Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Zoom B3 As Preamp Part 2
- Thread starter David Wilson
- Start date
@CharlieC In an old post you mentioned a power cord extender - would this one work?
Thanks for all your info!
Thanks for all your info!
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
I did Charlie, that was the 1st thing I checked. I will try a few things today, got an MS60B in interim.
So I used the B3 for the first time yesterday at an outdoor gig. All I can say is freakin' amazing. I did end up having to run it through the front end of my Ashdown because it didn't quite have enough presence through the direct inputs. To that end it was incredible as stompboxes and the amp sims worked really well in conjunction with my amp's preamp section.
So far my favorite amp sims are the Ampeg, Hartke, and Flip Top.
So far my favorite amp sims are the Ampeg, Hartke, and Flip Top.
You might consider turning up the levels on the B3 (I suggest turning the Global level up to at least 100 (out of 120 max), and the Total level to at least 100 (out of 120 max), after that, you can crank up individual levels on your effect units - probably starting with the amp simulators).
I rocked an Ashdown ABM for a few years - great amps!
John
I just haven't had enough time to play with all the immense amount of settings yet but I'll get there eventually. I did turn the global levels up to 100 but when I A/B'd front vs rear of amp at soundcheck it sounded way more punchy through the front end preamp. I need to experiment with the effects like the Bottom B or the Exciters to get the punch that I would get from the Ashdown.
I've used an ABM500 and 410h cab since 2000. Amazing amp. I like that the version I have is before all the added in onboard stuff so it basically is just a good, rock solid power center that I can add everything else onto. The cabinet also has the Celestions in it as opposed to the Blue Line speakers. They really are like warmer sounding Trace Elliots.
I'm pretty sure I have the same issue with my B3. We use a Yamaha powered mixer and I went through a passive DI into the mixer. Of course I got my B3 way over a year ago and just messed with it at home, before finally bringing it to practice last week. It always worked great with the 1/4 out into the instrument in of my bass cab, but when I ran the XLR out into the mixer the levels were crazy high! I reduced all the levels from 100 way down and got control of it, but there are a lot of little tics and pops (almost like a noisy cable) but it doesn't do that at home. It too late for me to send mine back so I'll just have to manage it best I can. All that said, I was happy with the tone I got, just not so much with the artifacts. Next practice I'll run it through the 1/4" instrument input on the board, to see what that does.
Should there in fact be a problem with your B3's XLR out, you can still utilize a standard passive DI between your B3's 1/4" LEFT OUT and your amp to feed the mixer.
Cheers!
Even with the Input Pad activated on my band's Behringer powered mixer the signal from the B3 is still way hot. I reduced the global to 25 to account for this but then it was presenting me problems due to the fact that I'm running a parallel out to the front of my amp. I just decided in the end to run it through the front of my amp and use it's DI out. Problem solved.
Also it helps that my Ashdown has the ability to bypass the EQ section when using the DI. It is very high quality also.
Is the XLR input of your board Line level or regular Mic one?The regular mic one is way too sensitive for line level devices.Look on your board manual to see what type of input you have.
I take with me every time this adaptor XLR-->TRS .Save me a lot of times when the board don't have line level XLR input.I use this in the TRS line ins of the board.Mission accomplished!!!
Signal levels on the B3's output jacks, both 1/4" and XLR, can range from as low as Mic level to off-the-charts +4 dBU line level.
The secret to effective overall output level management lies not only in use of the GLOBAL and TOTAL level values, but also in each individual effect's LEVEL values. They are all cumulative.
Cheers!
The secret to effective overall output level management lies not only in use of the GLOBAL and TOTAL level values, but also in each individual effect's LEVEL values. They are all cumulative.
Cheers!
That's a good question about the XLR input on the board. I will have to look into it. I know I've never had any trouble before with the DI from my amp or when I was using the DI from a Hartke VXL Bass Attack pedal.Is the XLR input of your board Line level or regular Mic one?The regular mic one is way too sensitive for line level devices.Look on your board manual to see what type of input you have.
I take with me every time this adaptor XLR-->TRS .Save me a lot of times when the board don't have line level XLR input.I use this in the TRS line ins of the board.Mission accomplished!!!
I've matched the overall patch levels to the level my bass would be at dry. I think I might just buy a line attenuator to go between the B3 and the mixer.
Is your bass active or with an active EQ?
I ask this because if you were using a passive bass, there should be no way a signal at passive instrument level output (from the B3) should be able to overpower the limits of a typical mixer's input channel.
Nothing wrong with using a line attenuator if there is no other option.
Cheers!
It's an active Carvin LB75. I thought it would be no problem when we played live and yes, our Behringer board does have a -30db pad on the XLR/line inputs. It still didn't bring it down enough. I just need pick the board up from my guitar player for a few days and figure it out.
FWIW, I have never been able to confirm that the Active/Passive switch on the B3 does anything at all. If it were to attenuate the signal, to make hot input levels more tame, then I sure can't hear the difference
