PLEASE REMOVE

[Skezza]

Last night I did a gig using my Markbass CMD102P with a Trace Elliot 1518c compact.
We were in a Marquee using another bands PA which has been set up in situe for the last 4 days. I arrived early to set up.
I had a great on stage sound slightly compressed burpy jazz to pretty thunderous 5 string precision sounds and I was well happy. So off I went to the bar.

When we did the sound check about 90 minutes before going on stage the sound guy had 2 issues:

1 he told me the output from the Markbass was too hot and I would have to back off my onstage volume. I thought line out was a fixed line level and was not affected by the volume on the amps front end.

2 He said I was very toppy with no bottom end. I had wind the blend knob round so I just had a the P pickup on -normally I use both P and J (with more j than P )

I spend hours getting a great sound. Usually the Markbass gives me an awesome sound AND my onstage sound last night was great. I am now concerned that this could be a problem in future as I have only used the Marbass with my Peavey desk (where it has been fine) up until last night.

Could it be anything to do with the pre post eq settings ?


skez

Edited April 23, 2012 by Skezza

[mybass]

[quote name='Skezza' timestamp='1334428542' post='1616180']
Last night I did a gig using my Markbass CMD102P with a Trace Elliot 1518c compact.
We were in a Marquee using another bands PA which has been set up in situe for the last 4 days. I arrived early to set up.
I had a great on stage sound slightly compressed burpy jazz to pretty thunderous 5 string precision sounds and I was well happy. So off I went to the bar.

When we did the sound check about 90 minutes before going on stage the sound guy had 2 issues:

1 he told me the output from the Markbass was too hot and I would have to back off my onstage volume. I thought line out was a fixed line level and was not affected by the volume on the amps front end.

2 He said I was very toppy with no bottom end. I had wind the blend knob round so I just had a the P pickup on -normally I use both P and J (with more j than P )

I spend hours getting a great sound. Usually the Markbass gives me an awesome sound AND my onstage sound last night was great. I am now concerned that this could be a problem in future as I have only used the Marbass with my Peavey desk (where it has been fine) up until last night.

Could it be anything to do with the pre post eq settings ?


skez
[/quote]

Doesn't the CM102P have a level output?
If yours hasn't, I think your first stage GAIN (not 'Master' out) fixes the level that the line out from the amp to front of house desk works at.
Try backing this 'GAIN' level off to help front of house desk and use the amp's 'master' output to boost your stage levels.
Beware, some engineers are not savvy with all (bass) amplifiers presented to them from the myriad bands that they have to work with.
If one of them says he has a problem with your amp, get him to stick a mike on the cabinet (many will have both an amp Di and mike working anyway).
Or....Di straight off the bass and leave amp/cab alone.......not my preference though because (especially with fretless) I find there is more chance
the engineer will not understand what you like your bass to sound like.

[Davebassics]

Maybe the line out of the amp was connected to a mic preamp on the FOH desk. A line level signal will drive a mic preamp pretty hard (would almost definitely need padding).

I think mic preamps have lower input impedances than line inputs, this might effect the tone of the output from the amp. But saying that, it would decrease the top end not increase it.

[pete.young]

[quote name='Davebassics' timestamp='1334488553' post='1616723']
Maybe the line out of the amp was connected to a mic preamp on the FOH desk. A line level signal will drive a mic preamp pretty hard (would almost definitely need padding).

[/quote]

This.

I normally have the opposite problem with my LMII, the DI signal is feeble in comparison to the signal from the V-Bass. As someone else said the level is set by the gain control.

Either that, or a case of PEBDAC (Problem Exists Between Desk And Chair).