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Power Amp Rigs


spectoremg
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[quote name='Clarky72' timestamp='1490110840' post='3262249']
Any idea why Matrix make a bass power amp? It doesnt appear to be any different to the other ones really...
[/quote]

I suppose it's feasible that we tend to need higher power amps to give us more headroom. It certainly doesn't look any different on the exterior.

Give Robin Szemeti a shout; he was the tech guy who looked over mine when I got it and will be able to answer your questions. They're based in Kidderminster, I just drove the amp up, did a couple of local NT places locally, cream tea etc. [email protected]

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[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1490115348' post='3262304']
I suppose it's feasible that we tend to need higher power amps to give us more headroom. It certainly doesn't look any different on the exterior.

Give Robin Szemeti a shout; he was the tech guy who looked over mine when I got it and will be able to answer your questions. They're based in Kidderminster, I just drove the amp up, did a couple of local NT places locally, cream tea etc. [email protected]
[/quote]CHeers mate

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[quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1489589673' post='3258209']


Also different power amps have different input sensitivities.. QSC's are known to need a high signal level to drive them - from what I remember 1.5v at unity and there is a mod to make this .775 v
[/quote]

I have a QSC PLX1202 bought from Owen. It has a sensitivity of 1.0v and 0.9v at 8 & 4 ohms respectively. I'm currently experimenting using it with my Two Notes Le Bass. So far it seems to work well.

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[quote name='MGBrown' timestamp='1490123664' post='3262424']
I have a QSC PLX1202 bought from Owen. It has a sensitivity of 1.0v and 0.9v at 8 & 4 ohms respectively. I'm currently experimenting using it with my Two Notes Le Bass. So far it seems to work well.
[/quote]

I had this issue with my 2402 - see this thread..

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/qsc-plx-input-sensitivity-issue.129819/

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[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]So I want to make my rack tidy, gotta love a bit of OCD. It'll be a simple power amp and preamp combo, with space for another 1u in there for future tweakery. I want a back plate with power, guitar in, DI and speaker out. Something like the pic below.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I like the idea of a single powercon socket for all items in the rack. Anyone know how to do this or someone who could make it for me even??[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Thanks [/font][/color] :)


[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][/font][/color]

Edited by Clarky72
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[quote name='Clarky72' timestamp='1490139824' post='3262657']
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]So I want to make my rack tidy, gotta love a bit of OCD. It'll be a simple power amp and preamp combo, with space for another 1u in there for future tweakery. I want a back plate with power, guitar in, DI and speaker out. Something like the pic below.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I like the idea of a single powercon socket for all items in the rack. Anyone know how to do this or someone who could make it for me even?[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Thanks [/font][/color] :)
[/quote]

Here's mine, front and back. Tuner, Sansamp, Poweramp.

The only minor pain in the ass is that it's a bit of a fiddle to get the XLR into the Sansamp for live applications, but otherwise, it's yummy. I bought the PSU from eBay and just keep the mains cable safe by holding it in place with cable ties. You can also see how deep the Matrix is as well; it's shallow enough that I never need to remove the Speakon cable. The Line6 wireless is permanently plumbed into the rear of the Sansamp and held in place by some 3M Dual Lock; if I chose to go wireless, I just have to make sure nothing is plugged into the front of the Sansamp. The spare power outlet allows me to run power to the wireless unit (I'm actually surprised that Line 6 don't make a receiver with a plug built in, visually like one of those Homeplug wi-fi extenders).



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[quote name='Clarky72' timestamp='1490139824' post='3262657']
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]So I want to make my rack tidy, gotta love a bit of OCD. It'll be a simple power amp and preamp combo, with space for another 1u in there for future tweakery. I want a back plate with power, guitar in, DI and speaker out. Something like the pic below.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I like the idea of a single powercon socket for all items in the rack. Anyone know how to do this or someone who could make it for me even??[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Thanks [/font][/color] :)


[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][/font][/color]
[/quote]

^ The power wiring in this is horrific!

Done a fair few of these now -




What are you trying to rack? It's all about getting rack panels, hex bolts and nyloc nuts, lots of solder, neutrik chassis mount components... adapters, cable... I can give you some direction if you can tell me what you want?

Edited by EBS_freak
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[quote] What are you trying to rack? It's all about getting rack panels, hex bolts and nyloc nuts, lots of solder, neutrik chassis mount components... adapters, cable... I can give you some direction if you can tell me what you want?
[/quote]

Awesome. So what I have is my power amp and Sansamp RBI.

