
 
#8
I had a pratice yesterday and I take the time to adjust my setting with my ears. starting from the flat was a good way to get something even better in a band mix espacially. Thanks guys, I think I was just too much used to my too much knobs crancked setting...
 
#9
Actually flat tends to be responsive, which is generally good if you play well, and bad if you play bad, because it will show up bad technique. I've been doing more and more mid boost as I get more confident in my playing and dynamic control, more mids means how you apply yourself to the instrument shows more.
 
#10
Amps and cabs are all so different it's hard to say. Then, there's the thing about what works in the mix as well as the particular room. I've been running more mids lately than I used to. Sounds kinda honky soloed, but works great in the mix. I also turn down my lows a tad since my low knob is centered at 40Hz, which is a bit low for what I play. Also, even when you get it to where you like it, it will sound different depending on where you stand in relation to your cab(s).

Ya just have to play with it, that's all.
 
#11
JimmyM said:
Sometimes it sounds good to do so, sometimes it doesn't. I don't get those who won't move knobs if it doesn't. Beats standing there helplessly while your sound screws up the band and sounds like poopycaca.
Click to expand...

I hate it when it sounds like poopycaca! Hey, poopycaca must be a real word, because autocorrect didn't try to change it!

As others have often said, flat can be a great place to start from, then add or subtract as the room, mix and desired character of the music demand.
 
#13
To me it's meaningless to even consider an "ideal" EQ setting. My settings vary depending on amp, speakers, strings, and/or bass used, the room, and the band I'm playing with. Having said that, I usually start at noon settings, and adjust by ear.
 
#15
I adjust my eq on my sans amp RBI from time to time. But not to any extreme lengths. Normally my eq knobs are between the range of 10oclok and 2 o'clock with noon being flat. I like to get my tone with my bass, my hands, and the gain and blend knobs for the most part. Even on active basses my basses onboard eq is usually either everything wide open or flat. I do use a bbe sonic stomp for additional eq control on it the low contour is normally at 1 or 2 o'clock and the high is at 1 o'clock.
 
#17
GroovyQ said:
Yesterday I was currious to compare my setting to the "flat" all 3 knobs at noon and 9 graf eq off. I asked my drummer which sound he prefer without telling him what I changed. Both of us prefer the flat sound. The tone was more natural, warm and more definition between notes. My usual setting was more agressif but kind of too much push & squeecher...
Click to expand...

KJ, Jimmy, JohnMCA72 and others had great responses. To respond to this specifically: the EQ setting you and your drummer prefer when you're playing solo, or just with the drummer, might not be the best choice when you're playing with the full band.

Also, ambient acoustics are a big deal: an EQ setting that works in one room might not work in another. As KJ said, flat EQ settings rarely give flat response. Just set EQ so it sounds good in your current environment. If you achieve that, it doesn't matter where the knobs are pointing.
 
#18
I play through Edens and they are generally flat, accepted as +/- 3dB over the frequency range. Well, Edens tend to have a slight 1 or 2 dB boost in the 100 to 200 Hz range which makes them sound warmer than other amps (and probably a slight dip elsewhere). Other amps will have a different characteristic. All within the "+/- 3dB" limits.

That 6 dB range is quite a bit - that's about 1/4 turn on many tone knobs.
 

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