GreeneKing Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1485600277' post='3225169'] How many people are running a passive only EQ on their amps with these passive basses? [/quote] My point. A passive bass is either an acoustic bass or a silent one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1485600277' post='3225169'] How many people are running a passive only EQ on their amps with these passive basses? [/quote] pssssht! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzjames Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 [quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1485593376' post='3225107'] Hmmmm... from the man who plans a "show you all my basses video" and doesn't make sure all his basses have all the right number of strings on. I think that tells you a lot. Inherent design flaw/user error...? The debate continues... [/quote] Yeah I know, right? Still, I thought it was pretty funny... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) - Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threedaymonk Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Jazzjames' timestamp='1485542386' post='3224852'] Just to say, Scott Devine just articulated what I thought about his active buffer P bass. This is specific to P basses may I add. I like an active J, but for me, a P bass is best served passive. [/quote] It wouldn't surprise me if you could make it sound passive with a couple of hundred pF capacitor across the input of the active buffer, as the only real difference is the capacitance of the cable ([url="http://www.ovnilab.com/articles/cablechoice.shtml"]generally 30-50 pF/ft[/url]). Edited January 28, 2017 by threedaymonk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 [quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1485620608' post='3225390'] My point. A passive bass is either an acoustic bass or a silent one [/quote] I'd say it's still passive if you dont BOOST anything from the bass to the listeners ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 http://www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/q-what-difference-between-passive-and-active-eqs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 [quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1485623315' post='3225413'] pssssht! [/quote] The mids are active on a Streamliner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Mines only 2EQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 (edited) [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1485631216' post='3225500'] I'd say it's still passive if you dont BOOST anything from the bass to the listeners ears. [/quote] So an active bass with an uncoloured in bass pre-amp set flat is a passive bass? I see your point but the passive signal is boosted massively both in any pre-amp and amp itself and 'colour' is very often added. I sometimes think that passive bass devotees fail to take this onboard, pun intended. It's a signal and it's heavily processed to make it of any use, whether it be onboard, in numerous pedals and effects or in a whole variety of amplifiers with valves, filters and tone controls. There are some that see a clear, black and white distinction between the tone of an active and passive bass as in passive good, active bad. With experience and for the reasons given above I'd argue that it just isn't that simple. Like many things in life really Edited January 29, 2017 by GreeneKing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 It depends how the bass was designed; some are intended to work around the actives, whilst others' distinctive character is because they are passive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 [quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1485699226' post='3225875'] So an active bass with an uncoloured in bass pre-amp set flat is a passive bass? I see your point but the passive signal is boosted massively both in any pre-amp and amp itself and 'colour' is very often added. I sometimes think that passive bass devotees fail to take this onboard, pun intended. It's a signal and it's heavily processed to make it of any use, whether it be onboard, in numerous pedals and effects or in a whole variety of amplifiers with valves, filters and tone controls. There are some that see a clear, black and white distinction between the tone of an active and passive bass as in passive good, active bad. With experience and for the reasons given above I'd argue that it just isn't that simple. Like many things in life really [/quote] No an active bass is active no matter what really but a passive bass into a modern amp with an active eq section that most people have is no different to an active bass other than the distance from the knobs in relation to the person playing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1485723154' post='3226188'] No an active bass is active no matter what really but a passive bass into a modern amp with an active eq section that most people have is no different to an active bass other than the distance from the knobs in relation to the person playing it. [/quote] Absolutely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1485723154' post='3226188'] No an active bass is active no matter what really but a passive bass into a modern amp with an active eq section that most people have is no different to an active bass other than the distance from the knobs in relation to the person playing it. [/quote] also known as interknob distance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 And there's that lot of players that use passive P and J's and say they don't want anything to do with active basses but add a Sansamp (or similar) in the signal chain, thus making their basses "active". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Adding an effect or amp after the output of the guitar does not make the guitar active. By that token, all amplified live music is active and all recorded music is active, since it is processed via a mixer, and reproduced via a replay system with an amplifier. Clearly the term "active" (bass or guitar) refers to the instrument itself and not post-processing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 [quote name='prowla' timestamp='1485777197' post='3226530'] Adding an effect or amp after the output of the guitar does not make the guitar active. By that token, all amplified live music is active and all recorded music is active, since it is processed via a mixer, and reproduced via a replay system with an amplifier. Clearly the term "active" (bass or guitar) refers to the instrument itself and not post-processing. [/quote] No it's not, thus proving my point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Using a preamp pedal allways on EQ'd to achieve the desired tone (as i've read about a lot of BC users doing) between a bass and a amp isn't different from having a preamp mounted inside the bass, is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1485797896' post='3226789'] Using a preamp pedal allways on EQ'd to achieve the desired tone (as i've read about a lot of BC users doing) between a bass and a amp isn't different from having a preamp mounted inside the bass, is it? [/quote] The difference is it's not in the bass. Actually, I have a SansAmp which I use to boost passive bass to match the active. I do get the point, and indeed I have said on occasion that the instrument includes the amp and speakers too! However, looking at the component parts, an active bass is one which has onboard active electronics and a passive is one which doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 You could argue that if you used a passive bass, passive amp and a passive pa mixer ALL of the sound has been produced by the instrument as only some of what the pickup 'collected' is being amplified (same but louder), once you introduce an active eq in the bass, amp or PA mixer that can create something that didn't happen the final amplified sound is not what went in at the bass pickup and is essentially synthetic. It's not an active bass but it's no less synthetic once it goes through an active EQ. How many amps are purely passive these days and who has a passive EQ PA system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 [quote name='prowla' timestamp='1485798899' post='3226807'] The difference is it's not in the bass. Actually, I have a SansAmp which I use to boost passive bass to match the active. I do get the point, and indeed I have said on occasion that the instrument includes the amp and speakers too! However, looking at the component parts, an active bass is one which has onboard active electronics and a passive is one which doesn't. [/quote] 18v active basses are just as quiet as pre CBS Fenders without an amp and speaker (s) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1485806420' post='3226886'] You could argue that if you used a passive bass, passive amp and a passive pa mixer ALL of the sound has been produced by the instrument as only some of what the pickup 'collected' is being amplified (same but louder), once you introduce an active eq in the bass, amp or PA mixer that can create something that didn't happen the final amplified sound is not what went in at the bass pickup and is essentially synthetic. It's not an active bass but it's no less synthetic once it goes through an active EQ. How many amps are purely passive these days and who has a passive EQ PA system? [/quote] You can't have a passive amp. There was a short fashion in Hi-Fi of having passive pre-amps, but they were really just a potentiometer in a box front-ending an active power amp. If you want passive end-to-end you have to have acoustic instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Passive amp as in a passive EQ section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 On paper, active is this, passive is that. By adding a pre amp pedal its now active ect. The eq on the amp is active. Ok get all these points and every one is very correct. All I'm saying from my personal point of view is that : give me a regular 3 band eq active bass and I'm mucking about with it and usually not happy with the results but with the passive I'm more plug and play. More plug and play = more happy me so I'm gonna do that. I'm not saying one is better than the other. Just saying it works for me. I'm just sh*t with all this eq stuff. Always have been which is why the passive route was such a revelation to me. I'm not saying I will never touch an active bass again either but right now if it aint broke...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1485600277' post='3225169'] How many people are running a passive only EQ on their amps with these passive basses? [/quote]Arent we talking passive basses.Not passive amps.It's a given that the amp has an EQ and an active circuit. But the bass itself is still passive. Good point though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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