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FMR PBC-6a and A-designs REDDI

Avalon666666

Avalon666666

Mar 26, 2012
24
0
Right in the Groove
#1
Hi Talkbass!

I would like to know if anyone of you has experience putting the FMR PBC-6a after a REDDI for studio tracking or live purposes?
I have a nice diamond bass comp which works very well with my Avalon U5, but whatever I put in the chain before the REDDI seems to affect the tone negatively, the "punch-factor" of the REDDI decreases IMHO. I even made all my basses passive for this little red devil:) I am a kind of hifi guy but loving the REDDI warmth and sometimes SUBTLE overdrive.

At this moment I go from the REDDI directly into my poweramp (crown xti2000, which is not fully driven by the REDDI) and then to the cab (fearful like build 15/15/6/1) for live use and REDDI out directly for studio tracking. After not being satisfied with a DBX 1066 and the diamond not working in this particular setup I'm looking at a line level comp again.

The main reason I'm looking at the PBC-6a is its good reviews on gearslutz and the fact that I need a compact xlr line level compressor which could take the REDDI signal to line level, which is possible according to Bongomania's review.

I hope someone has tried this particular combination.
I'm looking for mild to moderate compression. I hear that the PBC can be dialed in with quite some character but can also be reasonably clean. Will it's sound signature fit the REDDI's tone? (sorry being so vague).

Thanks!
 
#2
BUMP

Maybe anyone tried the REDDI with another compressor and could tell me about the sound they got? And whether it is possible to boost the Reddi signal to line level to power a 1.4V input of a poweramp?

Or maybe anyone has a FMR PBC-6a and could give me info on how they specifically use it for bass recording or live use? And how does it sound?

Thanks much!!
 
#3
Yes, I've used other compressors to bring the REDDI up to line level. It's a mixed bag: yes you get the desired result of bringing the REDDI to full volume, but whether the additional tone effects of the compressor are an improvement or a downgrade are up to individual tastes. I got what I thought of as the best results by using the most transparent comp I had, so it did not alter the signal "too much". Sometimes adding two fattening/thickening processors in a row gets you a muddy smear, instead of the awesomeness that was hoped for.
 
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#5
The one that I actually tried this way and liked was an Ashly DPX200, but the model you are more likely to find available is the CLX52 (same compressor, different package). The old Rane DC24 and Aphex 651 would also be good candidates. Also the newer Alesis 3632 is surprisingly good; I haven't written my review yet, but it may be posted within a week.
 
#7
That Alesis 3632 looks very much like the dbx 1066 I once had. I was not really impressed by its quality (even under light compression) and liked the unprocessed sound more so sold it. But of course the Alesis 3632 could sound totally different than the dbx, lets see your review Bongo!

Thanks for your suggestion Downunderwonder.
I have tried 2 mixers, a behringer (cr#pmixer) and a Allen & Heath ZED-10 mixer (good but not the highest quality either). It works generally well in boosting the signal but what I hear is that the "punchfactor" of the Reddi is really decreased compared to the reddi alone.
My belief at the moment is that I need a high-end preamp or compressor to keep the Reddi-signal totally intact, preferably an A-designs product or other product with an input/output transformer. (but maybe that just believe since my technical knowledge is limited).

Thanks
 
#9
You are right, the FOH is using mixers as well, depends on the kind of gig but mostly high quality stuff for bigger arena's.
I think it is me...:)
I am really, and I mean REALLY picky on my sound (and I am a hifi fanatic). When I read through the Reddi Megathread, most users put several pedals in front of the Reddi and say they do not hear a difference in clean sound quality (with the pedals not active) where I hear very clearly a difference/degradation with al kinds of pedals (did several blind testings were I did not tough the bass or pedals and picked it out 100%).
I did not hear this big difference when putting good pedals in front of my Avalon u5 though.

Problems in life.......
 
#10
It's very simple...you have to stop ABing the REDDI plain vs. with a pedal in front.

:D

I'll suck up a little bit of treble loss with other pedals, but one thing I hate to hear with the REDDI is compression. Tends to defeat the reason I love the REDDI in the first place.
 
#11
JimmyM said:
It's very simple...you have to stop ABing the REDDI plain vs. with a pedal in front.

:D
Click to expand...

That's what I keep telling myself all the time, but it doesn't work so well :scowl: because I know it can be better.

