| Author | Message | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 24 Registered: 6-2005 |
Looking for thoughts from experienced Series I & II players on what type of rig works best with a bass loaded with the above electronics package. I'm wondering if there is a favored set up or is it open for debate? Is there a specific manufacturer,speaker or cabinet size, full range or biamp, that allows one to take full advantage of what the Series package offers? Thanks, Gary. | ||
| jlpicard
Advanced Member Username: jlpicard Post Number: 212 Registered: 7-2002 |
Gary, No doubt that this is open to debate, as there are as many preferences in amplification as there are people, however, I think one of the first and most obvious places I would look is to Alembic! Out of your DS-5(R)into an F-2B, into an SF-2( total tonal nirvana!!) and then.......Well, I'm not even going to go there. Everyone has their personal favorite(s)as to the choice of power amp, speakers, etc. Just let your ears be your guide. Mike | ||
| dnburgess
Senior Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 424 Registered: 1-2003 |
Gary, in my view to do Series electronics justice you are looking for "hifi on steroids". That is, a rig that seeks to reproduce the instrument faithfully rather than impose its own sonic signature. Working backwards along the signal chain, this means muti-way speakers such as Acme or Accugroove and lots of watts from a solid state power amp. An Alembic pre and F2B is an ideal front end. David B. | ||
| 81seriesi
Junior Username: 81seriesi Post Number: 12 Registered: 5-2002 |
This may help: http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/590.html?1068499757 | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 27 Registered: 6-2005 |
Great stuff gentlemen. I've got some homework to do. Keep it coming! Thanks, Gary. | ||
| howierd
Junior Username: howierd Post Number: 29 Registered: 8-2004 |
Hi, Gary. I agree with David B. I've used an F2B preamp running through a CS 400 Peavey Power amp for over 25 years. I run the bass pickup through a Peavey 18" Black Widow and the treble pickup through an SVT 8-10 cabinet. I been able to get any sound I want with this set up. Great highs and lows. This rig is old and out of date with what's available these days but it's always been reliable and of course there are new smaller speaker systems available but my SVT cabinet is 30 years old and still sounds great. You can always add filters and compressors later but you do need a good front end just like David said. Good luck. Howierd | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 28 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hello Howierd, WOW what a rig! Man I would love to hear and run that monster. That is a great idea sending each pick up to its own cab. Does the 400 have enough to push both cabs by itself? Does the F2B serve as a crossover or does she just split the signal and or the pick ups? Thanks, Gary. | ||
| howierd
Junior Username: howierd Post Number: 30 Registered: 8-2004 |
The F2B is a Stereo preamp but can also be used to send a mono signal if you use 1 cabinet. If you read the spec sheet about the F2B you'll see how that works. I'm sure i've seen a post about it before but I can't recall at the moment. The cs400 is one of the older amps and does not have modules to bridge the channels but it does have the power to run both cabinets. Howierd | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 29 Registered: 6-2005 |
Cool, thanks again for the heads up. Gary | ||
| worldfamousandy
Junior Username: worldfamousandy Post Number: 12 Registered: 3-2004 |
I like to go from the DS-5 into a subtle amount of compression via an EBS pedal, then into an F-1X. I cross the pre over at about 150 Hz, and send lows and highs into a powerful (800 watts/ channel?) QSC stereo power amp. Lows go to a Mesa Boogie 2 X 15, and full range is sent to a Mesa Boogie 2 X 10 plus horn box. I have experimented with different crossover settings and configurations, and I like this rig the most. Bottom line is, though, mess around with some different stuff and see what suits you best. Personally, I feel lucky to say that I have never heard any rig sound better than my own. Of course, my sound may not be your sound, and another rig may better give you your sound. I think the important things everyone should have are tons of power and full-range capabilities. | ||
| worldfamousandy
Junior Username: worldfamousandy Post Number: 13 Registered: 3-2004 |
Hey Gary, I just read your profile. I grew up in Rochester, and played hockey for several Warren teams when I was a kid, at Fraser Hockeyland. Is that place still there? I am also a firefighter, although we are a volunteer department. | ||
| slapbass
