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Jule Amps Monique part 5

#885
I had the Monique 700 out a country club ball room last night and it crushed at about 830 on the volume knob.
I have never before had such reserve power with no change in tone once cranked up a little.
This is the finest bass amp I have ever used!
Even the guitarist noticed... :)
photo.JPG
 
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Reactions: Jule Potter, maisbass, Randyt and 1 other person
#891
maisbass said:
Wow. I can't even imagine what it must be like to play at that volume, controlling string noise, etc.
Click to expand...

My string noise isn't an overwhelming problem. In fact, I tend to set my tone by way rolling it back until gone then bringing the highs up just enough that there is some for definition but not enough to be noticeable when the drummer is playing. I do use the EQ on my bass, but I have the Monique EQ set Bass = 2 o'clock, Mid = between 3 & 4 o'clock, and Treble = 8 o'clock.
 
#892
I posted up in the Barefaced thread that I just got a Super Compact. I'm finding that it does not play well with my Monique and Nash P & J basses. The cab does do nicely with my Mesa Walkabout (srs EQ options help) and Buster, though I'm finding those like lower gain and turned down EQ on the lows and mids. I'm guessing few here have this combo, but I thought I'd ask for some EQ advice or settings advice. I'm going to try meeting up with Nostatic soon and I'm curious what his impressions will be (we are going to compare his Hathor 1203 to my SC).

The problem is that I'm getting is a dark, congested tone. My girlfriend was doing some work on her laptop while I was playing, and she noticed that my sound changed when I switched from Monique to my Walkabout, and she said it sounded better after I changed amps.

What really helped was kicking in my Diamond BCP with a bit of comp and the EQ turned about 1 o'clock.

Anyone else find cabs that don't play well with Monique? What did you do?


"Comparison is the thief of joy."
- Theodore Roosevelt
 
#893
I've never played a Barefaced cab (though I know they have a good reputation here and elsewhere) and I never play with compression, but I have both a Monique and a Walkabout and I did a little reading on the Super Compact and the BCP.

While Monique does some things better than any other amp I've got, it's not the brightest sounding head, and can sound thick and dark when played back-to-back with some of the others (but then they can sound thin and harsh played back-to-back with Monique). The Walkabout does have a more flexible EQ and a more open high end than does Monique, and the Super Compact is a one-way cab (though I don't know how it's voiced). I can't say whether the combo of the two will work for you, but here's what I'd try:

1) Play with the Sensitivity control. Aside from affecting feel, it has a significant effect on the harmonic profile of your tone. Turning it up can add texture and detail to the sound, as can pulling the knob out.

2) Play with the EQ without preconceptions about how it should look and see what you find. Everyone says this, but it can be hard (for me, anyway) to do. On most amps, I boost lows and low mids and favor the bridge pickup when I play. Through some rigs, it works better if I favor the neck. With Monique, through some cabs, I might cut a bit of bass. I tried it for the first time through an Epifani PS-112 today, playing an occasionally dark-ish sounding fretless bass. I got my best tone with the Lows at noon, Mids at 1:30, Highs at 2:00, Sensitivity at 12:30 and pushed in. (My usual settings with Monique: EQ flat, Sensitivity at 10:30 and pulled out.)

3) I'm guessing that the "tilting EQ" on the BCP pedal was more responsible for the sonic help you experienced than the bit of compression you dialed in. If so, you might try some EQ in front of Monique -- or between Monique and your poweramp, if that works in your setup. I've considered getting an Empress Para-EQ, myself. I mentioned in an earlier post that I liked the effect I got running Monique through the effects return jack of a Demeter HPB-1 800D amp and dialing the presence (a gentle, shelving boost starting at 2 KHz) up.

Trying to think of what "congested" might imply. Maybe veiled up top... maybe too thick in the mids/low-mids. Try dialing the bass back, and see what you think. I guess an HPF like the fDeck is a possibility (it can "air out" some setups). You could try dialing in a tone you like with the Walkabout and see if you can come up with a version of it that you like with Monique... you won't get exactly the same thing, but it might serve as a starting point. (Are you having to use very radical EQ on the WB?)

I'm just brainstorming, here.

Two things I've noticed in my own playing of Monique: Even if the sound is sometimes not quite as bright as I'd like, chords and harmonics still speak well and clearly -- sometimes better than with brighter sounding amps. And I'm not afraid to solo the bridge pickup.

It's possible the cab and amp aren't the best match for your tonal goals, but that's what I'd try. Good luck!
 
#894
Question....for someone

When I come out of Monique's "line Out" into my FX Return of my Puma 900.....should I be using a instrument cable or...a speaker cable ?...as one is insulated and other is not!...does even make a difference?
thanks

Randyt
 
#895
Randyt said:
Question....for someone

When I come out of Monique's "line Out" into my FX Return of my Puma 900.....should I be using a instrument cable or...a speaker cable ?...as one is insulated and other is not!...does even make a difference?
thanks

Randyt
Click to expand...

