Double Bass Headway EDB1 preamp

[Uncletoad]

I've always used notch filters and the like as last resort things to deal with an otherwise unfixable night; like a really weird room or a night of uncontrollable feedback, or so loud I can't think and I'm just trying to stay afloat in a mix. It's something for your back pocket when the roof falls in kind of thing.

I go for a sound that is pretty much flat with high pass filters and phasing corrections as my default position in most situations. If it needs radical EQ every time you play something in the signal chain isn't right.

I look forward to my audition with the Headway as well. I have one on the way. I hope it will be a go-to box on no amp gigs with no mic and pickup to the board.

 

[Contrabbasso]

I am correcting myself here in my error about the Headway preamp Phantom power supply.
The battery light came on shortly after I posted the comment earlier. After battery replacements the Headway EDB-1 works perfectly with the DPA 4099b microphone.
I'm sorry to everyone who was misled.
After reacting too quickly I hooked the mic into my mixing board with 48v power supply and assumed incorrectly of the EDB-1's capabilities. Again the Headway EDB-1 preamp works great with the DPA 4099b microphone. It also can utilize it's wall plug power source.
The Headway EDB-1 is a very good if not great product.

,Contrabbasso

 

[The Spanier]

Hi!

Nice thread!!! Someone compared the Headway Vs. Fishmann Pro Plat. I guess they are just hard to compare according to you opinions but… Did someone miss the compression feature given by Fishmann???

Thanks!

 

[Uncletoad]

I got a Headway in yesterday for audition. I need to put it through more situations but my first impression is it sounds great flat and the EQ does good things. The Headway sounds better right out of the box than any other small preamp I've had including the Fishman Pro Platinum and the Baggs Para DI. It doesn't sound better than the Focus front end IMO. I get better gain before feedback with the Focus front end than the Headway. The Focus has a special sauce with my bass that really sounds great.

So I'm not going to drag this thing around on top of the Focus. More likely I'm keeping it for the gigs where I have no amp, or use borrowed amps or backline.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Sounds interesting, Chris. Got a snapshot or two of your setup?

Amp on my right:
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Amp on my left:
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Top view:
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Back view:
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Better late than never. Sorry for the size of the pics. Did I mention I was OCD?

 

[Jazzdogg]

Thanks, Chris. That looks like a great setup. I especially like the convenience/ergonomics of the physical arrangement. If it sounds as good as it looks, it's gotta be a winner!

 

[Roger Davis]

Chris, is the fdeck redundant in this situation? Do you use it sometimes? How does it compare/contrast to the Headway?

 

[geoffbassist]

Chris, is the fdeck redundant in this situation? Do you use it sometimes? How does it compare/contrast to the Headway?

I was wondering the same thing. I'm looking for a pre to use in situations where I'm using a borrowed amp but like to keep things simple. Not sure if I would need the extra features of the headway. The only adjustments I seem to make are to reduce boom.
Cheers Geoff

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Chris, is the fdeck redundant in this situation? Do you use it sometimes? How does it compare/contrast to the Headway?

The fdeck is "sort of" redundant in this setting, and I never use the two together. I couldn't use the fdeck for a long time for various reasons (First, I dropped it in a puddle after a gig and had to send it back for repair, then it didn't pair well with a failing pickup and I wondered if it was still defective). I recently replaced the pickup, and now the fdeck sounds great again. In the near future, I'll probably start with the fdeck and not use the Headway unless I need more EQ options in that room or with that band.

I hope to review the Ehrlund pickup at some point, and if it adds something good to the sound, the Headway would be perfect for mixing with the pickup.

 

[Ric Vice]

I was wondering the same thing. I'm looking for a pre to use in situations where I'm using a borrowed amp but like to keep things simple. Not sure if I would need the extra features of the headway. The only adjustments I seem to make are to reduce boom.
Cheers Geoff

Geoff,
Thing is if you have an EDB-1, and you are really comfortable with it, it becomes your pre amp and you just use it instead of the one on whatever amp you're playing through. IME it's that good.

