GreeneKing Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I used my Micro Thumpinator at war volume tonight. I tried my Bongo 5 HH through my MT into my pedal board with standard settings to my Markbass LMII and into my EAD 212 cab. Now the Bongo has a strong output and the first thing I noticed was how high I was setting the amp gain while I still had no sign of clipping despite the amp being unbelievably loud with the master volume at about 9 o'clock. I didn't get it to clip, I just gave up. With a loud drummer, 2 guitars and a PA I was playing with my master volume at 11 o'clock and I had complaints I was too loud. I usually run with my master volume at 1 to 2 o'clock. The Micro Thumpinator in taking out the low sub audio end has given that amp a real break and me so much more headroom than usual. The high pass filter built into both the amp and my GMR doesn't achieve these results. Suffice to say this thing is a marvel. No loss of low end and oodles of serious oomph! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jecklin Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 [quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1485560850' post='3225018'] Suffice to say this thing is a marvel. No loss of low end and oodles of serious oomph! [/quote] Interesting. I have been tempted by one of these for a while, in as much a way to ease the stress on the speakers as much as anything else. So you really don't notice a negative effect on the sound? Fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 [quote name='Jecklin' timestamp='1485568520' post='3225045'] Interesting. I have been tempted by one of these for a while, in as much a way to ease the stress on the speakers as much as anything else. So you really don't notice a negative effect on the sound? Fantastic! [/quote] Relieving driver stress was my aim but it's achieved so much more. Initially when setting up my amp I couldn't understand what was going on. I then realised that stopping all the sub-dross going to my amp had given it an easier job of processing the wanted spectrum. Hopefully the pedals saw the same benefit with it at the start of the chain. It's not the sub aural stuff that you hear anyway but the harmonics and sub harmonics above that and they remain. It's also interesting that other high pass filters in the chain didn't achieve this..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Jecklin' timestamp='1485568520' post='3225045'] Interesting. I have been tempted by one of these for a while, in as much a way to ease the stress on the speakers as much as anything else. So you really don't notice a negative effect on the sound? Fantastic! [/quote] I haven't noticed anything (negative) when using mine, but the master volume knob tends to stay a little lower when I am using it... so I guess it's doing what it's supposed to. My usual rig is 2x TKS S112 which don't have a massive low end or can take very high power, and I like using the Thumpinator as a way to help the speakers a little in case they get pushed. I am using mostly an LMIII (and a Streamliner 900 sometimes) and although those amps are supposed to have a built-in HPF, the Thumpinator still does something to the output, no doubt. Edited January 28, 2017 by mcnach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 By taking out that subsonic power you are going to cool down your speakers a little and that might keep the impedance down, it can easily double when they get hot. if you did push the speaker beyond Xmax the excursion limit then it will be operating outside the linear part of the magnets field where it is weaker so your sound will be distorted and compressed. If the ports are small then you get turbulence in them at low frequencies and high levels which decreases the port output, any or all of these might become important and will be reduced by one of these. Taking high voltage swings out of your fx chain is going to really affect the triggering of things like compressors and limiters. I think the original Thumpinator filters at 24dB/octave where a lot of inbuilt filtering in amps is less steep at 6 or 12dB, but that depends upon which amp of course. The other thing is that without all that subsonic mush exciting room resonances you will hear other things more clearly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musashimonkey Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I've got mine at the end of the chain, just prior to the amp input. My thinking is that I didn't want additional subs being created by OD pedals etc... so it's a last stop signal clean up before going into the amp. Happy with it and can run with my master a little lower, it's compact too, so it'll stay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I'm thinking of getting one of these, as like the OP I have a high output bass, and use octave and filter effects a lot. Can't fathom the specs though for a Little Mark Tube 500 and whether or not it actually has a HPF already. Any ideas, basschat hive intelligence?