kelp Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 I play either synth bass or electric bass on a song-by-song basis in my current band. The synth bass comes from a Nord Lead A1. My head is a Quilter Bass Block 800. The electric bass goes into the instrument input and the Nord goes into the line input. If I run the Nord"s output around 75% (with patch volumes at max), the electric bass matches volume around '3" on the instrument gain knob. I then set the master volume of the Quilter for overall volume. I sometimes feel like I"m running out of volume. It"d be easy enough to boost the electric bass, but that throws off the balance between the two instruments. Any recommendations for boosting the Nord"s output? The manual says it"s unbalanced, line level (no other specs). A pedal is preferred. Perhaps the MXR Micro Amp? It"s input impedance is 1M; output impedance is 470. The Quilter"s line input impedance is 10k. Thanks. Quote Roland Fantom 06; Yamaha P-125; QSC K10; Cubase 13 Pro; Windows 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 It is possible that the two inputs on the bass amp are passively coupled and is loading down the output of the Nord with both inputs being used. Is there an improvement if you remove the bass guitar from the amp while playing synth bass? An A/B pedal may be a solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelp Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 The inputs are not coupled. The line input goes directly to the power section. This setup technique is listed in the Bass Block manual (and recommended by Pat Quilter himself). Quote Roland Fantom 06; Yamaha P-125; QSC K10; Cubase 13 Pro; Windows 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Beaumont Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 I think the mxr micro amp expects an instrument level input. For boosting the Nord I would suggest a small mixer. Yamaha makes the MG-06 its small and works well I have one. It can handle both line & instrument level inputs. Quote Boards: Kurzweil SP-6, Roland FA-08, VR-09, DeepMind 12 Modules: Korg Radias, Roland D-05, Bk7-m & Sonic Cell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelp Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 I do have a little Mackie mixer but am trying to go with something more compact. That Yamaha looks cool - thanks for the tip. I'm now wondering if the Nord's output is -10 and if a +4 level shift pedal would help... Quote Roland Fantom 06; Yamaha P-125; QSC K10; Cubase 13 Pro; Windows 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaware Dave Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 can't get much more compact than this. I own one, size of a cigarette pack. You could permanently velcro it to your bass head somewhere, weighs 1 pound. link Quote 57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn Delaware Dave Exit93band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldwin Funster Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Electro-harmonix tube blackfinger. Makes it louder and BIGGER. Quote FunMachine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 The old EHX LPB is fairly transparent. A MXR micro amp might work also. A little bit can go a long way. Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJUSCULE Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Yeah I wouldn't discount the Micro Amp or similar. The Rolls mixer is also a nice choice. Quote Eric Website Gear page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelp Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 Thanks everyone. I'm digging into all suggestions. MXR said the Micro Amp would color the tone. I assume due to the 1M input impedance? They suggested the CAE Boost/Line driver for cleaner boost (only a little more expensive). The advice that a little can go a long way strikes me as practical. Quote Roland Fantom 06; Yamaha P-125; QSC K10; Cubase 13 Pro; Windows 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 FWIW. I usually boost stuff at the Keyboard sub mixer. Rolls or Key Largo or Ashley etc.... carrying a mixer is overkill if you don"t need it so you should buy more synthesizers. ð Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldwin Funster Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Some guitar pedals, in fact most boosters are already maxed out at 0db or +4db line level. If you try to boost a line signal you could get a very unpleasant distortion. A pedal like the lounsberry tall and fat would be better. Did I mention i have.... uh. Quote FunMachine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdAct Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 I also use a Rolls small mixer, which boosts my Nord Electro 5D to a reasonable level. Very happy with this setup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Hughes Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 What about an AB switch? The Boss LS-2 lets you set levels for each input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KuruPrionz Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 What about an AB switch? The Boss LS-2 lets you set levels for each input. Does not appear to offer amplification. Specs show the nominal input and output levels are both -20db which would indicate that there is no gain. Cool widget but probably not the correct tool. Quote It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Hughes Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 True, but the OP could possibly get the amp level for the keyboard and then lower the bass input on the LS-2 to match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowMan Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 can't get much more compact than this. I own one, size of a cigarette pack. You could permanently velcro it to your bass head somewhere, weighs 1 pound. link +1 on the Rolls. I've been using one for years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnector Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 My XK1 clone wheel has a rather low output compared to anything else I have. I run it through an Organ Grinder / Ventilator combo. I wanted some extra gain out of the Hammond so I'm using a SansAmp Programmable Bass DI pedal up front that I had laying around. It's got three patches available which gives me different gain/EQ options. (It also has adjustable drive, but that just creates flabby mush, so I don't use that at all.) Anyway, it works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Mike Metlay Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Go get the Tall Fat & Wide pedal from Lounsberry. It does exactly what you want and no more, does not screw with your sound unless you want it to, it"s compact and easy to set and forget, and it sounds incredible. I have one and I use it whenever I have to haul out an old digital synthesizer with wimpy output. Quote Dr. Mike Metlay (PhD in nuclear physics, golly gosh) Musician, Author, Editor, Educator, Impresario, Online Radio Guy, Cut-Rate Polymath, and Kindly Pedant Editor-in-Chief, Bjooks ~ Author of SYNTH GEMS 1 clicky!: more about me ~ my radio station (and my fam) ~ my local tribe ~ my day job ~ my book ~ my music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Go get the Tall Fat & Wide pedal from Lounsberry. It does exactly what you want and no more, does not screw with your sound unless you want it to, it"s compact and easy to set and forget, and it sounds incredible. I have one and I use it whenever I have to haul out an old digital synthesizer with wimpy output. Caveat: Don't run this pedal, and possibly others, in an FX loop on a mixer. It inverts the signal. I tried to use it as a booster and it actually subtracted level because it was out of phase. Run it inline with the instrument and the phase won't matter. Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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