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XDS-PLUS is boosting my signal on some basses, on some not....

Discussion in 'Effects [BG]' started by gillento, Jun 22, 2008.

  1. Jun 22, 2008 #1
    gillento

    gillento

    Oct 15, 2005
    Luxembourg, Europe
    Nordstrand pickups
    Hi,
    I play 3 basses: 1 Sadowsky vintage MV5, 1 Sadowsky Modern M24-5 and 1 Sandberg PM5.
    Both Sadowskys have the Sadowsky preamp, the Sandberg uses a Glockenklang preamp.

    Now for the funny part: with both my Sadowskys the volume is boosted by the XDS-PLUS.
    With the Sandberg level is unity...

    How is this? Has it something to do with the output impedance of the different preamps?
    All are active preamps, so the difference in impedance should be minimal (if ever!)

    Is this how it is supposed to be?
    Do I get the "unity gain" thing wrong?
    I thought that "unity gain" means "what you put in, comes out"
     
  2. Jun 22, 2008 #2
    bongomania

    bongomania Supporting Member Commercial User

    Oct 17, 2005
    PDX, OR
    owner, OVNIFX and OVNILabs
    Very bizarre. Unity is 1:1. However just because something is designed for unity doesn't mean that there might not be some weird technical exception. But in this case I have no idea what would cause such an exception. Maybe the preamps are internally grounded differently?
     
  3. Jun 22, 2008 #3
    Willem

    Willem

    Dec 26, 2005
    Belgium
    you bought that X2 from America?

    those are illegal in Europe...
     
  4. Jun 22, 2008 #4
    gillento

    gillento

    Oct 15, 2005
    Luxembourg, Europe
    Nordstrand pickups
    Maybe that's why it is acting funny...:eyebrow:
     
  5. Jun 22, 2008 #5
    irvinz

    irvinz

    Nov 23, 2006
    Australia
    has too much gas
    and new zealand =(
     
  6. Jun 22, 2008 #6
    Willem

    Willem

    Dec 26, 2005
    Belgium
    I don't know if that's the reason, but they operate in the same frequency zone as portable phones...

    that's why X2 needs to get a European version over here!!!!
     
  7. Jun 22, 2008 #7
    gillento

    gillento

    Oct 15, 2005
    Luxembourg, Europe
    Nordstrand pickups
    Found the follwing post in another thread:
    http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5689655&postcount=20

    Hm....:confused:
     
  8. Jun 22, 2008 #8
    niftydog

    niftydog

    Jun 23, 2005
    Canberra, Australia
    That statement makes no sense whatsoever. Unity gain doesn't mean "the same output level regardless of input level" it means "output level = input level". If there's a volume difference between your basses it will continue to exist when you put the wireless in the signal chain.

    Wireless circuits are chock full of level altering circuitry in both the transmitter and receiver - Companding being the main offender. I wouldn't even begin to estimate what exactly is causing your particular problem.
     
  9. Jun 23, 2008 #9
    gillento

    gillento

    Oct 15, 2005
    Luxembourg, Europe
    Nordstrand pickups
    I think I found something leading in the "impedance" direction.
    I did a little experiment:

    I used a passive looper with 2 loops.
    In the first loop I put a buffered pedal, In the second loop I put the XDS system.
    Now I compared these levels.
    I found:

    - Desactivating both loops got me the original hard wired levels.
    - Activating the first loop (buffer) showed no level variations.
    - Activating the loop with XDS, the Sadowsky's levels got boosted, the Sandberg stayed the same.
    - Activating booth loops (buffer & XDS) this phenomenon did not show and the levels of the 3 basses were the same as hard wired.

    This seems to defeat the purpose of a wireless system as first component after your bass.
     
  10. Jun 25, 2008 #10
    gillento

    gillento

    Oct 15, 2005
    Luxembourg, Europe
    Nordstrand pickups
    any ideas?
     
  11. Jun 25, 2008 #11
    bongomania

    bongomania Supporting Member Commercial User

    Oct 17, 2005
    PDX, OR
    owner, OVNIFX and OVNILabs
    Have you asked the manufacturer about it?
     
  12. Jun 28, 2008 #12
    gillento

    gillento

    Oct 15, 2005
    Luxembourg, Europe
    Nordstrand pickups
    I have right now. Line 6's (the new owner of the X2 technology) website makes it rather hard to find a real contact link....