mrtcat

I saw Robert Plant at Symphony Hall Birmingham last night and the first thing I noticed was his guitarist's helix on the stage.

I've got a fusion bag. It was originally designed for a Dj controller but fits the helix like a glove. Its got so many cool extras like a zip in/out laptop bag, headphones bag, endless pockets etc. Build quality is exceptional too. Doesn't have a lift off lid but there's a few dj controller cases out there that do.

I have used it with both an Rcf745a and Barefaced FR800s. Both are a brilliant partner for a helix. Our guitarist has also used both with a helix and prefers the FR800 for aesthetic reasons and also thought it was a bit crisper.

Ah now you see that's more like it. There's no need to not have all your fx from pedals etc going to the sound guy (in fact it would be daft not to) I was referring more to the eq from the amp head which is what the bass player will use to make it sound pleasing to his or her ears. If you send pre eq then you can adjust to your hearts content on stage without affecting the mix out front significantly. Yes digital desks have made it way easier for engineers to cope with whatever is thrown at them but if its too wooly or there's crazy boost somewhere then you're simply fighting the tone not tweaking it. When engineering i'm always happy to see a sans amp (or many of the other di pedals).

What if your sound isn't right for the venue? The room has an enormous effect on the sound of the bass and by going post EQ you are tying the sound guys hands behind his back. I've run sound for years and quite often in this situation you are left with little option other than to apply heaps of eq or drop the bass to a level so low it's barely audible just to save it from killing the mix. You can't compare it to guitar as that works in a much narrower sonic space so you have far more leeway.

Yeah I'd be bailing straight away. Too many issue too early on for me.

Try running it with a 3sigma db810 ir. Bloody brilliant.

If you're doing gigs of this size, I'd be more inclined to look at PA upgrades rather than bass amp. Once you get to the point where you're running 2 Super Compacts on stage then the on stage volume will be getting daft imho.

Paul just bought my Aguilar DB750. An absolute pleasure to deal with and really fast payment. Thanks Paul and enjoy that beast of a head!

Just installed latest firmware update. The DB751 is very convincing. Seems like fate that the day after I sell my Aguilar DB750 to be replaced by the helix that they gift me a DB751. I've paired it with a 3sigma aguilar db810 impulse and it sounds so close to the real thing.

Yep. I've gigged this setup half a dozen times now. I love it. The FR800s are so good that you can go from crystal clean to huge overdrive and everything in between and they just lap it up. The helix is so versatile and the options are endless. I love the versatility of the eqs and the fact I can have whatever I want to hear on stage and if necessary something totally different out front. I'm so happy with it that I just sold my Aguilar DB750 rig knowing it won't get used again.