Junior Username: slapbass Post Number: 27 Registered: 3-2005 |
Gary, I guess I am a little old school with my 75 s1 I run from a ds-5r to my Bass pod XT Pro on the treble side and a F1-X on the bass side. The signals go into there own Sunn power amp 2500 watts each. The bass side drive 2 2X18 cabs and the treble drives 2 10X10 cabs. This Rig is great for outdoors!! But in the words of George Clinton "Were gona tear the roof of the sucka" if you turn it up indoors. Dale | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 30 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hi Andy, I drive by the old Fraser Hockeyland all the time. It's huge now with a number of rinks. A semi pro team runs out of there and a bunch of the Redwings hang out scaring the poo out of anyone who wants a "fun" scrimmage game. There is something different about hockey players. I do not know most of the Wings but my buddy's son does. He plays there quite often. These pros hang out at the rink sweeping, hauling out the trash,selling tickets and popcorn, just waiting for a scruff team that needs a body. Out they go and "Katy bar the door". Great people, lots of fun. How big is your FD? What kind of rigs are you running,and what job are you on? Pumper donkey,ladder lump or even worse, Chief? OK, now some fun stuff. Could you tell me how you ended up with your Series and if you've had any work done? Also I'd be interested in the journey to your Boogie rig. As a full time player, I'm so jealous, you must spend considerable time researching and experimenting with equipment. I throughly enjoy the whole research process of finding a bass or amp, but I struggle finding the time to do my homework. I'm a recent Alembic convert from many years with a Smith. I've also have a collection of Trace equipment that I've used for years, but it appears they are fading away. Now I'm starting all over with a new bass and searching for it's voice. Therefore I'm curious as to how you arrived at your current set up and in particular what you tried and passed on. Stay Low, in both jobs, Gary | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 414 Registered: 10-2003 |
Gary, For many years I was thoroughly content running my '81 S1 into a ten-band graphic and straight into a pair of CS-800 amps connected to small pile of 18s and 10s, x-overed at somewhere between 250 and 500 Hz. The bass has enough output to drive an amp at line-level, and enough tone control to make it a not-insane proposition. Currently I have 3 different setups, the newest being an Ampeg B-5R head pushing a Kustom 410H cabinet - and I love how it sounds. I also have an ART tube preamp w/parametric and compression which sounds very nice, especially when run through my ancient Bogen 200w all-tube power amps into any cabinet you connect to them. I am probably going to part with setup number three, which consists of a Bass Pod Pro and Peavey DECA 1200 power amp. For cabinets, I have a couple of 18" folded horns (similar to the Acoustic 301) which are great for either getting that Jaco sound or for loud rock in a big room. I've got a Peavey 210H that's great for small jazz or blues gigs and reproduces the full range of Alembic tones. I now have a 410H Kustom cabinet, which is pretty much a full-range system as well. Oh, and an old Lab Series 115 which sounds like a box but works well for blues. I find that I tend not to like biamping, because of the complexity and the need to always carry a minimum of 2 cabinets to every gig. Power is cheap these days, and the newer 410 cabinets handle tons of it quite gracefully. For me, also I must take into account that no matter how high-fidelity my system may be, unless I'm listening in the living room it's mostly wasted effort. An amp that sounds musical at a high enough volume to compete with the guitars/keyboards/drumses is often all that I can realistically hope for after feeding the tribe and paying the mortgage. And perhaps most important, I'm getting old and becoming much less of a gearhead than I once was. While I do certainly envy the folks with the systems to die for (and there are many in this group!), the Alembic sounds good no matter what it gets plugged into, IMHO... John | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 31 Registered: 6-2005 |
