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Zoom B3 As Preamp Part 2

#1,021
Just a followup - this morning in practice I tried to run my B3 into our powered mixer using the 1/4" unbalanced instrument input on my (bass) channel. Input was still just as hot as the XLR out. As I'd mentioned in a previous post, my other idea was using the board setting that attenuates the channel input. Attenuating my input sharply dropped the B3's input signal and allowed me to raise my B3 settings back up to 100. After that it was just a matter of tweaking the gain and volume settings on the board. I wound up getting a great tone and I'll happily use it tomorrow for our gig. This was the simplest solution for me. My sincere thanks for all of you who gave me welcomed advice. I will remain a daily reader of this important thread!
 
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#1,022
CharlieC said:
After all this time, Zoom now needs to deliver something even better than 2.0! ;)

Fingers crossed for NAMM 2016!

b3_b3x.jpg
Click to expand...

Since I cross them already for so long, my fingers hurt! ;-)

Cheers, Andreas
 
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#1,024
I play direct live and just want to make sure this does NOT work...if I use the B3 as my "amp" only and use the 60b in front as my dirt/filter effects and the 70cdr after like an effects loop, there is no way to wire this so that I can use the XLR output to the board? I only use one patch of 3 effects live for my base sound and never change it. I want the modulation after the amp and right now use the output of the CDR into a Radial DI. I didn't know if there was something I was missing where I could eliminate the extra DI and just use the one off the B3 without putting the CDR in front.
 
#1,025
Scotty1230 said:
I play direct live and just want to make sure this does NOT work...if I use the B3 as my "amp" only and use the 60b in front as my dirt/filter effects and the 70cdr after like an effects loop, there is no way to wire this so that I can use the XLR output to the board? I only use one patch of 3 effects live for my base sound and never change it. I want the modulation after the amp and right now use the output of the CDR into a Radial DI. I didn't know if there was something I was missing where I could eliminate the extra DI and just use the one off the B3 without putting the CDR in front.
Click to expand...

Yes, in this arrangement, the use of a third-party DI box is really the only option.

Cheers!
 
#1,027
Charlie,
I have a doubt about the gig set up. I read here that using a powered speaker is a good option to take the best B3 amp sim sound out. However I'm lost about what the purpose of using the speaker is. It's for monitoring your play on stage? Because I'm using the XLR to send my post effected B3 sound to the console (FOH) and use a combo amp for on stage monitoring pusposes. Therefore, what is the purpose of using the powered speaker?

Thanks in advance

Frank
 
#1,028
franksapene said:
Charlie,
I have a doubt about the gig set up. I read here that using a powered speaker is a good option to take the best B3 amp sim sound out. However I'm lost about what the purpose of using the speaker is. It's for monitoring your play on stage? Because I'm using the XLR to send my post effected B3 sound to the console (FOH) and use a combo amp for on stage monitoring pusposes. Therefore, what is the purpose of using the powered speaker?

Thanks in advance

Frank
Click to expand...

Frank, as with almost everything on TalkBass, the benefits of something over another something are highly subjective.

I am one of those who strongly believes in the B3's amp and cab modeling capabilities, and to do those justice, one needs to hear them full-range and not have them further colored by traditional bass amps and speakers.

In my opinion, today's powered speakers can effectively provide full-range amplification and reproduction that shows the B3's amp/cab sims better than typical bass equipment, but YMMV. The idea being to replace one's bass amp/cab/combo with a powered speaker.

If you rely on the B3 for amp/cab modeling like I do, I highly-recommend a test drive of full-range versus a traditional bass amp and let your ears decide what's best for you. There are no wrong answers.

Cheers!
 
#1,029
CharlieC said:
Frank, as with almost everything on TalkBass, the benefits of something over another something are highly subjective.

I am one of those who strongly believes in the B3's amp and cab modeling capabilities, and to do those justice, one needs to hear them full-range and not have them further colored by traditional bass amps and speakers.

