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L-O-N-G Shot! "Bruce" Amps????

#61
The poweramp was in the cabinet at the bottom . The preamp sat on top , you can see it in the pictures above . I had one as my first puchased bass amp in 1969 . I never tried plugging into the bottom , there were just a pair of 1/4" jacks , a 110V powercord and the heatsinks and transistors .
 
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#65
Zombie thread. :dead:

Just picked up the bass preamp varian from a local music store. Turns out that the they had the powered 215 cab and someone picked it up. The preamp is in fantastic condition.

Here's what I learned -
The output on the preamp is very quiet, even when driving it with an Ampeg SVT-300 power amp. I ran the amp through the "Send" on a GK and got the same results. However, running it through the input of the GK, I was able to wake it up and get a useful level. I speculate that's how the powered cabs are designed, since you can plug an instrument in without the preamp.

It's a very fast, clean, and warm sounding preamp.

Not quite sure why it has two independent channels w/ separate inputs and outputs given it was designed to use one cab. Was it designed this way to run an separate signal to a mixer??? Odd, given that the channels are foot switchable.

I'm hoping I can pick up a powered bass cab locally.
 
#66
Have you tried running it into the RETURN on the GK amp? It will be very quiet because it can't drive the low impedance OUTPUT of the send. You need to connect it to the RETURN which is an INPUT.
 
#67
agedhorse said:
Have you tried running it into the RETURN on the GK amp? It will be very quiet because it can't drive the low impedance OUTPUT of the send. You need to connect it to the RETURN which is an INPUT.
Click to expand...

Thanks agedhorse, I will give it a try. Please don't beat me. I've nearly made it to Friday with no lashings. :roflmao:

I'm curious as to why it sounded quiet on the preamp input of the SVT-300 power amp. I know that those amps were designed to use in house preamps. Any suggestions?
 
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#69
Raw N Low said:
Thanks agedhorse, I will give it a try. Please don't beat me. I've nearly made it to Friday with no lashings. :roflmao:

I'm curious as to why it sounded quiet on the preamp input of the SVT-300 power amp. I know that those amps were designed to use in house preamps. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

I see the mistake of connecting preamps to the send jack pretty often, it's not an uncommon mistake. What happens is that the preamp's output tries to drive the low impedance of the send and doesn't have the capability.

Good question, the input sensitivity of the power amp is supposed to be .25V for rated output with the level control fully up... did you have the level control all the way up on the amp? Also, the amp needs a 1/4" tip-sleeve cable, it may not work correctly with a TRS cable. Also, the output level of your preamp may be instrument level, I'm not sure on this and don't have any specs.

Shall I fire up some wet spaghetti for a grand Friday lashing (to the music of Monty Python)? ;)
 
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#70
Yes, I had the SVT-300's level set to 7 and it was "meh". It's noticeably louder with the SVP-PRO with the power amp set to 2. I'm guessing the Bruce's output is instrument level as well. I am using a 1/4" tip sleeve to connect the two.

Please reduce my offense to danceable licorice sing-a-longs.

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GreedyRemarkableCopepod-small.gif
 
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#73
I owned a Bruce waaaaaay back. Bought it around 1982. It was a 212 model with the funk and tremolo effects. I believe the speakers were not aligned vertically, if I remember correctly. I played a lot of gigs with that amp. I think the preamp stopped working at one point, and as others have said, I plugged my active bass right into the jack on the back and voila, sound! It was a powerful sucker.
 
#77
You're cracking me up - saw a concert honoring 'Bruce' Springsteen. Neil Young was on stage yelling "Bruce - Bruce - Brruuce!". nonstop for one of the last songs. It was hysterical but Springsteen laughed with everyone else. Just some of them good ol' boys having fun!
 
#78
Raw N Low said:
Zombie thread. :dead:

Just picked up the bass preamp varian from a local music store. Turns out that the they had the powered 215 cab and someone picked it up. The preamp is in fantastic condition.

Here's what I learned -
The output on the preamp is very quiet, even when driving it with an Ampeg SVT-300 power amp. I ran the amp through the "Send" on a GK and got the same results. However, running it through the input of the GK, I was able to wake it up and get a useful level. I speculate that's how the powered cabs are designed, since you can plug an instrument in without the preamp.

It's a very fast, clean, and warm sounding preamp.

Not quite sure why it has two independent channels w/ separate inputs and outputs given it was designed to use one cab. Was it designed this way to run an separate signal to a mixer??? Odd, given that the channels are foot switchable.

I'm hoping I can pick up a powered bass cab locally.
Click to expand...
I have one of the preamps too, but the other model (B212?) with the spring reverb and "funk." The unit didn't have the cab when I got it. To be honest, the preamp sat under a couch in my studio for the last 20 years, as I didn't know what it was! It appears to be in excellent condition; just minor wear to the tolex. Is it of any use without the cab? I would like to try keyboards through it, but my first attempt resulted in very low, or no signal, which is similar to the post above. My apologies for my ignorance. I'm not a guitarist or a bassist.
 

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