Trace GP12 SMX eq advice

[holio.cornolio]

I'm a complete know nothing when it comes to EQ, but I've always been pretty happy with the Trace preset EQ curve so I haven't felt the need to tweak until recently. I have a GP12 SMX 1X15 combo, and at the moment, I run 95% of the time happily enough, just using the preshape without ever touching the EQ, and to be honest I find it a bit intimidating - all those sliders, what are they all for??. It seems like it should be pretty versatile, but for a couple of numbers I could do with a sound that has a bit more motown to it. I don't expect to be able to transform the Trace into a B15, but how can I use all those sliders to approximate an Ampeggy kind of sound? So far, all I've managed to achieve is a nasty, twangy version of the trace sound. I'm focussing my efforts on accenting the mids, particularly the 660 band, but if I cut the low end, it loses all semblance of warmth. Can anyone help. I have no idea what to do at the tope end of the EQ, should I cut, leave flat? What? Any help is appreciated.

[markorbit]

I would leave the preset off as that will always have the Trace signature tone all over it.

The 12 band eq is very versatile. For Motown try a [b]fine[/b] cut curve cutting the top end from 2.6k onwards. Cut out some mids around 340hz and adjacent sliders to taste and give a slight bass boost around 60/100. If you need more 'body' put some 180hz back. 660hz is good for definition too.

[Mog]

Agree with Markorbit. Kill the preshapes. All cuts/boosts need to be a smooth transition. What bass are you using BTW?
You could also stick a Catalinbread SFT in the mix to soften up the Trace.

[dan670844]

[quote name='markorbit' post='1128381' date='Feb 15 2011, 02:29 PM']I would leave the preset off as that will always have the Trace signature tone all over it.

The 12 band eq is very versatile. For Motown try a [b]fine[/b] cut curve cutting the top end from 2.6k onwards. Cut out some mids around 340hz and adjacent sliders to taste and give a slight bass boost around 60/100. If you need more 'body' put some 180hz back. 660hz is good for definition too.[/quote]

+1 The SMX is a bit of a swiss army knife with a bit of tweaking you can get pretty much any kind of sound out of it, i still use my smx preamp from time to time its a great unit

Right an explanation!

The smx is basically divided in three sections obviously! on the pre side you have your input gain and two types of preamp a valve one and a solid state, you can blend them into each other or just use one type. The solid state pre is very hifi clean and low noise the valve side is very rich in harmonics (you might not hear this as it depends on the speakers you have etc) its a little noisy ok for live not so good for studio etc. Usually they use one half of a ECC83 triode, mine has been modified so its a gain cascade, i.e it uses both halfs, basically mine can get more rude! dirty whatever (My SMX is a preamp version with a RMX 2450, yes 2.4KW, i never use the RMX these days, its mental!)

Then you have the 12 band eq itself it has a on off and a level control so you can adjust the volume so when you click it in/ out so you notice it volume wise.

Then you have the SMX section which is a post eq module including a ultra cool dual band compressor and a EQ sweep.


1. Preamp I already explained
2. The 12 band eq basically I use it in this way, always start flat and always try to cut frequencies rather than boost if you can
if you want to beef up your low end try pushing up 100hz - 160hz a bit, don't touch anything below 100hz, if you want to get rid of a boxy sound cut your mids around 340hz to 500hz, your attack the clicky click is around 1-2.6hz and abovecutting this will give you less attack i.e. a softer motown sound. As Mark said slowly rolling off from here will reduce attack dynamics and give the motown sound.

Always cut or boost in a smooth transition, around the centre of the eq, so it looks like waves you i.e you should build up/down to a cut or boost on the adjacent sliders
Do you ever use the smx module?

this is the coolest part i usually have the low compressor up halfway the eq balance flat and no high compression as you loose definition, This is great as it tightens up your low end to give you more punch and stops the speakers complaining

If you are using the Eq here is a suggestion if you are using a jazz like me boost your 100-160hz a bit cut around 400hz boost a little around 1-2khz this is a great sound plenty of solid low and great definition. Now you can just play around with the compressor and the eq balance

if you have the low band halfway up no high band eq flat this is great for most things. If you whack up the low compress and turn the eq balance quarter turn to the left it will give a great reggae dub sound i guess a good motown sound is somewhere in between, maybe you need also to cut your attack (as above). what you are trying to emulate is a design fault ! the B15 speaker box is far too small in volume for the speakers power and size and also the driver top end is a little lacking. But what a sound!

