JapanAxe

Auditioned a singer yesterday. He arrived over an hour late, which wasn’t too much of a problem as it allowed us to set up and run some songs ourselves. He didn’t bring so much as a microphone but I had a spare mic and lead and there was a stand in the rehearsal room. He was ok on some stuff. Other material was clearly out of his range (ever tried singing anything by the Sweet?) but on some other songs his response to running out of range was just to sing any note he fancied. Yours truly was attempting to sing harmony so that was interesting! Unsurprisingly, a unanimous NO from the rest of us.

For me - no point whatsoever, I don’t get on with them. I miss the fatness of a P, and jiggling the volume controls just annoys me rather than producing any worthwhile tones. For people who enjoy them - they are the bee’s knees, cat’s pyjamas, dog’s danglies etc. And that’s fine of course - use what works for you.

I use TeamUp.

Alternative knobs. I ordered cream chicken-heads to start with but I think these will look better. Or I can mix them.

Paper actually! Before I get deeper into the layout I’m waiting to see whether the custom chassis I ordered can be made 1cm bigger front-to-back.

I made up a rough bias circuit on my ancient but serviceable breadboard. There is a bridge rectifier clipped into the chocolate blocks on the 42V AC supply. With 249V AC mains (typical round here) I can get about -45V to -55V DC out of it. The final circuit will have 2 trim pots, one for each 'side' of the OT. I can always swap components if I can't get the dissipation within range. ALL BUILD PICS NOW IN POST DATE 01/11/2025

Today I tried the transformers in position, listening on headphones for hum in the OT while the PT is powered up. As expected, setting them at right-angles at opposite ends of the chassis (as planned) produces virtually no hum. If I rotate either transformer 90 degrees, or move them close together, there is audible hum. I also measured the PT voltages off-load - with 243V AC from the mains I get 6.44V AC across the heater supply, 387V AC across the HT, and 42.7V AC across the winding that I plan to use for the bias supply - all good! I've been working on the layout, including a rough mock-up of the eyelet board. The bias circuit will go on a separate board above the PT. ALL BUILD PICS NOW IN POST DATE 01/11/2025

Sad but true!

I wouldn't set too much store by what audiences say, I've lost count of the number of times that punters come up at the end of a gig and say 'Best band we've ever had in here!'

I once compared the DI output of my MarkBass Nano 300 with the bass signal that I was feeding into it, by recording both to my DAW and listening back to them. With the EQ set to ‘flat’ I couldn’t discern any difference. I don’t think the Class D power amp would impart any coloration, which would leave the speaker cab(s) as the main source of tonal colour.

Sometimes I go direct and use wireless IEMs, sometimes I plug into an amp. If the latter, I use a light weight cab and good quality earplugs. In either case, freedom for me comes from a wireless link from my bass rather than a cable.

No, that’s just what they want you to think!

This is basically what I do. One of my bands is a 7-piece and I have the Behringer XR18 with 6 Aux sends. Each of the other band members gets their mono IEM or wedge monitor feed from one of the Aux sends, and I use the main mix for my own IEMs (cable running from MAIN R output into the back of my transmitter) - I haven't tried it in stereo yet but it's got to be done! Nothing you do to the main mix will affect the Aux mixes but any changes to channel input gains will affect everyone. The 1U rack unit at the bottom is a Midas DN4816-O. An ethernet cable runs from the XR18's Ultranet socket to the back of the Midas, which I have set up to (mostly) output the corresponding channel immediately after the gain control - effectively an 'analog split', but done digitally. The sound guy/gal can just wire up the outputs of the Midas and do a completely independent FOH mix. (OT: You'll see that there are holes in the XR18's rack mount ears. I made these with a step drill and fitted rubber grommets, and they are big enough to pass an XLR plug through. It took a fair bit of effort but has been well worth it for the convenience.)

While I'm waiting for the bits to arrive I've cut and fitted a steel mesh front panel. I'll eventually do another one for the rear so that the valves are well protected but with good ventilation - better than on a Fender! ALL BUILD PICS NOW IN POST DATE 01/11/2025

I rounded up the parts I already have, and placed an order for the rest with Modulus Amplification. ALL BUILD PICS NOW IN POST DATE 01/11/2025

I’ve definitely never loosened the DI cable of a fellow band member so that their already-too-loud amp didn’t also get fed into the PA, and I most certainly never pushed the plug back in again at the end of the last set so that they didn’t know anything had happened. But seriously, if matey gets wind that his settings have been messed with, there will be tears before bedtime.

I agree but the trouble is, matey will hear the guitar-and-kick-drum-heavy mix and say ‘Yeah, nothing wrong with that!’

Nobels ODR-1 (yes another guitar pedal) is famous for its prominent low end and is available in mini format. The full-size version has top-mounted jacks so would probably save you as much ‘board space.

Who will the guy listen to? Not the rest of the band apparently, not the punters (what would they know about mixing?), so can you get an expert in to ‘work on your live sound’? If it’s a matter of making the gigs bearable for you, then being able to set your own IEM mix could be a win.

Feel bad for hijacking @Merton’s thread!

Well that's mildly discouraging! But I've had good results with an Ampeg PF-50T 50W 2x6L6 head in a live band setting, plus people on here have had great experience gigging the Handbox WB-100, so I live in hope...

The outside has already been varnished so no need to do any more with that.

This is the new head shell. It was originally made to re-house a 'D'-style amp that was in a combo, hence the Voxy fabric on the lower panel. I don't love that look, and fortunately that front panel is easy to remove - I'll likely replace it with some black steel mesh to allow ventilation, as this is pretty much forced to be a 'valves-hanging-down' layout. I think I can live with the natural wood finish; it would feel wrong to cover it with Tolex or Tuffcote! ALL BUILD PICS NOW IN POST DATE 01/11/2025

Well I’m now rolling my own.