Dale, Dale, Dale. good grief! You may need therepy, 2500 watts each?!!!! Please, can I join your band? Old school? Sounds like my kind of education. As I asked Andy above, I would like to know what you went through to arrive at your current set up. Were there amps that you thought fell flat, and what kind of music & places are you playing? I'm thinking I should be able to hear you here in Michigan every time you fire that bad boy up! Thanks, Gary | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 32 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hi John, great info. I drug around an old 301/370 Acoustic for several years. Powerful but you had to be 30 feet away to hear with any clarity. I jumped on biamping in a desperate attempt for a clean tone. It's only now I wonder if it is still a necessity as the Alembic sounds good in just about anything. However I am determined to discover what is the best adjunct for the Alembic voice, that I can fit in my truck that is. BTW easy on the old guy stuff, I've got years on you and I can't handle the truth. Stay Low, Gary. | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 415 Registered: 10-2003 |
Gary, I really meant "young, very very young," so please forgive my typos.. ;) I would recommend playing through as many different amps in as many different settings as you possibly can, chatting-up as many other players as you can at music stores and such to get an opportunity to listen to their real-world setups. Visit as many live-music bars as you can, even the ones whose music you don't like, and talk to the other players about their setups. Play your bass through them if they'll let you. I've even let other players play my Alembic for a set or two, just so I can hear it from out front (and to make them jealous, of course). While we can all give you our 2-cents worth of advice and guidance, you still can't listen to our setups from where you are and in the end what matters most is what sounds good to your ears (and thumps your chest just right!). I really, really like my Ampeg/Kustom setup right now, because it's warm and has all the highs/lows/mids I can use and a buttload of flexibility. After I've used it awhile I'll probably compile a list of gripes, but lots of people seem to be pretty happy with the Ampeg head at least. It's a very musical-sounding system, for lack of a better term. You probably would have a difficult time going wrong with a higher-end model SWR, Eden, Ampeg or Aguilar, and an Alembic Superfilter would seem to be without peer if you require additional tone-shaping. And of course, more power will make everything sound cleaner and clearer (everything else being equal). Hope at least some of this helps.. John | ||
| slapbass
Junior Username: slapbass Post Number: 28 Registered: 3-2005 |
Gary, That's just the big rig. We play only outdoors these days and I hate sound engineers trying to make me sound like a Fender. I wanted the cool Louis Johnson sound from the seventies and that is what it took for me to find that sound and not run through a PA. I love when the crew comes to unload the truck and they look at all the bass gear and say the same thing you did. My neighbors don't mind unless they have company or it is before 9:00 at night. The college kids down the street think I am crazy too with all the slap bass grooves and all the POWER. Keep Thumpin' Dale | ||
| sfnic
Member Username: sfnic Post Number: 85 Registered: 3-2005 |
Hmmm. I guess I'm "ancient" school. These days, I'm running anything and everything through an old prototype Studiomaster 60W tube/solid state hybrid guitar head that's been kicking around since about '77. In-house it's driving a single JBL D120 in one of Quicksilver Messenger Service's old foot monitors. The last live gig I played (about 15 years ago), I was running my Guild Starfire IV stereo into a pair of Furman PQ3 parametric preamps summed into a TX3 crossover. That drives a 3-way setup with BGW 750Bs pushing old Alembic A-15 cabs with Gauss 5140s; SAE 2200s driving Alembic B-12s with Gauss (I think the model was 2840), and a Phase Linear 400 driving Alembic B-5 cabs full of JBL 2105s. Some of the components were castoffs from the old Dead system; others were bits and chunks I scrounged together over the years. As a 3-way system, it was pretty versatile for most anything. Bass, certainly. Keyboards and Guitars worked fine with different front-ends. For keyboards I generally went through a different set of PQ3s and for guitar work I used a highly modified '65 Deluxe Reverb with preamp outs (and master volumes and a tweaked midrange and a preamp stack switch and a hum balancer and Stratoblaster front end and a "crunch" control that collapses the cathodes of the driver stage). Versatility. That was the goal, at least. I still have parts of that heap, but I did sell the Deluxe in a fit of Ineedthemoney back in the early 80s. Probably the only DR with a JBL D-123 in it, so if you come across it, remember me and smile. | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 33 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hey Nic, what in the name of......? Are you some kind of astronaut? Jeeze man, it would be easier to understand nuclear fission than to set up your rig. If I were in a national touring band, I'd hire you right now to run our