Getting good tone from my Carvin R1010

[Tin Cadillac]

I recently purchased a Carvin R1010 combo (1000W, 2 x 10, "Red Eye" tweeter) from Ebay. Does anyone here have any secrets how to actually get some good tone out of one of these?

So far, it makes my bass sound very "thin" and it seems the best sound it is able to reproduce is every little "click" and "Screech" I make on my strings when I am fretting and plucking!

I have tried a number of things already, the "Pre-Eq" buttons seem only to make things muddy (tone knobs all set to center, eq bypassed), especially the "Low Boost" which adds a bunch of overtones making everything sound like crap! If I try to crank up too much "Bottom" the speakers are sounding like they are getting ready to blow so I have to dial things back down.

I have tried this in "Bi-Amp" mode running the highs into the combo speakers and the lows into my Ampeg SVT 410E cabinet. This seems to work a little better but I really wanted to use this as a simple combo for the smaller venues we often book. Also, this still does not sound nearly as good as what I had with my Behringer BX4500 head!

Seems no matter what I do, things start to "Clip" when I try to get too much "bottom end" going on so I roll off the bass and everything gets "trebly". Made sure the crossover was dialed all the way down and the switch was in the proper position (Full unless you are actually running both channels, right?).

Running out of one side, I ran through one side and then "daisy-chained" another 4 x 10 cabinet to get closer to the 2 ohm load (external cabinet is 8 ohms) and this seemed to eliminate the clipping and thought I was onto something until I brought it to practice and everything sounded like crap once more! My band mates are telling me I should forget about this thing and just use my Behringer head. The Behringer sounds really good - especially with the tube microphone preamp I am running ahead of it (and not using with the Carvin) but there is the "respectability" factor going on here. Carvin seems to be more "Professional" and "Serious" while Behringer seems "Garage Band" at best.

So, help me out here! Can I get some really great bottom end "Thump" with clarity and definition or should I put this thing back on the selling block and get something else?

 

[Blues Bass 2]

Try running the amp in bridge mode into the cabs speakers if you haven't . Be careful with the volume and listen to the speakers to make sure they don't get overpowered , they will start making some bad noises when they start to get worked too much . If you are going to use the combo by itself this is the way to do it , I found with my R1000 head years ago that using just one side didn't seem to have enough power to jam with with my 4 ohm RL210 cab but bridged it worked much better . I could get some good usable tones out of the amp that way .

I also had the RL410 cab and it was 8 ohms and to run the 410 and the 210 at the same time I had to run them in the dual mono mode like you have been and adjust the two power amp volumes to balance the 4 ohm 210 and 8 ohm 410 . Run this way I couldn't get enough juice to really sound good at gigs . The only way to get what I needed at gigs was to bridge the amp into the 410 cab and not use the 210 with it . That really sounded good , the poweramp in the redline amps is a very good amp , same as in their older DCM poweramps .

The best tone though is when you plug a Sans Amp BDDI pedal into the amp and use it instead of the amps preamp . Brings the whole amp up to another level .

 

[winston]

I had a Carvin 1x12 combo from the Redline era and it too sounded terrible. The preamps on my amp and yours have a mid contour switch that lets you switch between two deep mid cuts, one low and one high--but you can't defeat it to get a flat sound.
On the several occasions I took the amp apart to repair the compressor I was shocked at the quality of the components--dinky filter caps, no-name plastic jacks--well below my GK/Eden/EA gear, more like low-grade consumer electronics.

The only way I could get a satisfying sound was to unplug the speaker and use an external head.

 

[Tin Cadillac]

Try running the amp in bridge mode into the cabs speakers if you haven't . Be careful with the volume and listen to the speakers to make sure they don't get overpowered , they will start making some bad noises when they start to get worked too much . If you are going to use the combo by itself this is the way to do it , I found with my R1000 head years ago that using just one side didn't seem to have enough power to jam with with my 4 ohm RL210 cab but bridged it worked much better . I could get some good usable tones out of the amp that way .

I also had the RL410 cab and it was 8 ohms and to run the 410 and the 210 at the same time I had to run them in the dual mono mode like you have been and adjust the two power amp volumes to balance the 4 ohm 210 and 8 ohm 410 . Run this way I couldn't get enough juice to really sound good at gigs . The only way to get what I needed at gigs was to bridge the amp into the 410 cab and not use the 210 with it . That really sounded good , the poweramp in the redline amps is a very good amp , same as in their older DCM poweramps .

The best tone though is when you plug a Sans Amp BDDI pedal into the amp and use it instead of the amps preamp . Brings the whole amp up to another level .

