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Double Bass Opinions on Preamp/Amp

#22
masmasbasso said:
+1 on the Solstice. I can plug it into pretty much any backline that is around and it works great and it's superflexible. I want to get one of the new Acoustic Image Slave Amps and run that with the Solstice. I wish they would make a bass version with a little more bass friendly EQ, but I usually keep it flat anyway except for when I try to mix in my Dyn-B.

I have started using the D-TAR Equinox with my Dyn-B and it really gets a great sound (this is the 3 band parametric with 2 notch filters). It is really more flexible and offers more variation than my pea-brain can handle, but if you have the time to experiment before a gig, than its great. Its a little bigger and heavier than the Presonus Digitube but it does have more features. The Presonus is for when I have to use public transportation and my GK amp.
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#23
I guess this is a question for bassame and/or chris if he's reading (and anybody else using a DYN-B). I noticed you guys are using either the Presonus Digitube or the EQ3B.

I'd love some advice on getting the Digitube preamp vs. just the EQ3B. Tradeoffs seem to be:

1) Digitube has a tube Preamp, provides plenty of gain, but EQ is not fully parametric (no Q adjustment)
2) EQ3B has more EQ options (Q adjust, 80Hz rolloff), but I'd still need to use my mixer or something else to get the gain needed to feed the power amp.

Right now i'm using a DYN-B through a Behringer mixer into a PUB 280. I need something to dial out the annoying 180Hz resonance, but don't really want to plop down the $290 for the Pre AII. I've had some luck dialing in a sound with a Sansamp bass driver, but this doesn't kill the annoying resonance.

The D-Tar still seems a little pricey and/or large for me.
Thanks!
gp
 
#24
I'm sort of in the same position. At one time I used the Dyn-B with the Pre-A II and then I decided I didn't need the notch filter on it and got rid of the Pre-A II. However now that I've moved to a different bass, I think I'm going to need it again. Right now I'm using the AMT and Dyn-B with a borrowed Behringer mixer and going into the Pub 2/280. I'm trying to decide what to do. I have to give back the Behringer soon and almost bought my own the other day but couldn't decide on the model. Sometimes I play in places where there is no PA and I need an input to handle a vocal mic to address the audience. Even with the Behringer or a Solstice, I still probably need a notch filter of some kind. Tube stuff doesn't interest me at all. If I could have everything I wanted, it would be a box with just the features I want, in the smallest and lightest possible box. But that would be too easy...

GP, I'd be interested to know if you come to any conclusions.
 
#26
Yeah I've been using an UB802 and was looking a 1204-PRO as it has solo and mute buttons and a built-in power supply. But of course none of these mixers have any parametric EQ. The sound on the Behringer isn't stellar but it is as you say, definitely a lot smaller and cheaper. I agree with you that the Solstice is both expensive and too big. The Pre-A II doesn't work for me as it's only one channel and I need at least two with mixing capabilities.
 
#27
gp_bass said:
I guess this is a question for bassame and/or chris if he's reading (and anybody else using a DYN-B). I noticed you guys are using either the Presonus Digitube or the EQ3B.

I'd love some advice on getting the Digitube preamp vs. just the EQ3B. Tradeoffs seem to be:

I cannot give you that comparison since I only have the Digitube, but I haven't found the lack of a notch filter a big problem. What's great about the Digitube is the gain, 2 or three times higher than the Schertler pre-a2, and the Dtar Equinox. I plug it into the "receive" of my GK-MBS12 and its very loud and clear. I can dial out feedback where necessary. I guess the places I play aren't that quiet so that nuances of sound escape me.
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#28
I've used a wm10 for years with a Realist and a Sanamp and had great results. One difference in what people have been saying. I plug the Sanamp directly into the regular input. Here's my setup. I've done a ton of experimenting and this seems to work best.

Realist --> SansAmp -->WM10 (horn off)

Sansamp settings - level 12 o'clock
blend all the way up
bass, treble, presence, and drive 12 o'clock
if you have to go through a house system turn drive all the way off or else you will get distortion. The drive seems to help the amp sound good but when you are using the SanAmp as a DI into the house it is too much.

WM10 Settings - Contour (or whatever swr calls it) 12 o'clock
Everything else 12 o'clock except bass 2-3 o'clock

I know there is all kinds of stuff strange about this setup but it works. I have tried different amps (AI, WM12, California Blonde, and others) and have not found an amp that small that sounds that good. The price doesn't hurt either.

Is the amp very loud? Not really. But for any indoor club situation it is fine. Even for some bigger wedding and corporate gigs. I do own a WM12 when I have to be louder but I own it just in case.
 
#31
gp_bass said:
I guess this is a question for bassame and/or chris if he's reading (and anybody else using a DYN-B). I noticed you guys are using either the Presonus Digitube or the EQ3B.
Click to expand...

Not anymore, but I'll tell you what I can remember.

I'd love some advice on getting the Digitube preamp vs. just the EQ3B. Tradeoffs seem to be:

1) Digitube has a tube Preamp, provides plenty of gain, but EQ is not fully parametric (no Q adjustment)
2) EQ3B has more EQ options (Q adjust, 80Hz rolloff), but I'd still need to use my mixer or something else to get the gain needed to feed the power amp.
Click to expand...

