Alex Spencer

I've been meaning to get a picture up for a while. Not great quality, but that's my setup! Got lots of little improvements I want to make, but the sound is pretty much spot on for what I want! You can't see it as it's sitting behind the DT-2, but I've got a Sansamp Bass driver hooked up to. It's bass sex in a box. Love it.

A Behringer FS112T footswitch that came with the Behringer BX4500H head back in the day. The head has left to make a name for itself in the big city and parted ways with the footswitch. Doesn't have a box etc but is in full working order, I don't think I've ever actually used it. Has 'Shape' and 'Ultrabass' pedals. Dophinmusic is still selling them B-stock for around £15, but it's up for grabs if anyone wants it. Will ship to wherever if you're willing to pay the postage! Will ship to wherever if you're willing to pay the postage, or I'm in Warboys, Cambridgeshire if you want to pick it up. If I don't get any takers in the next two weeks I'll probably end up throw it out.

Check out the focusrite VRM box. It's a really clever little piece of kit!

Looks like I'll be investing in some OBBM's then! Haven't seen such a glowing response to one product in a long time!

I'm upgrading my rig and don't really want to be using these tired cheap old cables from back when I was a teenager, so am looking to buy some new ones. Obviously I'm not going to settle for the cheap and nasty, but at the same time I'm not going to spend £50+ on a cable. I know a little about electronics and the consumer market, enough to know that 'gold plated' really isn't any better, despite what the salesman will tell you. I'm thinking around £10-£25 is a decent range (cost vs length shall of course apply), so do you guy have any advice? Any favourites? Any to steer clear from?

[quote name='spiderjazz' timestamp='1331438196' post='1572862'] Can't recommend room treatment enough [/quote] +1!

I've got the original Hoppus in Daphne Blue and love it. Just thinking though, to adapt it to the new style, would I just have to buy the new pick guard and swap the components over?

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1331222149' post='1569756'] Or for the tee totalers [url="http://www.hopshopuk.com/products/view/264/beer-making/equipment/caps-and-cappers/swing-top-bottle-spare-washers"]http://www.hopshopuk...e-spare-washers[/url] [/quote] £2.15 and the whole band get them, with spares! Bargin!

I've just been looking at video of the Fender Bass VI, which turned out to be a stupid idea as now I really want one. Dammit.

I'm so jealous of all these sexy basses! I've only had the honour of owning two basses so far in my career: Yamaha RBX460 in Trans Red Fender Mark Hoppus Signature Model in Daphne Blue I'm working my way up the ranks! Last stop, Musicman!

Cheers guys! I'll have a reroute!

I'm currently go form my bass into the tuner (Korg DTR-2), then effects (SansAmp Bass Driver) and then head (Ampeg B5-R). My thoughts were that I would be getting the clearest signal into my tuner and it would be most accurate. I was reading the manual for my head earlier though, and it has a 'tuner out' jack socket. I'm assume then that it's expecting it to go effects > head > tuner? It's just confused me a little! How should I be setting this all up?! Many thanks!

You might wan't to read up on how to set them up properly within you room as it can make a lot of difference. Also use reference tracks that you know well on every system, that way you'll be able to pick up on your monitors characteristics and mix accordingly. Good choice on the Rokit 5's. I'm tempted to get some myself once the student lifestyle stops butching my finances! How much did you get them for in the end?

Each to their own! In the end it's what your ears are telling you, not a frequency graph. If you know your monitors/speakers and room well enough then you can mix almost anywhere on anything (within reason!)

[color="#000000"][quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1331278341' post='1570558'] Yes, it's the state of the music biz these days that everything simply HAS to be massively compressed to get the volume on the track, so it doesn't sound quiet on the radio next to all the urban and pop tracks that they are being played next to. I think that is part of the issue. Also there is bound to be compresion on the bass too. Although, TBH, I do like quite a bit of compression on slightly overdriven bass tones (usually even more than the overdrive is causing). [/quote][/color] [color="#000000"]Ah yes, the loudness war is always raging! That's compression on the whole track though, not just the bass. It'll be a mixture of doing both which has had that effect on the sound. It's not to say it's wrong, but personally It really stands out to me. There's a thin line these days and it's difficult to get the right balance. Compression is a magical thing, but sadly is often over used. It's a shame...[/color]

