VTypeV4

I'm not 100% on this as I've not had the box apart but I think the 15 is a de-rated Eminence Delta-Pro. It seems something of an odd spec with such a low thermal rating but a heavy-duty cast frame.. I'll be honest, I've never heard it complain but that may well be that I'm much closer and on axis with the more efficient 410HE. I don't have big lows in my sound either so maybe that and not running silly loud helps keep cone movement and consequential risk of complaint down.

I like mine - it's paired with a 115E with both being driven by an SVT CL. It's voicing across the spectrum seems to suit the SVT plus the horn / x-over setup work almost as smoothly as my SWR cabs.

I'm reasonably sure the series 6 amplifiers don't feature the Bi-Polar Bear power stage, only later SM, SMC and SMX series were affected.

I think the main issue with using an HPF (on any instrument) is when we're making changes, we're nearly always making them in isolation rather than actually in 'full mix' context. Sometimes components within a mix need to sound 'worse' to make them fit the big picture in a 'better' or more useful way. The oldskool desks with fixed HPF frequencies and slopes went a good way to improve mixes and make life easier but with digital we can now better fine tune the instruments in our mix. From tiny gigs to full-flight festivals, I use a HPF to some degree on every channel with the exception of the sub / kick..

It's official, the days of this particular 02R running FOH are numbered. Recently, the venue won a grant to make a number of all-round improvements with some pennies ear-marked for a console upgrade. Whilst it's not yet arrived, an A&H Qu32 will soon replace the high-mileage Yamaha. I was also given the option of a full-fat X32 but thought the Qu is arguably the better quality product, it suits myself and the needs of the venue. In an ideal world, I'd have chosen an SQ although the reality was, it was just a bit too far to reach but I've plenty of good experience with the Qu range. 🥰

This thread has certainly gathered some pace! ❤️ 100% on the 'horses for courses' thing, Phil - I used to run a small / medium-ish PA setup with several Peavey boxes, some big horn loaded subs and what felt to be about 8 tons of Crown and JBL (QSC) power amps. All together, it was just short of 10K so mainly inside gigs but there was the odd out door session too so this was where the Mackie was tried and the chap I used to do the PA with loved it but when I was mixing, comig from 'full time analogue' to the Soundcraft XD and 02R, I was just never comfortable enough with it plus the 'verb was a little lacking. The PA was largely sold off about ten years ago as it was a direction I didn't really want to go in anymore but the other chap still has a couple of amps, some HiSys 4 boxes and the little Mackie DL. As for the HPF, It depends on the voice, mic, technique and how the system is setup - tune by ear although it might be more useful to do this during a song rather than the usual 'yeah yeah, hey one two' mic check. During the song, slowly nudge the HPF frequency higher and higher until you reach the 'I've gone too far' point then back it down to the sweet spot as I'm a great believer in keeping the mix clean by getting rid of components that may cloud it - sweeter in isolation may mean worse in the mix. 😃 Loving the vintage pics, Chienmortbb! 🥰

Ha, absolutely - me too! 🤣 I can't say that I've much experience of the stage box / ipad type mixers although I did try a Mackie DL16 for a short while. It was ok but I never really loved it as I simply couldn't get round it as smoothly or as quickly as I could a conventional mixer. I appreciate, they're great where space is at a premium plus they offer so much more than any equivalent analogue mixer of even three times the foot-print. 😃 Being honest, even my smallest Yamaha digital (DM1000) is a bit too chunky to hide behind the drummer.. Great that you have a solution that 'does what it says on the tin'.