Instrument cable. And when I used my HPF3 in between my Monique and my amp I used a TRS to a TS cord.
 
#896
MarkA said:
I've never played a Barefaced cab (though I know they have a good reputation here and elsewhere) and I never play with compression, but I have both a Monique and a Walkabout and I did a little reading on the Super Compact and the BCP.

While Monique does some things better than any other amp I've got, it's not the brightest sounding head, and can sound thick and dark when played back-to-back with some of the others (but then they can sound thin and harsh played back-to-back with Monique). The Walkabout does have a more flexible EQ and a more open high end than does Monique, and the Super Compact is a one-way cab (though I don't know how it's voiced). I can't say whether the combo of the two will work for you, but here's what I'd try:

1) Play with the Sensitivity control. Aside from affecting feel, it has a significant effect on the harmonic profile of your tone. Turning it up can add texture and detail to the sound, as can pulling the knob out.

2) Play with the EQ without preconceptions about how it should look and see what you find. Everyone says this, but it can be hard (for me, anyway) to do. On most amps, I boost lows and low mids and favor the bridge pickup when I play. Through some rigs, it works better if I favor the neck. With Monique, through some cabs, I might cut a bit of bass. I tried it for the first time through an Epifani PS-112 today, playing an occasionally dark-ish sounding fretless bass. I got my best tone with the Lows at noon, Mids at 1:30, Highs at 2:00, Sensitivity at 12:30 and pushed in. (My usual settings with Monique: EQ flat, Sensitivity at 10:30 and pulled out.)

3) I'm guessing that the "tilting EQ" on the BCP pedal was more responsible for the sonic help you experienced than the bit of compression you dialed in. If so, you might try some EQ in front of Monique -- or between Monique and your poweramp, if that works in your setup. I've considered getting an Empress Para-EQ, myself. I mentioned in an earlier post that I liked the effect I got running Monique through the effects return jack of a Demeter HPB-1 800D amp and dialing the presence (a gentle, shelving boost starting at 2 KHz) up.

Trying to think of what "congested" might imply. Maybe veiled up top... maybe too thick in the mids/low-mids. Try dialing the bass back, and see what you think. I guess an HPF like the fDeck is a possibility (it can "air out" some setups). You could try dialing in a tone you like with the Walkabout and see if you can come up with a version of it that you like with Monique... you won't get exactly the same thing, but it might serve as a starting point. (Are you having to use very radical EQ on the WB?)

I'm just brainstorming, here.

Two things I've noticed in my own playing of Monique: Even if the sound is sometimes not quite as bright as I'd like, chords and harmonics still speak well and clearly -- sometimes better than with brighter sounding amps. And I'm not afraid to solo the bridge pickup.

It's possible the cab and amp aren't the best match for your tonal goals, but that's what I'd try. Good luck!
Click to expand...

You nailed it with your assumptions.

I think the thickness and high end of Monique are just too much for the thick voicing of the cab. I tried HPF adjustments with my XLS1000 and it didn't get me there. The lows and low mids just overwhelm the upper mids and highs. With my PH115 cab, I run the sensitivity up over noon with the dial pulled out. With the Barefaced, I'm pushing it in and rolling it way back. I'm getting too much of a good thing with my P bass.


"Comparison is the thief of joy."
- Theodore Roosevelt
 
#897
BurningSkies said:
Oh? I was running 3000w behind Monique today on an outdoor stage with the DI plus speakers mic'ed...then fed to about 15 18" subs out front. Clean and deep without a lick of distortion. Beautiful, Jule.
Click to expand...
Thank you my friend. I do love your music. I want that "Taxman" out there for everybody come April 15.
 
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#898
nomatic said:
I had the Monique 700 out a country club ball room last night and it crushed at about 830 on the volume knob.
I have never before had such reserve power with no change in tone once cranked up a little.
This is the finest bass amp I have ever used!
Even the guitarist noticed... :)View attachment 439263
Click to expand...
That is the part, the "no change ... once cranked up a little," that is important to me. It is easy to sound good in one spot on the dial. Takes a lot of reserve power to make bass sound good across the audio spectrum.

This is a case where a bit of overkill pays off. The power supply I use for the 700 watt amplifier is one designed to deliver power to a 1200 watt amplifier. Does not quit.
 
#899
Jule Potter said:
Thank you my friend. I do love your music. I want that "Taxman" out there for everybody come April 15.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, that drummer/vocalist ended up moving from the area for a job for Avid, doing software support in Boston. He guests with us when he's in the area. And since the 'riddim' parts of the song are mine, they may resurface in the future, in some form or another. :(
 

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