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Double Bass Question for AMT SB25 Users

C

charmicarmicat

May 22, 2005
140
0
los angeles
#1
I rencently bought one of those mics from a TB'er and I was wondering if anyone had any experience running the mic through a D-Tar Solstice and if so what were your impressions. It seems that the mic is really hot when I used it. I had to use the 20db pad button and when I did it really did sound wonderful. I was just wondering if it is supposed to be so "hot". I have the "regular" preamp pictured at the bottom of this link:
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Thanks.
 
#2
I have used this set up too - an AMT w/ their regular preamp into a Solstice. I agree, there was plenty of signal strength. I ended up using the 20 dB pad on the Solstice too.

FWIW - You may not like what it does to your tone, but in my case cutting back the Mid EQ dial on the Solstice helped reduce feedback (the high pitched electronic kind of mic feedback). In other words I was able to get more volume before feedback by cutting the mids. I use this on occasion even though it creates a more blunt and less "natural" DB sound.
 
#3
I emailed the compnay and got a "tech support" number which i will be calling on Monday. With the Solstice the bass is at zero. I blend it with a RS II. Maybe there is some interference or some phase reversal happening. Either way I will talk with them on monday, find out what the deal is and post it. In the meantime if anyone has anything else to add, make yourself at home :)
 
#4
Well I guess I am confused a little ... I thought you were just looking for confirmation that the hot / strong signal from the AMT was not unusual. And I was trying to confirm - I do not think it is unusual, and I do not think it is a problem.

You did say with the 20 dB pad the mic sounded good, right?

FWIW - I also blend the AMT and another mic (Beyer M 88) with an RS II sometimes. And yes, I think virtually any p/u and mic blending set up is going to introduce some phase cancellation and some peaks and valleys in the overall response. Here's how someone else put it in a way that I enjoyed - here BEEF deals with a complex topic in a way that even I can largely comprehend:

BEEF said:
When combining any 'similar' signals (like different pickups/mics from the same source) you change the sound in other ways than just amplitude (volume).

If you have two lines of the same signal and one is 'out of phase' with the other (reversed), you actually CANCEL the signal. The closer to 'exacly the same' the closer to a complete NUL of sound.

When the two signals are a little different (like mic/pickup or two different pickups), you generally cancel out a bunch of different frequencies in the sound (and boost others). It's generally heard as 'losing the low end'.

Even when 'in phase', two signals will combine and push up/down certain frequencies. It will act as an 'EQ' when combined. This is why changing the levels of the two and tweaking gives a broad range of sound.
Click to expand...
 
#5
No, no confusion :) You did answer my question, thank you. It just that the mic seems so radically "hot". Never had that with any other mic.
By reading a bit on the AMT site it says that the super preamp has volume setting inside of it. I'm going to open my preamp and see if such a thing exist in this one as well.
The mic did sound good. Great actually. Blended with the RS II it added some "woodiness" and even a slight touch of reverb which is really wonderful.
Thank you for bringing Beef's comment. Makes sense and explained very well.
 
#6
charmicarmicat said:
No, no confusion :) You did answer my question, thank you. It just that the mic seems so radically "hot". Never had that with any other mic.
By reading a bit on the AMT site it says that the super preamp has volume setting inside of it. I'm going to open my preamp and see if such a thing exist in this one as well.
The mic did sound good. Great actually. Blended with the RS II it added some "woodiness" and even a slight touch of reverb which is really wonderful.
Thank you for bringing Beef's comment. Makes sense and explained very well.
Click to expand...

There are no user controls within the basic interface box.
 

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