Maybe. I'll grab the BB on the weekend. Gimme a week or so to check em back to back - I'll let ya know..
Cool vid!
Cool vid!
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SWR Baby Blue I .... Should I do it?
- Thread starter vin*tone
- Start date
It's a beautiful thing.
Interesting comparing the BB with my GKMB112. The GK has ridiculous power on tap, super light weight, quite bass heavy... the BB is very detailed, and far FAR more flexible in the range of tones it can cop... and I think should be plenty loud enough.
I just experimented with my FEA labs dual band compressor pedal in the loop and it opened the tonal palatte even further. It can get very warm.
Soooo..... LDS long throws huh?
The speaker rubbers on the Bag Ends just decided it was time. I think this little guy has been sitting in a cupboard for a while... now it's getting a fair old workout. Top one started to buzz. Have contacted LDS for a price on a pair.
The speaker rubbers on the Bag Ends just decided it was time. I think this little guy has been sitting in a cupboard for a while... now it's getting a fair old workout. Top one started to buzz. Have contacted LDS for a price on a pair.
you will have the speakers properly restored "reconing" them, instead of replacing them!!! And, man: you'll save lots of money!!!
Soooo..... LDS long throws huh?
The speaker rubbers on the Bag Ends just decided it was time. I think this little guy has been sitting in a cupboard for a while... now it's getting a fair old workout. Top one started to buzz. Have contacted LDS for a price on a pair.
I had speaker lead touching cone that made a buzz. But by now those surrounds should have given out. Each of the Long Throws can handle the full wattage of this amp.
Vin*Tone
I bought one when they were first reviewed. My take is a little different than Chief's but I certainly respect his opinion, he's a good cat. My problem is that no matter what you do IMHO, IME you can't totally defeat the "Aural Enhancer's" influence on the pre amp EQ. So, you either like the that tone circuit or you don't. For Double Bass it just didn't work with a Fishman Bass Blender and an Underwood, Crown Mini Mic. But, I really liked it with my passive Fender P Bass or a Godin Acousti-Bass.
As others have noted it is a very clean pre amp and pretty lightweight in the power department. It's probably got as much ump as the GKMB112 though. I actually still have access to my old Baby Blue Series 1 extension cabinet. I still like how it sounds, but it's definitely acquired taste. Love the band great stuff.
Aguilar builds a 2x8 Jack Cassidy cabinet that's got some similarities to the BB1. Lots more expensive I expect.
Ric
Attachments
Vin*Tone.I found one of my two original Baby Blue 16 ohm 8" drivers in the garage. You have a PM. It's yours if you want it.
Ric
Wow Ric you are a scholar and a gentleman. It's actually only one that's started cracking. PM to you good sir.
Wave Rider,
Thanks so much for posting the link to this again. I read it earlier in the week, and thought, man, if this had been around in 1993 when I bought the Baby Blue 1 I might still have the amp.
Ric
It is one of my bookmarks. I keep giving the eye to my BBII and thinking about the mod, just no time. I like the idea of being able to switch between modes instead of a permanent mod.
=wr=
Call me a crazy bastard, but I don't think surgery is necessary to bypass the Aural Enhancer on a BBII.
If I recall correctly, pulling the AE knob (it's on a push/pull pot) bypasses both the AE and Semi Parametric.
You can also pull the effects knob to bypass that loop.
If I recall correctly, pulling the AE knob (it's on a push/pull pot) bypasses both the AE and Semi Parametric.
You can also pull the effects knob to bypass that loop.
For those who have replaced the original speakers in the Baby Blue (or BB II) with LDS's long throws , how did it affect the sound?
Chef
In Memoriam
IIRC-it's been a while-it was a little deeper, a tad less low mids, and somewhat louder.
Also, it never really felt stressed after that.
It's been years.
I'm not sure Don still has the same drivers.
I remember hearing he had long throw neo's he liked; this would be good, as it did get substantively heavier. I don't know if he can still get those though...
My LDS 4x8 is the heaviest cab I own!
Also, it never really felt stressed after that.
It's been years.
I'm not sure Don still has the same drivers.
I remember hearing he had long throw neo's he liked; this would be good, as it did get substantively heavier. I don't know if he can still get those though...
My LDS 4x8 is the heaviest cab I own!
