All right so i've just given in and decided to go all rack mount. So far I've decided on the Sansamp RBI, Crown XTI, and a Korg tuner. These are "the essentials." Is there anything else you guys might recommend me adding to this setup to make it sound that much better? Thanks a lot.
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Help Me build my Rack!!
- Thread starter jackall237
- Start date
I had a dbx 166L compressor that I used kinda as a limiter (speaker saver) for my cabs and the other channel I let the soundguy set for the type of compressed dry signal that he wanted.
BUT, I eventually came to dislike a compressed sound. I guess I was doing too much compression. I'd be in the middle of a crescendoing song and run out of volume and have to either turn down the compressor or up the output of the main amp. I decided it was less hassle to learn to control my peak volumes through my fingers.
BUT, I eventually came to dislike a compressed sound. I guess I was doing too much compression. I'd be in the middle of a crescendoing song and run out of volume and have to either turn down the compressor or up the output of the main amp. I decided it was less hassle to learn to control my peak volumes through my fingers.
But that's what I'm effectively saying; if you don't have a specific need, then my (or someone else's opinion) of what may change the sound is irrelevant. What is the need? More EQ? Compression? Flashing lights? A more impressive, fuller looking rack?
Why add weight, complication and expense? I have no idea at all what sounds good to you. Only you know that.
Although I lean towards the "simpler is better" comments from the previous posters, I use a few items that make my rack more useful in the environments in which I play lately. The first was a rack mount mixer. I first got it mostly to fill an empty rack space, and because it had balanced outputs for my amp input. It was a Nady RMX rack mixer. I do theater and pit work, and frequently somebody, keyboards, guitars, or even effects will need some sound reinforcement, so I can run them through my mixer into the secondary amp channel. It works well for that task.
The last show I did I tried out a BBE Sonic Maximizer mid run. Very nice what it did to the sound. I had several people come up to me at the end of the show who had been to one of the first nights, and they commented on how much cleaner and distinct the sound was. I was running keyboards, guitars, and bass through the 882.
Jeff
The last show I did I tried out a BBE Sonic Maximizer mid run. Very nice what it did to the sound. I had several people come up to me at the end of the show who had been to one of the first nights, and they commented on how much cleaner and distinct the sound was. I was running keyboards, guitars, and bass through the 882.
Jeff
I'm asking for people's opinions mainly because I'm completely ignorant on anything having to do with rack mounted gear. I've only been accustomed to playing amplifiers like I have now. What I'm saying is, I will never know unless I ask. I might stumble across something awesome just by putting up something like this. I'm a huge fan of less is more, huge fan. But I also want to try to have something different/cool/nice sounding, in no particular order of course. This reply was in no means trying to be rude nor do i think your intent was to be rude or "shut me down." thanks so much for everyone's opinions and suggestions, keep em coming!!
I get where you're coming from, and am glad you didn't interpret my characteristic bluntness as rude, but what I meant was "what do you feel you need?" Would more EQ be effective? Have you tried a compressor? Do you want some more distortion on some things? Do cab modellers interest you? A rack distortion may not make a massive difference from a particular pedal EQ you've used before for example and so may not be a cost effective change.
To get to a destination, first you need to work out where you want to arrive. I could suggest a small studio's worth of rack gear you may like, but ultimately none of it may be of benefit to you.
If you narrow it down a bit, you'll get some excellent suggestions. Then hit a store and try them out.
The one ddefinite thing I will suggest is: don't waste you money on a "power conditioner" A powerboard with some surge protection will do as much for far less cost and not wasting a rack space.
To get to a destination, first you need to work out where you want to arrive. I could suggest a small studio's worth of rack gear you may like, but ultimately none of it may be of benefit to you.
If you narrow it down a bit, you'll get some excellent suggestions. Then hit a store and try them out.
The one ddefinite thing I will suggest is: don't waste you money on a "power conditioner" A powerboard with some surge protection will do as much for far less cost and not wasting a rack space.
