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Read My Amps Tea Leaves! What Does Your EQ Say?


Billy Apple
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I've never fussed with Eq much in the past. Always had the knobs at 12 o'clock. But, I sat down with my SVT last week and spent some time with it. I was surprised to find myself going through the graphic, it just gives more presence and welly. I was also surprised to see how much bass I added and mid taken away.

I've heard of people Eq'ing for the cab and the room, well this is for the cab. I don't have the time or luxury to be fiddling with the knobs while setting up. But when we played at Sub 89 last week all I had to do was turn it up and it sounded pretty f'ing good. The sound guys DI'd post Eq and there was minimal messing with anything, I think they just turned it up too.

The one thing I thought was lacking was a bit of bite, but I don't know if that is down to my cab being a 115. A cab with a tweeter perhaps?

Any-hoo, here's my knobs, and I'm wondering if any Eq guru's can tell me what they say, and offer any advice?

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/x42aF9S.jpg[/IMG]

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I'm no expert at all but the 'traditional' smiley EQ isn't that well regarded - many bassists seem to advocate a slight 'frowny' EQ if anything, so slight cut of bass and treble and a slight mid hump... however, with the graphic EQ level control set at 0dB the amount of tonal shaping from that might not have much impact (I don't know SVT gear). As it is you've also got a lot of bass (close to 10) and cutting a lot of midrange on the simple tone stack which again I've read/heard that if anything slight bass cut and mid boost BUT it's down to what you like and what works for you...

The one thing you might experiment with is boost the gain and reduce the master volume (though again you're using a lot of drive so gain + drive might have you close to lighting the peak LED already).

Edited by HowieBass
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Now I'm feeling full of internet un-cool :(

All I can say is that when I push the mids I feel it gets 'boxy' and I'm not that keen. Gain was set just to clip when I hammered the strings, but the added drive increased the presence. The TV Jones Thunderblade pup has massive output, I've ended up screwing it right down on the bass side. I was aiming for a clean sound with hot-bottles on the power side.

Even though the db level on the graphic is at zero, it has a marked boost from the tone stack.

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Well as already said if you like the bass and treble boosted and lots of mid scoop and you can hear yourself well and others like your sound then stick with it - it just seems to be received knowledge that where a bass cuts through and sits well in a mix is all with the mids (but clearly that's a generalisation and maybe wouldn't be right for a dub or reggae vibe). I don't know what constitutes 'flat' on your amp but since you now have a photo to refer back to you can play around to your heart's content.

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[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1397832584' post='2427782']
...when I push the mids I feel it gets 'boxy' and I'm not that keen.
[/quote]

A boxy middly bass-light tone doesn't sound ideal on paper, but it can work really well live. [size=4]YMMV, of course. :)[/size]

Edited by discreet
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Regarding a cab with a tweeter... yes, this might be where you're lacking some bite. I replaced a separate head and 2x12 cab (old gear from the late 70s) with a Genz Benz Contour 500 combo sporting a 2x10 plus tweeter driver arrangement and the tonal palette has improved enormously for me.

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1397835475' post='2427803']
A boxy middly bass-light tone doesn't sound ideal on paper, but it can work really well live. [size=4]YMMV, of course. :)[/size]
[/quote]

Plus the one.

A smiley EQ can sound great when you're playing on your own, but mids will get you heard live.

Edited by ahpook
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Don't forget that our perception of hearing over the whole frequency spectrum is greatly affected by the volume level. The famous (or notorious..?) 'Loudness' button on hifi amps would boost the lows and highs, so that, at low listening levels, the lack of physiological response of our ears would be compensated. To be removed if one listened at a louder volume; did everyone do that..? I think not.
In short, when playing louder, you'll need to reduce the frequency extremes. To set up a 'sound', you'll need to be in 'band' conditions, not alone at home or in the practice room.
Hope this helps.

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[quote name='Wil' timestamp='1397835535' post='2427805']
Entirely depends on the sound of the band as a whole, no reason a smily EQ can't work in the right setting. If it sounds good it is good, so make sure you EQ with your ears and not with your eyes.
[/quote]

This. The "right" sound is the one that fits with the band. Something I`ve had to really work on in my latest band, being an old-strings/old-school bassist, but requiring new-strings/twangy-sounds for what I`m currently doing. My old sounds wouldn`t (didn`t) have worked at all.

