Woodinblack

Several things. Obviously the features that really matter are: Its stereo. Yes, I keep banging on about that but if you have used stereo IEMs, you wouldn't want to go back to mono. Sound quality is better - no noise, no hiss, sound seems fuller, but maybe that is the stereo, although note that on my main band I haven't really explored the stereo too much, other than having the guitarist on one side, keys on the other, singer on the side of the keys, other backing singer on the other side (mostly - vocals are more centred). In general I get more clarity of sound through this than the U4, when using with the same IEMs. Mechanical. Its one self contained box which contains everything. Yes, I know, you can get a box for the XVive (I have one, although it was an extra), but this is how it comes. Its also cheaper. Connectivity - no contest here. I know, it may not matter to some because you are normally going to connect it one way, but I have two bands and I connect it different ways with both, one with a TRS and one with the 1/8th". The XLR is stereo, and also TRS in the centre, then there is a mono TS (probably less useful as you could presumably use the stereo TRS with a TS), and an 1/8th inch stereo jack which can come from an line aux source or a headphone socket. There is also a USB-C rather than stupid USB-micro socket, and it is one USB-C lead not having to remember where you have put your USB to dual USB-Micro lead. The transmitter charges the receiver. Then when you open it, there is the receiver, sitting in the case, charging. The case is also the transmitter. Handy mono / level switches and a max volume knob so you can set up the type of input nicely - hmm.. a bit susceptible to fingerprints, but I didn't actually notice that. Then you lift the transmitter up, press and hold its screen, and it gives you a mute switch (double press) or a volume (even if it takes a while) on a big metal spinny knob that isn't going to be knocked by your strap like almost every single gig with the U4 halfway through the gig, and if it did, you wouldn't be having to dive for it trying to remember which one is the volume because its the huge knob on the front! Its also very solid and metal and it has nothing fiddly on it at all, unlike those terrible buttons on the front of the U4. There is a pretty solid clamp on the back, and also a USB-C socket - I assume if you wanted to charge two receivers for one transmitter. It also shows the level coming through the IEM, so you can see if it is actually working without listening to it. I loved the U4 when I got it, even though I had to move everything else way from 2.4GHz as it splatted all across the X18s connection, but this is just another step for me, even if the sound wasn't better (and it is), and it wasn't for the stereo thing, it is just a nicer device to use, it feels more sturdy. the big caveat in all of this is that I have had it just over a week, I have used it in one practice and one gig, so who knows how it will get on in future. I had stopped using my U4s, in place of the MS-1s, as the stereo was compelling, but the MS-1s were just so cheaply built and the power switch was more than a little flakey, and the quality wasn't all that great but I still carried around the U4s charged and ready, as frankly I didn't trust the MS-1s, but I think I can probably stop doing that now with these. But maybe after a couple more gigs.

Yes to both, absolutely a step up (I still have the XVive U4, but haven't used it for a long time).

There is a really clever trick you can try in these circumstances that not many people are aware of. You can: a) use 'Words' to express that you think they are silly, and why or b) scroll on by, roll your eyes manually and go to some other, more interesting and less silly posts that deserve your attention more

Agreed, in lots of ways.

They weren't at the time I did mine.

There is a lot more focus on the education when you are paying for it yourself thats for sure!

My dad was against us going to university, not to the point of forbidding us to go, but just that we should be out working, so we both went out to work at 16.I went to the Open University later on

I had ordered one too (not entirely sure why, but thought it would be good as a drop D thing for a new group), but it was shown as out of stock, to be sent on the 2nd January, but now it has been delayed by 3 weeks. I am not actually that bothered, quite happy to wait if it does turn up!

OK, I got the WX52- and I have been pretty impressed with it, tried it tonight in a practice, really good sound quality and a solid build.

I have a fender one and it has been good, which is a surprise as every other fender cable I have had has been junk. Maybe it was a lucky accident.

Yes, but in a passive system, changing the volume does actually change the EQ, not just the perception of it.

Not low-z like the EMGs are though. obviously the main issue with those isn't noise, the main issue is that they would just be completely useless without a preamp / buffer, so why bother having an external preamp.

Agreed there is nothing, but what it does mean is that you can make very low impedance pickups (with a very low output), which means that you aren't choking your own frequencies with the pickup, which is what EMGs do. They are active because not only would the noise be an issue, even with 6" of shielded cable, but there would be no point using them without a preamp as the signal would be too small, so might as well put one there. Agreed - active has nothing to do with tone circuits, its just that if you have gone to the trouble of making it active, might as well make a tone circuit. Most of my basses are active, I rarely touch the EQ on the bass. In fact, nowadays that I play on a wireless all the time, there is little point me using an active, as I am already buffered by the wireless, hence most of the time I am using my Ric.

Interestingly, one of those is wired permanently on, one is added by the tone control

They only seem to sell roland items, and their vat number is real, so probably real, even if it is a private house. Maybe they just get demo stuff

So why bother next year? Why don't you just slope off to the keyboard players NYE family!

£69? He was done!

I was and find it anything but!

I am not sure if I am following your problem here - you had this preamp working on a jazz bass, and now you want it on a P bass? Do you have a picture of the label on the preamp or an indication of what make it is (like from when you bought it) - the blend doesn't work but obviously some preamps (most?) the blend is before the preamp - the rest of it would be exactly the same as how it was originally installed. You say you want switches - for what?

Is it? Its where I would put it. Probably more a mod issue, they tend to do these things and know better than me!

I bought a piano years ago, smelled very smokey, cleaned it, still smelled, and for years you could hit some random key and get a whiff of smoke!

I am sure they did - anything they could sell!

Not in a standard musicmaster - one tone, one volume, one tone cap, one pickup, one socket, and thats the lot - built the cheapest it could be.

If they are pure tube outputs with a 8Ω and 4Ω output, and it is ok on one but not the other, then the only thing that can be wrong is the transformer or the socket for the 4Ω connector as there is nothing else, unless there is a problem with the speaker, or the loading is wrong (ie, not a 4Ω speaker), but I assume you tried that with the other one.

Yeh, my first bass I got when I was 15 so 45 years too. Definitely going to learn it one day!