sound. I'm still struggling with tubes vs. solid state and your talking partical theory. I would have loved to have been around when you were figuring out the above set up. If you have the type of mind that can manage sound issues with so much detail, 15 years is too long to be out of the game. Hopefully you are still in the music business. It really is cool to hear about all these different approaches to getting the right sound. Thanks for your time and description. Now that you've frightened me, I'm going to rock in the corner for a while and try to learn how to determine shielded cable from unshielded. Alright, quit laughing, Gary. | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 753 Registered: 11-2003 |
Can I butt in here and ask a somewhat related, possibly even dumb, question? How much does the power amp affect tone? Is the tone derived primarily from the instrument and the preamp? What would one need to look for in a power amp other than power? OK, 4 questions. Back to you Gary. Sam (Message edited by bracheen on June 28, 2005) | ||
| gare
Advanced Member Username: gare Post Number: 222 Registered: 11-2003 |
Gary Have you checked out some of the other threads about ampage ? Like this one http://alembic.com/club/messages/394/17694.html?1115514731. So many possibilities..also, what kind of a budget is available ? God knows the skys the limit given the funds. Ok..so if Dale is 'old school' and Nic is 'ancient school' ,I hope I'm not 'mesozoic school' ! And be careful of the cats tail while you're rocking. Gare Nic..do you still use the PQ3's ? | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 416 Registered: 10-2003 |
In a perfect world, the power amp doesn't color the signal at all, but actually the power amp can have plenty to do with tone. The right power amp can hide a multitude of preamp sins, and the wrong one can make any preamp sound like crap. As far as I'm concerned (don't tell my back or my chiropractor), big (200 watts or greater) tube power amps are far more desireable than pretty much anything else out there, tonewise, but are hard to find, weigh a ton and cost a bundle. They tend to do really nice things to whatever signal you put through them. They have very musical compression and the *right* kind of harmonic distortion (I don't remember if it's even or odd-order, but it's the one I want to have) and tend to breathe, for lack of a better term. Crown solid-state amps have always had a similar reputation. Peavey amps have always seemed rather cold, but more reliable than dirt. QSC has an excellent reputation. If you really want to judge the relative value of one type of power amp over another, find and try buying an old McIntosh power amp. People are more inclined to sell you their children and let you date their wife than get rid of those wonderful things, so what they do to a signal must be pretty good. It seems like I recall Rami waxing nostalgic about his old McIntosh stuff, if that's any indicator. And heck, I used to know a guy at Producer's Workshop that could reliably hear the difference between gold and switchcraft patch panel connectors, so pretty much everything contributes (or subtracts)! John - rambling as usual | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 34 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hi Sam, jump aboard anytime, very kind of you to ask. Speaking of which, great question. Thanks to John for some insight on a consideration I've missed. Gare, I'm right with you on the endless possibilities with only funds as the limit. Cool sites BTW. Approaching the Series sound dilemma from another direction. What do you think of a Trace Elliot/Series Alembic combo. I've been using their 500 & 600 stereo heads, biamping into various combinations of their 115,410 and a 18/10 cabs for years. I also have the straight 600 Valve head. They are powerful, smooth,quiet and reliable. They have always made the bass I'm playing sound better. I am not so sure with the Alembic. I also can't help but think that over the last 20 years the amp technology has vastly improved. That is until you read about the lasting love affair with the Ampeg SVT Classic with an 810 cab. Thoughts? Great stuff guys, Gary. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1961 Registered: 5-2002 |