I want to have a 1U strip with:
• single powercon socket powering the 2 units (with room to expand to a third unit powered)
• a 6.3mm jack in socket
• speakon out
• XLR for DI from the sansamp

Pretty simple, I'm blindly assuming....

I should add, my soldering is abominable and I have no idea how the powercon works with multiple units.

Edited by Clarky72
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The rack panel -
something like -

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1U-RACK-PANEL-DP28777-Punched-4-x-D-Type-holes-XLR-Neutrik-XLR-Powecon-etc-/221675330450"]http://www.ebay.co.u...c-/221675330450[/url]

For the rack panel -

1 x Neutrik NAC3MPA-1 (Powercon connector - in)
1 x Neutrik NL4MP (Speakon out)
1 x Neutrik NJ3FP6C-BAG (Locking 1/4" jack socket)
1 x Neutrik NC3MD-LX B (DI Out)

4x Neutrik SCDR (Boots for covering the connectors cabling)

For attaching the chassis connector units to the rack panel-

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]M3 Nylon bolts and M3 Screws (hex socket head)[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Then, for audio path, DI, I would suggest van damme mic cable, for instruments van damme instrument cable.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]For the speaker, just use some standard 13A mains cable - and you'll need to solder on either a speakon or jack depending what your amp uses.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]For DI, solder a NC5FXX, and the other to the appropriate chassis connector.[/font][/color]
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]For instrument, solder a NP2X to the cable and the other to the instrument in chassis connector.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]For the power, find a donor IEC cable... cut off the plug and and crimp the cable ends to the powercon connector leaving the IEC connector intact. Plug in a 1 to 2 (or a Y) IEC cable to go between the two units. Alternatively, you can crimp to IEC cord together at the powercon connector.[/font][/color]

Note - the boots need to be put on the cable before you solder the ends! Once the boots are on, tie them on tight with cable ties.

Guessing you already have the rack screws and nuts to connect the rack panel?

Notes - In the above examples, I have only used a boot for the power as the whole wiring is encased behind a solid row of rack panels. Also assuming you have some heatshrink to put over the solder joints and a soldering iron.. and solder! And the skills to solder!

Tip - for the nyloc nuts, use long ear pliers whilst screwing in the bolts from the other side. I use a screwdriver type hex attachment instead of an allen key as it can be fiddly turning the key compared to screwdriver.

Edited by EBS_freak
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[quote name='Clarky72' timestamp='1490187785' post='3263003']
Thank you EBS Freak! Now to find someone who can solder for me.... :)
[/quote]
Just for completeness, if you have rear racks in your case, some have a rail set back which is useful for securing cables too... or even power supplies. I tend to use block type power supplies so I can ditch the wall wart types and cable tie the replacement psus to the rails. I think in one of the pics I posted earlier, you can make one out on the left.

I tend to use abcproducts on eBay as they have proven to be really light and I've never had one fail on me... and you can always daisy chain your DC devices off to that supply (just watch how much current you are drawing and don't exceed the output that the psu can supply.

[url="http://www.abcproducts.com/abc-products-mains-adaptor-adapter-power-supply-for-pure-dab?filter_name=12v%20adapter&filter_description=true&filter_sub_category=true"]http://www.abcproduc...b_category=true[/url]

These are particularly great if you start adding DC devices to your racks - e.g. wireless, midi controllers, pedals, loopers etc.

Edited by EBS_freak
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  • 3 months later...

All built up and sounding huge.

Sansamp runs direct into the Peavey IPR1600. The GK is a separate as a backup. All wired up to a tidy harness on the back to save fumbling around in the dark on stage.



Edited by Clarky72
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I used pre and power combinations for years. Flexible and fine sounding, but big and heavy. My nicest rig had a BBE pre and between one and three RSE power amps. Went lightweight due to advancing years and general decrepitude. Still have the power amps - use them to drive PA monitors.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Been running this rig for a while, I've been using the XTPro pod in the studio for ages and though it might sound good live with the right amp and cab, picked up a Big Twin from Alex and the Crown XLS1500 from EvilBay. I play fretted and fretless 5 string and the tones change around depending on the track, so essentially this is a bass PA with a fully modelled front end that handles pretty much all of the tonal changes.

It's VV loud, with a ton of headroom, I run the Crown bridged which delivers 1550w into 4 Ohms. The XTPro also allows a modelled DI send to the PA if the venue is big enough, but the rig usually suffices tbh...!

[attachment=249540:IMG_3949.jpg]

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