WinterMute

3 hours ago, Muppet said:

The point of this thread was specifically around live sound as opposed to studio.  Can you really pick out, in the band mix, mid song,  the differences in bass tone between analogue and digital? I'll be buggered if I can......

Yes, which is why I used the Barefaced Big Twin T when I was gigging, as it's effectively a bass PA... In the days of Ampeg 8X10's I wouldn't have been so picky I suspect. What I would definitely be able to tell is that the tone is how I designed it to be, and when I played through other rigs, it didn't sound right.

4 hours ago, CameronJ said:

Lest we forget the piggy bank!

Cheek! That's a limited edition Pink Floyd plushy pig from the V&A exhibition last year...!

1 minute ago, BigRedX said:

My "standard" Helix patch started off with nothing. I took memory 01A and cleared all the modules out of it, and then added what I wanted one module at a time, experimenting with the different types of modules for each effect and their parameters, until I had a sound for each effect that I liked. Then I started combining the individual effects together experimenting with the order and tweaking the individual effect parameters to compensate for how the different effects worked together in a patch. 

Pretty much how I would have done with a set of individual analogue pedals.

Best way to deal with multi-fx, one stage at a time and keep an eye on the levels.

22 minutes ago, Skol303 said:

But I also embrace digital audio gear and am a firm believer that the future isn’t analog or digital, it’s hybrid. Best of both worlds.

My studio: In the box digital all running through a class A summing mixer and a Rupert Neve designed Amek comp/lim. All the flexibility and power of digital and some lush analogue width and depth.

32 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

From the feedback from lots of BC users the TC Spectracomp is one of the most highly regarded / loved / best value for money compressors. Is the TC Spectracomp digital or analog? I'd assumed from the fact that it has TonePrints, it's purely digital (combined with an un-digitised dry signal from the bass). If the Spectracomp is digital, is your statement that "digital still has a long way to go in terms of truly emulating analog: compression being one..." still correct?

 

I'm mixing an album currently with UAD2 plugins emulating some of the best analogue gear on the market, with a little patience the result I'm getting is perfectly acceptable, given that I'm not able to afford a Rupert Neve Designs 5088 60v console and a rack of vintage eq's and compressors... Still, I like the result, but then I know what I'm doing and have the experience to back it up.

I used to use the PodXT pro, and a lot of guys commented that they didn't like it's sound until they heard what I was getting out of it, fact is that multi-fx units like the Helix need a deal of understanding, not least about gain staging and signal chain construction, and the standard patches aren't always very good...

Easy to use, good sounding comps are always going to be popular because a lot of people don't actually know what a compressor is doing to their signal, I'd love a Shelford for my bass, but it's overkill, the limiter in my Phil Jone flight-case works just fine with one knob.

This has been around for a while, a year or so at least, if I buy or sell a bass or kit now, it has to be separately insured for the journey.... This is why pick-up is so much easier.

It's a great little unit, enjoy.

2 hours ago, Skol303 said:

It's now possible to convincingly emulate just about every aspect of analog FX/processors digitally - that is, to the extent that most people can't tell the difference (and those that can probably just had a lucky guess!).

I have to disagree, I hear the difference and it matters to me, why else would we spend so long and so much money finding the right bass/amp/cab/effects/case/tea...?

No digital system modelled, synthesised, convoluted etc. sounds as good the real thing, I use Universal Audio plug-ins because they are the best sounding in the market to my ears, but I'd still take your hand off if you offered me an 1176 or an LA2A in good nick.

Each to their own, I'll use what sounds good to me, but I most definitely can tell the difference.

I used the Line6 Bass pod XT for a number of years, both live and in the studio, now replaced with a Tech21 GED2112, but both have an old Boss Bass Chorus pedal on the FX loop as none of the choruses I've tried sound the same on the rare occasion I use it on the fretless...

Analogue has it's place as it doesn't sound the same as digital, that said, digital has great advantages in the studio and live.

Without doubt Mick Karn was once of the most original players out there, that Japan catalogue still sounds like nothing else on the market.

Lovely fellow, sadly missed.

4 hours ago, Danuman said:

Thanks guys, you’ve raised some valid points.

Although the price tag still has me wincing a bit, I’m currently leaning towards the better pre’s and reduced CPU load, as I’m hoping that means I can keep it around longer.

Does anyone have any good (cost-efficient) suggestions as to how I might add a few more preamps in the future? I’m guessing two to four extra should give me all the inputs I’m likely to need.