Thanks for the input. I ran it in "Bridged" mode at one gig out of frustration but was somewhat hurried to get things up and going again and couldn't take the time to really "Dial" anything in. As I recall now, I had both power amp output controls turned almost all the way down (to keep from blowing the speakers) which may explain the clipping - probably should've turned these up and used the master volume to control the output level.

What I am looking for is a big bottom-end "Punch" with a slightly warm tubed "Growl." Can I get this all with the 2 x 10" in the combo or is a separate 4 x 10 the only way to get this? Have you had any luck with the built-in compressor?

Yeah, I've thought about taking out the head, putting it in a rack, adding a preamp, processor, compressor, Etc., turning my Ampeg SVT 410 into a 4 ohm cabinet with some upgraded speakers that are compatible with this thing at 1000W. When all is said and done, will probably have a totally badass rig with my total cost only slightly more than that Markbass combo my band mates are telling me I ought to get!

I did get a great deal on this thing though. Wife is patient (since I am actually making some money now) but do not want to push my luck with the G.A.S!

 

[Blues Bass 2]

One thing I forgot to mention is that those redline cabs with the tens get great mids and lower mids but will not do the real low end very well at all . If you are trying to get big bottom punch like you say that cabinet won't do it without farting out . Roll off the lowest slider on the graphic eq a little , boost the mids some and it will get pretty loud but that doesn't seem to be what you are going for .

 

[will33]

I used to run a redline 600, same amp as yours, just a little less power. There are some decent sounds in there but they don't come easy. As is, the thing is a little sterile. You have to consider it a blank slate and turn knobs to get tone. Blues Bass 2 is right about the carvin 10's, good punch and lowmids but they fall off before you get down to deeper bass. His advice about cutting the lowest slider and using lowmids to beef up the sound is good.

IIRC, the built in compressor wasn't too bad. At least had some leeway in the knobs before it got too squashed. They are pretty clean amps. Won't really give anything I'd call grit or growl, at least not to any degree without a pedal in front of it or something in the effects loop. If you do hear some grit, it's probably farting speakers. Remember it's only a 210 with a powerful amp on it. May want to put an extension cab with to fill up the sound instead of punishing hell out of just the ones in the combo.

I was able to get good sound with mine after I got used to all the eq but if your looking for GK growl or tube amp style grit, it may not be the amp for you. I'd just look at it as a clean power section with a bunch of eq and try some pedals for the dirtier sounds.

 

[will33]

Also, if yours is like mine was, the entire useable range in the master volume knob only runs up to about 4 or 5.....no more than the first half of the dial. Anything past that just clips the hell out of everything.

 

[will33]

One other thing. I usually wouldn't advise mixing different types of speakers but in this particular case, putting a decent 15 under there will fill in some of those lows you're missing. This just happens to be one of those combinations that propagates the myth. Those 10's are decent midbass drivers but they don't have it in the deeper lows.

The better option would be to find a fuller sounding cab you like and pull the head out of the combo and use it separately. They're rackmount amps, you can pull it out of there and use it with other stuff. That'd give you the 210 to leave at a rehearsal space or at home and just carry the amp back and forth.

Or just sell it and find something that's more plug-n-play for you. You might like a GK with a touch of the boost knob better than this pretty much clean only amp.

 

[jeff7bass]

Some of those older models hurt more than helped Carvin's rep IMO. The new models helped a lot. All I can say is engage the graphic EQ and try boosting the low mids while taming the lows and highs.

 

[5port]

I had the same rig as you with the R600 amp installed (RC210). I use to run mine in stereo mode with a 15" cabinet connected to channel one and the 2X10s connected to channel 2. I was always able to get "my sound" this way. Bridging that head into those two tens I would think is a challenge. Try:

Tube blend at 12:00

Gain at 9:00

Use very little compressor..you can easily squash your signal with it.

 

[Tin Cadillac]

One other thing. I usually wouldn't advise mixing different types of speakers but in this particular case, putting a decent 15 under there will fill in some of those lows you're missing. This just happens to be one of those combinations that propagates the myth. Those 10's are decent midbass drivers but they don't have it in the deeper lows.

The better option would be to find a fuller sounding cab you like and pull the head out of the combo and use it separately. They're rackmount amps, you can pull it out of there and use it with other stuff. That'd give you the 210 to leave at a rehearsal space or at home and just carry the amp back and forth.

Or just sell it and find something that's more plug-n-play for you. You might like a GK with a touch of the boost knob better than this pretty much clean only amp.

Thanks Will. I am trying to determine where the weak link is to be found here! I play a 5-string and the inadequacies are readily apparent when I drop down into the lower registers!

Played at a jam this last Sunday through this other player's rig and absolutely marveled at the tone I was getting. He had an Ampeg 410 cabinet (much like one I have) and a Crate 350W head. At 8 ohms, the amp was only good for 250 watts but the thing cut right through and gave me all the "Punch" I was looking for!