I have assembled basically the same rack. I have a Korg DRT-1000 tuner, Sansamp RPM, a Mackie 1400 amp into my Genz 610. I like the sound that I get. I did put in a Furman PL+ because I had one laying around. I can't think of anything else to make the sound "better".
I am looking at adding a different wireless. Either a Shure PGX14 or better yet a ULXS14.
I have a terrible hatred for this band-aid of a tone destroyer. So many people are sucked into this gimmick, thinking it improves their tone.
All it is, is an EQ-ing tool that masks bad tone.
I strongly believe, that a great amp will help you sound great. A great amp will also have all the tone-shaping and tweaking EQ controls you'll need, if you know what you are listening for and know what frequencies to dial in/out. If you buy a mediocre amp, you won't be able to dial in what your ears hear, and then you go looking for solutions. Too many people go buy a BBE sonic crapimizer instead of buying a BETTER amp. They rely on the BBE unit to brighten their highs, add thunder to their lows, change the voicing of their tone.... and then blow speakers or other damaging problems because that BBE does things the power section of their amp can't handle.
If you need a ton of bells and whistles to get your bass tone sounding good, you have a crap amp in the first place and you're masking the initial problem. Outboard 31-band EQ's and BBE's and stomp-box EQ's are just band-aids stuck over a broken leg. It ain't the right solution.
I have so many n00b salesmen (especially at Guitarded Center) trying to sling that garbage at me. I was sitting down with a bass I liked, my brother listening as he just got done looking at what he needed. I was playing through an Ampeg B2RE (that's all they had HOOKED UP, Christ I'd never be able to work at a GC the way they never upkeep their gear) into a 410HLF. It was sounding horrible.
The twerp salesman comes over, "How do you like it?"
I answered, "It'd be better if this amp's tone didn't suck."
"You know what YOU need? A BBE Sonic Maximizer!" he replied with a huge stupid smile on his face, practically bouncing as he mentioned it.
"YOU'RE CRAZY!" my brother instantly snapped, "That's the worst piece of gimmicked crap I've ever seen!"
"Y-yeah, that's why I sold mine!" with the same stupid smile and a timid I-got-schooled tone to his voice.
Face (guy we know from another band and works in guitars) heard us and later shook our hands for not being stupid and putting the n00b in his place. "Total crap, man. They're wheel chocks."
Sorry if I seem to have a strong opinion about these BBE's. But I know crap when I step in it. And don't use the "I can't afford a great amp!" answer with me. If you can't afford it, SAVE YOUR MONEY. Wait until you CAN afford a great amp, then go shopping. Don't take a Crate to a gig and wonder why everyone complains, just cuz you could afford the Crate. Save up, so you can save money in the long run instead of buying band-aids the rest of your musical career.
All it is, is an EQ-ing tool that masks bad tone.
I strongly believe, that a great amp will help you sound great. A great amp will also have all the tone-shaping and tweaking EQ controls you'll need, if you know what you are listening for and know what frequencies to dial in/out. If you buy a mediocre amp, you won't be able to dial in what your ears hear, and then you go looking for solutions. Too many people go buy a BBE sonic crapimizer instead of buying a BETTER amp. They rely on the BBE unit to brighten their highs, add thunder to their lows, change the voicing of their tone.... and then blow speakers or other damaging problems because that BBE does things the power section of their amp can't handle.
If you need a ton of bells and whistles to get your bass tone sounding good, you have a crap amp in the first place and you're masking the initial problem. Outboard 31-band EQ's and BBE's and stomp-box EQ's are just band-aids stuck over a broken leg. It ain't the right solution.
I have so many n00b salesmen (especially at Guitarded Center) trying to sling that garbage at me. I was sitting down with a bass I liked, my brother listening as he just got done looking at what he needed. I was playing through an Ampeg B2RE (that's all they had HOOKED UP, Christ I'd never be able to work at a GC the way they never upkeep their gear) into a 410HLF. It was sounding horrible.