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 I have both a LMII and a 500 Tube. They do both have HP Filters if you believe what you read on Talkbass where folk have gone so far as to set up a test rig to check. As was put so well above, the Thumpinator has a steeper cut off. It certainly has a significantly greater effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 [quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1485708461' post='3225990'] I have both a LMII and a 500 Tube. They do both have HP Filters if you believe what you read on Talkbass where folk have gone so far as to set up a test rig to check. As was put so well above, the Thumpinator has a steeper cut off. It certainly has a significantly greater effect. [/quote]Don't suppose you have a link to that test? I use a 500Tube and it would be nice to know what they found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted January 30, 2017 Author Share Posted January 30, 2017 [quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1485773503' post='3226487'] Don't suppose you have a link to that test? I use a 500Tube and it would be nice to know what they found. [/quote] I find it almost impossible to refind posts on TB. Its so huge and the search engine seems to throw up inconsistent results. A guy set up a signal generator into a LMII and an oscilloscope on the output. The Tube thing was based on my assessment with the Tube 500 on no tube sounding the same as the LMII. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Second gig tonight with the Micro Thumpinator and I'm hooked. After literally years of trying I've final found something which gives me that studio mastered type bass sound. So even across all five strings and without the subsonic rumble my bass is just sitting much better in the mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Good to hear, I've been planning to design and build a filter like this myself for years but I'm thinking of accepting how slow/lazy I am and biting the bullet on buying one. Technically they just make so much sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimmyc Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Mmmmm. I have GAS for one of these now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 [quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1485779805' post='3226566'] I find it almost impossible to refind posts on TB. Its so huge and the search engine seems to throw up inconsistent results. A guy set up a signal generator into a LMII and an oscilloscope on the output. The Tube thing was based on my assessment with the Tube 500 on no tube sounding the same as the LMII. [/quote] This one by any chance? https://www.talkbass.com/threads/epifani-ul502-vs-markbass-little-mark-ii-lmii-my-comparisons.363655/page-12 Found using google with site:talkbass.com as one of the search terms, works on Basschat too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 I really do need to build something like this at some point, seems like a worthwhile thing to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marillionred Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 What the OP said! Wouldn't be without it now! Built like a tank too - I "accidently" used an 18V power supply instead of a 9V one. Stopped working, but a quick email to the makers was replied to by return, and revealed there is a small sacrificial removable diode in circuit to protect the main workings. 25p replacement part later and back in business! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbass Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 What's the difference between the Thumpinator and Micro Thumpinator? Considering adding one of these to my live setup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGBrown Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 [quote name='acidbass' timestamp='1492969200' post='3284490'] What's the difference between the Thumpinator and Micro Thumpinator? Considering adding one of these to my live setup[/quote] http://www.sfxsound.com/thumpinator/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 [quote name='acidbass' timestamp='1492969200' post='3284490'] What's the difference between the Thumpinator and Micro Thumpinator? Considering adding one of these to my live setup [/quote] I'd say just a couple of inches ( matron ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbass Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 What's the benefit to having a balanced output (Thumpinator) as opposed to unbalancer (Micro Thumpinator)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 [quote name='bigjimmyc' timestamp='1492890100' post='3283993'] Mmmmm. I have GAS for one of these now. [/quote] Definitely me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 [quote name='acidbass' timestamp='1493229237' post='3286774'] What's the benefit to having a balanced output (Thumpinator) as opposed to unbalancer (Micro Thumpinator)? [/quote] You can use it as a DI box and send signals in the same way that the DI output on an amplifier can to a mixing desk over a long distance without picking up noise, such as mains hum. Professional microphones use the same design (you'll use a 3 pin XLR cable to connect between source and destination) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 [quote name='acidbass' timestamp='1493229237' post='3286774'] What's the benefit to having a balanced output (Thumpinator) as opposed to unbalancer (Micro Thumpinator)? [/quote] [i]Most[/i] electric instruments, pedals and amplifiers use unbalanced connections in the main signal path, often balanced connections are the ones that interface with their 'outside world' such as a PA desk or recording suite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 You've all convinced me. I've just ordered one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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