If it is the speakers, I may already have the cabinet I need. If it is the preamp (as I am hearing quite often), then I guess I am either on my way to filling up a "Rack" full of gizmos and lots more complexity (but it will look "Cool" on the stage, right?) or this thing will go on the block and I will be looking into an Ampeg SVT, Gallien Krueger (already have two vintage GK cabs), Trace Elliot, Eden or...!

Hmmm..... I still have that ART Studio V3 preamp I was using in front of my Behringer head with quite pleasing results so I wonder.....

Might just go out and get that ART Pro Channel I was considering earlier....

If the power amp section is the only thing that is useable, I am not sure when I would actually need 1000 freakin' watts anyway!

 

[will33]

Can try some of your gizmo's but if you end up needing a lot of gizmo's to get a sound you like, I'd probably just get a different amp. You can dial in low bass with that amp but those speakers can't do anything with it so it's kinda pointless.

 

[BassmanPaul]

My feeling is that you may be expecting too much from a pair of tens. I use the 2x10 format but always use a pair. I'd not try to play a gig, no matter how small, with just one.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Thanks Will. I am trying to determine where the weak link is to be found here! I play a 5-string and the inadequacies are readily apparent when I drop down into the lower registers!

Played at a jam this last Sunday through this other player's rig and absolutely marveled at the tone I was getting. He had an Ampeg 410 cabinet (much like one I have) and a Crate 350W head. At 8 ohms, the amp was only good for 250 watts but the thing cut right through and gave me all the "Punch" I was looking for!

If it is the speakers, I may already have the cabinet I need. If it is the preamp (as I am hearing quite often), then I guess I am either on my way to filling up a "Rack" full of gizmos and lots more complexity (but it will look "Cool" on the stage, right?) or this thing will go on the block and I will be looking into an Ampeg SVT, Gallien Krueger (already have two vintage GK cabs), Trace Elliot, Eden or...!

Hmmm..... I still have that ART Studio V3 preamp I was using in front of my Behringer head with quite pleasing results so I wonder.....

Might just go out and get that ART Pro Channel I was considering earlier....

If the power amp section is the only thing that is useable, I am not sure when I would actually need 1000 freakin' watts anyway!

I use an R1000 with a SansAmp RBI as a preamp. My advice is use a preamp, the ones in these heads are, shall we say, not to my liking anyway.

I am curious though why a few days ago when I was talking about my rig, which had a 4x10 and a 1x18, some of you guys said it wasn't a good combination and that I should get another 4x10 and get rid of the 18. I did that. Now you are telling this guy that he needs a 1x15?

 

[will33]

I said I usually wouldn't advise it but in this case it'll help. Those redline 10's don't have any real bottom and it's a combo amp. That 210 won't outrun a 15 like a 410 will, it'll start farting.

I believe I also said the better option would be to find a fuller sounding cab that he likes.

 

[Floyd Eye]

So it's more a matter of how many of those 10" speakers you have? I have to say, I get pretty good low end from 2 4x10 Carvin cabs. I haven't had a chance to play it this way with the band yet, but I will tomorrow night. I hope I can still hit the brown note. lol

 

[Tin Cadillac]

OK, what I am getting here is that the speakers are the weak link so perhaps I'll explore more with using the head with one or two of my 4 x 10 cabinets. Thanks for your input!

On another note, My Ampeg SVT-410E is a sealed suspension cabinet and I have two GK 4 x 10s that are ported. Which is the better way to go - ported or sealed?

 

[adamafurious]

ahhh man that sux bro! i too once tried to play my 5-string thru a carvin 210 combo...
i had the same issues you seem to be having. i ended up selling it a week after i bought it for $200 less than i paid. sorry and good luck with the mods

 

[will33]

So it's more a matter of how many of those 10" speakers you have? I have to say, I get pretty good low end from 2 4x10 Carvin cabs. I haven't had a chance to play it this way with the band yet, but I will tomorrow night. I hope I can still hit the brown note. lol

It seems to me it's those particular speakers in small quantities. I used to have a redline 410 that did sound a little fuller, same speakers though.

I should add the caveat that this was all 15 years ago or so and I didn't know much about all this equipment/speaker/sound stuff then.

 

[Tin Cadillac]

The best tone though is when you plug a Sans Amp BDDI pedal into the amp and use it instead of the amps preamp . Brings the whole amp up to another level .

Where are you feeding your pre-amp signal? Not the effects loop I don't think. The Amp 1 and Amp 2 insert jacks are confusing me. do I need to make a special cable with a "TRS" jack to feed a preamp into the power amp section? Do I need to feed both power amp channels or can I just feed one and press in the "Bridge" switch?