This just isn't true. If you follow the AE Bypass thread to the end you'll see pics where I performed the mod on my BBII and have since be very pleased with the results.
Thanks Chef.
I spoke with Don yesterday. He mentioned an 8" driver. He didn't say if it was neo or not. He did say it would be heavier than the stock ones.
I spoke with Don yesterday. He mentioned an 8" driver. He didn't say if it was neo or not. He did say it would be heavier than the stock ones.
He can do neos but they aparently put out less bass. I'd much rather lug a few extra pounds if it adds more bootay.
I've been waiting weeks for the drivers - aparently there was a bit of a production hold up. Anyway - they arrived on Friday and I installed yesterday. This thing kicks butt! I did a bit of a mini rig shoot-out over the last couple of days - the BB2 vs Eden WT550/RH450 through a Berg HD112. I didn't think this would be a fair fight at all. In fact - I was expecting the Eden/Berg to wipe the floor with the BB2. Nope.
After playing throught the BB for a while I switched to the other rig and it was.... muffled. The Berg has that bass kick and more volume but couldn't compete with the 2x8's +1x6 drivers when it came to note definition and clarity - and for a practice rig (or upright amp) this is what you want. Plug in a VT Bass and you can covwer a lot of tonal territory.
For those of you familiar with the RH450 tone - the jump between the SWR and Eden was about the same as between the Eden and TC. Not that the TC, Eden Berg were putting out 'bad' tone. I mean... if you were backstage at a Miss Universe competition... you'd still have your favourites
. I found these warmer setups really wanted you to play to them differently. They came to life when you dug in more. After grooving away a bit on the Eden my ears became a bit more accustomed to its chewy warmth and sounded pretty darn good.
In all - this little combo is without a doubt the gold standard in bass tone for me. Now it's made my bigger rig (Berg HS410) sound less good
..and Leon - if you're on the fence about the LDS cones ... just do it.
I've been waiting weeks for the drivers - aparently there was a bit of a production hold up. Anyway - they arrived on Friday and I installed yesterday. This thing kicks butt! I did a bit of a mini rig shoot-out over the last couple of days - the BB2 vs Eden WT550/RH450 through a Berg HD112. I didn't think this would be a fair fight at all. In fact - I was expecting the Eden/Berg to wipe the floor with the BB2. Nope.
After playing throught the BB for a while I switched to the other rig and it was.... muffled. The Berg has that bass kick and more volume but couldn't compete with the 2x8's +1x6 drivers when it came to note definition and clarity - and for a practice rig (or upright amp) this is what you want. Plug in a VT Bass and you can covwer a lot of tonal territory.
For those of you familiar with the RH450 tone - the jump between the SWR and Eden was about the same as between the Eden and TC. Not that the TC, Eden Berg were putting out 'bad' tone. I mean... if you were backstage at a Miss Universe competition... you'd still have your favourites
. I found these warmer setups really wanted you to play to them differently. They came to life when you dug in more. After grooving away a bit on the Eden my ears became a bit more accustomed to its chewy warmth and sounded pretty darn good. In all - this little combo is without a doubt the gold standard in bass tone for me. Now it's made my bigger rig (Berg HS410) sound less good
..and Leon - if you're on the fence about the LDS cones ... just do it.
Glad to hear your enjoying your BBII. I've been very happy with mine lately. I too love running a VT Bass into the effects return. It seems to give my bass some compression that allows me to get my 110 Baby Baby Blue Combo loud enough for practice with a moderately volumed drummer.
I've found when comparing to other new light weight micros, (MB200, WTX-260, PF-350) the Baby Blue II holds it's own in the power department. It wasn't louder than the PF-350 bit it had a quicker response time to fast transients that gave it a more dynamic sound that hit harder. It beat out the GK and Eden hands down for power and volume despite their much higher power ratings. The pre-amps are all a matter of taste but again the BBII is no slouch.
IMO, IME, YMMV, ect.
I've found when comparing to other new light weight micros, (MB200, WTX-260, PF-350) the Baby Blue II holds it's own in the power department. It wasn't louder than the PF-350 bit it had a quicker response time to fast transients that gave it a more dynamic sound that hit harder. It beat out the GK and Eden hands down for power and volume despite their much higher power ratings. The pre-amps are all a matter of taste but again the BBII is no slouch.
IMO, IME, YMMV, ect.
