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Double Bass Grace Designs Felix

#221
I was right...Alex at tech support ( Alix?) confirmed that when you have the internal jumper on 12V tip it disables the impedance switch.
He sent me a fairly complicated workaround involving rewiring the pickup to a TRS and shorting the Tip and Ring and so forth...I got a little lost and went back to looking for a simple solution.
Seems like I should be able to dedicate Ch1 to a mic and have my pick of what to do with Ch2: Stat B or Piezo. But it does not work that way without opening up the box and resetting jumpers (not something I enjoy doing)

THe Felix has so many possible setups that I can tell this is a tool to find what you like and stick with it. (and figure out how to get back to it when you inadvertently press or twist something and have no signal...or the wrong signal)
 
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#222
/\ I hope You find a solution to your configuration dilemma. I am on the outside, peering in...and trying to decide if this is to be in my future gear arsenal. I have yet to find another unit that checks all of the boxes for my needs, so this remains at the top of the list.

The Felix has more going on than I actually need (particularly the eq), but it opens up other possibilities for me due to the output routing/mixing capabilities. Prior to hearing about the Felix, I was eyeing the Radial PZ Deluxe, but I am particularly interested in getting back into using mics for FOH and lover volume gigs. I really could have used one of these on last weekend's doubling/choral gig.
 
#223
BassinCT said:
The Felix has more going on than I actually need (particularly the eq), but it opens up other possibilities for me due to the output routing/mixing capabilities. Prior to hearing about the Felix, I was eyeing the Radial PZ Deluxe, but I am particularly interested in getting back into using mics for FOH and lover volume gigs. I really could have used one of these on last weekend's doubling/choral gig.
Click to expand...

Roger, the Grace Felix's EQ is perfect for DB. It's very straightforward user friendly. Once you have the sound your after you just set it and forget it.

Ric
 
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#225
bassburner said:
Don't forget it... I keep bumping my knobs when I put it in the Pedaltrain case. :)
Click to expand...

Hasn't been much of a problem for me, I got the case that Grace sells. The only issue I've had is ocassionally the Amp/Source button on the back of the Felix get's switched to source.
It doesn't happen that often, and now that I know what the cause is, I know how to correct it.

Ric
 
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#226
Alright,
I have a problem, my Felix works fine except when I try to do the following. I need to double at a couple of concerts, do I'll be using Channel 1 for DB and Channel 2 for EB, sending individual DI signals out to the board for Channel 1 and 2 and I'd like also send a the signal back to my
amp as well, but I can't figure out that the correct set of buttons to engage on the inputs and outputs. Any assistance would be helpful. Thanks

Ric
 
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#227
I wish there was a panic button on the Felix like there is on the Nord stage piano. Take you back to Ch 2 or something. Several times I have had something happen where I get no sound out to the amp. Often it is the source button, the last time it was because I had my looping pedal plugged into the fx insert but didnt have the pedal turned on....it is not like the Focus which mixes in the return signal with a knob but is either there or not.
A few times I have the Schertler Stat B into Ch 1 and getting signal (green light ) but no output, and no idea what is going on.
ALso I am finding that the eq is very bright lots of high end that I cannot roll off. I don't know what is up. WIth the Underwood and FC I am presently (I dont know if there is an impedance problem with my unit) happier with the sound of those pickups going directly into the Focus.
The mic pre is stellar and I love it but I really want to be able to use either the Stat B OR a Piezo in Ch 2 (I have 2 basses each set up differently) AND a mic in ch 1.
When the Stat is in Channel 1 it is a stellar sound and maybe I should just shut up and play that way.
Having no sound at a gig and not knowing what to do about it instantly is a drag and every time it happens and I pull the Felix out of the chain entirely and plug directly back into the amp, it causes me stress. Because of the brightness ( I am having trouble determining if it is that, the Felix IS way brighter or if there is some impedance imbalance RIght now I plug the felix into the front end of the Focus (to roll off more highs) Which seems wrong...but maybe the Felix AMP OUT is MADE to plug into the front end (preamp) of a bass amp.
I dont know, I need to call Alex at Grace again and get to the bottom of it.
DO any other Felix owners notice a LOT of high end that does not roll off with the High eq knob?
 
