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TC Electronic RH450 Favorite Settings © Thread

drpepper

drpepper

Supporting Member
Jul 20, 2009
4,805
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Columbia, Maryland
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#1
I was thinking a thread of shared settings successes with the RH450 could be useful.

Describe

- Your setup (cabinet(s) and bass)

- Tone you achieved

- Relevant performance parameters (type of music, type/size of group (heavy handed drummer?) venue, etc.)

Explain your settings

- In numbers of "dots" for Spectracomp and Tubetone

- In number of dots +/- center for tone

- In number of dots +/- center for center frequency settings

I'd love to be able to kick it off with a killer tone I got, but I'm not there yet.


rh450centerfreqs.jpg


PDF
 
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#5
Hey guys. Since I'm not using the TC cabs at the moment, my settings would not be that interesting to most.

However, for those who are confused by the semi-parametric EQ's, here's a simple way to determine the frequencies that are being impacted at the different levels in programming mode.

I'll use the bass control as an example. The bass (and treble) controls are 'shelving' type, which means, in the case of the bass control, when you boost the level, it boosts everything below the start point (with the RH450, the default start point is a very high 280hz), down to where the amp designer rolls off the low end.

The range of the frequency shift of the bass control is roughly between 70hz and 1K. To determine the frequencies that are impacted at various levels, basically divide the range of the knob into four, and double the frequencies at each level.

So, all the way to the left, you get the 70 hz low end of the range. Double that, and you get 140 at 9 o'clock. Double that and you get the 'default at noon' (i.e., 'no dots') 280 hz. Double that and you get around 560hz at 3 o'clock, and finally double that and you get the highest level of the frequency range at a touch over 1K when the control is all the way clockwise. That gives you a nice, approximate frequency guide as you use these controls.

Remember, the frequency level of the two mid controls represents a CENTER point, with frequencies above and below that center point also being impacted to a lesser degree.

Hope that helps. It is pretty simple once you get the logic in your head, and realize that the low mid control overlaps with the bass control a bit at the default setting, as does the upper mid control with the treble control.

So, you would rarely boost both the bass and lo mid control at their factory default settings, and similarly you would rarely boost both the hi mid and treble control at their factory settings. At the factory defaults, boosting the low end and cutting a bit of the lo mid will widen and smooth the low end, and boosting the treble and cutting a bit of hi mids will also 'smooth and sparkle up' the high end. Boosting the upper mids and cutting the treble will shift the top end of the amp to more 'grind', etc. Of course, if you shift the bass control down and treble control up, the overlap becomes much less, and the rules can change a bit on how you can use these controls.
 
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#7
Sparks55 said:
Nicely put. Thanks.
Mark
Click to expand...

Thanks! It really is a nice head, and the EQ is great. Another thing to remember is that the two mid controls have VERY wide Q's (2 octave listed in the manual). So, they impact a LOT of frequencies above and below the center point that is set. This results in frequency shifts of the mid controls to be pretty subtle (i.e., it isn't like some amps that have a narrow Q on the semiparametric mid controls to allow for a sort of 'surgical precision' in dialing out 'problem areas' in the mids).

So, to my ear, most of the tonal variability of the RH450 is driven by:

1) The shelving start point of the bass control... high gives you 'fat punch', and lower allows for a more modern, wide, deep, smooth voicing.

2) The Treble shelving start point..... lower=more 'rock grind', and higher (when boosted) gives you a more modern 'sparkle'

and

3) Cutting/boosting the upper mid control (at the default 800hz) relative to the cut/boost and shelving start point of the treble control... this fine tunes the 'grindy gank' (i.e., the 'rock snarl that can sound so good for some styles combined with the tube emulation control) and the 'modern sparkle' that sounds so good if you are a 'clean, stainless steel strings' sort of player.

IMO and IME!

And I will say again, this head sounds just magnificent with the Bergantino AE410 (and it is loud as heck!).... the EQ and voicing of that amp just sits perfectly with the voicing of that cab to allow for grind, punch, growl, sparkle, whatever you want whenever you want it!:bassist:
 
#9
Picked up my RH450, pedal and bag.

I tested their floor model first, and I was literally stunned. It is, IMO, the nicest and most versatile micro amp, with the LM2/3 coming second. Genz just doesn't come close, no offence to Genz mind.

I use very good cabs, but wow, the RS210 + 212 is absolutely amazing. I was in awe! I am now planning to get them!

I tested the Staccato, and whilst it was awesome, it flat bass setting was a bit too much for me. Very impressive though.

Oh, and it handles a Lakland JO5 I tested with ease. The B was HUGE!

TC have really impressed me!
 
#10
Ken,
How do you think the RH450 will sound with the Berg HT112ER/EX112ER stack. I am having a problem with it on the gig. At home it sounds incredible or just jamming with the guitarist. But once I get on the gig with drums and keys it just get lost & blurry on the low end. I have reset the amp to flat. I run it with compression at 9 o'clock, tube tone with just 3 or 4 lights showing. I'm using Sadowsky & Alleva-Coppolo 5 strings. I always value your input.
Thanks
Steve
 
#11
The Butler said:
Ken,
How do you think the RH450 will sound with the Berg HT112ER/EX112ER stack. I am having a problem with it on the gig. At home it sounds incredible or just jamming with the guitarist. But once I get on the gig with drums and keys it just get lost & blurry on the low end. I have reset the amp to flat. I run it with compression at 9 o'clock, tube tone with just 3 or 4 lights showing. I'm using Sadowsky & Alleva-Coppolo 5 strings. I always value your input.
Thanks
Steve
Click to expand...

