Can I go directly into a Power Amp?

[paul_5]

[quote name='32Hz' timestamp='1333495570' post='1602652']
Are you using the BDDI, just to up the output voltage? or are you using it to shape your sound. If so why is the j-retro so valuable. T.
[/quote]

The BDDI has a couple of advantages (for me at least) it's powered by phantom power from the PA (fewer plugs is a good thing) and the 1/4" output can be set to line level even when the unit is bypassed, so yes, sometimes I use it just to boost the flat level from the bass.

The East is great for having the tone controls at your fingers - the bright switch (pulling the treble knob up) is really useful for slap passages, and I don't have to bend down to play with the BDDI controls mid song.
The East is also useful when I'm using someone else's amp ( shared kit at festivals etc), as I can get the sound that I want fairly quickly, which pleases everyone when changeover time is limited.

[32Hz]

[size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Yikes, I thought I had to dogs dangly bits in cabs ( Ampeg [color=#000000]PR-410HLF) ... what do I need ? Something lighter and perhaps 2 x 210's would be nice, as my stuff is a bit big for small venues.[/color][/font][/size]

[paul_5]

Play bigger rooms .

[xgsjx]

[quote name='32Hz' timestamp='1333496741' post='1602664']
[size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Yikes, I thought I had to dogs dangly bits in cabs ( Ampeg [color=#000000]PR-410HLF) ... what do I need ? Something lighter and perhaps 2 x 210's would be nice, as my stuff is a bit big for small venues.[/color][/font][/size]
[/quote]

A lot of folk don't rate Ampeg cabs that highly and they probably have more colour than this months photo comp.
Great if you want that Ampeg sound, not so great if you don't.

Have a look at Barefaced cabs if it's a transparent sound that you're after. Also worth looking at are Markbass, Bergantino, Aguilar & Genz Benz.

[32Hz]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1333523192' post='1602726']
A lot of folk don't rate Ampeg cabs that highly and they probably have more colour than this months photo comp.
Great if you want that Ampeg sound, not so great if you don't.

Have a look at Barefaced cabs if it's a transparent sound that you're after. Also worth looking at are Markbass, Bergantino, Aguilar & Genz Benz.
[/quote]

[color=#000080]I didn't know that about Ampeg - thanks. I'll look at your suggestions. As I said, techwise I'm a proper novice and I really do appreciate the feedback I'm getting here. T.[/color]

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='32Hz' timestamp='1333496741' post='1602664']
[size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Yikes, I thought I had to dogs dangly bits in cabs ( Ampeg [color=#000000]PR-410HLF) ... what do I need ? Something lighter and perhaps 2 x 210's would be nice, as my stuff is a bit big for small venues.[/color][/font][/size]
[/quote]

Working from brand names an speaker diameters is the whole wrong way to go about cabs. Ampeg are all about working from past glories, and relics like 4x10s cabs are an artifact of that. They are made to give you the tone of Ampeg, and overwrite the tone of your bass, hence describing a player as having 'the Ampeg tone' rather than the tone of themselves or their bass. If you really want to know about speakers: http://barefacedbass.com/technical-information.htm is a pretty good balance between being readable and not entirely made up, in contrast to Ampegs 'you need 3 18" speakers to equal 8 10"s' which is entirely made up.

[dmccombe7]

I'm no expert and this is more a question than a statement but would the compressor boost the signal enough to try the Genz effects return and therefore by-pass the GB pre-amp as a trial rather than anything else.

Although some amps have EQ by-pass they still use the pre-amp to boost / condition the signal to the power amp.

I would tend to agree with most though that if you already have the GB amp then why not use it.

Dave

[32Hz]

I've spent half the day reading the (entire) Barefaced website. Lots of good info there for everyone and found one or two inspiring independent reviews on their stuff. Q. [i]'how can I smuggle a Big Twin into the house without Mrs 32Hz noticing?'[/i] So, I think I've been coming at this problem from the wrong end (literally). It's my cab that needs replacing, not the amp. T

[Jack]

If you really want the 'straight to power amp' sound you still need to boost the level somewhere. Lots of studio preamps really are flat, and often the compressors and eqs can be bypassed totally. Look at something like a Presonus Eureka or (my favorite DI ever) the Grace Designs m101 or the m103 if you still want the full-featured pre.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Jack

[mike257]

Something like an Avalon U5 or a similarly transparent DI might be the answer for you. I've tracked through one playing my Sandberg (Glockenklang pre) and it sounded great, really natural bass tone. Not cheap, but a great piece of kit.

Edited April 8, 2012 by mike257

[markstuk]

Or most graphic EQ's have enough level to drive a power amp....

[quote name='Jack' timestamp='1333622114' post='1604328']
If you really want the 'straight to power amp' sound you still need to boost the level somewhere. Lots of studio preamps really are flat, and often the compressors and eqs can be bypassed totally. Look at something like a Presonus Eureka or (my favorite DI ever) the Grace Designs m101 or the m103 if you still want the full-featured pre.
[/quote]

[daz]

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1333307596' post='1599876']
Well worth a try IMHO.. a mate of mine gave up on 'normal' bass amps for quite a while since he was using only active basses at the time, Yamaha TRB5 IIRC.
His sound was most definitely not lacking in anything.. 'Rockin' Mal' is summat of a legend around Bradford!
[/quote]

'Rockin' Mal' eh ?