Active/passive preferences

[cocco]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1410009834' post='2545357']
I always wonder how many die hard passive bass only users connect directly (or via a wireless ) into an active preamp EQ section? If I put a stock Encore P bass into my Shuttlemax9.2 head I can boost all sorts of stuff and make it sound mega, get that bass home and plug it into a 15 watt combo and it sounds poop!
[/quote]

I run all my basses through a sans-amp bddi live for the dirt. But when practicing the same basses sound gorgeous clean through my fender rumble 15. I'm a die hard passive-ist. Active basses don't suit me. I've always loved the sound of a stingray. I've bought two and not got on with either.

[chrisanthony1211]

After years of fiddling with various active basses, constantly messing with bass, treble, mid (cut-boost-and then pick a frequency!) pickup balance, 9 volt, or 18 volt, before i even begin to think about my amp equalization, (just confusing myself really!) I must admit to be rather pleased I stumled across passive basses. Maybe its because im a bit simple but now i'm a bit older i just ike a volume and a tone knob on my bass and a nice flat EQ on my amp....simples...

[Telebass]

Job done.

[Cameronj279]

Seems to be quite a large majority prefer passive. I've always prefered active. I just like being able to boost/cut certain frequencies quickly without having to fiddle about with an amp.

I've always found passive basses that I've played in the past to be very limiting however I'm finding the passive system on my Dingwall AB1 to be pretty damn good.

[skej21]

I thought the difference between the two was that with passive controls, you can only affect your sound by turning things off (turning off the volume of individual pickups or rolling off the tone) whereas with active you can cut the frequencies or boost the frequencies without turning off pickups or tone (so if you wanted a burpy jazz bass bridge pickup tone, you can simply boost the appropriate frequencies on an active bass rather than having to turn off the neck pickup like you would traditionally on a passive jazz bass). Therefore, if you have a true bypass passive/active switch and the controls set at flat, then the controls would be in a position where they are all turned on (volume wise) and no frequencies are being cut/boosted/turned off. So that SHOULD sound the same on both active and passive. Or have a missed something?

As far as active/passive goes, I use passive basses because the characteristic sound of a bass that you alter by removing elements suits the kind of stuff I play. No other reason.

Edited September 9, 2014 by skej21

[dudewheresmybass]

I have a selection of both active and passive basses.
Although I do enjoy the sound of the active ones, you will most often see me playing out with a passive instrument. The sound to me sounds more natural and tends to sit better in the mix for me.

[JTUK]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1410248539' post='2547392']
I thought the difference between the two was that with passive controls, you can only affect your sound by turning things off (turning off the volume of individual pickups or rolling off the tone) whereas with active you can cut the frequencies or boost the frequencies without turning off pickups or tone (so if you wanted a burpy jazz bass bridge pickup tone, you can simply boost the appropriate frequencies on an active bass rather than having to turn off the neck pickup like you would traditionally on a passive jazz bass). Therefore, if you have a true bypass passive/active switch and the controls set at flat, then the controls would be in a position where they are all turned on (volume wise) and no frequencies are being cut/boosted/turned off. So that SHOULD sound the same on both active and passive. Or have a missed something?

As far as active/passive goes, I use passive basses because the characteristic sound of a bass that you alter by removing elements suits the kind of stuff I play. No other reason.
[/quote]

I find it very hard to get Jaco with active as the signal is probably too lively.
I tend to go passive, go totally to the bridge and roll down the presence but live you may need to fudge this as messing around
between active and passive isn't ideal. So, when active, I get close enough, but not kosher...

[neepheid]

I find it hard to muster up these prodigious levels of care regarding the subject. It's a bass. As long as I like the look and feel of it and it sounds like a bass and not a bag of spanners falling down a stairwell or an angry wasp in a tin can, I pick it up, I play it, I put it down again. It matters not to me if it's passive or active. I have great sounding passive basses (mmm, TB+ pickups) and great sounding active basses (hello RD/Victory Artist). And there are great sounding "active" basses with passive EQ controls (G&L).

What I will say about active/passive preferences is that it makes sense to me that active basses should have a passive mode, even if it has no EQ as some sort of get out of jail card should the batteries decide that enough is enough. And quick release battery compartments. And low battery indicators. Basically anything to minimise people having the heebie-jeebies about active basses because the battery might run out on them mid gig. And I also understand that some people frown upon all the control available and prefer simplicity. While I do not understand that, I respect that. Some people just want a spanner to be able to tighten and loosen nuts and bolts. I think that a spanner which also makes the tea, feeds the cat and periodically spits out pound coins would be awesome

[donkelley]

there are some sounds you just can't get without a PASSIVE tone control - the way the treble is reduced is a slope that isn't matched by the treble control in an active circuit, and when you turn a passive tone control down all the way it actually changes the resonance frequency of the passive pickup in the circuit so it has a lower frequency (pitch) peak than without the passive tone control set like that.

So ideally I like to add a passive tone control to my active basses which is also in the circuit at the same time, but switchable so it can be removed for traditional hifi active bass tone (more sizzle in the treble without that extra capacitor in the circuit - and yes, even with a passive tone control turned up all the way the capacitor is still in the circuit... slightly reducing the high frequencies in a gentle slope downwards as the frequency rises).

That is, honestly, the only thing that makes passive basses sound better than active for some styles and to some player's ears. I'm not a believer that active is superior to passive or vice versa, but I do really like having active basses for the tone and sizzle they can offer.

There is a trend among some fancier builders to have passive tone controls in the circuit WITH active tone controls, as I described above, because of the tone improvements that I outlined above and versatility which can't be matched by only passive or active circuits alone.

Carvin, for one, is doing that on some of their newer bass models.

[inthedoghouse]

On the basses where I have a passive/active option I usually prefer to use passive mode and dial in my sound on the amp and/or SansAmp.

Of course, there are times when the active option is good to have for a little more flexibility in tone.