Will this blow my JBL 305 recording monitors ?

[Bartholomew]

For rehearsals or even recording:

 

If I route my bass player through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 PC input into a pair of JBL 305 monitors - will it blow the speakers assuming the bass volume is room-level reasonable ?

 

Using a guitar speaker for bass will blow the speaker (been there) but the JBL 305 is meant to handle all frequencies - will it handle raw bass ?

 

Why wouldn't it ? I can record bass direct and play it back through the same speakers so seems to me there isn't any difference.

[desertbluesman]

I think if you use compression between the bass and the Focusrite, and perhaps after the Focusrite, and use reasonable levels it may be OK. Personally I would do so with my rig but with a good amount of compression before and after the interface and the speakers.

[Larryz]

I have a bass amp with an XLR out with a line level control for going to a PA or recorder while using the amp at the venue. I like keeping the bass out of the PA unless you're doing a live recording to keep from muddying up the vocals (same with drums) at small venues. I did have to lower the volume levels on the PA once when a bass player started adjusting his volume level up too high. I could always unplug him from the PA. Keeping the volume levels down to reasonable is a great idea. But I think I would put some circuitry like my amp has between your "raw" bass and your monitor speakers. Bass speakers are drivers and move differently compared to regular speakers so while frequencies can be handled, the movement may cause a problem when going direct. I'll bet Scott will chime in and give you a better technical answer...

[desertbluesman]

Yep +1 on Larryz's comments, he knows more about this than I do.

[Scott Fraser]

I think if you use compression between the bass and the Focusrite, and perhaps after the Focusrite, and use reasonable levels it may be OK. Personally I would do so with my rig but with a good amount of compression before and after the interface and the speakers.

 

I'd be careful doing this. Compression can help to avoid damaging peaks, but it will also increase the overall density of the bass part, meaning more actual bass energy being carried in what are very small woofers. Instead of compression, I'd say strap a limiter across that track, set to only clamp down on peaks, & with only about 4 to 6 dB of gain reduction.

[Scott Fraser]

For rehearsals or even recording:

If I route my bass player through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 PC input into a pair of JBL 305 monitors - will it blow the speakers assuming the bass volume is room-level reasonable ?

Using a guitar speaker for bass will blow the speaker (been there) but the JBL 305 is meant to handle all frequencies - will it handle raw bass ?

Why wouldn't it ? I can record bass direct and play it back through the same speakers so seems to me there isn't any difference.

 

If you're intending these speakers to provide band-level monitoring for everybody, I wouldn't, unless it's in a pretty small room, like a bedroom studio control room. I have recorded plenty of basses in my control room with the bassist only monitoring on the control room speakers, but they were larger than JBL 305's & I felt the level which made the bass player comfortable was making me uncomfortable as the owner of those speakers. I'd augment the bass with a small bass amp for him to be happy & your JBLs to be happy.

[desertbluesman]

I'd say strap a limiter across that track, set to only clamp down on peaks, & with only about 4 to 6 dB of gain reduction.

I'd augment the bass with a small bass amp for him to be happy & your JBLs to be happy.

 

I'd say that is good advice.

[Bartholomew]

Thanx guys...