Your "Amp-Less" Setup!

[Baloney Balderdash]

 

First of all not sure whether this should really had been in the "Effects" sub from instead, but anyway this is the thread for posting and discussing "amp-less" setups, pictures, signal chain listing/description, and as as said discussion, all welcome.

 

 

EDIT!!: This is getting silly, but I revisited my setup once more, so I deleted the original post and instead described my current setup, which I am pretty certain will be the final  incarnation (or at least for now and for a foreseeable future).

 

 

Mine is fairly complex because I by choice do not really use a dedicated bass preamp and cab simulator, but rather have these functions covered by a selection of multiple gain and EQ stages, which has the advantage of giving me much more flexibility in terms of tone building while still predominantly keeping it analog (in my case all analog except for the reverb and faux, EQ based, cab sim).

 

However I am in the process of completely rearranging my pedal setup/board from scratch, because I recently went back to mainly playing my 4 string bass, tuned in F#1 standard tuning (that is 2 half steps above regular 4 string bass E1 standard tuning), played mainly using various finger picking techniques, rather than my Harley Benton GuitarBass, which is a take on the Fender Bass VI concept, also tuned in F#1 standard tuning (that is 10 half steps bellow regular guitar E2 standard tuning), played mainly using pick, and with an always on 1 octave up effect (using a TC Electronic Sub'N'Up Mini pedal for an effect somewhat similar to that of a 12 string guitar/8 string bass. Same is used for this new setup, but not as an always on effect, and using somewhat different settings, for one the 1 octave up effect is not quite as prominent, being dialed in a couple of dB lower, as well as there is a slight difference in the octave up output EQ of the Toneprint used), so can't really post any pictures at this point, but here's a signal chain description of the always on part that creates my core basic "clean" tone, the actual "amp-less" setup so to speak, which I at this point have put together and tested to the point where I am fairly certain that this is how it will actually also end up :

 

 

Ibanez GSRM20 neck + GSRM20B body Mikro Bass (with the stock P + J pickup pulled out and replaced for a single EMG Geezer Butler P pickup, wired directly to the output jack socket, tuned in F# standard tuning, that is 2 half steps above regular 4 string bass E standard tuning, and strung with regular Elixir Nanoweb coated nickel-plated roundwound hex steel core guitar strings of the gauges .080 - .062 - .046 - .036) ->>

 

As the very first thing in the chain, right after the bass :

->> Mosky XP Booster (Xotic XP Booster V1 clone, run at 18V with both internal dip switches disengaged, which results in a slight bass/low mids boost, and beside that also adding saturation, emphasing and adding harmonic content, as well as altering the phase of certain frequency areas of the signal, all in all, giving a sense of extra depth, or  extra, 3D, dimension if you will, to the tone) ->> Boss LS-2 [A+B Mix <-> Bypass] (effect loops mixer/switch) ={ [Loop A Send] ->> (empty effects loop used as clean/dry signal mix) ->> [Loop A Return] ->|+|<- [Loop B Send] ->> Joyo American Sound (all analog emulation of a Fender amp style preamp/drive, dialed in with an about +3dB pre gain stage boost to a wide curve around the center frequency 800Hz, then a post gain stage about +2dB boost to a wide curve around the center frequency 400Hz, and finally an about -1dB cut to a wide curve around the center frequency 3.2kHz (looks like a Q value of about 1 or so to me for all of these EQ controls), and gain dialed in to just around the verge of the breakup point, also includes an analog filter meant to emulate a cab's high frequency roll off, basically just being a steep about 6kHz or so LPF, as well as there is a, much much lesser, slight roll off bellow about 50Hz or so *), always mixed with clean/dry {Mosky XP Booster} signal from parallel effects [Loop A]) ->> [Loop B Return] ([Loop A] + [Loop B] mixed at an about 50/50 ratio) }=>>

 

Then as the very last thing in the signal chain, before the poweramp and FRFR PA speaker :

