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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

#4,581
ThisYouCanTrust said:
Interesting how the bass shifts the sound of the mix.
With the budget board the drums never really "connect", it feels like the balance is wrong (snare sounds tinny, hi-hat is too loud, etc.).
With the boutique board the bass merges with the drums and carries the whole thing, the mix seems to be the exact same except this time it works.

The bass-only tracks ok sure you hear one is more alive and the other a bit flatter, but it's much less dramatic. But in the mix, wow ..
Click to expand...

I find this to be the case when practicing and recording with my sample drum libraries. Using a vintage drum kit requires a totally different bass sound compared to a more modern produced sounding kit. Some sounds work together, and others just don't. Each one can sound fine solo. Even changing between two modern kits can change which bass sound works best.

Sometimes I think I have a great heavy bass tone and then I pair it with one library and it sounds meh. Other times I don't think I've got a very good tone it seems to fit.

Bottom line, use the right tool for the job.
 
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#4,583
jbhaugh said:
I just re-checked the JHS website's Colour Box specs because upon reflection 60 Hz cutoff didn't sound right. The minimum cutoff frequency is 160 Hz, -3 dB/octave.
Click to expand...
Ouch 160 is indeed a high peg.

Looks like I will have to revert to Tech21 QStrip then ... Which is a pity as I wanted to get some coloration/harmonic thingey going and Q Strip is probably as transparent as it gets so no joy there. But at least it has usable HPF for my 5 string :(
 
#4,584
chadhargis said:
That's why I would rather hear demos in a mix. Bass (for most of us) is not a solo instrument. It's a foundational instrument that supports the rest of the band. Bass tone by itself is really meaningless. It took me a LONG time to realize that. I have owned lots of basses and lots of gear and for the longest time I focused on how good they sounded when I played them solo. Now I've developed an ear for what fits in a mix.
Click to expand...

It's a long voyage we all embarked in.
I find it exciting, but sometimes I wish it was less expensive.
 
#4,585
Regarding JHS Colour Box v2 ... Actually I see their webpage mentions 160Hz HPF but in the PDF manual it is 60Hz. The same (60Hz) is quoted on many reviews.

I've left query with their support to clarify what is the actual frequency and will let you know once they reply
 
#4,586
JRMK said:
Ouch 160 is indeed a high peg.

Looks like I will have to revert to Tech21 QStrip then ... Which is a pity as I wanted to get some coloration/harmonic thingey going and Q Strip is probably as transparent as it gets so no joy there. But at least it has usable HPF for my 5 string :(
Click to expand...

The HPF switchable, so I just leave it off. And it really sounds like 160 Hz, a 60 Hz cutoff with -3dB per octave would be usable - the Colour Box HPF is not usable for bass.
 
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#4,587
JRMK said:
Ouch 160 is indeed a high peg.

Looks like I will have to revert to Tech21 QStrip then ... Which is a pity as I wanted to get some coloration/harmonic thingey going and Q Strip is probably as transparent as it gets so no joy there. But at least it has usable HPF for my 5 string :(
Click to expand...

The Qstrip does add a bit of color/warmth. Not as much as all these boutique tube preamps of course, but there's definitely something there that isn't when it's off.

5sg.
 
#4,591
I think this is pretty interesting.

The audio sample here is played with a Sadowsky Jazz (pickups centered) with tone control 50% and EQ dials all the way counterclockwise (off). Sample is played into looper so the exact same clip is repeated. Please use quality earphones, not Apple or Android ear buds or cheap computer speakers.



Clip 1: Sadowsky into passive Rapco DBBLOX. This is a small, cheap passive DI box.
Clip 2: Sadowsky into Lightning Boy TI Box (passive box) with phase switch in out position
Clip 3: Sadowsky into Lighting Boy TI Box (passive box) with phase switch pressed in
Clip 5: Sadowsky into active RNDI powered by 48 volt phantom power

What do you think?

Remember, the DBBLOX and Lighting Boy TI Box are totally passive and require no power.