Glad you had some joy and success with those suggestions, Phil - it's always great to see something both positive and conclusive come out of a thread. 🥰 Out of interest, what mixer are you using? Chienmortbb, let us know how you get on too, and, don't worry, we won't let any singers know what's happening! 😆 Depending on setups, I'd nearly always advise on use of a high-pass filter at 120 - 150 Hz (assuming a slope of at least 12dB / Oct) on the vocal channels and possibly the fx returns as no-one needs fx with a load of boomy 'plosives in them as it'll simply ruin your mix.. We'll talk about compressors another day.. 😆❤️

Kind words, many thanks indeed for that. 🥰 I particularly liked that last sentence - definitely something I'm used to when on tour although I'm still proud of my collection of ever aging relics! ❤️

Not a problem, Phil - always happy to help as you are on speaker queries.. 😃 I've used this starting point for many years now - as far back as when I was using analogue in the world live full time with an A&H GL3000 and a pair of Yamaha SPX90 multi effects units which are all featured on said Yamaha 02R thread 😆.. Another trick that is use of a 'doubler' which essentially a very short delay (30-50ms) with low or even no feedback sometimes with a little pitch shift too albeit rarely greater than 15% sharp or flat. This can useful to 'fatten' a vocal and tends to work reasonably well in most situations especially on vocalists that 'don't like fx'.. Again, adjust to taste. Keep us posted and let us know how you get on plus don't be afraid to tweak those settings; a longer reverb time might work better in a certain situation or maybe less feedback on the delay in another - have a bit of fun with the mix and enjoy the experimentation. Cheers, Matt 👍

My personal starting points are usually a short-ish plate or hall reverb of around 1.2s - give or take - and then in addition to this a short delay with 180ms (or thereabouts) time with around 30% feedback. These are approximate settings and won't work on everything all the time (plus different fx units have their own sound too) so you'll no doubt find some vocals will lean towards sounding better with less of one / more of the other and vice-versa - adjust to suit the sends / returns to suit. Good luck. 😃

We've all been there! I love all three of the Squier basses I own - I've not had a Fender for many years.. 👍

Whilst not the bass I play the most, it's the one that's appeard on more sessions at the studio than anything else. The Squier is only an 'Affinity' example but there's just something about it. I've done at least one gig on it too. 👍

The V6 taking a little break whilst the freshly serviced V4 took centre stage for a bit of testing. The Status Energy 5 and AH400SMX at use as part of a live electronica session the other week - I actually played in front of an audience again. Both were as ever, completely faultless and worked a charm.

Thanks, Mike. 👍 I've started an electronica project with an old friend so I was making some piano / synth loops in Reason - the 02R was simply monitoring today but I do have a live album on the go with that particular desk currently so it's not heard it's last - far from it. ❤️ I've no plans to retire this one or the example at the studio just yet. 100% with you on the current market. I've only used one TF and that was at Colchester pre-Covid but that has since been retired and replaced with a far more capable and useful QL5. X and M32s are fine and anyone that complains about their sonics clearly can't mix a bag of concrete let alone a band but I'm just a bit bored with them now - far more so than my older Yamaha collection - go figure? Do you feel the same with them? Aa for Soundcraft, I've never really used one I didn't like - even the Spirit stuff was good enough most of the time. Don't get me wrong, I don't much fancy a gig on a Live 4224 now but 20 years ago, I certainly wasn't complaining. Only a little less than 20 years ago, I had the pleasure of one of the very first production GB-8 consoles and it was a lovely thing - it out performed both the Spirit it replaced plus the A&H GL2200 and GL3000 I was also using at the time. I wasn't so keen on the MH series and thought the A&H ML was better all round but it was still ok. I know the original 328 was dogged with issues and didn't do their 'digital' reputation any good but I still feel the later 328XD was a fantastic and mind blowingly capable machine as archived in this topic. As you suggest, hopefully someone will buy the brand and bring it back as the VI and other digital mixers are starting to show their age a little now. 😬 The DM1000 got an outing a few weeks back doing the band / orchestra mix (about 20 channels) for a production of 'Grease'.. Not in the shot but to the right is an X32 capably operated by friend and fellow studio owner, Mark - arguably I had the easy job as he was on cues, sfx and handling all vocal channels.

I've been doing a little work from home today - the 02R performing as well and reliably as ever. 😃 A&H have done so well with the SQ range - they've certainly rattled some cages, no doubt both Behringer / Midas and Yamaha must be cursing them as the SQ has absolutely stormed that end of the market. I wonder if Soundcraft will hit back with something as there's been nothing special from them for a while?

