RCF ART 732-A - lack of volume.

[Paul S]

Just took delivery of said active cab.  Finding I can get very little volume out of it.  Barely enough for home practice.

Plugged straight into jack, via a drive pedal DI on my board, via the pa desk.  If I put my little Trace Elliot Elf in the line it can get louder but I am fairly sure i shouldn#t need to do this  

Before I send it back, is there something fundamental I am doing wrong?  A simple button  I have omitted to press, somehow?

 

[JazzBass4624]

Does changing the input selector make a difference?

[jrixn1]

So you're going: bass → drive DI box → desk → RCF.

What output are you using from the desk?  Is it mic- or line-level?  What is the RCF set to?  There is a switch on the back:

 

To recreate the issue minimally, what happens if you try the setup without the desk in the signal path?  I.e. bass → drive DI box → RCF.

 

[Paul S]

OK, this is what I've tried so far

Bass > RCF via the jack.

Bass > drive pedal DI > RCF via the XLR

Bass > drive pedal DI > desk master out > RCF (this is how I go through the PA, an RCF EVOX 😎

Tried line, tried mic, no appreciable difference.

 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2020 by Paul S

[jrixn1]

That does sound a bit odd.  I have: bass → preamp pedal (MicroBass 3) → RCF.  It is connected with an instrument jack cable.  My preamp volume is about 1/4 to 1/3 up, and RCF volume is at noon, input sensitivity = line, and boost button is not pressed.  It is loud.  My gear is currently loaded into vehicle as am on way out, but I can check/confim those settings later on.

 

Edited March 7, 2020 by jrixn1

[Paul S]

Thanks.  I wouldn't worry - it very much looks like this is going to have to go back, which is a nuisance.

Thanks all for your help.

 

[jrixn1]

10 hours ago, jrixn1 said:

RCF volume is at noon, input sensitivity = line, and boost button is not pressed.

To correct myself, if it's of interest - my input sensitivity is on the 'mic' setting, not 'line'.  RCF was my stage monitor tonight, with volume at the neutral setting (noon), pre-amp pedal volume at 9 o'clock (about 1/5), and I was using an external HPF at 120Hz - still the sound guy asked me to turn down as I was interfering with FOH.
They're great speakers. Very frustrating when new gear doesn't work - hope you get yours sorted.

 

[Phil Starr]

Turning the sensitivity to 'mic' should give you plenty of gain. I drive my ART 310's straight from the bass and volume is fine. try missing everything else out and just plugging the bass straight into the jack on the speaker. you should get at least a decent volume if not loud enough.

Try switching from mic to line and than back to mic again, I don't like those sliding switches and they might not have switched as they should, a wiggle usually fixes it.

[Paul S]

I'll have one last fiddle today and see what happens

Thanks all.

[Paul S]

Set it up this morning A/B with one of my pa units, which is an RCF EVOX 8.  Much the same gubbins inside, I imagine, aside from the cross over.  Sounded just the same.  Low-ish volume on 'line' but, set on 'mic', and using the DI pedal, I got plenty of volume.  No idea what I was doing wrong yesterday but clearly I am a dimwit.

I wonder if I can send me back to Thomann for a refund?

Anyway, all's well that ends well and thanks for the help!  

[jezzaboy]

I use my 715 on the Line setting and have had plenty of volume from it. Enough to heard with a couple of Marshall dafties. Having said that I bought a EH Battalion a few weeks ago and had to crank the volume knob to get a decent amount of volume form the set up in the studio. Previously I used a Art Mic pre before the RCF so I would have plenty of volume going into the speaker. The speaker volume was about 1 o`clock.

I`m going into the studio tomorrow night so will have a mess about.

Glad you seem happy with the 732 now Paul.