#228
No, I haven't. And regarding the no output issue: assuming the buttons arecall set correctly, one thing you need to make sure is that the Mix pot is turned all the way to the left (if input 1 is the one that you use; turn it completely anticlockwise when you use channel 2 only). In all cases, the source selector of the Amp output needs to be set to Mix.

Hope this helps,
Vincent
 
#229
flatback said:
ALso I am finding that the eq is very bright lots of high end that I cannot roll off. I don't know what is up. WIth the Underwood and FC I am presently (I dont know if there is an impedance problem with my unit) happier with the sound of those pickups going directly into the Focus.
The mic pre is stellar and I love it but I really want to be able to use either the Stat B OR a Piezo in Ch 2 (I have 2 basses each set up differently) AND a mic in ch 1.
When the Stat is in Channel 1 it is a stellar sound and maybe I should just shut up and play that way.
Having no sound at a gig and not knowing what to do about it instantly is a drag and every time it happens and I pull the Felix out of the chain entirely and plug directly back into the amp, it causes me stress. Because of the brightness ( I am having trouble determining if it is that, the Felix IS way brighter or if there is some impedance imbalance RIght now I plug the felix into the front end of the Focus (to roll off more highs) Which seems wrong...but maybe the Felix AMP OUT is MADE to plug into the front end (preamp) of a bass amp.
I dont know, I need to call Alex at Grace again and get to the bottom of it.
DO any other Felix owners notice a LOT of high end that does not roll off with the High eq knob?
Click to expand...

I don't notice a lot of brightness, but I do notice "clarity" that I don't get with other amps/pres, including my AI 4plus Clarus and at the same time I find the Felix to be much smoother through the mids than anything else I've used with my FC pickup. Any high end/treble I find unsatisfactory is easily dialed out. I tend to use the HPF until the tone thins out just a tad too much then boost the Bass about 3-4 db. Many times I don't even touch the other EQ.

I'm sure you've done this, but make sure you're impedance selector is in a the best position for the FC. IIRC mine's in the middle position. (I set it and forget it. Literally: I forgot where it's set!)

I've also found that the my Clarus will take a huge amount of input gain before it overloads and distorts. I have the Amp volume on the Felix dimed going into the Clarus and the Gain on the Clarus dimed as well. Maybe pushing/changing the gain structure will help?

Hope it works out for you. Sucks to get a piece of expensive gear and not have it work out.
 
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#230
Yeah, I discovered over the past two days of futsing (I have several gigs this weekend and want it dialed in )that with my new small bodied bass, bridge pickups (thru the Felix) pick up A LOT of treble. I switched to the APTFLEX which is a Russian version of the Realist but (IMHO) way better although they don't make it anymore. IT is made from a proprietary piezo film that is unlike other piezo films (it has thousands of little bubbles in it or something that make for a flatter response) BUT the Aptflex really needs a fantastic preamp to set it up right and the FELIX delivers: First it needs a lot of gain and then some eq wrangling (wide low mid Q bumped and treble rolled) but with those dialed in it is an excellent natural sound. I'm mixing that with the Remic contact mic (also really benefits from an excellent preamp) and I think I now have that bass dialed in. I had to take the Stat B off of there and the Underwood off too. I had to turn the Aptflex gain (on the felix) WAY up but I am learning that for the Felix the first gain stage is the most important: Seems like all my pickups like that first gain stage to be up just where it occasionally clips to RED, then after that it does not matter so much, amp out and master (on the amp) can be whatever... it does not change the sound...but that first gain stage makes a big difference in how the preamp and eq respond.
Glad I took the Stat B off although I really like that pickup, but having the 12v phantom mess with the impedance just got to be too many variables. If (like Vunz) I had just the Stat and a nice mic, I'd leave it set up with Ch 2 for the Stat, but since I have two basses I need to keep it consistent.
 
