Double Bass New EDB-2 and EDM-1 from Headway For Trial

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Matt,

Thanks for the 'English' lesson. I'll probably understand all my favorite Brit-coms much better now.

Also, having two Ric(k)s can be confusing, but I'm the one with the (k) and also the one who usually acts (and posts) like a tosser.

Fixed.

 

[DB Slidefunk]

If your using words like wanker then your 'english' is more than ok.

 

[Clarkybass]

I think Rick was referring to his other band, when he is touring in Peru

 

[DB Slidefunk]

Quality!

 

[rickwolff]

Quality!

Is that the new 'English' way of saying 'Brilliant!' ?

 

[DB Slidefunk]

One of them, we could open a whole new thread on slang words.

Check out this bunch of wanka's

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Finally got mine and had a short spin with it. Some background with me: been using the Fishman Pro Plat Eq Bass for years - my first pre. I've used a DTar Solstice a little bit from time to time.

So far the EDB2 is pretty sweet. The eq is easy to dial the sound I want in and the notch filter dials the feedback right out without affecting the tone too much. If it's a little too boomy it just a slight nudge of a couple dials and voila - back to the sound I wanted to hear. I really did the multiple input resistance select as well esp since the Realist goes in really hot on the Pro Plat. I thought it was interesting there's no clip light but (assuming that I using this correctly), it seemed like I was able to dial in a little bit of compression by lowering the master and raising the gain (or was it the other way around? I forget).

Mute switch is awesome. I'm surprised that with all those dials how little it takes to get the right seasoning in the sound. After so many years of guessing iwth the Pro Plat it's also great to get an explicit on off switch with a light to prove that yes, the pre is off.

One thing I don't understand is what's the diff with the Standby mode on the power switch and the separate Mute switch. Don't they perform the same function?

Gonna put it to a real test tomorrow at a gig in a room where the sound is terrible. High ceilings, loud crowds, concrete walls. I've always had a tough time dialing in a decent sound. I'll report back.

 

[Ric Vice]

So far the EDB2 is pretty sweet. The eq is easy to dial the sound I want in and the notch filter dials the feedback right out without affecting the tone too much. If it's a little too boomy it just a slight nudge of a couple dials and voila - back to the sound I wanted to hear. I really dig the multiple input resistance select as well esp since the Realist goes in really hot on the Pro Plat. I thought it was interesting there's no clip light but (assuming that I using this correctly), it seemed like I was able to dial in a little bit of compression by lowering the master and raising the gain (or was it the other way around? I forget). .

The EDB-2 is a class A pre amp with dual FET’s, and five overlapping bands of EQ. Since the Pro Platinum isn’t that sophisticated, the Headway is going to have better tone palate. The input impedance is very useful. There has been a change on the new
Box however. The lowest setting is now 5O K ohms, it used to be set at 1 Meg Ohm, so I haven’t a clue as to why they did that. Perhaps it was to make it more useful
with Electric Bass and Guitars, but I can’t say. The high setting is designed for Violin

Mute switch is awesome. I'm surprised that with all those dials how little it takes to get the right seasoning in the sound. After so many years of guessing iwth the Pro Plat it's also great to get an explicit on off switch with a light to prove that yes, the pre is off. .

That’s the distinct advantage of the EDB-2’s EQ voicing and setup. Usually, all you have to do is go a little to the right or left of the flat setting for each of the 5 bands to dial your sound in. I do confess that I always lower the high midrange to around 3.
To my ears it just sounds less nasal.

One thing I don't understand is what's the diff with the Standby mode on the power switch and the separate Mute switch. Don't they perform the same function? .

That switch is a god send if you’re using the EDB-2 into a Power Amp, or Powered speaker. You can turn on the Power Amp/Powered Speaker first and them go to the standby position on the EDB-2 for a couple of seconds. Cycling through to the full ON position you won’t get that killer pop that could potentially damage your amp.
If you mute the input and go directly from Off to On, you get that pop, when you disengage the mute. The Mute works best, when turning the microphone Phantom Power on.

Gonna put it to a real test tomorrow at a gig in a room where the sound is terrible. High ceilings, loud crowds, concrete walls. I've always had a tough time dialing in a decent sound. I'll report back.

Should work just fine.

 

[rickwolff]

There has been a change on the new
Box however. The lowest setting is now 5O K ohms, it used to be set at 1 Meg Ohm, so I haven’t a clue as to why they did that. Perhaps it was to make it more useful
with Electric Bass and Guitars, but I can’t say. The high setting is designed for Violin

Ric,

I'm confused. Are you talking about the selectable input impedence for channel 1 & 2 (switches on the lower left corner of face of box)? According to the manual the low setting is 1 Meg for both switches:

11.2.1 CH.1 INPUT
Input Impedance: +Hi = >20 MegOhms Hi = 5 MegOhms
Active/Low = 1 MegOhms
Gain Control to Jack: Continuously variable 0 - +32dB. Dual gang pot.
Jack IN: Offers Mono Signal path and optional Phantom Power to Ring
or Tip. (See switch on top panel). Standard 1/4” Diam. Jack Socket.
25
11.2.2 CH. 2 INPUT
Input Impedance to Jack via 3 Way Switch: +Hi = >20 Meg Ohms
Hi = 5 Meg Ohms Active/Low Impedance = 1 Meg Ohms
Post EQ/Routes to MASTER Vol.

When you refer to the 'High' setting being for violin you are, I believe, refering to the High Pass Filter switch?

What am I missing?

