LewisK1975

Well the Behringer BDI21 certainly was a surprise! Did the trick regarding the top end definition beautifully! Would heartily recommend anyone wanting a Sansamp bass driver trying one of these first, they do an admirable job and you can pick em up for pennies! Having said that I am (by my own admission), a total brand snob when it comes to gear, so now I know that a preamp pedal will do the trick for me, I have invested in a sansamp para driver, should turn up this week!

If you set the 2 cabs to 8 ohms and connect them in parallel with normal speaker cable, that will present a load of 4 ohms to the amp, which will be fine. Didn't know the hydrive cabs had switchable impedance though, that really is useful!

[quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1435230691' post='2806702'] I've just seen a great review on a couple of Barefaced cabs by Dan Veall . Dan used several styles. & had the cabs mic'd up .Why don't other manufactures do this instead just relying on crap you tube clips done on someones phone or some guy just showing of & not demonstrating the range of sound ? [/quote] Amen brother! Proper reviews please!!

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1435322531' post='2807682'] Correct! Although you can do this in theory it's a bad idea in practice with non-identical cabs because they'll interact in strange ways due to their differing impedance curves - imagine getting a 12 band graphic EQ and pushing the sliders about randomly and hoping it'll sound good. That kind of bad idea! [/quote] Thanks Alex for chipping in with proper technical advice on this!

Most cabs which appear to ONLY have speakon connectors actually have the combi connectors, where the centre 'hole' of the speakon connector is where you'd stick a normal jack lead. You can tell which are combi connectors by the colour - the green ones are combi connectors. Hope this helps.

If you link an 8 ohm cab and a 4 ohm cab in parallel (the normal way) you'll get an impedance of 2.66666 ohms. That'll be ok for the DB750 as it can work down to 2 ohms. The TH500 only works with a min impedance of 4 ohms, so you couldn't use it with that mix of cabs.. You could get them to work together by linking the cabs with series cable which will add the impedance together and give you a 12 ohm impedance at the amp. But by doing this you'll find you need to turn the amp up further than normal to achieve your usual volume. Hope this helps.

Bass Direct have one in store to demo if anyone really wants to try one - or at least they did when I went there in May...

[quote name='bassmachine2112' timestamp='1434877548' post='2803439'] Oh come on my bewtocks are getting cramp sitting here wondering if a BDI21 has done the trick [/quote] Lol sorry fella, gig load-in and setup was a bit of a rushed affair on Saturday so didn't get chance to put the BDI21 in. Got 3 gigs this coming weekend though and it'll be in the pedal board ready to go..will report back!!

I've actually got one of those behringer bdi units. I'll give it a go!!

Thanks Lozz / Alex. Alex I know you were surprised when I told you I'd gone for the Puma after using an ABM for so long. Although that was more from a fundamental tone difference in the 2 rather than a difference in the EQ section. Out of interest, what Amp would you have recommended? I did actually consider just getting the new ABM evo iv but as you know I wanted to go lightweight..

Cheers Lozz - did you put the pedal in the FX loop or between the bass and amp?

Hi All - Recently got a Tecamp Puma 500 after my Ashdown ABM evoii developed an issue. Using it with my 2 Barefaced super compacts isn't quite hitting the mark like the ashdown used to.. The top end is lacking somewhat and I was thinking to put an EQ pedal into the effects loop of the amp to try and drag out some of the frequencies that are (to my ear) missing, as I used to boost a little on the 1.3khz and 2.4khz sliders on the ashdown. Those frequencies aren't there on the PUMA, Hi-mid is 800hz and then the Hi is 8khz. Thoughts?

[quote name='Sparky Mark' timestamp='1431570299' post='2772709'] Sounds like the pre amp valve is on the way out. Do you still get the crackling when you turn the pre amp to solid state only? If not then the valve needs replacing. Although pre valves last much much longer than output valves they can fail prematurely. [/quote] It's one of those annoying intermittent faults - have had it running for hours at home with an ipod playing through it with no issues - dont think I could trust it on a gig again now though...I've never engaged the valve drive for any length of time and certainly don't use it for gigging, don't like the sound of it..