Gary; there are a number of members in our group that use Trace Elliot. In fact, there are a number of members that use Eden, Demeter, SWR, Mesa, Ampeg, Alembic, etc., etc. There is no one "Preferred Bass Rig For Series Electronics". The members of our group play very diverse styles of music and are looking for very diverse sounds from their instruments. As Gare pointed out, there have been numerous previous threads about amps and cabs, so you may want to peruse through some of the past thread titles or maybe run a search for a particular brand of amp or cab. For instance, when I just checked there were 55 previous threads mentioning Trace Elliot; so perhaps someone at some point has posted something that you might find helpful on Trace Elliot. Also, regarding your statement that you "can't help but think that over the last 20 years the amp technology has vastly improved"; there are quite a few members here that play through Alembic preamps, the technology of which is significantly older than 20 years. So there may be a few folks around here who might disagree with you on that point <g>. | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 35 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hi Dave, I hear you loud and clear, you coming through a Trace? It's like asking what's the best song, or who is the most beautiful woman, after Mica of course. I realize it is primarily subjective but I have been out of the loop for a while, and I thought the Alembicians might have leaned in a particular direction. I feel that these basses are quite different from anything I've played before. There is a clarity and presence that even makes it through my old nasty monkey butt Peavey practice amp. It appears though that you are correct, that what we want to do with that tone is very diverse. And you don't know how happy it makes me to hear that the old stuff can still be good, as that is not only what I own, it's also what I am. Stay Low, Gary | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1962 Registered: 5-2002 |
Gary; no, I've never owned or played through a Trace Elliot amp. My current rig is an Alembic F-1X preamp, Alembic SF-2 superfilter, T.C.Electronic M-One XL effects processor, Ashly SC-50 compressor limiter, and a QSC PLX 2402 power amp. My cabinets, depending on the venue, are an Acme Low B-2 Series 2, Bag End D10X-D, two Eden 210-XLTs, and an SWR Goliath Senior. I've also recently purchased a Bag End Elf system that I hope to incorporate into my rig soon. | ||
| jlpicard
Advanced Member Username: jlpicard Post Number: 214 Registered: 7-2002 |
Gary, If it means anything to you, I once visited Alembic at one of their old locations. Can't remember where it was,( some reddish colored barn looking thing ) but in the setup room they had a rather large Trace stack that they used to check out the operation of the new insruments. So, if it was good enough for them.... | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 36 Registered: 6-2005 |
Dave, seems the Alembic preamp and SF-2 are very popular.Can their use be incorporated into a stand alone rig such as my AH500? What is the Bag End Elf system? Mike, thanks for that juicy piece of info, very interesting! | ||
| jacko
Advanced Member Username: jacko Post Number: 244 Registered: 10-2002 |
Gary. I use Trace Elliot - I've had a 1210HSMX 4x10 combo for around 10 years. don't have a series bass yet though ;-( For a while I've been planning on adding a 1x15 cabinet and had pretty much settled on one of the trace cabs when they appear in August. However, just lately I've decided to move away from trace - the tone, whilst 'reasonably' versatile, just seems not to augment the rogue electronics I have now (and the combo weighs 49Kilos !! ok when you're young). Also, I think the signature Trace sound is pretty well stuck in the eighties along with Mark king - no bad thing but I don't play much slap just now. After my holiday I'm going to borrow Mike Pisanek's rig to see just how versatile modern electronics and speakers are. OK, he has an F1X which is pretty old technology but the rest is pretty much state of the art - QSC power amp and a pair of eden XST210s. If I'm happy with the sound, I'm ordering an XLT115 to give the trace a better bottom end - it's very 'middly' for want of a better expression - until next spring when I'll be able to afford a decent pre - power set up and either a 210 or 410 eden cab. - I've only heard mike using a graphite upright through his rig (and it had 1 blown driver) but it sounded fantastic. graeme (Message edited by jacko on June 29, 2005) | ||
| spose
Junior Username: spose Post Number: 42 Registered: 5-2002 |
here's how I run 76 294  | ||
| spose
Junior Username: spose Post Number: 43 Registered: 5-2002 |
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| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 1965 Registered: 5-2002 |