Ta (for our English friends)

 

[Ric Vice]

Rick,
I hope I have this right. If you look at page 13 of the EDB-2 manual. 3 1.3 it says the input impedance is set at 50 K ohms. Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but that's what is says.

Ric

 

[rickwolff]

Rick,
I hope I have this right. If you look at page 13 of the EDB-2 manual. 3 1.3 it says the input impedance is set at 50 K ohms. Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but that's what is says.

Ric

It looks to me like section 3 and section 11 of the manual contradict each other.

Meh

 

[Ric Vice]

It looks to me like section 3 and section 11 of the manual contradict each other.

Meh

Rick,
I thought that the 50K Ohm sounded weird, but what do I know?
Usually, Active Inputs are set at @500 K, but that's not always the case. I actually hope it's 1 Meg Ohm, as that's more useful for piezo pickups. I prefer the 5 Meg Ohm setting, but I liked having the option of 1 Meg Ohm.

Ric

 

[Huy Nguyen]

That’s the distinct advantage of the EDB-2’s EQ voicing and setup. Usually, all you have to do is go a little to the right or left of the flat setting for each of the 5 bands to dial your sound in. I do confess that I always lower the high midrange to around 3.
To my ears it just sounds less nasal.

Yes that's similar to what I'm doing. Definitely gets nasal very quickly.

That switch is a god send if you’re using the EDB-2 into a Power Amp, or Powered speaker. You can turn on the Power Amp/Powered Speaker first and them go to the standby position on the EDB-2 for a couple of seconds. Cycling through to the full ON position you won’t get that killer pop that could potentially damage your amp.
If you mute the input and go directly from Off to On, you get that pop, when you disengage the mute. The Mute works best, when turning the microphone Phantom Power on.

Ahhh... good to know! I am using it with a Focus SA -> Wizzy 10 so yes, I should be taking advantage of this too. Thanks.

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Question: Anybody try the Ehrlund with the EDB-2?

I need to give that a stab too. Forgot where I put mine.

 

[Ric Vice]

Question: Anybody try the Ehrlund with the EDB-2?

I need to give that a stab too. Forgot where I put mine.

H Diddy,
I had a concert last evening, in probably the toughest venue to play bass, in St. Louis, Winnefred Moore Auditorium at Webster University. Using the Ehrlund EAP/Ehrlund Preamp/EDB-2 with a QSC K8 elevated on a high stool, the sound was spectacular. The hall is extremely resonant at lower frequencies, so much so, in fact, that you have to significantly reduce the bass content and activate the notch filter, in it's low range. with as narrow a setting as possible. I could hear the bass, the band, could hear the bass and made comments on how articulate it sounded. The FOH was handled by a P.A. that was running the Ehrlund via the Headway EDB-2's DI. We had a great concert and the bass sound was superb.

Ric

 

[rickwolff]

H Diddy,
I had a concert last evening, in probably the toughest venue to play bass, in St. Louis, Winnefred Moore Auditorium at Webster University. Using the Ehrlund EAP/Ehrlund Preamp/EDB-2 with a QSC K8 elevated on a high stool, the sound was spectacular. The hall is extremely resonant at lower frequencies, so much so, in fact, that you have to significantly reduce the bass content and activate the notch filter, in it's low range. with as narrow a setting as possible. I could hear the bass, the band, could hear the bass and made comments on how articulate it sounded. The FOH was handled by a P.A. that was running the Ehrlund via the Headway EDB-2's DI. We had a great concert and the bass sound was superb.

Ric

Ric,

Thrilled to hear you had such a great experience! I'm thinking of taking the plunge and trying out the EAP. It's taken 6 months but y'all have worn me down.

 

[Ric Vice]

Ric,
Thrilled to hear you had such a great experience! I'm thinking of taking the plunge and trying out the EAP. It's taken 6 months but y'all have worn me down.

Rick,
Given that the EAP is more partial to some instruments that it is to others, I'd recommend using Gollihur's 7 Day trial period, that way it it works it works, and if it doesn't you can return it, and just be out the return postage.

Ric

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Cool Ric! I don't have the Ehrlund Pre but will report back when I get a chance to try the pickup straight into the EDB-2.

 

[Ric Vice]

Cool Ric! I don't have the Ehrlund Pre but will report back when I get a chance to try the pickup straight into the EDB-2.

H Diddy,
With the EDB-2 ,you don't absolutely have to use the Ehrlund Pre. It works perfectly well with out it, the advantage is that it's flat across the entire range of the instrument and boosts the gain into the EDB-2. You can do it either way, and get an exceptional sound.

Ric

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Post-gig report:

I'm very impressed with this unit. In the bad performance space I mentioned yesterday, I decided to really test my rig and go without the Wizzy12 that I normally pair with the 10. So now it's Realist -> EDB-2 -> Focus SA -> Wizzy 10 on a pole mount.

Pretty much left the settings alone but when I got to the gig, I found a slight flubbing coming from the Wizzy with the A string. Flipped on the notch filter, set it to low frequency and barely turned it up and voila, flubbing gone from the speaker. And my tone stays the same! Almost too easy! Basically the same thing Ric did. I was actually a little to loud and had to keep turning down a few times.

Sounded fantastic all night. Didn't have much problems hearing myself and loved the tone I was getting. I'm going after a sort of amplified sound similar to Buster, Ron Carter, and George Mraz. I can also scrap the plan with switch to another set of strings since I'm digging the sound I'm getting now.

Another bonus was plugging in a passive mic and turning my rig into a PA to do announcements between tunes. The wizzy 12 will now likely sit at home and collect dust most of the time.

I'm sold! Time to put the ol Fishman up for sale!