After my initial living room tests, I found that I didn't care for the digitube on the gig...the louder it got, the smellier the sound got.

The EQ3B is a nice swiss army-knife EQ, but you're right that you need to have a pre stage before it in order for it to do any good. If I wasn't so sick of carrying so many annoying little boxes around to set up for each gig, I'd probably still use it. The Dyn-B sounded absolutely unusable on both of my basses, so I traded it in for an AMT and have never looked back.

When I was using the PUB, my best results were the following:
Pickup/Mic--->Raven Labs PMB-II--->(xlr)EQ3B--->(xlr)Pub. I was pretty happy with that, but it was a lotta **** to set up every night, and the Focus2/VL108 combo fixed all of that for me. Let me know if I can help further, and good luck!
 
#32
gp_bass said:
bassame,
are you running the DYN-B straight into the Equinox (if so, are you doing anything special with the xlr-1/4" conversion)? Does the Equinox have enough gain to send to your power amp, or do you rely on the Solstice for that?

I run the DYN-B into the Equinox using a 1 ft. XLR-F to 1/4"M adapter cable (unbalanced). What is "enough gain"? I use it with the WW amber (350/600 watts) and it is loud enough for a quintet with a strong [=loud] drummer. The Digitube is louder but offers somewhat less tonal control. My opinion is, at volumes like that, tonal nuance is lost anyway.
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#34
Yes the AMT has the annoying little box. I must admit that I am really tired of all the boxes too. The setup and tear down time is a pain and the cords all over the place are a pain. I've just purchased a used Solstice and Equinox from someone off TalkBass and when I receive these boxes, I'm planning to put both plus the AMT preamp all pre-connected in a little custom-made rack of some sort. I'll put a power board in there so everything is already plugged in and all I need to do is plug in the Dyn-B and AMT already on the bass, connect one power cord, connect power for the Pub (and connect the output from the rack to the Pub) and I'm ready to go. My idea is to make the box so that I can lie it down on it's back so that the panels are facing directly up or perhaps tilted and I'll put it behind the amp on the floor. Right now I have the Behringer mixer on top of the amp so I can reach the controls but it looks like a damn mess. I also want to pain the exterior of the rack black. I hate all these different coloured boxes and shiny stuff - it looks like a circus show. When you're up on stage, you want minimal visual distractions for people. Except of course for that little blue LED in the Pub that says to everyone "I'm using a Pub!!". Lately I've had a hankering to open the Pub and disconnect that LED...
 
#37
MACHO said:
Doesn't the AMT require an annoying little box?
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Yes, only it's not as annoying to me because it has no knobs or buttons, and it stays mounted to the underside of my gig stool. I just plug the mic in, take an XLR out, plug it in, and play. Especially nice is the fact that I don't have to carry a power supply for it.
 
#38
I remember a number of years ago I posted something on some discussion board about all the different gear I was using and the first response I got was "sell it all, buy a Realist (though you can insert any good pickup or mic that works for you), and use the money to move the NYC." While I didn't move I did simplify my setup. I might have slightly negatively effected my tone but what I gained in being able to think about the music rather than the amp stuff was huge.

That said, this is a discussion about amps so I don't mean to sound negative. Just sharing a lesson I learned.
 
#39
fingers said:
I remember a number of years ago I posted something on some discussion board about all the different gear I was using and the first response I got was "sell it all, buy a Realist (though you can insert any good pickup or mic that works for you), and use the money to move the NYC." While I didn't move I did simplify my setup. I might have slightly negatively effected my tone but what I gained in being able to think about the music rather than the amp stuff was huge.

That said, this is a discussion about amps so I don't mean to sound negative. Just sharing a lesson I learned.
Click to expand...

I hear you! You probably would need a bit more $$ to move to NYC these days. :hmm:
 
#40
gp_bass said:
Let us know how it goes, adrian. You got the equinox about 45 seconds before I replied to Couvy! I'm thinking I'll go the cheaper route with a presonus EQ3B. We should compare notes later.
Click to expand...

Ok, so just to keep this thread alive and kicking: I picked up a Digitube Preamp (cheap) off ebay and gigged it this weekend. With my DYN-B and PUB 280.

The signal chain was: DYN-B -> Digitube -> Small Behringer Mixer (just to get a direct out to the PA) -> Pub 280

It turned out pretty well. Definitely less boomy and more clear than my previous attempts with just the little behringer mixer. The low parametric EQ helped me dial out some resonance at high volume. I had the 80hz bass cut engaged, which helped reduce some boominess, but I felt cut a bit too much low end (needed more response on the low G & similar notes)). I didn't mess with the upper two parametric channels, but could have used a little more high end (finger noise). I'm still experimenting...

Right now, the biggest drawback seems to be that I need more outputs to send a direct out to the PA.

I'm still keeping my eyes out for a cheap Schertler Pre AII... Might as well go schertler all the way!
 

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