Gary; what you would want to do is by-pass the preamp section of the AH-500, and looking at the manual for the AH-500 it appears that the effects loops are post-EQ and that it should work. My guess is that you would set the Effects Loop Mode Switch to Series and that you would run the output of the F-1X or F-2B into either of the Return jacks on the AH-500. For Mono you would use one of the Right jacks. If you go with an F-1X and an SF-2, you can run the SF-2 in the effects loop of the F-1X. If you go with an F-2B and an SF-2, you can run from the F-2B to the SF-2 and then from there to the effects return of the AH-500. I've noticed that there a number of fellow members who run their Alembic preamps into the effects return or other post-EQ input of a stand alone amp. When I first acquired my F-1X, I ran it in similar fashion into my Eden WT-800. Essentially, the Bag End Elf system, or as it is now called, the Infra system, is similar to an active crossover, but not really. It is beyond my abilities to describe how it works, but the system is an Elf processor and one or more Elf subwoofers. The processor splits the full range signal from the preamp into two outputs, a subwoofer output and the remaining high pass output. Both outputs then go to power amp channels with the high pass signal going to whatever speakers you choose and the sub output going to the Elf subs. | ||
| sfnic
Member Username: sfnic Post Number: 88 Registered: 3-2005 |
Gary - Actually, the setup is dirt simple. The instruments go into whatever pedal effects I use (generally a chorus, phase shifter and/or overdrive). From there into their respective preamps. From the preamps, they go into a primitive line-level unity-gain mixer. Any line level devices (delay, spectrum analyzer, secondary EQ, etc.), follow the mixer, which also provides DI outs to the PA guys. That stereo signal hits the crossover, which splits 3-ways for the power and speakers. Essentially, it's a small PA setup, with optimized front-ends for instruments. Since it's primarily a bass rig, it's LF-heavy, by intent. In fact, when set up the way I like it, the mid-range 12s are almost inaudible. (And, in fact, for smaller gigs I'd leave them out entirely and go two-way with 5s and 15s, leaving that nice midrange hole in the response. Gare - Yup. I hand-built them when I worked for Jimmy; they're serial numbers 14 and 15, off the initial pre-production manufacturing run. One of these days I really should upgrade them and swap out the RC4558s for LF353s, but I've been lazy. Realistically, I should be running them in an effects loop or post-mixer, but I like the way they sound as front-end preamps. John - Tube amps have _even-order_ harmonic distortion, and you're absolutely right about the resulting tone. Mac 3500s always sounded better when overdriven than their 2300 solid-state (odd-order harmonics) brethren did, but the old Dead system was generally run so far below overdrive that they were sonically identical. Btw., FETs also exhibit even-order harmonics. Gary (again) - If I had the money and was building a "bass only" setup from scratch today, I'd run an FX-1 with an SF-1 in the effects loop. From the Xover outs from the FX-1, it'd be straight into some decent lightweight power amps and the basic 3-way speaker rig I mentioned above (5s, 12s, 15s). If I was running a series bass into that, I _might_ add some EV T350 piezos (talk about "old school!") paralleled off the 5s for some extreme top-end bite. The upper Xover point would be around 4500-5k, so the top of the instrument's filters could hit the tweeter array cleanly, and let the T350s go all ultrasonic with the rolloff curve for the ultimate "click" on the string attack. (I play with a pick; finger-players and slappers may not find the T350s all that helpful.) For effects, I'd find a decent line-level DSP setup and patch it into the FX-1's loop, in front of the Superfilter. Then I'd try to design a wireless controller for the DSP box... Of course, with a Series bass, it'd be tempting to run it dead flat, straight into the crossover without any other shaping. Voice the speaker array to fit the instrument, then let the bass handle all supplemental shaping without any intermediate processing. Certainly, the Series electronics can drive a crossover's line-level input directly. That'd also be about the cheapest way to go, and would also ensure the least amount of signal path noise. With the pure Series tone as good as it is, why f*ck with it with intermediate tone processors? Or, strip _everything_ out of the way and go direct-drive. If you've got a decent 2 or 3-way cabinet (passive Xover or self-powered), just run the bass straight into the power amp inputs. You may need to crank the instrument's gain all the way up, but it'll put out well over 1 volt, which is enough to drive most power amps directly. nic (Message edited by sf-nic on June 29, 2005) | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 518 Registered: 6-2002 |