The twerp salesman comes over, "How do you like it?"
I answered, "It'd be better if this amp's tone didn't suck."
"You know what YOU need? A BBE Sonic Maximizer!" he replied with a huge stupid smile on his face, practically bouncing as he mentioned it.
"YOU'RE CRAZY!" my brother instantly snapped, "That's the worst piece of gimmicked crap I've ever seen!"
"Y-yeah, that's why I sold mine!" with the same stupid smile and a timid I-got-schooled tone to his voice.
Face (guy we know from another band and works in guitars) heard us and later shook our hands for not being stupid and putting the n00b in his place. "Total crap, man. They're wheel chocks."
Sorry if I seem to have a strong opinion about these BBE's. But I know crap when I step in it. And don't use the "I can't afford a great amp!" answer with me. If you can't afford it, SAVE YOUR MONEY. Wait until you CAN afford a great amp, then go shopping. Don't take a Crate to a gig and wonder why everyone complains, just cuz you could afford the Crate. Save up, so you can save money in the long run instead of buying band-aids the rest of your musical career.
Bryan316.
Everything you say about fixing a bad amp, trying to fix tone etc., is all true, and nothing will fix that problem. There are legitimate uses for the BBE units however, so I would not completely discount them as a tool. Sadly people buy them thinking that it will do something magical to their tone, which is not the fault of the hardware. I recently had to copy some old tapes to digital format and ran the tape outs through the BBE unit. The results were pretty spectacular. BBE specifically mentions this task in their literature and I can honestly say it worked amazingly well with minimal tweaking.
Cheers,
Jeff
Everything you say about fixing a bad amp, trying to fix tone etc., is all true, and nothing will fix that problem. There are legitimate uses for the BBE units however, so I would not completely discount them as a tool. Sadly people buy them thinking that it will do something magical to their tone, which is not the fault of the hardware. I recently had to copy some old tapes to digital format and ran the tape outs through the BBE unit. The results were pretty spectacular. BBE specifically mentions this task in their literature and I can honestly say it worked amazingly well with minimal tweaking.
Cheers,
Jeff
Then I need someone to show me an application in person, because every time I see a BBE in a musician's rig, I hear horrible ear-fatiguing frequencies that would make my dog commit seppuku with a spork from KFC. I need someone to show it to me, who knows how to actually use it, not just some kid throwing it into his bass rig saying, "Listen to THIS! OMGLOLZORZ"
Just thought I'd let you guys know about the status of my rack.. So I've decided to get a 12 space Rack on wheels. Gonna get the Furman, I already got the RBI, gonna grab the Sansamp Power Engine, a dbx 166XL, possibly the Sonic Maximizer, and then a 2 space drawer for all the crap. there's the update I am, of course, pretty stoked about all these goodies coming in. Thanks for any input or advice..
a good compressor is a good tool to have. some people use it all the time others like it there to help them in tight spots.
a power conditioner helps protect your gear and organizes your wireing.
a BBE sonic maximizer is a very great tool as well.
you could also add a graphic EQ! in combination with the RBI that would be a great way to tailor our tone! i wouldent get more than a 12 band tho keep it to either 7, 10, or 12 band EQ
a power conditioner helps protect your gear and organizes your wireing.
a BBE sonic maximizer is a very great tool as well.
you could also add a graphic EQ! in combination with the RBI that would be a great way to tailor our tone! i wouldent get more than a 12 band tho keep it to either 7, 10, or 12 band EQ
I wouldnt use the sans amp if you can avoid it imo. i just got a Sadowsky Bass Preamp/ D.I. its aazing very simple and sounds perfect plus its a sadowsky so youknow its good stuff. other than that i ave a petersen digitl strobe tuner tht=at i love, but you already have good tuner so gook luck!