->> Zoom B1Xon (acting mainly as my main reverb unit, having a very subtle plate reverb stacked into a subtle spring reverb as part of my basic "clean" tone, but additionally also functioning as a simple faux, EQ based, cab sim, utilizing a dual band parametric equalizer model, set as follows: [Freq=12kHz Q=1 Cut=-18dB ; Freq=20kHz Q=0.5 Cut=-20dB], approximately mimicking a LPF set @ 3.6kHz -12dB/Oct, added after the main reverb, as well as to every other patch used on this unit) ->> EHX Black Finger (tube driven optical compressor, dialed in to deliver a very mild compression, which due to the fact that it compresses the high end slightly more than the low end also effectively boosts the low end slightly, the tubes driven to just on the verge of the breakup point) ->> ART Tube MP Project Series (tube preamp and DI, with the build in HPF, fixed @ 40Hz -12dB/Oct, engaged, and the tube driven to just on the verge of the breakup point) 

 

// ->> Band rehearsal/jamming/gigging  // ->> Home practice // ->> Home recordings //  : 

 

// ->> Band rehearsal/jamming/gigging ->> Effects Return (poweramp input) of a Peavey Solo Special 112 (160W combo amp, with the build in speaker disconnect and instead hooked up to a passive PA speaker) ->> The Box PA 502 (passive full range flat frequency response PA speaker with 1x 15"  woofer/mids driver + 1.7" high frequency tweeter horn) // ->> Home practice  ->> The Mix Mix 502 (mixer) ->> Sennheiser HD 380 Pro (studio grade, that is FRFR, headphones) // ->> Home recordings ->> M-Audio Fast Track (audio interface) ->> Reaper (DAW) //

 

*) Frequency response of Joyo American Sound : https://www.tdpri.com/threads/joyo-american-vs-tech21-blonde-comparison-many-graphs.786013/

 

 

This gives me a very realistic/authentic, just around the breakup point, bass tube amp like response and tone, but while not being too obstructive to and letting the natural tone of my bass shine through, regardless of whether I use it at home, practicing though a headphones preamp and my studio grade (just meaning FRFR) headphone, record the bass DI'ed through it, run it into a power amp and a FRFR speaker/cab/PA at band rehearsal, or though a venue's PA system at gigs, which to me is exactly the greatest advantage of utilizing an "amp-less" setup, consistence of tone.

 

The higher tuning of the bass allows for lower gauge strings which again makes it possible to obtain some of that harmonically rich piano like tone, otherwise not possible to obtain with the thick gauge strings that a regular E standard tuning would require on the just 28.6" scale length of this bass, beside also actually being better suited for the more melodic/riff based playing that I utilizes it for, that is in the context of bass and drums duo, as well as jamming just with a drummer (F# standard tuning actually being the traditional upright acoustic bass tuning used for bass solo pieces in classical music).

 

 

For reference this was how my pedal board looked before this rearrangement, used for my Harley Benton GuitarBass :

 

 

Also if weight is no issue I can warmly recommend the budget The Box PA 502, 300W passive PA speaker, for use as a FRFR speaker/cab, really amazing tone, very neutral faithful recreation of whatever you feed it with, and with an outstanding low end frequency response (better even than most higher end passive PA speakers), that both reproduces the low end of my bass/rig and sounds better than my much more expensive SWR 15" + 10" + Tweeter Horn dedicated bass cab.

 

 

!!! Edit 2/Update !!! :

 

Still haven't got around completely rearranging my big main board, but I got a NUX MLD Bass Preamp + DI (NBP-5) in the meantime, and pretty sure following is how the core of my "amp-less" setup is going to look going forward:

On 12/08/2023 at 12:30, Baloney Balderdash said:

At the moment I am in the process of a complete rearrangement of my pedal setup, which is part of my "amp-less" setup, but this is how it most likely is going to end up (I have used an online pedal board organizing app to do this, it was lacking some of my pedals, so I have used the ones that had the closest resemblance to the actual pedals of mine missing, and numbered those, so I could list what they represent):

 

 

1 : Danelectro FAB Metal

2: EHX Black Finger

3: HoTone Trem

4: Mosky Black Rat

5: Mosky XP Booster (secured under the pedal board)

6: XVive Undulator (secured under the pedal board)

7: Monarch MFL-22 Stereo Flanger

8: Joyo Oxford Sound

9: ART Tube MP Project Series (the picture doesn't resemble this ART tube preamp at all, other than by approximate size)

10: Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser (this is a picture of the correct pedal, just partially covered by a pedal that is to be secured under the board)

11: Zoom B1Xon

 

Quote

 

My entire signal chain explained in written form  (currently in the process of rearranging my setup, following is the most likely outcome) :

 

