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Proper way of using an Avalon U5?

#22
I just got rid of my U5 because of the color. It sounds great, just not what I'm going for. I'm super happy with my new ToneBone.
If you have a nice bass (and you have a VERY nice bass) then why not hear it's natural tone.
 
#24
synaesthesia said:
I have never found SWR preamp sections to be colourless.
Click to expand...

Nor have I. I simply said (or meant to imply) that the DI in pre-EQ mode is pretty colorless. There's nothing to it, really - a 12ax7 feeding a well-designed, full-range, opamp-based balanced output driver. Of course, even an opamp will impose it's own "color" onto a signal, but the majority of today's high quality opamps are designed to keep distortion at nearly unmeasurable limits and frequency response within a few hundredths of a dB from DC into the many MHz. I'm using a Burr-Brown audio opamp, too. With the right selection of external components for bandwidth limiting and circuit balancing, an opamp DI will be as clean and colorless as you can get. Steve Rabe did a fantastic job on that.

Tech-talk aside, I've compared the SWR to my other DIs and it's extremely close to the JDI, and it does not exhibit any of the hyped response of the U5, or the "burnished" top-end of the Epifani.

Besides all that, after modifying the SWR to bypass the Aural Enhancer (where all that SWR color happens), it's pretty dang flat. Sure, you get some harmonic enhancement from the tube, but the overall frequency response is nearly dead flat. I don't usually run the DI that way (post preamp), but I'm always surprised how great it sounds with the AE bypassed. It allows for a little EQ without the "SWR sound".
 
#25
SteveC said:
I don't think it sounds thin at all - live or studio.

As for live use, the REDDI isn't really and the designer will tell you that. Yet, I've seen it used live.

The Avalon gets used live ALL THE TIME by all kinds of people. I see one on almost every stage.
Click to expand...

That's right ... Skylark of the Doobie Brothers uses one. That's the best endorsement possible.
 
#27
lowfreqgeek said:
Nor have I. I simply said (or meant to imply) that the DI in pre-EQ mode is pretty colorless. There's nothing to it, really - a 12ax7 feeding a well-designed, full-range, opamp-based balanced output driver. Of course, even an opamp will impose it's own "color" onto a signal, but the majority of today's high quality opamps are designed to keep distortion at nearly unmeasurable limits and frequency response within a few hundredths of a dB from DC into the many MHz. I'm using a Burr-Brown audio opamp, too. With the right selection of external components for bandwidth limiting and circuit balancing, an opamp DI will be as clean and colorless as you can get. Steve Rabe did a fantastic job on that.

Tech-talk aside, I've compared the SWR to my other DIs and it's extremely close to the JDI, and it does not exhibit any of the hyped response of the U5, or the "burnished" top-end of the Epifani.

Besides all that, after modifying the SWR to bypass the Aural Enhancer (where all that SWR color happens), it's pretty dang flat. Sure, you get some harmonic enhancement from the tube, but the overall frequency response is nearly dead flat. I don't usually run the DI that way (post preamp), but I'm always surprised how great it sounds with the AE bypassed. It allows for a little EQ without the "SWR sound".
Click to expand...

The SWR preamps mostly used TL072s, though you could replace them with equivalents from the Burr Brown catalogue to reduce SN ratios quite significantly but not the tone. The SWR preamp tone comes from the single 12AX7 preamp, and that preamp has a low mid bump. If your SWR is sounding like a JDI I suspect it is bypassing the tube preamp section. It has been a while since I looked at SWR schematics, but many heads or preamps have a bypass that takes the input straight to the 'DI' section, effectively converting input into XLR output at line/mic level. Particularly so if they have a bypass EQ, pre-EQ or flat switch.
 
#29
Decisions decisions!
Here is the deal, now that i have made up my mind i need to make some opportunity cost decisions.

The gear i am willing to sell to fund the new rig:
Fender Jazz 5 deluxe wich sells for about 1000-1150
Markbass Combo amp cmd-102 sells for about 600-800
Total about:1700

For the new rig i would need
1-2 cabinets not sure yet as long as it is louder or just as loud as the MB.
Power amp.
Furman Power conditioner
Rack to hold the amp, conditioner and U5 (possible a tuner?)

I have not done serious research and do not know how to set up this type of rig perfectly so knowledgeable help will be appreciated. (remember i am on a budget, like everyone else)

Avalon $500.00

Aguilar cabinet DB410 700 watts $1099 or DB210 $739 only 350 watts [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Lets just say this amp Behringer a500 500 Sells for $200
watts Invalid Link Removed

Rack to hold amp and U5 about $100.00 maybe?

Total about $1900 (with the DB410 and buying everything new)

A little too much maybe?
 
#31
synaesthesia said:
SWR 350 preamp schematic. Quick glance and it looks like input to TL072 based opamp DI. Nothing special there.
Click to expand...

Active input goes straight to the 072. Passive input goes through one stage of the tube. I almost have this schematic memorized...

You're right: there's nothing special going on. That's my point exactly. Aside from the tube/072 (or replacement...), there's nothing there to color the sound - unlike the U5 which has a built in passive filter network.
 
#32
I have the Avalon and have used it for recording at home. But those of you who use it live--the through signal that you send to your amp, do you engage the through button (so the signal is unaffected) or do you send an affected signal?
 
#33
LaBassGuy said:
I have the Avalon and have used it for recording at home. But those of you who use it live--the through signal that you send to your amp, do you engage the through button (so the signal is unaffected) or do you send an affected signal?
Click to expand...

Depends on if I want the added *thing* that the Avalon does, and/or the additional gain or EQ. With my passive Jazz bass, most likely yes. With my passive fretless with a low-output MM-style pickup, almost without a doubt. With my very hot Pbass running flats, less likely. In fact, I don't care for the U5 with a Pbass with flats, and prefer to use something else for that if I can.

Hope that helps.
 
#34
Could I actually use the Avalon U5 as my head using a GK Neo 212 cab? Could it handle the impedance?

Is the Avalon U5 also a re-amping device? Is it also an Equalizer in disguise? A headphone amplifier?
 
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#36
Avalon U5s are not an industry standard for nothing.

However, like most serious touring sound/studio/ broadcast gear, it's built to extremely clean specs and relative to most bass instrument gear may sound thin to some, which is how they hear super clean/low distortion.

Only you can decide ultimately of it's right for you, but as you can see from the many replies above, it's built a great reputation as a very solid tool.
 

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