[quote name='BassmanJN' timestamp='1330428451' post='1557190'] The more I read, the more I start to think that the M Audio BX5 deluxe or the KRK RokitRP5 G2 might be what I'm after. I realise it's all rather subjective, but has anyone got any opinions about one over the other? The KRKs are slightly cheaper, but other than that I can't see much difference! [/quote] I have friends with both. If I were you I'd go for the KRKs. People can often get put off by the fact that a lot of project studios have them, but it's just because they're really good for the price! I've been doing a fair amount of research in the same kinda of area. I saw people posting about the NS10s - The Yamaha HM50s and HM80s are in the same kind of bracket, they're supposed to give that classic high end sound of the NS10's but with an improved bottom end. I haven't heard them myself but apparently although they're a big improvement, they're still not the best. Problem with the NS10's (and you can also find with the Adams) is that they can become fatiguing to the ear. That said, I love the A7Xs! Beautiful speakers. Check out KRK Rokit 5's, Yamaha HM50's, Mackie MR5's and Samson Rubicon R8A's.

That Two Door Cinema Club has been compressed to hell! Sounds a little unnatural to my ear, still a very nice sounding tone though!

Seems like a good idea. May be worth a future investment!

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' timestamp='1331232966' post='1570063'] By 'better' I mean more accurate (as I hear it). I don't hold with the idea that we should monitor on something that represents an average consumer set-up or something that may be ruler flat but manages to stifle detail that should be there. This is a personal opinion that works for me, it won't work for others. All speakers are a huge compromise - and headphones to a lesser extent. After protracted listening to JBLs, Tannoys etc a number of years ago when helping to set up a studio, we actually settled on some hifi speakers for monitoring. Strangely enough the bloke that made them - a former BBC engineer - said we weren't the only ones using them for that purpose. They didn't reach the same SPL figures the others could, but they were definitely more revealing and transparent. Things have moved on since then, but if presented with the same problem - of finding some studio monitors - I'd find a good audio dealer and listen to the likes of B&W, Linn and Naim speakers, as well as looking at dedicated studio monitors. After what I heard the first time, I'd be daft not to. Challenging the norm is a duty - you don't know what you'll find. On the bonus side of using hifi speakers for monitoring, I still have my hearing as the monitoring SPL was kept to reasonable levels - a good idea in any case. If you have to blast it out before it sounds impressive, there is something wrong. I nearly put the B&W link in myself, but 51m0n got there first. I've heard a pair of these B&Ws, and others way down the range. There is a family resemblance all the way down, even to the 'budget' £500 CM1. [/quote] How can they be more accurate if they take on the characteristic of that speaker? Hifi speakers are constructed and designed to give a certain sound, and they all sound different. The point of studio monitors is to try and give a more transparent, flatter and clearer sound. If they are flat, you can hear all the problems with the mix that will then be emphasised by the hifi speakers. I wouldn't go for JBLs or Tanoys for a studio anyways. Tanoys don't represent the sound well and JBL are far better at making front of house speakers than studio speakers. The SPL should always be at 83db anyway. The fletcher/Munsun graph shows that that frequency is when the sound is at its flattest, once again to show up the problems. It's a silly argument really. If you know your speakers well, and it works for you then go for it! My point really is that they are a specifically designed tool for a specific job. Using hifi speakers is like using a flat head screw driver for a phillips head screw. It'll work, but that's not what is was designed for.

[quote name='longtimefred' timestamp='1331223113' post='1569779'] But everyone should own an 8x10 at some point [/quote] I'm going to try and get the 610 for now, but once I've made my millions I'll be after the SVT810E!

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' timestamp='1331126297' post='1568037'] They are indeed sold as 'hi-fi' phones. This does not disqualify them from use for mixing. [/quote] Surely you're looking for headphones that will represent the sound well, rather than give a 'better' sound? Personally I'd go for Beyer DT770's. I use them a lot for mixing and general audio work when I can't get to a decent pair of monitors. Pretty popular headphones, BBC use them a lot too.

HAHA! As if! Some people...

[quote name='jazseven' timestamp='1331125092' post='1568004'] Summer '91 stingray 4, birdseye maple neck and the string mutes, seriously in love with her! [/quote] Don't blame you, she's a beaut!

True. Thanks for all the research you've put in guys! I think I'll probably just end up buying one from flightcase warehouse and leave this project until I need something a bit more specific!

I've got the Hoppus in Daphne Blue. Nice mods you've got on it. I love the simplistic aesthetic of the Hoppus. Lovely collection, I am in envy!