JimmyM said:
I'll suck up a little bit of treble loss with other pedals, but one thing I hate to hear with the REDDI is compression. Tends to defeat the reason I love the REDDI in the first place.
Click to expand...

Treble loss is not really my concern because I could dial in some extra high mids and/or tweeter via the dsp from my crown amps.
You make it hard for me Jimmy! Do I want a line level comp or a nice preamp.....;)

Thanks for your answers!
 
#13
I'll try to explain why I am so picky.
I use the Reddi mainly for my livesound (although I know that it is not meant to be a preamp). I use 2 crown poweramps with dsp (XTI 2000 and XTI 1000) to power one homemade cab (a non-ported Fearful variant 15"/15"/6"/1"). Every driver of this cab has its own amp channel. It produces a very transparent and honest sound IMO. Because it is so clean an revealing, it hides nothing signal wise. My bandmates love the sound of my Reddi directly to these amps because it is so direct but blending in like they have never heard before. When I talk about the effect of other gear "degrading" the signal I am referring to the fact that there is a part of "directness/punch" gone which is normally revealing everything in my playing style. Slapping and other high transient playing are "slower/not so direct" when matching the Reddi with other gear so far.
I only can run the Reddi live now because the amps are way overkill for the cab and they have enough gain to drive the signal up to good levels, but they are nowhere near properly driven.
I hope now you understand my search for a preamp/comp.
(Thanks Jimmy, I am now more thinking of a preamp....:))
 
#16
It's war on GAS week. Jimmy uses his REDDI live to get his sound to FOH, guess what it plugs into? A plain vanilla mixer.

I don't see what pedal tone suck before a Reddi has anything to do with your problem which is ramping up the OUTPUT of the Reddi. Every man and his dog is going from Reddi to a series of solid state devices until the big power amps get it.
 
#17
After a long process of reading lots and lots of reviews on a great bunch of compressors here on TB, gearslutz and the very nice ovnilab page, I decided to stick with the plan and bought the FMR PBC-6A comp.

It is now with me for 3 days and I can give you my first impressions;

Here is my setup (for the ones that are interested and/or have not read this before): G&L l2000 tribute, G&L jb-2 tribute and Zon Sonus studio 5 (made passive) into the A-designs Reddi -> PBC-6A -> Crown XTI 2000 poweramp (each channel driving a kappalite 15LF in sealed enclosures) and Crown XTI 1000 poweramp (one channel for the mid 6nd410 and one channel for the tweeter 18 sound xd125).

What I can tell up to this point is that this comp does NOT degrade the nice characteristics of the loved Reddi tone IMO! where other components I previously used (line level or instrument level) degraded of "dulled" the tone to some extend.

I am still playing with the comp itself and I like its action very much using relatively long attack and release times, a soft to medium knee and up to a gain reduction of 6-9 db maximum, thick mode one for finger style, off for slapping and the high pass filter in the detector centered on 240 hz.

Tonally I think the Reddi and the PBC match very well, it is not too dark for my taste, but off course that's very subjective. Note, I do not use a hardwarefilter for my cab, instead I use the crowns DSP to send the right frequencies to each driver. So I can "EQ" my cab by turning the volume of each specific driver up or down.

And another very important factor for me; It drives my powerhungry poweramps (1.4V input) very well.

Thanks for all your comments!
 
#18
Glad to hear you finally got it sorted, even though you ended up spending money ;)

Don't have that comp but I do have an FMR comp. An RNC 1773. I know Bongo doesn't like it but I think it's a really nice comp. Threatened to sell it a couple times, but eh...might as well keep it for the money I'd get for it with its bent up frame. Plus it works well on my vocals, where compression is a must since I sing really loud on high notes and really quiet on low ones.
 
#19
I guess it's time for me to post pictures as well.
I figured out that two covers of a 2 HE flightcase with some foam inside are perfect for keeping my reddi save:D
 

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#20
I have had a REDDI for a couple of weeks now and I am loving it with the PBC-6a in the studio.. As said above it doesn't degrade the signal in anyway.. It really lets my jazz basses shine.. The only other comp I have is in the Empirical Labs EL-9 channel strip (a stripped down Distressor) and I much prefer the PBC-6a for this.. The REDDI/FMR combo just sounds so full and each note has a nice weight to it without needing any EQ. I hope this helps..
 

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