In my opinion, today's powered speakers can effectively provide full-range amplification and reproduction that shows the B3's amp/cab sims better than typical bass equipment, but YMMV. The idea being to replace one's bass amp/cab/combo with a powered speaker.

If you rely on the B3 for amp/cab modeling like I do, I highly-recommend a test drive of full-range versus a traditional bass amp and let your ears decide what's best for you. There are no wrong answers.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
CharlieC said:
Frank, as with almost everything on TalkBass, the benefits of something over another something are highly subjective.

I am one of those who strongly believes in the B3's amp and cab modeling capabilities, and to do those justice, one needs to hear them full-range and not have them further colored by traditional bass amps and speakers.

In my opinion, today's powered speakers can effectively provide full-range amplification and reproduction that shows the B3's amp/cab sims better than typical bass equipment, but YMMV. The idea being to replace one's bass amp/cab/combo with a powered speaker.

If you rely on the B3 for amp/cab modeling like I do, I highly-recommend a test drive of full-range versus a traditional bass amp and let your ears decide what's best for you. There are no wrong answers.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
Charlie, thanks a lot for your quick response. Let's say I use a power speaker sourced in from my jack output from my B3. Is the speaker use to monitoring my play on stage only? Because I'm sending my XLR B3 output to the gig main console. Should I mic the speaker instead to feed the console?

All in all, maybe the question is, how is your set up for live gigs (specifying the inputs and outputs, monitoring and signal to main console)

Again, thanks a lot from Panama Central America

Frank
 
#1,030
franksapene said:
Charlie, thanks a lot for your quick response. Let's say I use a power speaker sourced in from my jack output from my B3. Is the speaker use to monitoring my play on stage only? Because I'm sending my XLR B3 output to the gig main console. Should I mic the speaker instead to feed the console?

All in all, maybe the question is, how is your set up for live gigs (specifying the inputs and outputs, monitoring and signal to main console)

Again, thanks a lot from Panama Central America

Frank
Click to expand...

Depending on the power/size of the powered speaker, it could be used for personal monitoring as well as performances where there is no PA support.

In your situation, the powered speaker would replace your on stage combo amp and you would still continue to provide POST XLR out to FOH. There is no need to mic the powered speaker.

There is much info in the past threads on how I and others configure the amp/cab models for full-range reproduction, but again, use your own ears and decide.

Cheers!
 
#1,031
CharlieC said:
Depending on the power/size of the powered speaker, it could be used for personal monitoring as well as performances where there is no PA support.

In your situation, the powered speaker would replace your on stage combo amp and you would still continue to provide POST XLR out to FOH. There is no need to mic the powered speaker.

There is much info in the past threads on how I and others configure the amp/cab models for full-range reproduction, but again, use your own ears and decide.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
Charlie, thanks, very clear. What speaker model you recommend?

Frank
 
#1,033
CharlieC said:
EV ZLX is a popular choice on this thread and QSC K series. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Frank, I have gone that way and own a pair of ZLX 15P. I think, the result is rewarding, soundwise, but there are a few drawbacks:
- the master volume is on the back of the cab, so fiddling with volume onstage is not really feasible. Power amp + passive speakers might be a more convenient option
- internally, powered speakers are more sensitive to clipping, I mean, "cranking up" or overdriving is normally not common practice with this sort of speakers, so clip protection jumps in pretty early. This may result in a loss of sensed headroom. Regular bass amps seem to be more forgiving in this respect, but crappy sound may as well be a result of this in a traditional bass amp, even if the amp doesn't complain visually as the ZLX does.
- as a result of this, I have found myself investing significant time into overall gain and sound quality in my signal path. This included dialing back the volume on my instruments, compression and heavy EQing back low frequencies. I learned quite a bit on this way, and think I have achieved more and better control over my sound, but YMMV

If you are a plug and play guy, you might want to stick with a traditional amp and just use the effects on the B3. Amp sim plus traditional bass amp may sound underwhelming.
 
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