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TC Electronic RH450 discussion - Tweaking the Preamp

#421
KJung said:
It is a rather 'voiced' head compared to many others out there, and I also find it a bit picky regarding cabinet matching. With a warm, mid voiced cab, it can sound very dull and lifeless. With the right bass and cab it sounds GREAT though, as long as you don't need 'Marcus Miller sizzle' up top.

On the gig with my Bergantino AE410 and the bright, grindy Sadowsky, it kills!
Click to expand...

Hi Ken - That's kinda what I am finding - I guess personal taste has a great deal to do with it too; but I think my cabs do have a mid bump and that's why the RH has been a bit difficult for me to EQ. I really am fussy!!

However, I had a bit of a break through yesterday. I'd always padded my tweeters (I have a -6dB setting) because the amps I have are 'crisp' in the top end. Plugging in the RH actually sounded muted in the 'extended top' or 'sizzle' as you call it. - By switching up the tweeters to 'full on' I think I am on the way to balancing out that missing clarity that I like.

I'm still not 100% with the bottom end yet - but it's 'taking shape' if you'll excuse the pun! I'd been talking to a fellow BassChat'er who has gotten the Stacatto head. Having watched the comparison videos by Donovan and Bassida on YouTube - I wonder if the Stac is tonally more what I would prfer. Oh well! Spent the cash now ha! - I'll have a listen to your Berg videos too!

Thanks for your repsonses, I appreciate it!
 
#423
dood said:
However, I had a bit of a break through yesterday. I'd always padded my tweeters (I have a -6dB setting) because the amps I have are 'crisp' in the top end. Plugging in the RH actually sounded muted in the 'extended top' or 'sizzle' as you call it. - By switching up the tweeters to 'full on' I think I am on the way to balancing out that missing clarity that I like.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. I have found that if you crank the tweeter, you get a really nice high end, without the hiss you would get if it was a "normal" tweeter. I really like the high end of the rs series, I find it to be very useful and musical. The low end is not as extended as I was used to, with my Iamp800 and Aguilar gs112 cabs, and you might not like it as much at home, but at the GIG, I have found it very useful. Big and present and punchy, without being overwhelming or boomy.
 
#424
ahilgaz said:
Hello Dood, reading your messages -as a Staccato owner- I assume you will like the Staccato's tones over the the Rh450: It has more punch in the low end and can hear more sizzle in high end. You should check it out.
Click to expand...

Hi Ahilgaz! - Judging by the demos I have heard online so far, I am inclined to agree with you. I'd be interested in hearing one 'in the flesh' out of sheer interest at least.
 
#425
engedi1 said:
I agree 100%. I have found that if you crank the tweeter, you get a really nice high end, without the hiss you would get if it was a "normal" tweeter. I really like the high end of the rs series, I find it to be very useful and musical. The low end is not as extended as I was used to, with my Iamp800 and Aguilar gs112 cabs, and you might not like it as much at home, but at the GIG, I have found it very useful. Big and present and punchy, without being overwhelming or boomy.
Click to expand...

That's exactly my findings - and I am yet to try the head at a show or gig, as I'd use my Hartke head. I can see your point about *not* having the extended low end on a live stage - especially if it happened to be a wooden / hollow affair! I'm hoping to get an opportunity to crank it in the next few days and have an A/B with my live rig. Having a whole rack that is lighter than just a single err 'normal' head is rather enticing! - Especially when I used to use an SVT 2 Pro as mt main head, way back when.
 
#426
relwof said:
I am really interested in getting one, but I'm kinda irked that they only provide three preset memories. With all the wonderful stuff in this box, they skimp on memory? I suppose three is enough for some, but it would have been so easy to provide more.

{SNIP}

I can live with three onboard memories if all it takes to have virtually unlimited presets is a MIDI capable outboard gadget with the right software
Click to expand...

Agree totally
 
#429
BigBeatNut said:
What exactly does Q do to the shelving contols, bass & treble ?

(and apologies for reviving this thread ... I could just about manage reading/skimming this end-to-end but I couldn't do the megathread)

Andy
Click to expand...

I can't remember what that post was in reference to. However, Q effects non shelving controls and is only variable on full parametric EQ (hence my 'Q for the midrange').

Per your previous post, the RH450 has plenty of low end extension, and the B string sounds great with this head. The iAmp800 is one of the most low end extended amps I've ever played, and most speaker cabinets can't even handle those almost sub frequencies (I understand they tightened up the hi pass filtering on the new iAmpPro model).

The 'meat' of a B string tone is in that first harmonic (or whatever its called)... that kind of 40-50hz thing.

The only 'issue' with the RH450 that many have is that hard lo pass at 5K. The amp is voiced to make even a two way cab with tweeter sound like a one way cab (i.e., it has kind of a vintage cab emulation built in.... similar to if the Markbass VLE control was 'fixed' at around 10 o'clock). So, if you really like the Marcus Miller sizzle, this amp would probably not be for you. Otherwise, it sounds great.. meaty, thick, punchy.

