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Trouble Cutting Through?

#21
theunknowndude said:
I've also heard that the more you push the bass up the harder it is to get "headroom/volume" for the other EQ parts to come through... ie cutting back on bass a bit and adding mids allows you to push a slightly higher db level?

I always thought smiley face was awesome,... then I had a band practice and spent the whole time boosting mids!
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+1 This is so true for those who have headroom problems or problems cutting through the mix. The EQ on my Bmax-T does not have an EQ bypass and there's no absolute flat position. When I rolled back the bass from 2 to about 1.6 the mids came punching through. Very sensitive knob from at the lower values.
 
#22
A lot of the advice is really good. You could also add another cabinet. The Firebass will run it's full 700 watts at 2ohm. So If you're running a 4ohm cab, getting another 4ohm cab would be fine. If your cab is 8ohm, you might want to consider replacing it with a 4ohm, or just getting another 8ohm.

I've been running 2 4ohm cabs for over a year now (being played about 6hours a week in a metal band), and not only does it cut through two all-tube halfstacks, but it's been performing flawlessly.
 
#25
You'd be shocked at how much low end your bass tone has about forty feet away from the rig even if you HAVEN'T boosted any lows. Start flat and boost some 1.1khz and you'll hear a world of difference. Don't worry the crowd will feel your lows even if you don't standing right in front of your rig.
 
#26
Ive been having issues of distorting my 2 GB Neox 212T cabs at gigs, no PA support for me. So on my GBE750 2 channel amp Ive got my gain knobs @ 11:00, masters @ 1:00, been leaving lo/hi mids flat, highs back to about 11:00, bass knob @ 2:00, then cause I love the tone shape feature, that LF knob @ 2:00, HF knob @ 1:00. On some notes it sounds very nice playing blues-rock but lower notes on A & B string of my 55-02 get quite muddy and the cabs get fuzzy/buzzy(?). Had a real big issue with this last week, huge icehouse, biker bar with those large, open garage doors, very TX thing. And I was getting loud but very muddy, fuzzy and distorted when driving the bass. Oh and after the gig I realized I had not switched the PowerFlex switch to 2 ohms, so maybe that was a factor, Im hoping it was.

After reading this thread Im def going to try less low frequencies and more mids to punch thru more cleanly and not try to move the room. I look forward to seeing if this makes my rig sound better, the cabs are new and Ive been unhappy with them thinking I got the wrong cabs for my needs but everyone raves of using even just a single cab w/GB1200 or I hope Im not underpowering these cabs with my 750.

So I'll try some new settings this Saturdays gig, different room, more a sports bar, to see if I can get where you guys are describing. Just hope I can keep my fingers off that dang LF shape knob, I really like that feature but I see time to rethink that tone. Any more advice on tone shaping pls continue this discussion.
 
#28
I am not a compression fan (Tho Billy Sheehan is my hero). The best way I have found to even them out across the board is adjustments to the bass. Keep you loend setting the way they are (for thickness sake) and lower the bottom "E,A" pickup 'till your tone/output is even with the "D,G" I have a P bass setup in that fashion just for those gigs where I know I will be pushing low frequencies. It works quite well (for me anyway). In a lot of cases you are better off eq'ing the low mids around 100-120hz because of the fatness that comes from there without the boom.
 
#29
ErnieD said:
Ive been having issues of distorting my 2 GB Neox 212T cabs at gigs, no PA support for me. So on my GBE750 2 channel amp Ive got my gain knobs @ 11:00, masters @ 1:00, been leaving lo/hi mids flat, highs back to about 11:00, bass knob @ 2:00, then cause I love the tone shape feature, that LF knob @ 2:00, HF knob @ 1:00. On some notes it sounds very nice playing blues-rock but lower notes on A & B string of my 55-02 get quite muddy and the cabs get fuzzy/buzzy(?). Had a real big issue with this last week, huge icehouse, biker bar with those large, open garage doors, very TX thing. And I was getting loud but very muddy, fuzzy and distorted when driving the bass. Oh and after the gig I realized I had not switched the PowerFlex switch to 2 ohms, so maybe that was a factor, Im hoping it was.