#231
flatback said:
I wish there was a panic button on the Felix like there is on the Nord stage piano. Take you back to Ch 2 or something. Several times I have had something happen where I get no sound out to the amp. Often it is the source button, the last time it was because I had my looping pedal plugged into the fx insert but didnt have the pedal turned on....it is not like the Focus which mixes in the return signal with a knob but is either there or not.
A few times I have the Schertler Stat B into Ch 1 and getting signal (green light ) but no output, and no idea what is going on.
ALso I am finding that the eq is very bright lots of high end that I cannot roll off. I don't know what is up. WIth the Underwood and FC I am presently (I dont know if there is an impedance problem with my unit) happier with the sound of those pickups going directly into the Focus.
The mic pre is stellar and I love it but I really want to be able to use either the Stat B OR a Piezo in Ch 2 (I have 2 basses each set up differently) AND a mic in ch 1.
When the Stat is in Channel 1 it is a stellar sound and maybe I should just shut up and play that way.
Having no sound at a gig and not knowing what to do about it instantly is a drag and every time it happens and I pull the Felix out of the chain entirely and plug directly back into the amp, it causes me stress. Because of the brightness ( I am having trouble determining if it is that, the Felix IS way brighter or if there is some impedance imbalance RIght now I plug the felix into the front end of the Focus (to roll off more highs) Which seems wrong...but maybe the Felix AMP OUT is MADE to plug into the front end (preamp) of a bass amp.
I dont know, I need to call Alex at Grace again and get to the bottom of it.
DO any other Felix owners notice a LOT of high end that does not roll off with the High eq knob?
Click to expand...

So I was messing around tonight with the Felix and AI Clarus. And I agree that the Felix has more top end for sure than the Clarus. Just for kicks I plugged my FC equipped carved top Shen with new Spirocores into my Tone Hammer pedal and the TH also had that high end thing going on like the Felix. Maybe the AI amps have less high end?

As a side note I thought that Ch 2 of the Felix had less high end than Ch 1 with the same input impedance setting (Med). Not a big diff, so maybe that's just in my head.
 
#234
dukeorock said:
I can't say I'd describe the Felix as particularly bright. Strange, but that's not been my experience :)
Click to expand...

Bright-er than the AI Clarus I have. I'm ASSuming @flatback's Focus would be similar to my Clarus in that regard. To my old-man ears the Felix also has more bottom end going on than the Clarus. I'll have to revisit that today, though.


Roger Davis said:
No nor would I. But I haven't tried a pickup in Ch1. My overall perception is 'clean'. Oh, and very versatile.
Click to expand...

Try your pickup in Ch 1 and Ch 2 for me. See if you detect a tone difference with both channel's input set to Med. Inquiring minds....
 
#235
Yeah here's the thing: I have figured some of it out....#1 the middle imp. position for channel 1 and 2 are different: Channel 1 is 10Mohm and Ch 2 is 20Mohm so there would be a little difference in the sound.
The brightness that I was speaking of is a combo of things. First it was an impedance imbalance when I had the Stat B running. As soon as you put 12v on a channel it messes with the impedance whether you have it turned on or off on the side panel. Weird. That side DIP should turn it off and return the impedance. Second my new bass IS way bright so I discovered that bridge pickups don't work as well on it with the Felix, they tilt the balance toward the crisp hi's.
BUT with the impedance returned (taking the jumpers off completely) Ch 2 has a nice 20Mohm input for piezos and Ch 1 is dedicated to a mic. I have my basses dialed in now (both have a mic and a pickup) and I am good. The Felix has way more of everything going on including the His.
One further observation: because the Felix is SO sensitive, it easily picks up and amplifies stray vibrations like string afterlengths and wolf notes and sympathetic string vibrations. I dampened the afterlengths and it made a big difference in the clarity at higher volumes.
For me having the first gain stage at the Felix set perfectly gets the best results down the line.
 
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#238
.....1960's version of the Grace Felix....yanked from an old reel to reel....
Somehow that just pushes all my buttons....er...twists my knobs? no, no,... uh?
 

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#240
I have used the Felix both on top of the amp and on the floor. I prefer it on the floor, but I hate cord mess (vunz your picture above with all those expensive Vovox cords waiting to trip you up makes me nervous ) What I want is a mic/guitar cord combined (I know Bob G makes one) AND a guitar/power cord snake (maybe just taped together) to minimize the mess. Working with a mic, I really like having the Felix on the floor so that I can instantly mute in case of the inevitable feedback.
I really love the way it is set up: you get the levels set for each input and then I find myself adjusting the blend knob fairly often always favoring as much mic as I can get away with.
 

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