Seems like another way of saying that equipment may work best when you use it the way it was actually designed to work!
I won't argue with that.
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Something I've Learned.... Agreed?
- Thread starter ::::BASSIST::::
- Start date
Seems like another way of saying that equipment may work best when you use it the way it was actually designed to work!
I won't argue with that.
You're probably right. If I ever got to play a gig with an SVT I'd probably prefer the sound to my SABDDI + Markbass setup. But for various practical reasons which I'm sure you can guess, my setup is better.
I feel your pain.....this is the lifelong pursuit of the perfect tone......otherwise known as G.A.S......good luck in your pursuit....
- Nov 29, 2007
- 3,641
- 13
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- Endorsing artist GENZ BENZ/HERCULES STANDS/XSonics
couldn't have said it better.
<Devil's Advocate mode>
Yep. All the knobs are there for a reason on a well designed amp, and there's no reason whatsoever not to use 'em if you like how it sounds.</Devil's Advocate mode>
Do I agree? Yes and no.
Here's where I agree: sometimes, radical EQ settings cause problems: f'r instance, a strong mid scoop that makes the lower register sound big can also make the upper register disappear. (But not always: a couple of my bass playin' buddies gig with 'V' shaped EQ and their tone is just fine across the fretboard.) Also, it goes without saying that if you're using radical EQ tweaks and still not happy, then it's time to get new gear.
Here's where I disagree: if you're getting good tone, it doesn't matter in the least where the knobs are pointing. In other words, listen with your ears, not your eyes.
Hell, I love playing with EQ. For country I'll stick with a vanilla (flat) tone, for blues I smudge things up with light overdrive, for modern rock I dial in some growl and bite with EQ, and sometimes some heavy grind. It's all good. I agree with Brad that it's better to start with gear that you like un-tweaked, but all that ultimately matters is that you're happy with your tone(s), tweaked or not.
Yeah. The music world would be a much better place if guys like Tony Levin and Bill Laswell gave up their effects and sound-modifying devices.
- Apr 30, 2007
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- Affiliated with Genelec, Avalon Design.
I completley agree. I'm very much a gear purist; whoever made an amp spent millions and a whole stack of time making it sound the way it does, and changing that will ruin that feel very quickly. I cringe when I'm producing and a guy wheels in his professionally ported, streamlined SVT rig with tubes hand picked and glass-blown and forged by a master engineer somewhere, and plugs in his £50 boss bassman pedal inline. 
I completley agree. I'm very much a gear purist; whoever made an amp spent millions and a whole stack of time making it sound the way it does, and changing that will ruin that feel very quickly. I cringe when I'm producing and a guy wheels in his professionally ported, streamlined SVT rig with tubes hand picked and glass-blown and forged by a master engineer somewhere, and plugs in his £50 boss bassman pedal inline.
I can agree that throwing garbage in front of nice amp is a shame, but what's wrong with twisting the knobs on that SVT? The 'millions and a whole stack of time' went in to designing the EQ circuit on that thing as well. Not to mention that the typical bass amp is not really all that flat even when the knobs say it is.
- Apr 30, 2007
- 269
- 0
- Disclosures
- Affiliated with Genelec, Avalon Design.
I missed the EQ bit in the original post, so I'll address it now: I dont agree with that. A good cab is made to extend across a large frequency range, so it should express whatever EQ settings YOU want. Same with an amp, you're right, it should sound good (good being very very objective) wherever the EQ is set.
Do I agree? Yes and no.
Here's where I agree: sometimes, radical EQ settings cause problems: f'r instance, a strong mid scoop that makes the lower register sound big can also make the upper register disappear. (But not always: a couple of my bass playin' buddies gig with 'V' shaped EQ and their tone is just fine across the fretboard.) Also, it goes without saying that if you're using radical EQ tweaks and still not happy, then it's time to get new gear.
Here's where I disagree: if you're getting good tone, it doesn't matter in the least where the knobs are pointing. In other words, listen with your ears, not your eyes.
I agree with Brad that it's better to start with gear that you like un-tweaked, but all that ultimately matters is that you're happy with your tone(s), tweaked or not.
I agree... there's nothing wrong with tweaking, especially if it gets you to where you want to go. In my case, after a year
of fighting with a supposedly nice amp because I couldn't consistently get the sound I wanted with a few basses without tweaking ON GIGS... no thanks
. My AMP BH420 was a godsend. Plug and play and I'm ready to go.
Unless you like the sound of everything, there isn't an amp that can sound good wherever the EQ is set, objective or not. I can screw up the sound of just about anything, given a chance
That's why we talk about "flat" for the amp's EQ or controls in question, not "flat" using a RTA.
I set my amp flat according to an RTA. Then I adjust from there. It is a habit that has worked for me, over many years. Also, I design my speakers to sound good with a flat amp.
With that said, the latest amp I bought had a non-flat voicing. It must have been designed to sound good for someone other than me. So what? I could have sent it back for a refund. Instead, I dialed it to a setting that I am happy with. It still has plenty of room for turning knobs to accommodate acoustical situations or my stylistic experiments.
With that said, the latest amp I bought had a non-flat voicing. It must have been designed to sound good for someone other than me. So what? I could have sent it back for a refund. Instead, I dialed it to a setting that I am happy with. It still has plenty of room for turning knobs to accommodate acoustical situations or my stylistic experiments.
- Apr 30, 2007
- 269
- 0
- Disclosures
- Affiliated with Genelec, Avalon Design.
Unless you like the sound of everything, there isn't an amp that can sound good wherever the EQ is set, objective or not. I can screw up the sound of just about anything, given a chance
I bet I could too....what I mean is, there's something for everyone, and some mad bassist somewhere may love all his knobs on zero apart from his treble which he cranks up to eleven. You or I may not enjoy that sound on any amp, but I bet if he tried that on a Behringer combo or the like, even he would hear a horrific rattling, squealing whining sound, if you see what I mean. I guess what I'm trying to say is, a good amp will produce faithfully what is expected of a setting, regardless of who may enjoy that particular sound. A bad amp will make most EQ settings sound horrible and lackluster anyway and there may only be one or two sweet spots in the EQ that make the amp sound playable.
If that doesn't make sense I can only apologize, it's rather late and my explication isn't what it can be when I've had a good nights sleep...
Trying to find 'your sound' is often a perilous journey but it sure feels good once you find it and you realise that its not as complicated as you first thought and that you can get such amazing tones simply by plugging straight into the right amp.
Cool. And no doubt you know that that's not what most people do
True. However, I do recommend everybody running their preamp through a RTA, as an entertaining exercise. There is free RTA software at my website for doing this. I found it eye-opening to know what my amp is really doing.
I've done that in the past when I was triamping. The good old days... when I had a PA for a rig