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[quote name='Bassaddict85' timestamp='1397835709' post='2427807']
How's the SVT working out for you mate?
[/quote]

I'm still trying to find my sound. I started out with a 610HLF, but found the cab very un-musical and moved it on (I'm thinking I should've taken a punt on your 810). I'm running it through a 115 neo and it has a decent kick.

Fiddling with the Eq as we speak!

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For years I was using a smiley face eq. Now I favour the low mid boost in a slight frown on my 12 band. It can sound boxy but works a treat in a band setting. Make your final choice st a gig venue, not at home and with the whole band.

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[quote name='mep' timestamp='1398104146' post='2430530']
For years I was using a smiley face eq. Now I favour the low mid boost in a slight frown on my 12 band. It can sound boxy but works a treat in a band setting. Make your final choice st a gig venue, not at home and with the whole band.
[/quote]

It's difficult to get the time to Eq as a support band. The pubs we've played in we have a small PA and a band friend (not a sound guy) who pushes the faders. He spends a bit of time with the singer who's acoustic also goes thru the PA. For the rest of us it seems to be about getting the volume blend right and not necessarily about tone.

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Here's the mix I've been working on today. The graphic is not a done deal, but this is the first time I've got the head sounding better thru the tone stack. Got quite into it, getting my groove on..

I'm going to carry this to rehearsal and see how it goes..

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/kZ3s0Kl.jpg[/IMG]

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[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1398104817' post='2430540']
I'm going to carry this to rehearsal and see how it goes...
[/quote]

That looks like it'll work well in the mix. No way of really knowing until you suck it and see, though (ew).
Let us know what happens. *Agog* :o

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1398197392' post='2431606']
That looks like it'll work well in the mix. No way of really knowing until you suck it and see, though (ew).
Let us know what happens. *Agog* :o
[/quote]

I've just heard from the Singist and we don't have a gig until the 3rd May, so we'll see how it goes in rehearsal.

But rest assured, soon enough I'll be showing you all pictures of my knobs.

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[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1398197894' post='2431617']
...rest assured, soon enough I'll be showing you all pictures of my knobs.
[/quote]

I think a picture of just [i]one [/i]of your knobs would be about all I could stand... :blink:
Maybe post them one at a time? He heu he.

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Don't see the point of going with a sound through your rig you don't like ...or even more bizarrely, you can't play with
and boxy middly sounds are the worst as they really need you to be very clean to sound ok....if that.
Also, you put up with this sound so the mix benefits, but the bass sounds less than good solo'd...so for the 3 piece
band, when the gtr goes off on one, you are left with a boxy bass sound being exposed up against the drums.
It really shouldn't be beyond anyone to get the bass underpinning the band with a full sound, sitting on top of the kick
but below everything else..and the gtr on top of that. But then again, if the Gtr doubles the bass line and you can't hear the bass
then it isn't the bass sound that is your problem.
Bands with keys get decent band mixes so 3 pieces must be a doddle. The problem is saturating a frequency not the sound itself
and if you forced yourself thru a wall of sound, all you have done is won that particular fight... no garauntee it actually sounds good
at all.

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Dont sweat dude if you like it and everyone says it sounds good do it, you need to factor in what colouration your cab is having on your sound as well, I use a 2x12 and a 610 both have plenty of low. Both boxes contain celestion green labels 12 and 10s respectively, they are very punchy speakers but lack a bit of low mid and also bite around 1-2khz so I add around those regions. This makes a very punchy solid tone and the speakers are very quick which I love. Maybe actually you are just evening things out, by Qing up like this you are taking some of the low mids, or boxiness out, that I find some 15s have. Simliey face Eq isnt new it mimics the Q profile of a Fender Dual Showman, tone stack. Playing bass through one of them is tonal heaven. This is basically what a Alembic FX1 rack mount is and what trace elliot where trying to sound like with transistors back in the day. The q will cut through nicely with a bit of horsepower and with a bit of warmth (drive) in the preamp. Not a problem with this type of Ampeg, they dont tread lightly and a preamp isnt hifi clean. They are great enjoy! but if you tried your head with a sealed ampeg cab, it would sound the b@@@@ks

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[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1398104817' post='2430540']
Here's the mix I've been working on today. The graphic is not a done deal, but this is the first time I've got the head sounding better thru the tone stack. Got quite into it, getting my groove on..

I'm going to carry this to rehearsal and see how it goes..


[/quote]

This is the type of EQ i do on my Trace Elliot GP11. The mid works great in live band situation. The smiley face EQ work great if i play slap bass.

Edited by badboy1984
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