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Which to keep...

Which 2 to keep in rig...

  • Fender Rack Tuner

    Votes: 2 15.4%

  • Furman Power Conditioner

    Votes: 5 38.5%

  • Ashley Compressor/EQ

    Votes: 3 23.1%

  • 6u Rack

    Votes: 3 23.1%
  • Total voters
    13
  • Poll closed .
N

ni714

Guest
Apr 19, 2008
31
6
#1
Last night I came home to find a deal on craigslist that i just couldn't say no to and so now I am the proud new owner of a used Ampeg svt 3 Pro (MIA):)

And the good part of the deal was that it came with some extras. The combining of my old setup and my new purchase has left me with some difficult decision so i'm looking to my fellow gear addicts for advice (since i already asked my wife her answer was, "whatever you think")

The amp takes up 2 rack spaces leaving me with 2 more for any extras. Which one of these 3 do I leave at home.
Here are the options...

1. Fender Rack Tuner. (was using a tuning pedal but the lights on this thing make it a must for any decent rig.)

2. Furman Power Conditioner. (protection against dirty power)

3. Ashley Compressor/EQ. (I am new to the 3 pro but this baby did wonders for my previous amp)

4. Man up, get a 6 space rack, and have it all. (I actually already have one, its just so darn heavy)


sorry, the poll should read, Which one to leave out.
 
#4
FuzzBox had a prety good idea there.

I know some of those Ashley compressors work pretty well with bass and some power conditioners are little more than rack mounted power strips with surge protection.
Have you tried your Ashley with your SVT-III yet?


I was also kinda wondering what models your Ashly and Furman are?
 
#6
IMO using the SVT3PRO yields no need for a Compressor the driver tubd right in front of the Poweramp softens things up quite a bit. It keeps the Poweramp from Clipping and sounds really warm and round.

If you should ever use a Line out that signal would be before this Tube and it can Clip into another Poweramp.

No need for the Compressor unless your after that sqaushy breathing sound.

Hope this helps.:)
 
#7
Red Planet said:
IMO using the SVT3PRO yields no need for a Compressor the driver tubd right in front of the Poweramp softens things up quite a bit. It keeps the Poweramp from Clipping and sounds really warm and round.

If you should ever use a Line out that signal would be before this Tube and it can Clip into another Poweramp.

No need for the Compressor unless your after that sqaushy breathing sound.

Hope this helps.:)
Click to expand...

Yea man, I think you're right. The amp i was using before needed the compressor and more importantly the extended EQ. But i'm hoping now i can get the tone i want without it.

If not i'm gonna try the whole "furman on the back" idea.
I actually might do that regardless just cause its sounds like a cool idea.

Thanks to everyone who responded to this and for all your advice.
 
#9
Personally I would eshew toys and pretty lights in favour of keeping the rig as small as possible.

I used to use a rack, plus large combo amp, plus multifx plus stompboxes, and a couple of basses. It took 2 or 3 trips to the car, took ages to setup, and more importantly, ages to break down after a long gig. I have now got it down to LMII head, MB 1x12 cab, one multifx, and basses in double gigbag. I can get away with less for small, short gigs. Just bass, amp and pandora.

having a rack tuner is nice, but do you go out of tune a lot during a gig? If not, a handheld one pre-show would prob suffice, or plug one into the amps tuner out and have it loose on top.

I question the need for power conditioner. I have one, but don't use it anymore. It was pretty much a glorified powerstrip. A small surge protector will prob suffice for the amount of power you're running. In a big rack I can kinda see the point, but nor in a small one.

As for the compressor, only you can decide that. I was using a rack compressor (albeit and cheap behringer one) which was great for the tweakability. I have since gone through a few bass dedicated pedal and now multifx, and they do the job just as well. Yes the audiophile in me notices the small difference, but Joe Bloggs in the audience doesn't, and I can live with that if it means having a smaller, lighter rig. You really need to try the amp out before you decide whether you need the compressor or not.

As a side point not necessarily related to you, but I also had a v-amp set to bi-amp so I could compress high's and lows separately, a sonic maximiser in the rack and a little tube preamp to warm things up, as well as all the above mentioned gear. Took me ages to setup. Then one day I just wanted to try something quickly so plugged straight into the amp and it sounded wonderful. I realised all the sound enhancing devices were working against me and destroying my tone, and I kept adding to it to put back what wasn't there anymore. That's when I decided to downsize.

Less is more, so they say.
 
#10
every once in a while you can find five space racks here or e-bay, bassgear, etc. usually they are calzone type. sometimes you can find them a bit shallower than the skb type which can be great as long as your stuff fits. although they are heavy, a five space is almost the same size as an skb 4 once you factor in all those crazy projections coming off the skb.
 

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