Hey Steve,

Never tried that combination, so not sure. However, the voicing of the HT's are quite more 'polite' than the AE's, and that probably does not match quite as well with the mid punchy RH450.

There again is a LOT of sound in the RH450 bass control, and I understand the ER versions of the HT lost a bit of that beautiful mid clarity of the original HT112's. So, to start (just guessing), I would try moving the shelving starting point down a touch to reduce the lower mids (around 10 o'clock in programming mode on the bass control), and dialing in a bit of upper mids at the default 800hz setting. Also, turn off that tubetone control and compression while dialing in the EQ. That tubetone can blur things up a bit at lower settings to my ear. I keep it off, since there is SO much warmth already happening in the inherent voicing of that head.

I'm not completely hopeful about this matchup though, but there is a lot of EQ power in the RH450, and you might get there. The RH450 is inherently a little 'warm and mid chewy' and to my ear, really benefits from a cab with a more aggressive upper mid and treble response built in (like the AE's).

Good luck!
 
#13
The Butler said:
Ken,
I think I have to agree with you. I can still switch out any of the cabs or the amp. I am digging the warmth of this amp. If I need to try different cabs I can do that.
Steve
Click to expand...

I really like the amp, and the match with the AE cabs makes me pretty happy. If you can try a couple of AE112's, that would be a nice comparison to determine if the HT cab voicing is working againsts the built in voicing of the RH. Good luck!
 
#14
I've had the same issues on the gigs as does Steve with my HS410 and previously owned RS210. Eublet had some good suggestions that coincide with Ken's pretty much. I've not had a chance to use my HS410 on a gig again with suggested/improved settings so I've have been using my Schroeder 15+L as it's compact enough for me to haul with other needed gear. I've been able to EQ in usable settings on the gig, but still don't feel it's a great match up. I'm leaning toward an AE210 right now and possibly moving to a pair of them.....

I know Ken was going to play around with the RH450/15+L setup when he has a chance. ;) hint hint.

Happy Holidays to ya'll
 
#15
Big String said:
I know Ken was going to play around with the RH450/15+L setup when he has a chance. ;) hint hint.

Happy Holidays to ya'll
Click to expand...

OK Dean, I finally spent some tweaking time with the 115L+/RH450.

I first dialed in the LMII to where I like it as a 'baseline' tone... basically a slight bass boost, a slight cut in the low and upper mids (by 'slight', I mean around 11 o'clock cut or 1 o'clock boost), and then the VLE at 9 o'clock. So, that, to my ear, brings that cab a little closer to 'flat' with the LMII by expanding the low end and significantly cutting the low mids with the combination of the bass boost, low mid cut, and the VLE boost, and softening the upper mids just a touch.

I could get 'reasonably' close to the LMII set this way with the RH450 (although it was still a bit more meaty and more organic up top) with the following settings:

Bass.... shelving start point at around 140hz (9 o'clock in programming mode), boosted to 3 o'clock

Lo Mid.... center point at 10 o'clock (around 200 hz), cut to around 10 o'clock

Hi mids..... center point at around 1K (2 o'clock), boosted slightly (around 1 o'clock).

Treble.... shelving start point at around 4K (3 o'clock), boosted to 3 o'clock.

That does a pretty good job of widening the low end and top end of the 115L+, and taming the chewy low mids, while dialing in a touch of brightness that the Markbass heads have dialed in and that the RH450 does not have in its default setting.

I still don't totally dig it, and prefer my F1 with this cab, which sounds great with some slight widening of the EQ voicing.

FYI... worth a try!:)

Edit: Interestingly, my guess is that this somewhat extreme EQ setting on the RH450 would be relatively close to the Staccato set flat... so that head might me a very nice match for the mid present Schroeder line of heads IMO.
 
#17
Big String said:
Ken
Your settings are better than what I have programed. I was on the right track but your setting sounds better. Now to test it all on Saturday's gig.

Thanks for taking the time.
Dean
Click to expand...

I'd still only give that combination a 6 on a 1-10 scale for my personal tone. Let me know how it works. It is definitely 'in the ballpark for what I would need though (again, realizing that the very small 115L+ is always a bit of a tonal compromise versus my large cabs).
 
#18
Thanks for all great tips. Yesterday I ordered the RH amp. I tried the Classic amp in a store, I think it is the same amp as the RH 450.

Have you guys some suggestions on settings that will fit my Berg AE410. Do you think I have to alter the stadard amp settings to have a "wider" sound. I have been playing with a EBS TD 650 for a while, basses are Sandberg Umbo, Fodera Emperor and Wal MKII all 5-stringers.
Thanks
Ursus
 

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