Ric

 

[geoffbassist]

Thanks Ric. I'm looking forward to getting a chance to play through one.
Cheers Geoff

 

[jrlynch]

you might want to pickup one of Invalid Link Removed.

they make longer ones, too. cheaper and lighter than a mic boom.

i keep an fdeck box velcroed to my amp, too. weighs nothing and you never know when something is gonna blow up.

jeff.


Better late than never. Sorry for the size of the pics. Did I mention I was OCD? [/QUOTE]

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Those are cool! If my hose clamps tear loose, I'll definitely look at those.

 

[Jaromir]

Hello,
I'm considering the purchase of the EDB-1, however one aspect remains mysterious to me: when using a pickup only, can I still use the phase reverse switch?
In other words, can I use the channel two as a single pickup input? As I learned in the manual, the phase switch only works with channel two.
Thank you!

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

when using a pickup only, can I still use the phase reverse switch?
In other words, can I use the channel two as a single pickup input? As I learned in the manual, the phase switch only works with channel two.

Hi Jaromir - curiosity got the better of this and I just tried it. The answers are yes and yes.

 

[LowNote]

Chris,

I recently tried to use my Headway on a doubling gig with the upright into Channel 1 and my BG into Channel 2, with a 1/4" line-out to a backline amp and the DI out to the house. For some reason, the Headway didn't like my mono 1/4" guitar cable into Channel 2 and I couldn't make this work. Is there a trick that I need to know about?

Erik Hansen
Scotland

P.S.: Just spent a fun week taking Tim Armacost out to play Scottish golf courses while he was in town to play with Valery Pomaromov at The Edinburgh Fringe festival. Both Tim and Valery hung around and played with the Jazz Bar Big Band on Monday night as well, which was a total gas. I understand that you and Tim have done a number of evening concerts at the Aebersold schools.

 

[Roger Davis]

Chris, is the fdeck redundant in this situation? Do you use it sometimes? How does it compare/contrast to the Headway?

Having now had a few opportunities to gig my Super Flightcase with an fdeck I can now go some way to answering my own question. This may or may not be helpful to some. It begins from when I got the f-deck and I was playing around in the house:-

I've now had a chance to play about with the fdeck. I've got my Upton Professor in the house, plus a Phil Jones Super Flightcase that I've recently acquired. I've got other basses and amps spread round the place but the Prof gives me particular challenges when it comes to amping; I really think it's because there is just so much sound coming out of the bass.

So, due to its compact size I was able to slip the fdeck neatly under the carry handle of the PJ and connect into the 'front'. The absence of an external power supply is a blessing, because what's not there I can't do. By that I mean I don't have to have extra stuff to plug in on the gig and I can manage the battery situation easily during the year. (edit, ha ha see later)

The PJ has a very comprehensive 5-way eq section so I am using the fdeck for the things the PJ doesn't have - ie the phase switch and the hpf. Initially when I played I was disappointed by the lack of gain until I realised that the fdeck volume control was all cut (I assume). By that I mean that I usually initially run the volume at 12 oclock - no boost/no cut. So I cranked the vol right up, which I equate to 12oclock on other preamps. That was more like it! I got a beautiful clear sound from the bass, perhaps a bit quacky - I am an Underwood man - so I backed the PJ lower middle eq off a bit and got a perfect sound straight away. I ran the hpf at 35, which was a bit bassy so backed that off a bit and all was great.

I A/Bd it with a Headway and after a lot of knob twirling got a similar sound but certainly not a better one.

So the point is this, if I use the Headway a lot of its features are duplicated on the PJ and on a gig this could lead to some confusion. The fdeck does with two knobs and one switch what the Headway does with 10 knobs and 9 switches!

So, the fdeck looks after the room's boominess with the hpf and will smooth out the impedance mismatch and the PJ will give me a nice sound via its fine eq section - all simple to achieve. Perfect!