IMG_3594.jpg
 
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#4,592
Regarding the HPF on the Colour Box, I'm betting that it's set at 60 and 160 is a typo. I use it and it doesn't sound like it starts at 160 Hz...there are times I use it and times that I switch it off. It's a great pedal for bass and I've used it live a bit but I'm tempted to sell it to a guitarist in one of my bands now...I'm back on the quest again, even after I was sold on the Colour Box for a few months. I'm finding all of these other cool combinations with pedals I currently own and was about to sell...it's a constant plight that we all seem privy to, but at least my GAS is at an all time low for now;)
 
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#4,593
My final word on the Colour Box HPF: I just A/B'ed it with a Broughton HPF set to ~60 Hz and ~160 Hz, and the minimum cutoff on the Colour Box HPF thins out the sound way too much to be set at 60 Hz. I didn't put it on the scope or anything, and this was an entirely unscientific investigation, but that's my assessment. I did spend some time messing around with the Colour Box HPF on to see if I could find a usable bass tone. I was able to get something that sorta sounded like a 4001 bridge pickup tone or maybe a 70s Jazz bass bridge pickup tone if the pickup was way too low, so I guess if that's what you're after you could use it. If you wanted an aggressive dirty sound with lots of mids and no bottom, I'm sure there are a lot of choices in there. I'll keep it off.
 
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#4,594
jbhaugh said:
My final word on the Colour Box HPF: I just A/B'ed it with a Broughton HPF set to ~60 Hz and ~160 Hz, and the minimum cutoff on the Colour Box HPF thins out the sound way too much to be set at 60 Hz. I didn't put it on the scope or anything, and this was an entirely unscientific investigation, but that's my assessment. I did spend some time messing around with the Colour Box HPF on to see if I could find a usable bass tone. I was able to get something that sorta sounded like a 4001 bridge pickup tone or maybe a 70s Jazz bass bridge pickup tone if the pickup was way too low, so I guess if that's what you're after you could use it. If you wanted an aggressive dirty sound with lots of mids and no bottom, I'm sure there are a lot of choices in there. I'll keep it off.
Click to expand...
Colour box also has a bass boost
 
#4,596
scubaduba said:
I think this is pretty interesting.

The audio sample here is played with a Sadowsky Jazz (pickups centered) with tone control 50% and EQ dials all the way counterclockwise (off). Sample is played into looper so the exact same clip is repeated. Please use quality earphones, not Apple or Android ear buds or cheap computer speakers.



Clip 1: Sadowsky into passive Rapco DBBLOX. This is a small, cheap passive DI box.
Clip 2: Sadowsky into Lightning Boy TI Box (passive box) with phase switch in out position
Clip 3: Sadowsky into Lighting Boy TI Box (passive box) with phase switch pressed in
Clip 5: Sadowsky into active RNDI powered by 48 volt phantom power

What do you think?

Remember, the DBBLOX and Lighting Boy TI Box are totally passive and require no power.

View attachment 3962815[/QUOTE
Click to expand...


That makes me ponder many thoughts of how good my ears are.
 
#4,597
scubaduba said:
I think this is pretty interesting.

The audio sample here is played with a Sadowsky Jazz (pickups centered) with tone control 50% and EQ dials all the way counterclockwise (off). Sample is played into looper so the exact same clip is repeated. Please use quality earphones, not Apple or Android ear buds or cheap computer speakers.



Clip 1: Sadowsky into passive Rapco DBBLOX. This is a small, cheap passive DI box.
Clip 2: Sadowsky into Lightning Boy TI Box (passive box) with phase switch in out position
Clip 3: Sadowsky into Lighting Boy TI Box (passive box) with phase switch pressed in
Clip 5: Sadowsky into active RNDI powered by 48 volt phantom power

What do you think?

Remember, the DBBLOX and Lighting Boy TI Box are totally passive and require no power.

View attachment 3962815
Click to expand...

I could hardly tell any difference at all between these clips, but could that be because of the bass, is it active? Maybe there would be a more noticeable difference if using a passive bass? I heard a couple of static pops toward the very end of the second clip, hopefully just an anomaly.
 
#4,598
scubaduba said:
I think this is pretty interesting.

The audio sample here is played with a Sadowsky Jazz (pickups centered) with tone control 50% and EQ dials all the way counterclockwise (off). Sample is played into looper so the exact same clip is repeated. Please use quality earphones, not Apple or Android ear buds or cheap computer speakers.



Clip 1: Sadowsky into passive Rapco DBBLOX. This is a small, cheap passive DI box.
Clip 2: Sadowsky into Lightning Boy TI Box (passive box) with phase switch in out position
Clip 3: Sadowsky into Lighting Boy TI Box (passive box) with phase switch pressed in
Clip 5: Sadowsky into active RNDI powered by 48 volt phantom power

What do you think?

Remember, the DBBLOX and Lighting Boy TI Box are totally passive and require no power.

View attachment 3962815
Click to expand...


I thought the TI Box and RNDI had more bottom than the Rapco. The RNDI also has a smoother top end but otherwise very equal to the TI Box.

I heard no difference at all regarding the phase shift, which should sound exactly the same since it's not phase shifted agains anything.

The difference between them is very, very small IMO if you put it in a context.

Thanks for doing this!
 
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