Nic - I like your ideas in amps for bass. This is my current rig: Alembic Series bass powered by a IN-2 power supply. Then the signal can go to the PA from there. From the IN-2 I go into an old Alembic F2 preamp. Then into one of those early PQ-3's like you have. The one I have by the way is one of the ones you wired way back when. I believe it's serial number is under 30 or so. I use the Furman to get some extra low end EQ. Then the signal goes into a QSC RMX 1450. From there into a Bag End 2X10 box with the tweeter and/or an EV 1-15 bin. Really sounds huge, but it a lot to move so mostly I just take the 2x10 and run the amp mono. I have kinda gone back to my early days with using this type of rig. Up until recently I used a GK-400 with my Bag End box. Small and portable, but no versatility. Michael | ||
| sfnic
Member Username: sfnic Post Number: 89 Registered: 3-2005 |
I've taken a bit of a liking to the QSC RMX-series stuff. Relatively lightweight and damned near bulletproof. Yup, I definitely wired up #30. The first 200 or so were all mine. Jimmy did the circuit and the pCB layout; I tracked down the vendor (Sigma Circuits), bought all the parts and built the things while Jim was designing the original TX-2. I forget who actually constructed the chassis; Jim did the layout and mechanicals. And he's responsible for those little red knobs. | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 39 Registered: 6-2005 |
graeme, I know what you mean about the eighties sound. I have not found a amp I like better as of yet. I thought Trace made all my basses sound better and more modern, then I bought an Alembic. I'm still learning how to fly her but I have yet to get the pure Alembic sound through the Trace unscathed. There are many great ideas coming my way from the troops, which I am going to try. spose, great looking set up and I love the colorful diagram. It makes it so much easier to see what you have done and has given me some fun ideas to try, thanks! Dave, great tip on F-2B and AH500 set up. I'm going to start scrounging around for a F-2B and SF-2. Hi nic, I like both suggestions, high tech and natural. I can get carried away with technology and forget to just let the bass do the heavy lifting. Great ideas gentlemen, this is wonderful to have the benefit of all your experience, thank you! | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 755 Registered: 11-2003 |
John, thanks for the power amp insight. It's something I've been wondering about not having any experience there. Thanks for sharing your thread Gary. I've really enjoyed the knowledge laid out here. Sam | ||
| dnburgess
Senior Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 425 Registered: 1-2003 |
Nic - do you mean QSC PLX? I thought the RMX units were quite heavy. | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 40 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hey Sam, forgetaboutit, none of the light released on this thread came from me. I used to think I knew a thing or two until these guys stood up. It's worth the price of an Alembic just to be a passenger on this site. Stay Low, Gary | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 418 Registered: 10-2003 |
Gary, I am an total agreement about the experience of being a passenger on this site. I love reading everybody's stuff and hope one day to meet each of you, perhaps at The Mothership. I love this site. Dave Houck ought to compile a Gearhead's Guide to Music from these pages, that is, if he hasn't already done so... ;) John | ||
| dadabass2001
Advanced Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 400 Registered: 6-2002 |
David & Nic I just purchased a PLX 1602 to replace my RMX 1450 in my giging rack (I've still got both). Per QSC documentation, the RMX 1450 is 400 w/channel @ .1% THD and weighs 40 lbs (18.2kg). The PLX 1602 is 500 w/channel @ .05% THD and weighs 21 lbs (9.5 kg) Apparently all of the PLX line is the same weight. Mike | ||
| cosmic
New Username: cosmic Post Number: 2 Registered: 5-2005 |
Hey spose -- I like the Stealie on your Furman! :-) | ||
| sfnic
Member Username: sfnic Post Number: 94 Registered: 3-2005 |
Uhhh, yeah. PLX. That's what I meant. (Actually, I _did_ mean RLX, as they were the first QSCs I came across after far too long away from live sound. They were still lighter than their equivalent Crown DC-whatevers, which was why I fell in like with Quilter in the first place, back about 1980. Since the PLXs are lighter still, I suspect I'll like them even more, once I get around to trying one out.) Though I must confess to being curious about all this inexpensive Behringer gear I'm seeing all over the place... | ||
| mpisanek
Junior Username: mpisanek Post Number: 17 Registered: 1-2005 |
