What the heck is a XLR balanced line out?

[Adamthebassist]

I bought a used Crate BT 220 bass amp from Craigslist this week. In the back of the amp is a knob and a button. Upon further research i found its called a XLR balanced line out with level control and pre-/post-EQ selection. What the heck does this do and why do I need it? Also does the extension speacker jack let me hook a bass cabinet to my amp?

 

[bassplayer7770]

XLR balanced line out allows you to hook up your amp to a PA via an XLR/microphone cable. The Pre/Post EQ button allows you send your signal before or after your EQ section. Pre-EQ would be a "flat" signal, and the signal would not be affected by any EQ changes you make on your amp.

 

[strke-fender]

yes, the extension speaker jack will do just that, add another cabinet to your combo.

make sure its the proper ohmage though.

 

[lunarpollen]

The line out is for sending a direct signal to a PA or mixing board, so that the engineer has another option besides miking your cabinet.

The extension speaker jack is for hooking up an external cabinet in addition to the speaker built in to the amp. Just make sure that if you do this, you select a cabinet that is 8 ohms. The built in speaker is an 8-ohm speaker, and connecting another 8-ohm cab would drop the total resistance to 4 ohms, which will then enable you to use the full 220 watts (right now with the built-in speaker you are only running at about 140 watts). If you hook up a 4-ohm cabinet in conjunction with the built-in cabinet, the resistance will be too low and too much power may flow through the amp and you run the risk of frying it. You might want to find a decent cheap 2x10 8-ohm cabinet to pair with the built-in 15.

 

[silky smoove]

ohmage

The use of this "word" hurts my soul. Impedance people! The word is impedance.

 

[gregoire1]

The use of this "word" hurts my soul. Impedance people! The word is impedance.

but impedance sounds like a male medical problem.

 

[silky smoove]

but impedance sounds like a male medical problem.

Well said!

 

[BloozBass]

Actually, regarding the extension speaker - if you download the manual and look at the schematic, you'll see that the extension jack is wired in SERIES with the built-in speaker, which is 4 ohm. Therefore, if you add a 4 ohm cabinet to it you'll have a total load of 8 ohms, running at +/- 150 watts. I used to have one of those, and ran a Crate 4X10 with it. Punchy little rig - I thought it sounded much better than most folks expect from a Crate.

Blooz

 

[Joe Strickland]

Can a Mic. Cable be used for bass line out?

 

[Downunderwonder]

Can a Mic. Cable be used for bass line out?

Generally, as the bass line out is usually wired same as standard microphone.

 

[JimmyM]

Can a Mic. Cable be used for bass line out?

In pretty much every single case, yes.

 

[darwin-bass]

The use of this "word" hurts my soul. Impedance people! The word is impedance.

Oh, how I wish TB had a love button. Or at least a 1000 likes. I'd hit it twice.

 

[darwin-bass]

but impedance sounds like a male medical problem.

Which is why we in the US pronounce it with a long E sound in the middle. im-PEA-dance rather than IM-pa-dance.