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Weird sound when low boosted at home

K

KingJustinian

Dec 16, 2013
4
0
#1
I recently got a Fender MIM Precision Deluxe Bass (active pickups, See Here). I am playing it through a Markbass Little Mark III (500w) and a Markbass Traveler 102p.

First off, I brought all my gear into Guitar Center to test it (I got it shipped there used), and I couldn't recreate the problem there. At my apartment I get a weird fizzy/phase sound, usually on the lowest string only and mostly the lowest 3 frets, and only when I have the lows boosted (whether on the amp, or the guitar). If I boost the lows a ton then it carries over to the other strings some.

Like I said, it didn't happen at GC. It did happen in multiple rooms at my apartment. My best guess is it's something to do with the power supply in my apartment. I got a Furman power conditioner and that didn't help the problem. I've tried multiple instrument cables, but only one speaker cable that I just bought. I've messed with the EQ a ton and I can get the problem to mostly go away but I can't get the tone I'd prefer. I'm wondering if there is anything else I might be able to do to help fix the problem? Is it likely that it's the brand new speaker cable, since that's the only thing I didn't try multiple of/bring to GC to test?

Thanks.
 
#3
Power conditioners, or what Furman markets as a power conditioner, are merely AC outlet strips with a little extra noise filtering built in, so they don't really do anything except give you a convenient way to run multiple outlets in a rack-mount format.

I think what you're experiencing is phasing issues from playing in small rooms. Lows will bounce all over the place and especially in small rooms because they're omnidirectional large waves. It's very possible to phase your low end out in a small room by cranking lows.
 
#4
So would my only option be to keep lows down? Maybe there's some way to position the amp?

The last time I heard the sound, I did think to myself that it was king of a pulsating phase sound, and it would repeat fairly quickly. Might be completely unrelated but it seems to make sense that it's the waves bouncing around.
 
#6
Sounds like the lows are cancelling themselves out in your apartment. Avoiding putting amps in corners and as mentioned above, putting furniture or fabric behind them can help some. There's not a chance I can play anything under 100 Hz in my house here though. It just won't sound right, ever.
 
#7
Blown speaker? Thre was recently a thread here where a Markbass 10" speaker magnets had been rattled out to fall to the bottom of the cab. Maybe not that, but I have heard a "phasing fart" sound out of a blown Eden 12" cab. Hard to know without a sound sample. I hope it is the room issue as others have said. There could in fact be something in the room that resonates in an unpleasing way.
 
#9
Thanks for the advice...

rust_preacher said:
Blown speaker? Thre was recently a thread here where a Markbass 10" speaker magnets had been rattled out to fall to the bottom of the cab. Maybe not that, but I have heard a "phasing fart" sound out of a blown Eden 12" cab. Hard to know without a sound sample. I hope it is the room issue as others have said. There could in fact be something in the room that resonates in an unpleasing way.
Click to expand...

Russell L said:
Loose grill?
Click to expand...

I don't think it's either of these. I tried all my gear (except the speaker cable) in guitar center and the problem didn't occur. I tried recording a sample and it didn't come out clear at all since it was just a laptop mic.

I'll try moving my amp around and by furniture and see if it does anything.
 

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