Just to throw my 2 cents in here. My bias is that I love gear! But at the same time I am a sound fanatic as well! This has led me to have many a tussle with myself over whether to buy something new or to keep what I have. In my head I am looking for that perfect sound. I know what it is, but I can't find anything to produce it. The whole thing about power amps is a strange one. Power amps definitely colour sound. I believe that you will be able to get good quality gear from almost any manufacturer, but at the end of the day the sound you put out must please yourself and the audience. When your sound is run through a PA rig you pass control of your sound to the audience into the hands of a sound engineer. In a smaller venue you might get away with the sound of your rig, in which case you are in control of it. Hopefully you can make it pleasing to both yourself and the audience. Sound, and whether you happen to like it or not, is mostly a matter of taste. Having said all of that I currently use QSC and I think they are great! The sound is clean. But If I were to look again at a power amp, I would consider the Crown K2. This amp also sounds great and has plenty of headroom and a bottom end to die for! The K2 has no fan either! However, if I did swap amps at the moment, I would have to make sure that the doghouse had running water and electricity in it! | ||
| alanbass1
Member Username: alanbass1 Post Number: 93 Registered: 4-2005 |
I have just purchased a Crown K2 and can vouch the sound is awesome, especially the low end slam. They are heavy so I would recommend a separate rack from the pre amp etc. | ||
| dannobasso
Advanced Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 267 Registered: 3-2004 |
I too went to QSC PLX amps, 16, 24, and 2 34's. I still have crest la and fa 901 and 1201 (anyone interested?) I use f1x and sf2 in the efx loop into either acme lowb 210 and 410 or epifani t310 and t115. I also have an ELF processor with 2 elf 18's (also anyone interested?) Most of the time when I play I use whatever cabs are at the venues. Last night I went into an svt 4ohm 8x10. Got a lot of compliments on the tone and one guy said "Alembic" right off the bat! I find the QSC PLX to be more or less transparent compared to crown and crest. I don't miss the weight. I'll be shopping endorsements soon and I don't know where I'll end up. I hope you find the rig of your dreams that is kind to your body as well as your ear. Danno ( patiently waiting on another Alembic going on 8 months gestation) | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 42 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hi Danno, you mentioned you used an Ampeg SVT/810. Did this include the 300 watt tube head? If so, what's your take on the Ampeg vs. the more modern high tech solid state amps, particularly when running a Series Alembic? Also what ya got cooking in the oven? When it's born, are you putting any hardware out to pasture? Stay Low, Gary | ||
| dannobasso
Advanced Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 268 Registered: 3-2004 |
I used my head with the cabinet. Though I went "hi-fi" I think that an SVT is a killer amp for many types of music. I have friends who have them from the way back machine and they still sound great. I've recorded with them and played somes shows where they were the backline. I play heavy, dark, rock. My job is to drive the big truck via the bass and sing extensive back up vocals. No Jamming, no spacing, no free form, no tripping. Just in your face for 45 minutes and leave sweaty and tired. On the second note, an Excel 5, black, led's, Doomtree inlay on neck, family crest inlay on the body, Distillate (Europa) guts w/ fatboys v, t, selector switch, bass and treble boost/middle/cut and q switch. For sale: crest amps ric 4003 jetglow Gibson t bird black Gibson Ripper w 3 way switch 2 Bag End 18's with ELF-M2 processor Trace elliot 210 (I'm replacing the horn) SWR Big Ben 18 w/ Carvin 4 ohm driver All the Alembics will stay in my care. I do not yet own a series instrument. Danno | ||
| j_gary
Junior Username: j_gary Post Number: 43 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hey Danno, sweaty and tired, I like it. I'm gonna try and get the boys to change the name of the band. That describes me after lifting all the dang equipment. Would you have any photos of your Doomtree inlay? Don't believe I've ever seen one. What shape is the Ric in and what do you have to get for her? Thanks for the equipment info. How did you pop the Trace horn? Stay Low, Gary | ||
| dannobasso
Advanced Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 269 Registered: 3-2004 |
Go to FTC Daniels next Excel for the inlay pic. Ric is in great shape with a black pickguard as well as the origional white. $800 w/case A jackazz was "using " my practice rig at our drummer's loft. When I plugged in, no horn. Another JA blew a poweramp had running the subs for the pa in the loft. Still waiting for it to be replaced. Hence the logic behind gun control. Danno |