You might actually be better off looking for a second hand Clarett 8pre, rather than buying a separate preamp. I know it's a stretch but they come up on EvilBay fairly frequently.

I, on the other hand, record bass with a stack of AUD plug-ins and amp models...

I also record vocals with plug-ins and delay and reverb, plus dynamics and EQ for drums...

TB does indeed work if you're going down that route.

1 minute ago, Sibob said:

Apologies, i am fully in Clarett USB mode lol (as they’re the latest products). You’re all quite right though, if comparing Clarett Thunderbolt to Scarlett, the other difference is a significant improvement in latency. The Scarlett and Clarett USB latency is still very low, but the Thunderbolt Claretts allow a lot more latency ‘headroom’ with those large, processing heavy sessions.

Si // Focusrite 

The pre's do sound better though, and the headphone amps are really nice...

C'mon Si, don't make me do your job for you...

The obvious difference is the reduced latency with the Clarett interface over Thunderbolt, I'd have though...

I use the Clarett 8pre X and have no issues at all with tracking multiple inputs whilst using plug-ins, and whilst I don't think the latency with USB is particularly bad, the TB connection is faster.

I'd go with the Clarett if you really don't need all the I/O that the 18i8 offers.

Spirit of Radio by Rush...

I blame Geddy Lee for my habit of hitting the strings so hard... According to Melodyn I push the bass 10-15% sharp...

16 hours ago, jensenmann said:

I frequently do a lot of proaudio gear shootouts with my students, the obvious DI comparison amongst many others (I teach audio engineering). My personal conclusion is that the simple and not too expensive BSS DI box is pretty good on an absolute level and unbeaten in it´s pricerange. You´d need to pay x4 the price to get a clear improvement. The above mentioned Bo Hansen DI (it´s a DIY project, not available prebuilt) is better that the BSS, but it depends a lot on the parts used for it. I made eight of them for myself in several versions and each of them cost me app. 100€.

Oh yes, the old BSS box, I've still got one of those in a drawer somewhere, used to use them all the time before the Phoenix Audio and RND stuff came along.

Good call.

I've had a couple of Bartolini pres in basses, had a 3 band in the Tony Levin OLP that was brilliant, very powerful and easy to use, I have a slightly different Bart in my fretless, bass/treble stack with a midrange push-pull selector. Again, very useful.

I do find, however that I only tend to use the EQ to iron out sound issues onstage, and I leave it flat in the studio, preferring to use the EQ in the pre or desk and then plug-ins in the mix.

Bought and sold stuff here for years, never had a bad exchange, everyone's polite and the couple of people I've met have been friendly and honest fellows to a man. 

Only problem I've encountered is the lack of interest in some of the dodgy kit I've advertised sometimes...!

On 03/06/2018 at 00:09, scalpy said:

Neve looks great, and would fit right in as the studio is peppered with mk1 stuff built by the man himself. Definitely on the maybe list.

It's top of my wishlist.

Some of the other units mentioned look great though, I'm going to have to do a bit of comparison.

The Rupert Neve DI is a bloody marvel, a seriously great peice of kit, if you’re going to splash out, do yourself (and your engineer) a favour and try one.

Barefaced Big Twin T and Super Twin T, both with a hefty power amp and pre-amp, never had a problem in rehearsals, even with a very hard hitting drummer and guitarist playing some filthy rock.

Big Twin is a great gig cab too, light and loud and very easy to hear onstage, it's easy to move around (designed to fit in the boot of a Honda Civic according to Alex...) but it's not cheap.

Can't recommend them highly enough.

Done, good luck with the rest of the funds.

I hear that the super flightcase and the powered PB300 cab will keep up with most kits, that’s 12 drivers.

Oddly that rig is in the Marketplace in red right now....

I'm currently running a Sansamp GED2112 into a Super Flightcase, and it's been excellent so far, the PJB is very articulate but has enough bottom to push the sound I need, even with a 5 string. It's probably not loud enough to compete with a full band without PA support, but I'm studio based for the most part and I don't need the volume.

Sound wise I think it's a brilliant amp, whatever you put in the front end comes out sounding the way you'd expect.

12 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I understand that all bass players are going to be required to go FRFR by 2040 as the new green hybrid non-diesel backline replacement.

Never going to happen, you've heard Red Barchetta, you'll take my enormously loud and heavy backline when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers, etc. etc.

Lovely cabs these. GLWTS.