I have a bunch of clips of the RH450 with various cabs, basses and tonal settings on my Youtube channel. I believe this one does a good job of showing the range of voicings the RH450 is capable of... from clean mid punch and warmth, to a bit of grind, to a relatively wide, deep and modern tone.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It is funny that many think that wide modern tone later in the clip sounds great, and it does. However, on the gig, in a mix, and in typically larger rooms, that first 'relatively flat' setting is the one I use 90% of the time. Nice warm support under the band with nice articulation of the notes. It makes you sound like you are playing out of a very high quality sealed one way 610 cab.
 
#430
Thanks for all that.

KJung said:
The 'meat' of a B string tone is in that first harmonic (or whatever its called)... that kind of 40-50hz thing.
Click to expand...

So let's see, the B fundamental is about 30.5 - 31.0 (can't figure it out exactly) and the first harmonic is about 60 Hz therefore ... and you're saying that it's really how well the 60 Hz frequency is reproduced that determines how well the low B works ?

Andy
 
#431
BigBeatNut said:
Thanks for all that.



So let's see, the B fundamental is about 30.5 - 31.0 (can't figure it out exactly) and the first harmonic is about 60 Hz therefore ... and you're saying that it's really how well the 60 Hz frequency is reproduced that determines how well the low B works ?

Andy
Click to expand...

+1 And very few speaker cabs can handle frequencies much below that at volume anyway. The problem you run into more often is a head being voiced too low, pumping frequencies into a cab below its tuning level. That can sound very good and fat and big when playing soft or playing solo, etc. But when you crank it up, your speakers just compress like heck, and you can actually get LESS perceived low end at volume.

A good, full, articulate open B sound has VERY little to do with your amp or cab being able to handle 32hz at volume IMO and IME.
 
#434
Joelc73 said:
Does anyone have the inside scoop on when we might see the next revision of the RH450? I love mine but am hoping they take out that low pass on the next rev...
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure all their new heads will have the tweetertone variable lo pass control. I have no inside info, but I would guess you would see the next generation of the RH head at summer NAMM.
 
#437
Hello,

this is the latest thread in the list about the RH450 so this should be the best place to post - not topic related!

Finally I received my RH450 yesterday and just want to add me to the list of people finding the amp IS LOUD! Not that this is the most important factor for me (Watts) so I am more than happy all the discussion about this head hasn't made me change my mind buying it.

It sound excellent with my EBMM and Ampeg210 cab - haven't tried it with the Ampeg115 yet.

Thanks to all that answered my pre sales questions and very special thanks to Kjung for the work you put into making videos and answering questions!

BTW: Is their an official RH owners thread on TB? - Couldn't find one.

Regards from Spain,
Gregor
 
#438
KJung said:
I can't remember what that post was in reference to. However, Q effects non shelving controls and is only variable on full parametric EQ (hence my 'Q for the midrange').

Per your previous post, the RH450 has plenty of low end extension, and the B string sounds great with this head. The iAmp800 is one of the most low end extended amps I've ever played, and most speaker cabinets can't even handle those almost sub frequencies (I understand they tightened up the hi pass filtering on the new iAmpPro model).

The 'meat' of a B string tone is in that first harmonic (or whatever its called)... that kind of 40-50hz thing.

The only 'issue' with the RH450 that many have is that hard lo pass at 5K. The amp is voiced to make even a two way cab with tweeter sound like a one way cab (i.e., it has kind of a vintage cab emulation built in.... similar to if the Markbass VLE control was 'fixed' at around 10 o'clock). So, if you really like the Marcus Miller sizzle, this amp would probably not be for you. Otherwise, it sounds great.. meaty, thick, punchy.

I have a bunch of clips of the RH450 with various cabs, basses and tonal settings on my Youtube channel. I believe this one does a good job of showing the range of voicings the RH450 is capable of... from clean mid punch and warmth, to a bit of grind, to a relatively wide, deep and modern tone.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It is funny that many think that wide modern tone later in the clip sounds great, and it does. However, on the gig, in a mix, and in typically larger rooms, that first 'relatively flat' setting is the one I use 90% of the time. Nice warm support under the band with nice articulation of the notes. It makes you sound like you are playing out of a very high quality sealed one way 610 cab.
Click to expand...

Ken

I know it's going back a ways but do you remember the settings used for that later, more modern preset from the clip?

Thanks
JC
 
#439
Joelc73 said:
Ken

I know it's going back a ways but do you remember the settings used for that later, more modern preset from the clip?

Thanks
JC
Click to expand...

Hey Joel!

The settings I use for each of the tonal demonstrations are listed below the clip. Just expand my text (click on 'see more') and it will be there. If that doesn't work for you, let me know.

K
 
#440
FSFromTX said:
Whatever happened to the tweaker software? Is it available to owners at all, or did it just go away?
Click to expand...

Basically, the feedback from the test group was that, for the vast majority of users, the software didn't really add that much, given the already amazing feature set of the amp.

However, it is very cool that the two primary recommendations from the test group were incorporated in the new RH750:

- Tweetertone control that allows the top end to be expanded.
- Separate knob for the compressor that allows for easier 'on the fly' adjustments.
 

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