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german salvatierra (german)
New
Username: german

Post Number: 5
Registered: 11-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - 5:35 am:   Edit Post

i´m having problems with the batteries of my series 1 bass,¿it´s normal that the batteries last for only 1 month? please answer me because it´s a problem when you are playing and the bass start making big distortion in the midle of a concert
Paul Lindemans (palembic)
Member
Username: palembic

Post Number: 99
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - 5:57 am:   Edit Post

Buenas dias German,

(don't bother it's the only Spanish I speak).
In my opinion it's not normal. Do your Alembic has side or other leds (very consuming)?
Do you keep the guitar always plugged in (it drains the battery)?
Do you play 8 hours a day 7 days a week?
I use always the 5-pin cable and the DS5 power-supply box that came with the guitar. Do you have one of these?
I must say I really never checked how long my SII goes with the two batteries.
Maybe you have to check the circuitry? Or let someone do it.
I'm sure other club members -who regularly play with batteries- can give input because I'm curious myself.
Hasta la vista!

Ooops spanish again!
Take care!

Paul
Joey Wilson (bigredbass)
Junior
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 14
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - 7:23 am:   Edit Post

While we're talking batteries . . . Mica, is it OK to use the LITHIUM 9v batteries in Alembics?
I know they are NOT recommended in some other consumer electronics (older cameras, for instance). They last a lot longer (which offsets the higher cost), but I don't want to damage my circuits.
David Fung (dfung60)
New
Username: dfung60

Post Number: 4
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 5:06 pm:   Edit Post

In the past, I would occasionally use my Series II on batteries when using a wireless transmitter. My personal experience is that you'll experience very short battery life - I think I typically only got about 20-30 operational hours per set, so it's radically less than the 1000 hour sort of performance of EMGs or Bartolinis. Hey, that's the breaks! There's a lot more electronics in a Series bass and it's optimized for sound and performance with phantom power, not to be battery friendly!

A stock Alembic won't light the LEDs unless you're running off the power supply, but you do want to unplug from the 1/4" jack when you're not using it as that will switch off the battery power.

There must be a huge difference here between the Series operation off batteries and the other models, as I've never heard anybody complain about battery life with Distillates, Orions, Europas, Rogues, etc.

David Fung
Mica Wickersham (mica)
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 396
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Monday, November 18, 2002 - 12:04 pm:   Edit Post

David is right about the short battery life on Series I and II basses (and guitars). We expect to get about 40 hours out of the 2 9V in these models. Why? We simply do not care about power drain. The minute you start caring about that, you have to sacrifice something in noise/disotrtion/fidelity.

With the other models, you'll only have to change the battery once or twice a year. They aren't as quiet as a Series I/II, but they are still very low noise.

In all cases, inserting a cable in the 1/4" output jack starts the battery drain clock a'ticking. Even on a Series I or II, the first position of the pickup selector is "standby" not "off" -- it's just lik eturning the volume control down. As long as you are plugged in, you are draining the batteries.

I'll have to ask my dad about the lithium batteries, Joey.

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