I realize this may be considered off-topic but how does one use a separate pre-amp/ power amp rig for doubling if you wanted to have different preamps for electric and upright? Do you have a switcher between the preamp and power amp? I am looking to replace my trusty WW's before I am on the road for a month and half this fall and am looking at this as an option. I actually have a synth that I use in the set as well as electric and upright and am wondering what the easiest way to amplify this all being that the synth/electric need radically different eq than the upright. Thanks
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Double Bass Grace Designs Felix
- Thread starter flatback
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In cooperation with Doug Wood of Grace Audio designs (who is providing the Felix) and Thor Larsen of Remic, I will be demo'ing the Felix specifically with the Remic mics and a combination of Pickups. The Remic mic I have been using for 6 months (my test for new equipment is: Is it still on my bass and used every gig after 6 months?) and the Remic (after a learning curve) sure meets that. I am really looking forward to pairing it with the Felix (I suggested to each company that their products might work well together.) Both the Remic and Felix are expensive and I think that will be a factor, but using the Remic either by itself or blended with a pickup has provided the very best most versatile and authentic acoustic bass sound I have ever had. Combined with the Hi Fidelity of the Felix Preamp I think that it will be Stellar. Looking forward to getting the Felix and seeing how they fair out on the gig scene.
+1 That will be interesting Piro, I just recieved my Grace Designs Felix, from Sweetwater this afternoon. Right out of the box, I'll say that it's a very well thought out design. I've only had a chance to attach it to my QSC K8 and work a little bit with it at home, but it's damn impressive.
It's extremely quite, and the EQ section is very sensitive. In that regard it's rememinicent of my Walter Woods MI-400-8, only quiter. All the controls are intuitive, so dialing in a great sound took a matter of seconds. Since I didn't run it into a P.A. today I had to do a bit of manual scanning
to determine, that you appparently have to run into Channel 2, if you're only using it with an amplifier. Once I figured that out. Game on. I'm imidately impressed, with the control layout on the top pannel. The key, ( just like a Walter Wood) of this blender is it's ablilty to get the midrange
right and with it's range and width settings, you can dial that in quickly. When that's done setting the treble and bass, are just a matter of course. The boost control is a wonderful idea for solos, its very clean, powerful and sensitive and works via the foot switch. The EQ section is
stellar, just turning the knobs the smallest increment yeilds a subtile difference in timber. It's built to last with a thick metal box that protects the components. If I take it on the gig tonight, I'll let everyone know how it worked.
Ric
I am just totally blown away by the feature set of the Felix. The Para EQ on the mids on the Pickup channel is totally stellar as is the impedance and the quietness feels like a well padded studio room. It puts the bass in such a sweet spot, and that is just with a pickup. THe Remic mixed in is so unbelievably awesome I am thrilled to be gigging with this sound. It adds that wide spectrum of detailed acoustic sound and it mixes so well with a pickup. I am going to be selling stuff to get the Felix right away. What would be the best power amp to pair this with to have fixed to the back of a MAS 46 or other Cabinet? It is a no brainer with PA speakers, but I love my MAS46 and want a small powerful no eq one in power amp to go with the FELIX?
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Piro,
Well, I'm leaning toward a Demeter Minnie 800D. However, I can just use the Felix for concerts with FOH mains and decent monitors. I still have my Walter Woods if I need a powerful backline. For smaller gigs I have the QSC K8.
Ric
I'm really interested to hear how this goes for you and what power amp you end up going with. The Minnie was noisy to me, but it wasn't the fan. Just plugged in with all volumes turned down there was a bit of hissyness that I couldn't abide with. Maybe something was off inside the Minnie I had. Maybe not. I would suggest purchasing one from someone that has a return policy to see if a brand new one, or just another one has the problems I experienced. You might just love it!
One question Nathan. Were you using the Headway EDB-2 to drive the Minnie 800D? The Headway's aren't "noise free" but the EDB-2 was a definite improvement. I was just wondering if that could be a factor in
the problem.
Ric
Good idea but nope. It was noisy with whatever pre was plugged into it and even with nothing plugged in at all. didn't seem right to me. I really would encourage others to try it out to see if they experience the same thing.
One of the really great things about the Felix is the way the HPF works on the sound. It is the same way it works on the Focus and the Headway but way more HIFI. IT sounds like the other preamps are 6 megapixel and the Felix is 25 megapixel ...or something... For example Seems like it is made to be used by first plugging in your pickup and with the crazy good mid eq getting a sound....So dig for me I want the pickup to be a ballsy, two fisted, volume getting,clear, articulating, fast pickup. I personally prefer two element bridge pickups like the Schertler vintage Stat or what I use now, the Underwood. The pick up part of the sound never sounds good by itself and I don't think of it as a sound by itself. But if you eq it to be the bottom, clarity, and punch of a sound, then what you are asking of it is different then if you want the pickup to make up all the sound. That is one of the reasons I don't like the EAP, it is trying to do everything and ends up only doing both half as well.