After reading this thread Im def going to try less low frequencies and more mids to punch thru more cleanly and not try to move the room. I look forward to seeing if this makes my rig sound better, the cabs are new and Ive been unhappy with them thinking I got the wrong cabs for my needs but everyone raves of using even just a single cab w/GB1200 or I hope Im not underpowering these cabs with my 750.

So I'll try some new settings this Saturdays gig, different room, more a sports bar, to see if I can get where you guys are describing. Just hope I can keep my fingers off that dang LF shape knob, I really like that feature but I see time to rethink that tone. Any more advice on tone shaping pls continue this discussion.
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I wouldn't doubt that your speakers bottoming out has to due with your pushing the bass region on your EQ. Set it flat and go from there.
 
#30
Cutting through is a matter of perspective and your placement on stage. More often than not, the way you think your bass sounds on stage is nothing like what it sounds like to your audience, so keep that in mind when setting your EQ. Boosting a lot of low end almost never helps the situation. Also, if your amp ends up against the back wall or in a corner, you are going to pick up a really boomy low end. Try moving your amp away from the walls if possible.
 
#31
Rhythm5 said:
Cutting through is a matter of perspective and your placement on stage. More often than not, the way you think your bass sounds on stage is nothing like what it sounds like to your audience, so keep that in mind when setting your EQ. Boosting a lot of low end almost never helps the situation. Also, if your amp ends up against the back wall or in a corner, you are going to pick up a really boomy low end. Try moving your amp away from the walls if possible.
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i do agree, i play in lots of places where it boomy and hard to cut, so, i find less is more, i cut a click or two on the bass and click or bump up the low mids and mids,seems to work for me, it does sound a little thin on stage,but out in front it 'll punch a hole in your chest, good luck
 
#32
I used the GBE750 w/2-Neox212T cabs this Saturday nite and it sounded awesome this time. First off made sure that Powerflex switch was in the 2 ohm position. Kept the lows flat and brought the low mids up quite a bit, turned all gains/volume knobs back to 11:00-12:00 though I did use some of the HF shape knob and kept it on fet/tube mix most the nite, used passive 5 string jazz instead of my usual 55-02 which actually works better for this blues-rock band. And again the rig sounded awesome thru the nite. Had the singer go out on floor while I set my volumes/EQ, etc before we started up. He came back smiling and said it sounded pretty loud but nice and big out there. I'll start having him do this more often from now on. And this while using less lows and alot more mids than I've ever used before. Great tip, thanks all.
 
#37
Rhythm5 said:
Also, if your amp ends up against the back wall or in a corner, you are going to pick up a really boomy low end. Try moving your amp away from the walls if possible.
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Thats very interesting. On monday night my band started practicing in a new rehersal space and I noticed that the walls seem to make my sound very boomy, I kept shifting the amp back and forth and it had a big effect on my sound, everything was booming and vibrating. Its going to take at least another practice night to figure out where to put my amp.
 
#38
joeydavidson said:
Thats very interesting. On monday night my band started practicing in a new rehersal space and I noticed that the walls seem to make my sound very boomy, I kept shifting the amp back and forth and it had a big effect on my sound, everything was booming and vibrating. Its going to take at least another practice night to figure out where to put my amp.
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A lot of it is most likely the size and acoustics of the room. Amp location is one element, however.
 
#39
Its was a big room and I had to turn my amp down, it sounded like I was going through a P.A. The previous room sounded better, I think, I should be able to tame the boominess because I thought I was supposed to put my amp in front of a wall until reading this thread
 
#40
We're talking rehearsal room, right? If it's a big room it's strange that the PA mics would be picking up your bass. That happens with us in our teeny tiny practice space. if the floor is wooden or there is dead space underneath the flooring, then try isolating or elevating your cab off the ground.
 

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