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Warwick head and Laney cab seem quiet


SwordRaven
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I recently sold my ashdown combo (electric blue 12-150) and bought a warwick profet 3.2 bass head from a chappy on here.

I'd been after one for a while because it was within my studenty budget and also had a little more power to give (300W instead of 150W)

Now I was under the impression that at 8 ohms, I would be getting something like 180W out of the amp into my cabinet (the electric blue was used without its internal speaker to run the cab at a few gigs and seemed fine)

The cabinet is a Laney 1x15 250W 8ohm job, I don't think it's one of the richter ones but perhaps it's from the series that richter replaced.

So... we have our first gig since getting the new amp and I have to say that it didn't seem as bassy and epic as it had done with the ashdown amp.

Very confusing, and what makes it worse is that the right-hand volume knob is cranked up to max and the input is quite high (to the point of clipping if I dig in too hard)

Not sure what's the problem exactly, if I let the preamp clip then the volume is much, much higher - I can drown out the guitars nicely haha, but if I have the preamp 'volume' set so it doesn't clip then the right hand 'volume' knob has to be at full and then I'm lagging slightly behind- playing a fair bit of low B I shouldn't be having that hard a time to cut through should I?

I'm considering having a go at either:

1) replacing the speaker in the cabinet to a 4 ohm 15" driver so I can run the full power of the amp and see if that makes it a bit easier (although then I can't put and 10s or 12s in if I want to)
2) trying to build a BFM omni15 tallboy which look absolutely amazing and would give me full-range again (but I have no woodworking skills and no monies!)

I hope this makes sense, I'm experiencing delirium from this cold I have. :)

Edited by SwordRaven
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Hi Mr SwordRaven. I've got the same head driving a Hartke 2.5XL (2X10). I've found a similar issue, but after a bit of reading on the Warwick forum, have started setting my input gain higher, to the point that is flashes red when playing (quite hard). This doesn't give any audible clipping, so I'm assuming the designers have just set the sensitivity too high on the LED indicator. So I would suggest just setting the input gain so you can't HEAR any distortion and pretty much ignore the LED.

Pete.

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[quote name='tempo' post='147905' date='Feb 27 2008, 03:44 PM']Hi Mr SwordRaven. I've got the same head driving a Hartke 2.5XL (2X10). I've found a similar issue, but after a bit of reading on the Warwick forum, have started setting my input gain higher, to the point that is flashes red when playing (quite hard). This doesn't give any audible clipping, so I'm assuming the designers have just set the sensitivity too high on the LED indicator. So I would suggest just setting the input gain so you can't HEAR any distortion and pretty much ignore the LED.

Pete.[/quote]


Nice one, I don't think that the meter even worked on the Ashdown so I used to do precisely that :)

I'll try that out.

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[quote name='gafbass02' post='147958' date='Feb 27 2008, 05:05 PM']I also found the Profet VERY quiet for the rating, although nice sounding i believe the volume pot keeps adding all the way round rather than topping out at 12 o clockish, but not 100 percent sure[/quote]

Yeah I just thought it was funny, I hear people all the time say "oh you never need to put it up above 2 on the volume knob" but I have never encountered that before in my life... even with equivalent or higher rated gear I always seem to be running out of power... :/

Maybe I'm just paranoid about not being heard (I like my basslines!)

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[quote name='tempo' post='147905' date='Feb 27 2008, 03:44 PM']Hi Mr SwordRaven. I've got the same head driving a Hartke 2.5XL (2X10). I've found a similar issue, but after a bit of reading on the Warwick forum, have started setting my input gain higher, to the point that is flashes red when playing (quite hard). This doesn't give any audible clipping, so I'm assuming the designers have just set the sensitivity too high on the LED indicator. So I would suggest just setting the input gain so you can't HEAR any distortion and pretty much ignore the LED.

Pete.[/quote]

Funnily enough i've had this problem with my new MAG 600 and a Eden nemesis i was borrowing. on both amps the solution has been to set up so there is no audible clipping and the needle/light goes in to the red. (as stated by Ashdown)
I think it's that the Profet amps seem to be very input hungry!

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[quote name='Bassmouseman' post='148259' date='Feb 28 2008, 09:57 AM']Funnily enough i've had this problem with my new MAG 600 and a Eden nemesis i was borrowing. on both amps the solution has been to set up so there is no audible clipping and the needle/light goes in to the red. (as stated by Ashdown)
I think it's that the Profet amps seem to be very input hungry![/quote]

That sounds a fair assumption to me, I'm playing an active bass through the blighter as well (I wonder if maybe it needs a new battery? No crackling though so I assume not)

Oh, a bit of a tangent, but does anyone know what the 'contour control' knob does? In my experience it's a DFA pot.

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Glad this has worked out for ya. :) I'ts a great sounding amp, but people take warning lights too seriously!! haha.
Regarding the contour knob, its essentially a "slap bass" control, scoops out the mids whilst adding bass & treble, (instant smiley face on a graphic). A lot of amps have a similar feature (Trace pre-shape, Hartke contour, Markbass vpf....) they tend to sound ok in isolation, but it's an instant "cloaking device" in band scenario!

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[quote name='tempo' post='148376' date='Feb 28 2008, 01:05 PM']Glad this has worked out for ya. :) I'ts a great sounding amp, but people take warning lights too seriously!! haha.
Regarding the contour knob, its essentially a "slap bass" control, scoops out the mids whilst adding bass & treble, (instant smiley face on a graphic). A lot of amps have a similar feature (Trace pre-shape, Hartke contour, Markbass vpf....) they tend to sound ok in isolation, but it's an instant "cloaking device" in band scenario![/quote]

Ah that's cool, I'll turn that junk off then :huh:

I only slap on one song during the bridge, but the lead guitarist decided he wanted ANOTHER solo (he doesn't seem to be able to cope with anyone else having the spotlight) so I might just start playing it fingerstyle from now on.

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I've had a similar problem of late (used to use Trace, now use Eden) - Try setting your EQ's higher, and stand further away from the cab. If possible raise the cab to ear level. The higher end comming out of 15s is very directional so people standing about 10' in front of it will hear it much more clearly than if you are standing right over it,(which is unfortunaley the case in most gigging situations). IIRC the Ashdowns colour the sound a lot, meaning that they are EQing a lot immediatley, which the warwick probably doesn't do as much.

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