Then you roll in the mic, flat and suddenly the sound gets dimensional. If it is too fat the HPF dials in a perfect sound (a variety of perfect sounds actually from a thick PC kind of thing to a much more airy articulate sound....If you roll out too much you start hearing the pickup sound more and when it gets really loud (for me with the Remic) this is when I am ok with that sound. A little of the Remic and a lot of pickup is still a killing sound when it gets loud, because where you hear the mic is just where it has a chance to peak out and give dimension to the sound like fat open strings...but most importantly you hear a little mic in the walking too and that makes it feel way more natural to me.
Then you roll in the mic, flat and suddenly the sound gets dimensional. If it is too fat the HPF dials in a perfect sound (a variety of perfect sounds actually from a thick PC kind of thing to a much more airy articulate sound....If you roll out too much you start hearing the pickup sound more and when it gets really loud (for me with the Remic) this is when I am ok with that sound. A little of the Remic and a lot of pickup is still a killing sound when it gets loud, because where you hear the mic is just where it has a chance to peak out and give dimension to the sound like fat open strings...but most importantly you hear a little mic in the walking too and that makes it feel way more natural to me.
Piro,
Well, so far the Enrlund sounds absolutely phenominal combined with the Grace. So different basses yeild different results. It's very clear, present, and the timbre is almost as close as I get with the DPA 4099B. I think the advantage of the Felix's HPF is that it's very transparent, and goes down to 20 Hz. I haven't had a lot of time to mix the DPA 4099 and the Ehrlund. So I'll get to that sometime tomorrow.
With the Headway EDB-2, Ehrlund combination, I've never actually needed the DPA 4099, to get my sound, and the FOH was very controlled and focused. I'm anxious to blend the two together to see what I can come up with. The DPA has been my go to, either when I want to go with only a microphone or send it FOH blended with the Ehrlund, which I only do ocassionally. Once I've settled with a particular pickup, that works so well, I'm not inclined to return to the Underwood on my Mirecourt Bass. Personally, once the Realist came out, I've always preffered a pickup that senses the top rather than the bridge. The Realist pointed the way, and the Ehrlund dramatically improved on it. Playing extended Arco passages with an Underwood is tricky, at the best of times. I've considered the Stat B Vintage, but again the Ehrlund works so well on both my basses, that's it's really not something I really need.
Ric
P.S
I've yet to figure out how to get the Grace to cycle from Channel 1 (DPA 4099B) to Channel 2 (Ehrlund) and then to mix. Is this not possible?
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As does my "free" Walter Woods MI-400-8 and my recently repaired "free" Walter Woods Ultra. It's just a whole lot easier and way less expensive to repair your Acoustic Image Focus. So I'm eventually going to buy the Minnie 800D. One trip out to Walter could set me back @$600.00
Ric
Two things to add to this love fest for the Felix: I started putting other pickups and mics thru it.....THey all sound good, better then I've ever heard them before....The DPA4099 sounds great thru it, likewise the FC and Schertler Stat Vintage.
THe other nice feature is the lights that act like VU meters in a basic sense...they burn green when there is signal (the visual reference is great to have when you are blending so that you know you are getting both signals in) The lights turn Red when it clips. I really like that it has what seems redundant:a blend knob (on the AI focus the individual channel gain determines the blend where here you get the best signal from each eq'd then decide how much of each are in the blend. What's nice about that is that you are not messing with how you have it set up, just adjusting the blend...totally useful as the volume goes up and you want more pickup.
The Notch filter is crazy good too. You can get more volume using it but also on the Mic channel, it can really effect how fat and airy the bass is but it does not have that ugly quality that the notch filter on the Headway has....
This unit definitely makes me appreciate how cool the Headway EDB2 is...It aims for for all this at a much lower price point, but the extra fidelity that costs so much in the FElIX is worth it....if you are using both channels.
THe other nice feature is the lights that act like VU meters in a basic sense...they burn green when there is signal (the visual reference is great to have when you are blending so that you know you are getting both signals in) The lights turn Red when it clips. I really like that it has what seems redundant:a blend knob (on the AI focus the individual channel gain determines the blend where here you get the best signal from each eq'd then decide how much of each are in the blend. What's nice about that is that you are not messing with how you have it set up, just adjusting the blend...totally useful as the volume goes up and you want more pickup.
The Notch filter is crazy good too. You can get more volume using it but also on the Mic channel, it can really effect how fat and airy the bass is but it does not have that ugly quality that the notch filter on the Headway has....
This unit definitely makes me appreciate how cool the Headway EDB2 is...It aims for for all this at a much lower price point, but the extra fidelity that costs so much in the FElIX is worth it....if you are using both channels.
I've been following this thread with interest, but don't quite understand this statement. Can you elaborate? I've been off the "mix a mic and pickup" train for a while now, but the Grace unit has me potentially interested, especially if it can make the Full Circle sound better when it's on it's own. But the above statement makes it sound as though there may be a problem with mixing signals. What am I missing?