(*pedals listed in [ red/bold/underline text ] are "always on" effects*)

 

 

4 string 28.6" scale Ibanez GSRM20 neck + GSRM20B body Mikro Bass (equipped with an EMG Geezer Butler P pickup, and strung with Elixir Nanoweb coated nickel-plated roundwound hex steel core guitar strings, gauge .068 - .052 - .038 - .028, tuned in tenor bass, A standard, tuning, that is as the 4 upper strings of a 6 string bass in regular B standard tuning) ->

 

->> XVive Undulator (tremolo pedal, but never actually engaged and used exclusively for its great buffer) ->> EHX Black Finger (tube driven optical compressor, with 2 preamp tubes operating at proper high 300V plate voltage, mainly used as a tube preamp stage, driven to just at the edge of the tubes's breakup point, but with some very subtle compression dialed in as well) ->> TC Electronic Sub'N'Up Mini (used exclusively for an 1 octave up effect, delivered by a custom made Toneprint, dialed in to mimic an 8 string bass/12 string guitar, to fill out more sonic space, mostly used in conjunction with my high gain distortion setup) ->> DigiTech FreqOut (feedback generator) ->> Boss LS-2 [A+B Mix <-> Bypass] (parallel effect loops mixer/switch) ={ [Loop A Send] ->> Monarch MFL-22 Stereo Flanger (sometimes stacked into the HoTone tremolo in front of it, and always mixed with either clean signal or the Behringer phaser from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> HoTone Trem (tremolo, sometimes used with the Monarch Stereo Flanger behind it stacked into it, and always mixed with either clean signal, or sometimes the Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser, from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> [Loop A Return] ->|+|<- [Loop B Send] ->> Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser (clone of the original big box EHX Small Stone phaser, used with Color switch engaged for deep sweep and high resonance/feedback, and always mixed with the Monarch MFL-22 Stereo Flanger from parallel effects [Loop A]) ->> [Loop B Return] ([Loop A] + [Loop B] mixed at an approximate 50/50 ratio) => [LS-2 Output] }=>->> Boss LS-2 [A+B Mix <-> Bypass] (parallel effect loops mixer/switch) ={ [Loop A Send] ->> Mosky Black Rat (RAT clone, in Turbo RAT, LED diode clipping, mode, quite raunchy, fuzz-esque, high gain distortion, always used mixed with the {Orange Juice -> Metal Zone} from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz (Boss FZ-2/Univox Superfuzz clone, octave fuzz, always mixed with either clean signal, or {Orange Juice -> Metal Zone}, from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> [Loop A Return] ->|+|<- [Loop B Send] ->> Joyo Orange Juice (Orange amp like overdrive, dialed in to deliver a low gain overdrive, always used stacked into the Boss Metal Zone in front of it, and mixed with the Mosky Black RAT from parallel effects [Loop A]) ->> Boss MT-2 Metal Zone (distortion, dialed in at a rather moderate gain setting, always used with the Orange Juice behind it stacked into it, and always mixed with either the Mosky Black Rat, or sometimes the Behringer Super Fuzz, from parallel effects [Loop A]) ->> [Loop B Return] ([Loop A] + [Loop B] mixed at an approximate 50/50 ratio) => [LS-2 Output] }=>->> Zoom B1Xon (used predominantly as reverb unit, with various different reverb patches, including the always on {very subtle Plate Reverb -> subtle Spring Reverb} reverb patch that is part of my basic "clean" tone, and an extremely thick, lush reverb patch, used as a pad effect with volume swells from the build in expression pedal, though also used for a couple of additional effects, including a prominent "wah" pedal patch and a trippy reverse delay patch) ->> Danelectro Fab Metal (post reverb high gain distortion, often used stacked into the Orange Juice in front of it) ->> Joyo Orange Juice (post reverb medium gain distortion) ->> Behringer VD400 Vintage Delay (clone of the Boss DM-3 Analog Delay) ->> NUX Tape Core Deluxe (amazing digital emulation of the legendary Roland RE-201 Space Echo tape delay) ->> NUX (NBP-5) Melvin Lee Davis Bass Preamp + DI  (loaded with a digitally emulated Aguilar Tone Hammer amp, and an Ampeg SVT-212AV IR cab simulation, with a subtle low gain overdrive blended in at a 50/50 clean/drive ratio) ->

 

