dave_bass5

This is true, but id suggest that some cabs do what they do better, or in a more pleasing way than others, even the the less coloured cabs. Ive found over the years that it is indeed the cab that can make the biggest difference to the final tone. Edited to say, rather than make the biggest difference, maybe its more stopping achieving the tone you have in your head.

Im looking at replacing my BB2 with a Vanderkley 1x15 (maybe, its first on the list). Ive never found any cab or rig to sound bad at low levels, even turned up in a shop. For me the only test worth doing is with a band. Once the drummer starts i then gauge how well things are working. So yes, recommendations are good but you cant beat a real test to see how things work. I find a lot of recommendations are also based on low level playing, or with PA support. Not always helpful to those needing a cab to do it all, although better than nothing.

I stand by my comments, i just thought my post didn't really add to the original topic much.

Sorry, I've decided to delete this post (I know it's been seen already though). I thought about it and don't think it added anything to the original topic. Let's just say I don't think BF is for me after all, and living proof that not everyone who buys one keeps it.

Ive had my BB2 for a few months, and its been the best sounding cab ive ever owned. Recently ive started to notice the tone when up close is way more punchy and articulate than, say 10ft and over from the cab. This is in rehearsal rooms as well as gigs. I was very used to my old 1212L, and although tone wise that wasn't up to the BB2 it had more out front punch. Volume isnt an issue, in fact for the first time in my playing life things are falling off the top of my rig, but i feel im still missing something overall. Its not a complaint of the cab, i love it, but i think i have to keep moving on and trying other cabs. The 15MN6 has been recommended to me now by two people, so thats probably next on the list. Adding a second cab is not going to happen, as ill have to sell the BB2 to fund another cab anyway. I dont want this thread turning in in to a BF pro/against thread, i have no real complaints with this cab, its just probably not quite the thing i was looking for when i started a thread last year. i really want to know more about the 15MN6 and how it compares to the BB2 at gig volumes, without PA support if possible. Cheers.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1459766196' post='3019266'] It's not a pad, they're expecting different impedances. As I wrote above. Active basses have low output impedance across all frequencies, but passive basses will have differing impedances depending on the pickups and frequencies. [/quote] Yeah, i meant it has the effect of adding a pad.

[quote name='peted' timestamp='1459756577' post='3019144'] If you're clipping and distorting the input stage of the amp switch to the 'active' input. This doesn't relate to whether your guitar is passive of active, though if active and you do a lot of boosted tone shaping in your guitar you're more likely to need the active input of the amp. [/quote] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]We dont know if it was clipping or just not a good tone, but if it was clipping im at a loss to figure out how the passive input was fine but the active (assuming its a pad) wasnt.[/font]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1459713962' post='3018927'] Eh? [/quote] Over in the USA the laws of physics don't seem to apply. Let's just say some people tend to exaggerate over on TB, a lot more than they do here.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459706245' post='3018791'] Would it keep up with a shed-building drummer..? [/quote] Only if you are Talk bass ;-)

[quote name='Tony p' timestamp='1459677826' post='3018503'] Hi , I played a festival last night, turned up, plugged my active bass into the active input of the supplied bass amp and it sounded like a bag of spanners, sound guy comes over and says plug it into the passive input, did that and it sounded like a bass again Can someone more enlightened than me explain what the effect of active into passive is? Ps we only had 20 mins in between bands so I didn't have time to play about with settings etc as I had my semi accoustic guitar to sort aswell..... Cheers. [/quote] I'm not sure what a bag of spanners sounds like when referred to bass, but to me it sounds like the input might have been buggered. As others have said, it's normally a pad, so should give you a lower volume. As the passive input seemed ok I'd say your bass wasn't putting out a hot signal. Can't think of any other reason.

Ok, I think I know the cause, as the iPad isn't grounded and neither is the PSU I'm using for my VMT. Touching the stings or hardware cures it but that's not ideal. So, can anyone suggest the cheapest option to earth this set up? It's only for occasion bedroom practice through headphones, so buying or using a small desk isn't an option. I do have an old DI box (and a VTBass DI) but I have a feeling that would fit need to be hooked up to something else to be effective? To be honest I'm not bothered about using the VMT, i might never do it again (with the iPad), but I'd like to know if it's something very easy to sort out.

[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Ive just gone back to using a Darkglass VMT, although ill never get rid of my VTBass DI.[/font] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Although ive not used it at gig volume yet im hoping the VMT will be a bit more versatile than the VTBass, due to how the Era and drive knobs can be tweaked without a jump in output level. To me this is a killer feature, and one i missed immediately when i sold my VMTD last year. I dont need full on distortion, nor really over drive, but i like how the VMT can change the overall character of an amp. I want warm and tick, but also thinner and more articulate during my sets. It does have a character of its own, and if im honest i prefer the VTBass with my Markbass head, but the MB800 is cleaner and punchier and i feel it can take a small hit on the brightness scale. To my ears the VTBass is just a bit too lively with the MB800 for what i want.[/font]