Looking great Mike, it's good to see you keeping busy despite it being January. Modern stuff lights up so pretty! ❤️ I've enjoyed all of the Academy gigs - I've worked all three rooms at various points over the last few years and Marius has usually looked after me pretty well although he's not a fan of the Spear / TOH / Ruts / DMW manager.. 😆

It's been an 02R day with the one at the studio being used for a tuition session this morning and then the pic above is the example that lives at The Rigger on live sound duties. 😀

I bought a proper 'F brand' bridge cover for the VM - I'm a happy bunny. 😀

I've never used the bigger Yamaha REV units although I do have two 500s in the rack - I find them useful as 'utility' reverbs rather than something exciting or stand out. I still have three ancient SPX 90s, too - the reverb in those is a little questionable and not a sniff near the TC M1 (or Unity card) but the other effects are pretty serviceable, especially the modulation patches. I rather fancy some Lexicon units as they're a different flavour again although the price of the PCM 91 is a little off putting these days. 😐 I couldn't say as to whether the d8b and 02R Unity TC 'verbs are the same but given the common character between M1 and Unity, I imagine there's a good chance they're at least similar. 👍

The M1 is a cracking 100% with the M1 - I've no plans to replace them as they really are a cut above everything else in my FX rack. I still have a pair of the Drawmer 221s although, being honest, I find them a little underwhelming - I was hoping for a little more of 'something' from them. I may get shot for this but I much prefer my Alesis 3632 units. I've been looking at some BSS units to replace them. Glad you're still rocking a d8b - it's been more than 20 years since I've had my hands on one of those! I guess it's like my 02Rs, if they ain't broke and still deliver then why change for the sake of change. On the subject of the 02R (and I appreciate, it's not a rack), the TC Electronic Unity cards can still muster some incredible 'M2000' style FX (arguably even better than the M1) and are amongst my favourite big, expansive 'verbs..

Most of these snaps are from the Spear of Destiny tour which has just finished - the final show at the Rigger I used both the 02R and the DM1000 together. The 02R took care of monitors whilst the DM was used for FOH with the consoles linked by pre-fade direct outs via ADAT duplicating the 1-16 channel set on both machines. First go with an Avantis here in Barnsley - a lovely tool that seemed straight forward to get along with.. Good old d&b.. Rain in Edinburgh just outside Bannermans.. The fantastic Colchester Arts Centre with new Funktion One and Yamaha QL5.. One due for retirement here, the old SC48 at tthe 229 Club in London. There'll be a Digico here next time, so I'm told. And the gig I do every year at the Victoria Hall for St Josephs with Barry's somewhat tired Midas Pro1.. It seems rather fittingly that my last gig of the year will be on the 02R - still going although there is discussion of retiring it in place of a Qu32 at some point next year.. ❤️

That's a really tough question and there's some great replies here. 😃 For me (fundamentally at least) it's a Jazz-ish style bass in whatever form plus a graphic or semi-parametric EQ so I can reduce the clang / clank. Being a bit more specific, I don't like to leave home without a Trace V-Type, Yamaha NE-1 and Boss LMB-3 - all add up for me and feel they are the 'magic ingredients'.

Hey Mike, you've been busy! Great pictures and really pleased you're getting so well with the flagship A&H machines. Last one I used was at the former TV studio in Norwich with SOD / BC but think it was the larger one with more faders. I still can't really fault them and the more I use the SQ, the more I love that too - hats off to A&H, they've left Soundcraft in the dust. 😃 As for work, I tend to just do FOH or FOH with wedges - I'll be honest, I just don't enjoy mixing ears and wedges. Hope the bands are appreciating you. 👍 The good old 02R was used to put a classical piece together recorded at the school. Being honest, the performance wasn't quite up to it despite various timing and tuning fixes so it seems probable it won't get used although it was enjoyable to mix.