->> ART Tube MP Project Series (tube preamp and DI, with build in HPF, fixed @40Hz -12dB/Oct, engaged, tube driven to just on the verge of breakup point) ->

 

// ->> Band rehearsal/jamming/gigging  // ->> Home practice // ->> Home recordings //  : 

 

// ->> Band rehearsal/jamming/gigging ->> Effects Return (poweramp input) of a Peavey Solo Special 112 (160W combo amp, with the build in speaker disconnect and instead hooked up to a passive PA speaker) ->> The Box PA 502 (passive full range flat frequency response PA speaker with 1x 15"  woofer/mids driver + 1.7" high frequency tweeter horn) // ->> Home practice  ->> The T.Mix Mix 502 (mixer) ->> Sennheiser HD 380 Pro (studio grade, that is FRFR, headphones) // ->> Home recordings ->> M-Audio Fast Track (audio interface) ->> Reaper (DAW) //

 

 

On 29/04/2023 at 21:38, Baloney Balderdash said:

Still haven't got around to setting up the new updated and completely rearranged board, so this is how my temporary totally scrapped down pedal setup looks at the moment (signal chain is listed in the above quoted post):

 

 

 

!!! Update 3 !!!:

 

Yet another rendition:

Quote

 

My entire signal chain explained in written form  (currently in the process of rearranging my setup, following is the most likely outcome) :

 

(*pedals listed in [ red/bold/underline text ] are "always on" effects*)

 

 

4 string 28.6" scale Ibanez GSRM20 neck + GSRM20B body Mikro Bass (equipped with an EMG Geezer Butler P pickup, and strung with Elixir Nanoweb coated nickel-plated roundwound hex steel core guitar strings, gauge .068 - .052 - .038 - .028, tuned in tenor bass, A standard, tuning, that is as the 4 upper strings of a 6 string bass in regular B standard tuning) ->

 

->> XVive Undulator (tremolo pedal, but never actually engaged and used exclusively for its great buffer) ->> EHX Black Finger (tube driven optical compressor, with 2 preamp tubes operating at proper high 300V plate voltage, mainly used as a tube preamp stage, driven to just at the edge of the tubes's breakup point, but with some very subtle compression dialed in as well) ->> TC Electronic Sub'N'Up Mini (used exclusively for an 1 octave up effect, delivered by a custom made Toneprint, dialed in to mimic an 8 string bass/12 string guitar, to fill out more sonic space, mostly used in conjunction with my high gain distortion setup) ->> DigiTech FreqOut (feedback generator) ->> Boss LS-2 [A+B Mix <-> Bypass] (parallel effect loops mixer/switch) ={ [Loop A Send] ->> Monarch MFL-22 Stereo Flanger (sometimes stacked into the HoTone tremolo in front of it, and always mixed with either clean signal or the Behringer phaser from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> HoTone Trem (tremolo, sometimes used with the Monarch Stereo Flanger behind it stacked into it, and always mixed with either clean signal, or sometimes the Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser, from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> [Loop A Return] ->|+|<- [Loop B Send] ->> Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser (clone of the original big box EHX Small Stone phaser, used with Color switch engaged for deep sweep and high resonance/feedback, and always mixed with the Monarch MFL-22 Stereo Flanger from parallel effects [Loop A]) ->> [Loop B Return] ([Loop A] + [Loop B] mixed at an approximate 50/50 ratio) => [LS-2 Output] }=>->> Boss LS-2 [A+B Mix <-> Bypass] (parallel effect loops mixer/switch) ={ [Loop A Send] ->> Mosky Black Rat (RAT clone, in Turbo RAT, LED diode clipping, mode, quite raunchy, fuzz-esque, high gain distortion, always used mixed with the {Orange Juice -> Metal Zone} from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz (Boss FZ-2/Univox Superfuzz clone, octave fuzz, always mixed with either clean signal, or {Orange Juice -> Metal Zone}, from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> [Loop A Return] ->|+|<- [Loop B Send] ->> Joyo Orange Juice (Orange amp like overdrive, dialed in to deliver a low gain overdrive, always used stacked into the Boss Metal Zone in front of it, and mixed with the Mosky Black RAT from parallel effects [Loop A]) ->> Boss MT-2 Metal Zone (distortion, dialed in at a rather moderate gain setting, always used with the Orange Juice behind it stacked into it, and always mixed with either the Mosky Black Rat, or sometimes the Behringer Super Fuzz, from parallel effects [Loop A]) ->> [Loop B Return] ([Loop A] + [Loop B] mixed at an approximate 50/50 ratio) => [LS-2 Output] }=>->> Zoom B1Xon (used predominantly as reverb unit, with various different reverb patches, including the always on {very subtle Plate Reverb -> subtle Spring Reverb} reverb patch that is part of my basic "clean" tone, and an extremely thick, lush reverb patch, used as a pad effect with volume swells from the build in expression pedal, though also used for a couple of additional effects, including a prominent "wah" pedal patch and a trippy reverse delay patch) ->> Danelectro Fab Metal (post reverb high gain distortion, often used stacked into the Orange Juice in front of it) ->> Joyo Orange Juice (post reverb medium gain distortion) ->> NUX Tape Core Deluxe (amazing digital emulation of the legendary Roland RE-201 Space Echo tape delay) ->> Behringer VD400 Vintage Delay (clone of the Boss DM-3 Analog Delay) ->> Boss LS-2 [A+B Mix <-> Bypass] (parallel effect loops mixer/switch) ={ [Loop A Send] ->> Joyo Oxford Sound (clone of the Tech 21 Oxford, which is an all analog emulation of an Orange Amp type preamp, always used blended with "clean" signal from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> [Loop A Return] ->|+|<- [Loop B Send] ->> ([Loops B] empty, used to blend in "clean" signal) ->> [Loop B Return] ([Loop A] + [Loop B] mixed at an approximate 50/50 ratio) => [LS-2 Output] }=>->> NUX (NBP-5) Melvin Lee Davis Bass Preamp + DI  (loaded with a digitally emulated Aguilar Tone Hammer amp, and an Ampeg SVT-212AV IR cab simulation, with a subtle low gain overdrive blended in at a 50/50 clean/drive ratio) ->