WARNING if you use preshape 1 with a 1 x15 and 410 trace cabs your sound will be totally 80's Duran Duran !! Powerstation preshape two is a more middy sound more rock, but your 1x15 will not really reproduce this that well as the top end dies spectacularly at around 3Khz great for motown sound though with the tweater off

Edited February 15, 2011 by dan670844

[holio.cornolio]

Thanks, that's fantastic advice. I really have no clue with the eq. I'll have a play. I do have a Trace 2x10 cab which I sometimes use instead of the 1X15, but I find that's a slightly tighter, more modern sound still than the 15. Also I have used the SMX bit, only the compressor, but I found that the low compression makes the bottom a bit too tight for my taste and had switched back to my pedal compressor. I'll give it another try, ignoring the high band bit this time!
Stupid as it sounds I hadn't actually thought to cut stuff, only boost.
Oh I'm mainly using a Ric 4001, most often neck pickup only, occasionally both pickups together, (but I've bypassed the stupid bass bleed cap on the bridge pickup). Occasionally use a Jazz bass too, but mainly the Ric

[dan670844]

[quote name='holio.cornolio' post='1128915' date='Feb 15 2011, 09:09 PM']Thanks, that's fantastic advice. I really have no clue with the eq. I'll have a play. I do have a Trace 2x10 cab which I sometimes use instead of the 1X15, but I find that's a slightly tighter, more modern sound still than the 15. Also I have used the SMX bit, only the compressor, but I found that the low compression makes the bottom a bit too tight for my taste and had switched back to my pedal compressor. I'll give it another try, ignoring the high band bit this time!
Stupid as it sounds I hadn't actually thought to cut stuff, only boost.
Oh I'm mainly using a Ric 4001, most often neck pickup only, occasionally both pickups together, (but I've bypassed the stupid bass bleed cap on the bridge pickup). Occasionally use a Jazz bass too, but mainly the Ric[/quote]


Have a play 100-160hz more beef 400hz down less box 1-2khz and above down less click, but as others have said do it in a curve, and not to much 3db max cut or boost, but play around with the eq balance quarter turn to the left will also do it as it pulls the eq towards the lows. Go to traces website and download the smx manual its all in there!

I also use ashdown klystron and abm me thinks with these heads and a 15 its much more your sound rich in harmonics and much more girth more like an old valve amp sound, uk made ABM appear on ebay quite a lot and are built like tanks

[dan670844]

[quote name='dan670844' post='1129052' date='Feb 15 2011, 10:56 PM']Have a play 100-160hz more beef 400hz down less box 1-2khz and above down less click, but as others have said do it in a curve, and not to much 3db max cut or boost, but play around with the eq balance quarter turn to the left will also do it as it pulls the eq towards the lows. Go to traces website and download the smx manual its all in there!

I also use ashdown klystron and abm me thinks with these heads and a 15 its much more your sound rich in harmonics and much more girth more like an old valve amp sound, uk made ABM appear on ebay quite a lot and are built like tanks[/quote]


Oh and another thing if you mess with the eq you need to adjust you preamp gain i guess you know that already if you dont feed tracies enough juice they sound sh*te!!!!

[dan670844]

[quote name='holio.cornolio' post='1128326' date='Feb 15 2011, 01:39 PM']I'm a complete know nothing when it comes to EQ, but I've always been pretty happy with the Trace preset EQ curve so I haven't felt the need to tweak until recently. I have a GP12 SMX 1X15 combo, and at the moment, I run 95% of the time happily enough, just using the preshape without ever touching the EQ, and to be honest I find it a bit intimidating - all those sliders, what are they all for??. It seems like it should be pretty versatile, but for a couple of numbers I could do with a sound that has a bit more motown to it. I don't expect to be able to transform the Trace into a B15, but how can I use all those sliders to approximate an Ampeggy kind of sound? So far, all I've managed to achieve is a nasty, twangy version of the trace sound. I'm focussing my efforts on accenting the mids, particularly the 660 band, but if I cut the low end, it loses all semblance of warmth. Can anyone help. I have no idea what to do at the tope end of the EQ, should I cut, leave flat? What? Any help is appreciated.[/quote]

You might want to try some tape wound or even flat wound strings tape wounds are great for the motown thub!!