plugging in...whats ur setup

[patrick_dont_fret]

Originally posted by BenLoy:

The fewer items in your signal chain, the more true your tone will be. That's just physics.

 

Even "true bypasses" still have an effect on the sound as opposed to plugging straight in if you listen closely.

 

Sometimes I stomp on a Boss OC-2, it's bypass is okay...

Yeah, that's why I play my fretless effect free. Just sounds better. I tend to think my 5 sounds better plugged into effects, though. I dunno, but it just does...

[doc taz]

Originally posted by BenLoy:

The fewer items in your signal chain, the more true your tone will be. That's just physics.

 

Even "true bypasses" still have an effect on the sound as opposed to plugging straight in if you listen closely.

 

Sometimes I stomp on a Boss OC-2, it's bypass is okay...

True. If the bass used has a decent 9volt preamp, though, and you have good cabling, this shouldn't be too much of an issue. At least it isn't, in my case. I will concur with Mr. Gollihur that the BP200 does suck some tone, but in my case, that's with the gain and master levels set too low when using the amp models. I set the gain with the volume up, and bass pre eq set to middle. Then, I back off the gain when it breaks up a bit. After that, I reset the bass' active eq where I want it. That way, it stays clean no matter where I set the volume on the bass and the tone of the bass comes through clearly.

[Mike R.]

I used to plug straight in but now i'm, down the street make a left then go four blocks, and then i plug in. I like having effects but too much is not good. i change depending on the gig we do.

[Bob Gollihur]

I don't expect effects to be non-tone-sucking, I just like the native tone of my bass-to-Kern connection when they are not in use. I built this little box:

 

http://www.gollihur.com/kkbass//truebypass.jpg

 

that does a hardwire bypass when you stomp on it, taking the effects loop out of the loop. I can hear quite a bit of difference between it in/out when whatever effects box I have associated with it is also in "bypass". No doubt some pedals do not have as much impact on the signal as others.

 

I used Lord Valve's circuit diagram, which is nothing more than a switch, jacks, and a pair of resistors to avoid pop when switching.

[Bob Gollihur]

While I have another BP-200 owner or two, just a quick question-- how is the headphone volume on yours??

 

I bought mine to replace the the cheaper, but similar, Zoom plastic multieffects model, primarily for practice use, as I like to have a drum beat to make it less lonely. I figured the more robust metal BP-200 would be better if I decided to take it out, but I have been disappointed with the low headphone volume out, and I've used multiple headphones of the recommended impedance. The Zoom had a better drummer inside, too

 

Ever use the headphone jack?

[Max Valentino]

Hey that's a very cool true bypass box, Bob. I may need to get one of those!

 

I use various for setup for different gigs. Mainly, I perform as a solo bassist. In that capacity I use whatever is neccessary. In the past I have used an effects chain that would challenge Doug Wimbish in complexity! But, as of late I have been using fewer and fewer fx. This in part due to my playing Godin acoustic/electrics exclusively inn my solo shows. These basses, a fretted four strings and fretless five with a high C,coupled with TI Acousticore strings, offer so much dynamic response and tone variation that I have found myself producing fx digitally; that is thru my digits (fingers).

 

I do use looping devices extensively. My current setup uses a custom modified and upgraded Lexicon JamMan, and Line 6 DL4 loppers, Raven Labs APD1 Direct box, Raven Labs MDB1 mixer/DI, and TC Electronic M-One multi Fx processor. All the llops and FX and in sidechain aux loops and buffered by DIs (a L.R. Baggs ParaDI acts as my main input buffer with the DL4 in it's insert loop, and a Fishman Platinum EQ Bass is my output buffer...with an Avalon U5 acting as my main preamp).

 

In ensembles, I have found much joy in runnig my bass direct to the Avalon U5 to a Mackie power amp and on to an Epifani t112, or Bag End D10. Simple and direct and sounds great!

 

I still enjoy pedals...but usually just for studio stuff. I have an Andrenalinn, Line 6 Fm4, TC Stereo Chorus, Yamaha Ne-1, EBS Bass IQ, Fulltone BassDrive, EBS Octabass,DOD envelope filter (talk about loading effects!) Digitech Space Station and Whammy.

 

And, yes, anytime you plug into an electronic device there is a tonal compromise. Even units with true bypass will compromise your tone in some subtle way (often this is negligable and not noticable). Sometimes these "loading" effects are desirable (this is less true for us bassist than for our guitar slinging bretheren), as they attenuate some frequecnicies, acentuate others and in some way apply themselves the final tone. This is at least in part due to a slight(or sometimes large) impedence mis-match between the bass output and the fx input.

I have found that using DIs as buffers for effects lessens this...but Bob's lil magic box really intrigues me!

 

BTW...cables also add into the equation regarding "loading" (i.e. "tone suckiness") and cheaper cables really do compromise your sound. It may not be that big of a deal (really running a midline passive bass in an SVT or something is not an audiophile signal to start with...). But for high quality sound you need to use high quality parts. It is called a signal chain, and your overall tone is only as strong as the weakest link in that chain.

If you are using fx boxes, at least connect them with high quality cables (I hear George L's are great for making small patch cables). and invest in good cables throughout your system...instrument cables, speaker cables, patch cables...it all effects your tone as cables also have an impedence and are suspect to loading.

(btw, I have just started using Tara Cables for my basses, but use Monster StudioLink cables for the rack, preamp andspeaker cables....)

 

 

Max

[doc taz]

Originally posted by Bob Gollihur (bob@gollihur.com):

While I have another BP-200 owner or two, just a quick question-- how is the headphone volume on yours??

 

I bought mine to replace the the cheaper, but similar, Zoom plastic multieffects model, primarily for practice use, as I like to have a drum beat to make it less lonely. I figured the more robust metal BP-200 would be better if I decided to take it out, but I have been disappointed with the low headphone volume out, and I've used multiple headphones of the recommended impedance. The Zoom had a better drummer inside, too

 

Ever use the headphone jack?

I do use the headphone jack on th BP200. Sounds fine with a set of $35 Sonys I have around. You can't make it earthshakingly loud, but the output is fine for me. If you gotta crank it up more than the BP200's max output, then you've probably got some hearing problems. The distortions will definitely force you to turn the volume down, if you try to crank it up. Unless you don't give a S---, of course.