Double Bass K&K Bass Max - bit quiet?

[martinc]

I have used a Bass Max for around 10 years now on various ply uprights..Kays, King and now the Eberle.
Never had a problem but I always use a pre-amp. LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI or Fishman Platinum Pro. The Baggs is cleaner but the Fishman has more control over the sound.

 

[kevteop]

I didn't bother about amplifying my DB for ages, but recently needed to, so I thought I'd try an acoustic preamp to determine whether the pickup was broken or not.

Short answer: Preamp solved the problem.

Thought I'd include this response for thread completeness. Thanks for the help everybody.

 

[drurb]

I didn't bother about amplifying my DB for ages, but recently needed to, so I thought I'd try an acoustic preamp to determine whether the pickup was broken or not.

Short answer: Preamp solved the problem.

Thought I'd include this response for thread completeness. Thanks for the help everybody.

So, are you saying that the BassMax straight into the Hartke yields a low output but with the pre-amp the output is higher? As I mentioned earlier, the 100 kohm input impedance of the Hartke should not substantially drag down the output of a properly functioning BassMax. What pre-amp did you try? Did it have gain? That is, did it actually amplify?

 

[kevteop]

So, are you saying that the BassMax straight into the Hartke yields a low output but with the pre-amp the output is higher? As I mentioned earlier, the 100 kohm input impedance of the Hartke should not substantially drag down the output of a properly functioning BassMax. What pre-amp did you try? Did it have gain? That is, did it actually amplify?

Hi,

It's the Fishman Platinum (bass) - yes it does amplify. More to the point though the sound is more balanced even with the Fishman's EQ flat. The Bass max directly into my Hartke was a very unpleasant sound; all high mids and nothing else.

 

[drurb]

Hi,

It's the Fishman Platinum (bass) - yes it does amplify. More to the point though the sound is more balanced even with the Fishman's EQ flat. The Bass max directly into my Hartke was a very unpleasant sound; all high mids and nothing else.

Given you were amplifying then it's understandable why you got a decent level signal. The more balanced sound is likely the result a higher input impedance. Still, you should have plenty of level from a properly functioning BassMax going into the Hartke.