Help to drag me into the 21st century

[XoSo]

Ok, I've returned to bass after many years. I've continued to play guitar at home for most of my life but the last time i played bass was in a college band forty years ago. Back then the Vox ac30 was still fairly new kit and PA meant putting a mic in front of your combo to a larger amp at the front of the stage. And that's where I am frozen in time. I'm not a Ludite, I'm computer savvy but I'm seriously behind on sound technology. I'm trying to catch up by reading posts on this forum but things like DI, xlr and pre-amps continue to confuse me. In an effort to find out what a pre-amp is I've been searching youtube and came across The Palmer pocket amp. Can someone explain how these work as I've a feeling this might be perfect for me to practise at home without taking up the space of a full amp. Could I for instance use this entirely by itself with headphones for silent practise. Can it be used in tandem with something like a zoom b3n for more flexibility? Can it be linked to a computer to play through computer monitors with backing tracks? Further to that I get the impression some people use these pre-amps with a physical amp. What is the thinking behind that? Surely that user already has full eq on the amp itself? Sorry if these are daft questions but ya gotta learn somehow. Finally, if pre-amps are indeed suitable for home practise situations are there other altetnatives to the palmer that people would recommend

Edited October 13, 2017 by XoSo

[Phil Starr]

The obvious recommendation is to use the Zoom B3N

Like many basschatters I use the cheaper B1ON. It gives you all the emulations but in a less flexible way but it has an input so you can mix in the output from an IPod or a phone and play along with those. I can't see an input socket on the B3 so you might need a small mixer to do that if you want. At £50ish for the B1 it might be easier to buy one of those if this is something you might do.

Some people use an outboard pre amp just as a effects unit to shape their sound but if the output is exactly what you want you could go directly into the PA for your bass. Alternatively some of us use a PA amp, much cheaper per watt, as our amp and run it directly from the outboard. As you surmise a stand alone pre amp is a duplication of the tone controls etc of the onboard pre amp but it gives you a wider range of shaping possibilities which some people love.

[Japhet]

Normal Amps are generally configured in 2 sections, namely the Pre Amp and the Power Amp. The power amp is the part that amplifies the signal and it's output power is denoted as Wattage. The Pre Amp is all the other gubbins that goes on before the signal is amplified as in Tone controls, Amp simulations, Compression etc.. Some amps have very basic Pre stages and others have very advanced ones with all sorts of whistles and bells. You can also get Pre Amp effects pedals or stand alone units which do the same thing and can be used with any sort of amplifier to shape the signal before it is amplified.

[chris_b]

[quote name='XoSo' timestamp='1507925656' post='3388913']Ok, I've returned to bass after many years. [/quote]

The bass world has changed in the last 10 years beyond belief (and it has stayed the same, if that's what you want).

I play, sound and look(!) vintage but I'm firmly at the modern gear end of the spectrum, so IMO all you need to know is D class amps and Neodymium cabs. When I play at home I use a Barefaced One10 cab and an Aguilar Tone Hammer amp.

I'd choose an amp and cab because you can easily play with others and that's where the fun starts.

[JazzBass4624]

I'm a very old school player coming from the fender bassman's and dynacord bassking's in the 60's. Currently I play a class D and two neo 112's like chris-b does.
I wouldn't want to go back to the old days hauling the heavy stuff up and down. Soundwise I'm more than happy with the new generation amps and cabs.