Its more to do with the fact that im now using a decent full range cab, that has proper lows. The bass is just a passive P bass, and the pup is arranged so the E is backed off a bit. I guess i should have said fullness of the E string rather than volume. In the past ive been using a Schroeder 1212L. Nice cab, very mid heavy so never really needed EQ much to get me heard, but lacking any real low end. Now im hearing this low end and i just need to back it off a bit on the amp to give me a more even tone across the strings. Ive never had to back off the lows with the 1212L, so its never been an issue. I think it was the lows overpowering the tone a bit, so i would turn down until the lows felt right, whereas i should have been backing the lows off and not going quieter. Im still getting used to having a full range cab, and realise i need to start using the EQ and not rely on a mid heavy cab to get me heard. Lowering the low's on the amp, and upping the low mids a touch seems to work well, at least with my new MB800.

[quote name='neilp' timestamp='1459355554' post='3015761'] I think he meant getting paid direct by the brewery... [/quote] Ah yes, on second read (without the boss looking over my shoulder) I can see that now.

[quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1459352721' post='3015713'] local pub landlady to me: "loved to have your band on here but we only pay £150.00-£200.00 for a band. its all we can afford". what a load of old sh*t. Brewery pays £300.00 and I know cause we play at another venue owned by the same brewery. guess whos' pocketing the difference then!!??!!. Obviously told her we wont want a gig there any time soon (its a shithole anyway) [b]Getting paid direct is a good thing when it comes to these types[/b]. [/quote] Im not sure i follow. If you get paid by the landlord you get underpaid if the brewery normalcy pay £300, wouldn't you get more by dealing with the brewery rather than direct?

I work almost 20 days a month before i see any wages, i cant see the big deal with not getting paid on the night for gigs. Lost's of function bands work this way, as do most legit employers.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1459166554' post='3013997'] I'm getting better at finding a balance with my new SC's. They sound very different to my Bergs but I'm getting there. [/quote] Im finding the same thing going from my never not loud enough 1212L to my Barefaced BB2. Im finding the low end is so big that im basing my volume level on the volume of the E string, and then finding the rest of the bass isnt loud enough. Ive even mythologised to the band for being a bit loud after a gig, only to be told by all of them that they couldn't hear me most of the time. Im now working on having the lows back off a bit (never done that before), low mids up a bit and volume louder than i feel it should be. Seems to be getting there. It also doesn't help that when we sound check everyone else backs off a bit, doesn't put any effort in to it. Then when we play its louder, except i dont tend to turn up during a gig as i do base my level on sound checks.

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1459188894' post='3014281'] Thanks for the offer Rich. May well give you a call. [/quote] You are also welcome to borrow my BB2 for a gig or two if you want to try it. Smaller than the Supertwin though, but for places like pubs (ive seen the video Fran shot) i think it would also work really well.

Another vote for the Sire V7. It puts many more expensive basses to shame IMO, yet cost so little. You wont find much in this price range if you want active pre amp and a very decent reinforced neck. Although a bit more money the Yamaha TRBX305/505 are very good basses, and have quite small necks. My old TRBX 505 had a neck that felt no bigger than a normal 4 sting P bass neck.

Thanks for the help. I should point out i dont use the Zoom live so i guess i had better start with baking the Low off on the amp.

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1458736019' post='3010289'] This, I had a Sansamp (and before that a Behringer clone) in front of my LMIII to liven it up, and found I never switched it off. I moved onto an amp which gave me more of the sound I was after without the perma-pedal... IMHO, YMMV, etc, etc... [/quote] Pretty much the exact route i took. i also had a DG VMTD and tried a Paradriver before settling on a VTBass, all always on, but now im trying out a GK MB800 without anything in font on it. Time to move on from MB for me, although ill keep my F1 as a back up.

[quote name='skychaserhigh' timestamp='1458719434' post='3010061'] When I had a LM2 I used a VT bass pedal to get all the sounds as I wasn't keen on how any of the amp eq worked. Also found out it gave full power with the master volume at 12 o' clock as it didn't get any louder past that point. [/quote] Same here. As much as I like MB I find the tone needs a bit of living up. Also agree about hitting noon and not getting much more out of it, although luckily I've only had a couple of cabs that needed me to turn up that high.

I did find I had to have B almost all the way up to get any sort of dirt with my P bass. Not that I really wanted it, but I was hoping to replace my VBTbass with Gain B. I think it's still a bit too polite on the MB800. I guess having tubes in the pre amp would make things a bit better. Not looking for OD, just a nice warm break up. Can't wait until tomorrow night, lots of knob twiddling will be had at rehearsals. I also feel I have to tame the low end, the BB2 is huge down below.

Lol, you guys need to read the manual ;-) Maybe its different on the fusion's but the -10db switch on the MB800 has an overload light around the base that changes colour if its overloaded. EDIT: Yep, seems it is different on the MBF500, but the MBF800 has it.

After years of using MarkBass heads, with their input level knobs it seems strange not having that knob and LED indicator to get there optimumn signals level. Do you guys just use your ears or wait for the overload light to come on and then back off?