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Double Bass Preamp for Realist and Troll mic?

FritzM

FritzM

Supporting Member
Jun 21, 2001
974
976
Madison, MS
www.fritzmartin.net
#1
I have two powered Yamaha DXR 10's I use with a Mackie mixer. I also have a Realist and Troll mic mounted on my bass. It sounds pretty good, but the EQ is very limited. So, I've been looking at preamps lately.
The AI Flex looks pretty awesome. Do you guys think the Flex would be a good choice with the powered speakers? It seems to have phantom power and individual channel EQs that I can't find in other preamps. I usually use the Realist for the lows and the Troll for my highs. It sounds great at low volume gigs, but I'm not sure how it would work with a loud drummer going crazy. Thanks for any input you may have!

Fritz
 
#2
Well, Ed's actually selling his in a thread in the classfieds, so you might start there. He's selling the whole thing as a package, however. But at about half-off, you can't go wrong.
 
#4
I used the AI pre then bought the powered head version and yea it was to me the only thing I could think of or find that worked with the Troll. IMO you NEED a HPF/LPF for the Troll and the AI pre simply has everything you need to use a mic and pickup in one little box.
 
#6
Well, according to Ed, his needs have changed, and the AI isn't something he needs right now, because he's playing on a different gig that requires a different backline approach. The video he has on the thread shows him playing his Juzek with Troll and Realist, and blending the two, as well as his Blast Cult. He shows just the Realist, and just the Troll, and blended.
 
#7
FritzM said:
Thanks Miamibasser. Are you still getting good results with the Troll? I also have the FET adapter. I was basically wondering if I would get better results with the Flex, as opposed to my Mackie mixer. But, it looks as though you have done the research.
Click to expand...

I needed the HPF on the AI to get good results with the Troll. I can't say I've used the Troll with a Mackie mixer so I can't compare the two.
 
#10
Huy Nguyen said:
Just played a gig last night using realist blended with a DPA through an EDB2 into a Focus AS and a Wizzy 12. Result was pretty awesome. Will be my new go-to setup.
Click to expand...

+1 I think for it's price and feature set the EDB-2 is a excellent box. It has a very musical 5 band EQ section. There is also quite a difference in price between the EDB-2 and the Flex. There are features on the Flex that aren't avaliable on the EDB-2, as it's
a full two channel box. Since the Troll doesn't require phantom power, that isn't an issue for you.

Ric
 
#12
Ric Vice said:
+1 I think for it's price and feature set the EDB-2 is a excellent box. It has a very musical 5 band EQ section. There is also quite a difference in price between the EDB-2 and the Flex. There are features on the Flex that aren't avaliable on the EDB-2, as it's
a full two channel box. Since the Troll doesn't require phantom power, that isn't an issue for you.

Ric
Click to expand...
Yup and on that note, it's remarkable how even the EQ section is. Most of the time it's nearly flat when I use the mic alone. With the blended setup, the EQ is set only for the pickup and the mic is passthrough. I turn up the bass EQ on the pickup to reinforce the bottom I get from the mic. Nice fat low end with amazing growl and the mids and highs colored mostly by the mic. So I don't really need a full featured 2 channel preamp. This serves me quite well.

If it feeds back I just dial in more pickup and less mic and use the notch filter to eliminate any boominess. Also since now I have another signal to work with, putting the cab up on a stand is less critical.

Really happy with the results.
 
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#13
I use a ATM35 into an ART Pro channel Preamp. It is a permanent set up so the size and number of pieces is inconsequential. I also have a Mackie mixer (402VLZ4) which I tried in place of the ART. I could never get the sound I liked with the Mackie. I needed to add either my FDeck or my Fishman Dual Parametric or both to get a sound I liked. I was going to ask if anyone was using the small Mackies as a Preamp and how they achieved a nice sound with it. I think the limited EQ is it's biggest fault it just never sounds warm. For $80 though its a great little handy piece of equipment.
 
#16
FritzM said:
... I usually use the Realist for the lows and the Troll for my highs...
Click to expand...
Unfortunately you can't do this on the Headway. As good as it is - you can't EQ the channels separately.*

The DTar solstace might be another candidate. Looking at the Golihur site it looks like a Seymour Duncan replacement model is to be released soon.

d-tar-solstice-3.jpg


*Edit... Looks like the EDB-2 can do it! My experience is with the EBD-1.
 
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#17
Having used both Flex and Headway with the Troll and Gage Lifeline, they both sound great! As stated by the other posts, the Flex will be a more adaptive to mixing,with the independent channel selection. It is more expensive, but the extra features make getting a workable sound , quicker to attain, when playing in diffferent situations on a daily basis...
 
#18
lrhbass said:
Having used both Flex and Headway with the Troll and Gage Lifeline, they both sound great! As stated by the other posts, the Flex will be a more adaptive to mixing,with the independent channel selection. It is more expensive, but the extra features make getting a workable sound , quicker to attain, when playing in diffferent situations on a daily basis...
Click to expand...

And there you have it, thanks Irhbass.

Ric
 

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