Should also try the Roadworn P-Bass if you get a chance. MIM made but they have a really 'played in' feel to them right out the box. Nitro finish which looks amazing especially in the sunburst. One of the best P's I've had. I still favour my see-through blonde '78 over it but that's just coz I used it for such a long time!

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1431527127' post='2772252'] Looks great. Is the neck as much of a handful as it looks? [/quote] It's actually very comfortable (to my hand anyway), It's just setup so well that you don't really notice the width to be honest. [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1431547694' post='2772560'] [/quote] I take your point lojo - but to be honest Mark wasn't pushy at all - I'm not generally easily swayed anyway..

Cheers Machines, it really is a thing of beauty! Visually and Sonically!

So I went to Bass Direct yesterday looking for a new amp, wanted to try a LM3 and a Tecamp Puma. I'd seen this bass on the website but then them whilst demoing the amp (tecamp puma 500) using my own MIM Jazz, Mark suggested trying a different bass just to hear the difference it could make. He got it down from the wall and plugged me in. WOW. What a tone monster. All strings sounded even and the Low B, although a 34in scale, was nice and tight sounding too. We often get that feeling like the Low B doesn't have the same sound as the EADG strings, well no need to worry about that on this Bass. Plugged into a tecamp puma 500 running with flat eq and the 'taste' knob centered, and into my own Barefaced Super compact which I has taken with me, the sound was just SO good, nice and punchy in the low mids with just enough top end 'zing' right there with the bass and treble centered on the bass itself. So after a lot of self questioning, and subsequent talking to Mark and Marcus, we thrashed out a deal with me P/X'ing my Fender and taking the Bass and the Tecamp. Also got a gramma pad and a nice gator case for the Tecamp. In short I'm now very excited for the weekend to get the whole thing out and hear it at gig volume, I'm pretty sure it's gonna cut through the mix like a beast!

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1431348854' post='2770225'] Bass Gear in Twyford just outside Reading? [/quote] Thanks - Yes they've been on the radar too. Browsing the website I think Bass Direct might have a bit more stock on hand...

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1431347659' post='2770203'] Wherever you go I'd make an appointment so they have the time and space set aside for you. Bass Direct has to be the best shout really. [/quote] Thanks - I've already been in contact with them!

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1431347752' post='2770207'] PMT in Birmingham might be worth a look - its a massive store but PMT only seem to ever stock either Ashdown or TC Electronic amps. [/quote] Yeah I went to their Bristol store a few weeks back and all that was there was TC / Ashdown and and OTB500. Nice chaps tho.

As above I got a day off tomorrow and am going looking for a new amp. Looking for somewhere with a good selection of heads, and who'll let me try them using my own bass and cab (not an 8x10!, a barefaced supercompact). I'm in South Wales, willing to travel anywhere in between Birmingham and the south coast.. I know about Bass Direct in Warwick, definitely on the radar, anywhere else?? Cheers guys Lewis

Got it on test in the house now - running the ipod thru it and waiting for something to happen... Have heard a bit of noise on the pots, hopefully it's as simple as that... Bruce, I don't or never have used the valve drive...always disliked the sound of it! Largo - Its possible, could also be something in the pedal board I guess, although didn't have any issues when I switched to my backup amp for the second set on last night's gig...

Hey guys, Just wondering if anyone has experienced this? Started after about 3 songs into last nights set - Loud crackling somewhere in the pre-amp, know its in the pre-amp coz I could see the vu meter jumping when it was happening... Here's hoping its something simple!! Was thinking it could be the Valve / dodgy input socket / dirty pot ?? Amp was bought new in 2006, I am the only owner.. Cheers!!

+1 for the 2 super compacts + Ashdown ABM setup, exactly what I'm using. Was toying with getting a smaller head, but there really is no need. I've in fact convinced myself that if my evoii ever dies, I'll just get another ABM head. Like Merton says, the small overhang isn't too bad, plus having the top speaker higher up means you get that juicy sonic goodness right in your ears!

Currently using 2 gen3 super compacts with an Ashdown Evoii ABM head. Cant say enough good things about the cabs! Done 5/6 gigs with them now and they're breaking in really nicely. I keep telling other people - go on, lift them up! no-one can believe how light they are!