Kevin Dean Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I'm about to try using a MB 801 for a bass monitor & was wondering what would sound best DI or Mic & what sort of mic ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Personally I don't think a bass should be miced up in a small/medium PA situation because your incurring two layers of speaker colouration which IMO overly compromises the basic sound integrity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 (edited) Hmm. What if you want the first layer of speaker colouration (your cab) and the second layer (the PA) is reasonably flat and accurate? My amp and cab is a big part of my sound, especially when using overdrive/fuzz and you need that natural top end rolloff. If I had the choice I would go for a mic every time. Needs to be a decent uncoloured mic that captures the low end though, the ones that get talked about most on bass forums are the Heil PR40, Shure SM7, Electrovoice RE20, and the Sennheiser MD421 (with the latter being the cheapest and what I would probably go for). Best to buy your own mic and stand and bring it with you rather on relying on what the sound man might have lying around, you don't really want to have to use a kick mic or one that robs your low end. If you only have an SM57 to hand, then blending that with a lowpassed DI is a good solution. If you like a clear accurate representation of your bass and don't use distortion, then DI all the way! Edited April 16, 2014 by dannybuoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 (edited) [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1397649510' post='2425998'] Hmm. What if you want the first layer of speaker colouration (your cab) and the second layer (the PA) is reasonably flat and accurate? [/quote] IME the latter wont be true for the vast majority of PAs in use in pub and club environments since you need very high spec gear t o get what I would class as "flat and accurate" (e.g. martin audio) and I cant remember the last time I saw such gear in use at a music venue. I dont really see much point is micing up a £500-£1000 premuim quality bass speaker and then putting it through a £250 peavey/yamaha PA speaker. Edited April 16, 2014 by bassman7755 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I would never rely on a mic for the low end, DI is always going to be better IMO I like to take a low passed DI and a high passed mic, a SM57 is fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 [quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1397651022' post='2426034'] IME the latter wont be true for the vast majority of PAs in use in pub and club environments since you need very high spec gear t o get what I would class as "flat and accurate" (e.g. martin audio) and I cant remember the last time I saw such gear in use at a music venue. I dont really see much point is micing up a £500-£1000 premuim quality bass speaker and then putting it through a £250 peavey/yamaha PA speaker. [/quote] I agree. Plus, most DIs have a through signal anyway, so send one signal to the PA (where they can set the EQ as they wish) and the other straight into your amp and you can then set your cab/on stage sound how you want without affecting the PA. You then have the option of setting two sound without the need for a mic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I always always DI. It's easier, less chance of overspill or feedback, and the sound quality is probably 99% as good as the best mic anybody would reasonably want to buy just to mic up a bass amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I understand the need to mic if you're using dirt pedals, because without the colouration of amp/cab there will be lots of nasty high end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Steve Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Wasn't sure what an MB 801 is was but now know. If that's just your onstage sound I'd definitely go for the DI to the PA. Clean signal and no mic stand/lead to get in the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 [quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1397651022' post='2426034'] IME the latter wont be true for the vast majority of PAs in use in pub and club environments since you need very high spec gear t o get what I would class as "flat and accurate" (e.g. martin audio) and I cant remember the last time I saw such gear in use at a music venue. I dont really see much point is micing up a £500-£1000 premuim quality bass speaker and then putting it through a £250 peavey/yamaha PA speaker. [/quote] You could equally argue the point about plugging in a £500-£1000 premium quality bass guitar into a cheap DI box and PA. It all boils down to what kind of sound you want in the PA. If you want a clean uncoloured representation of your bass, then the best source is a DI. If you use distortion and the amp/cab colouration is vital to that sound, then the best source is a mic. The quality of the PA system shouldn't really be a factor in deciding between the two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 (edited) I go DI all the way these days. The speaker sim in my EBS MircoBass tames any nastiness from any distortions I use and I know exactly what sound is going to the PA. Bass -> various effects > Tronographic Rusty Box > EBS MicroBass > PA The Rusty Box acts as my amp head and the EBS (set pretty flat on the drive channel) acts as my speaker, and any bass amp ontage is really just for mid-heavy monitoring. I've had many compliments from engineers about how i) good the sound is and ii) how easy I make it for them. Edited April 17, 2014 by ahpook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 [quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1397630371' post='2425732'] I'm about to try using a MB 801 for a bass monitor & was wondering what would sound best DI or Mic & what sort of mic ? [/quote] Both is often best IME! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 i had a thread on this a while back, love the sound of my amp and cab mic'd just sounds fat and the distortion and fuzz sounds are much better. hence on our recording thats all we used, can rem what mic it was but looked like a large kickdrum mic if i rem, however live a little bit of the di mixed in is ok still want the main meat to come from the mic tho. never had a problem with feedback or bleed as i do try and keep my stage volume very controlled, when running into the pa. so my vote goes for mic, however if its a tiny venue you wnt need to di or anything so its no problem, i ask now if they mind micing up my cab normally if my cab is staying put they dnt have a problem, and as its an 810 it normally is. might sound a bit diva esq but i like the sound i get from a mic, but i dnt make a scene if they have to di i always make sure they take it from my head tho! not from a di before the amp, but as i said before if they can mic it then ill have that please! andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 I have a Shure SM91 bass drum mic . Could this be used to mic a bass combo ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roonjuice Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 (edited) Sm91? not really. Due to it being a PZM (Pressure zone microphone) type mic and wanting to be used as a plate on a flat surface or inside a sound source. I might buy it off you tho if it is for sale;0) Edited April 19, 2014 by roonjuice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 I'll consider it as my drummer uses a Roland TD kit . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 Well the MB 801 idea didn't work as the volume control also affects the Line level volume . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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