There is only one postscript. When I first got the fdeck the only battery I had looked a bit second hand but as the low battery light didn't go on I thought OK. Did three gigs and all was well until the fourth when the whole lot crapped out in the midddle of 'Here's that Rainy Day'. Turns out the battery I put in was so low it couldn't even power the low batt light! New battery and everything now sounds even better than ever. I should have remembered that where there is a low batt light it should flash when the jack is inserted to confirm that all is well.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Chris,

I recently tried to use my Headway on a doubling gig with the upright into Channel 1 and my BG into Channel 2, with a 1/4" line-out to a backline amp and the DI out to the house. For some reason, the Headway didn't like my mono 1/4" guitar cable into Channel 2 and I couldn't make this work. Is there a trick that I need to know about?

Erik Hansen
Scotland

P.S.: Just spent a fun week taking Tim Armacost out to play Scottish golf courses while he was in town to play with Valery Pomaromov at The Edinburgh Fringe festival. Both Tim and Valery hung around and played with the Jazz Bar Big Band on Monday night as well, which was a total gas. I understand that you and Tim have done a number of evening concerts at the Aebersold schools.

I haven't tried a 1/4" in both channels, so I can't comment on that. But Tim Armacost is a helluva player and a standup guy who actually listens on the bandstand. A killer combination to be sure... I always enjoy seeing his name in my group when the faculty concert lineups come out.

 

[Jaromir]

Hi Jaromir - curiosity got the better of this and I just tried it. The answers are yes and yes.

Hi Chris, thank you for your quick answer! I really love this forum However, my curiosity goes on - do you think the channel two has the same voicing as channel one, as the channel two is primarily intended for mic?
Thanks a lot!

 

[geoffbassist]

Thanks for a great post Roger, really useful review I'm doing a regular residency with the clubs in house mark bass 12" combo. It sounds good but the lack of high pass filter is causing 'boom' problems so I'm looking for a pre to help. My new Bryant bass has a big sound which makes it harder to amplify like your upton. Sounds great though.
Cheers Geoff

Having now had a few opportunities to gig my Super Flightcase with an fdeck I can now go some way to answering my own question. This may or may not be helpful to some. It begins from when I got the f-deck and I was playing around in the house:-

I've now had a chance to play about with the fdeck. I've got my Upton Professor in the house, plus a Phil Jones Super Flightcase that I've recently acquired. I've got other basses and amps spread round the place but the Prof gives me particular challenges when it comes to amping; I really think it's because there is just so much sound coming out of the bass.

So, due to its compact size I was able to slip the fdeck neatly under the carry handle of the PJ and connect into the 'front'. The absence of an external power supply is a blessing, because what's not there I can't do. By that I mean I don't have to have extra stuff to plug in on the gig and I can manage the battery situation easily during the year. (edit, ha ha see later)

The PJ has a very comprehensive 5-way eq section so I am using the fdeck for the things the PJ doesn't have - ie the phase switch and the hpf. Initially when I played I was disappointed by the lack of gain until I realised that the fdeck volume control was all cut (I assume). By that I mean that I usually initially run the volume at 12 oclock - no boost/no cut. So I cranked the vol right up, which I equate to 12oclock on other preamps. That was more like it! I got a beautiful clear sound from the bass, perhaps a bit quacky - I am an Underwood man - so I backed the PJ lower middle eq off a bit and got a perfect sound straight away. I ran the hpf at 35, which was a bit bassy so backed that off a bit and all was great.

I A/Bd it with a Headway and after a lot of knob twirling got a similar sound but certainly not a better one.

So the point is this, if I use the Headway a lot of its features are duplicated on the PJ and on a gig this could lead to some confusion. The fdeck does with two knobs and one switch what the Headway does with 10 knobs and 9 switches!

So, the fdeck looks after the room's boominess with the hpf and will smooth out the impedance mismatch and the PJ will give me a nice sound via its fine eq section - all simple to achieve. Perfect!

There is only one postscript. When I first got the fdeck the only battery I had looked a bit second hand but as the low battery light didn't go on I thought OK. Did three gigs and all was well until the fourth when the whole lot crapped out in the midddle of 'Here's that Rainy Day'. Turns out the battery I put in was so low it couldn't even power the low batt light! New battery and everything now sounds even better than ever. I should have remembered that where there is a low batt light it should flash when the jack is inserted to confirm that all is well.