 

->> ART Tube MP Project Series (tube preamp and DI, with build in HPF, fixed @40Hz -12dB/Oct, engaged, tube driven to just on the verge of breakup point) ->

 

// ->> Band rehearsal/jamming/gigging  // ->> Home practice // ->> Home recordings //  : 

 

// ->> Band rehearsal/jamming/gigging ->> Effects Return (poweramp input) of a Peavey Solo Special 112 (160W combo amp, with the build in speaker disconnect and instead hooked up to a passive PA speaker) ->> The Box PA 502 (passive full range flat frequency response PA speaker with 1x 15"  woofer/mids driver + 1.7" high frequency tweeter horn) // ->> Home practice  ->> The T.Mix Mix 502 (mixer) ->> Sennheiser HD 380 Pro (studio grade, that is FRFR, headphones) // ->> Home recordings ->> M-Audio Fast Track (audio interface) ->> Reaper (DAW) //

 

 

 

Edited January 8 by Baloney Balderdash
Update

[MacDaddy]

 

Bass -> wireless ->

 

 

-> PA.

Edited November 20, 2023 by MacDaddy

[Frank Blank]

Bass - HX Stomp - QSC K12.2 - PA.

[Paul S]

Bass > Boss WL-50 > TC Polytune > TC Spectradrive > RCF EVOX 8 PA if it is my band.  At home/other band situations RCF ART 732-A.  Bigger gigs to the desk of whatever they provide. 

Having no need for backline I have found to be both cathartic and liberating.

[jezzaboy]

If I`m going thru the pa and just need some on stage monitoring, Bass -  Korg tuner - Sadowsky pre amp - ART tube mic pre - RCF 715. Sometimes I might put in an additional pre amp after the Sadowsky but I don`t really need it.

 

Such a simple set up.

[ordep]

Bass>pedals>Noble/LeBass>Yamaha DBR12 and FOH

[EBS_freak]

Bass > PA.

[nottswarwick]

Bass - BDDI - RCF Art 732A

 

BDDI into PA, I only use the RCF for stage sound.  If I was the bassist in my main band (I am the drummer) I would just use in-ears and not the RCF

 

Although to be honest I might explore other pre amp options soon. The only reason I haven't so far is that I have been gigging more on drums.

Edited January 9, 2023 by nottswarwick

[Muppet]

Bass - Helix - PA. IEMs for monitoring. 

[lemmywinks]

Just this into wired IEMs:

[Chaddy]

16 hours ago, jezzaboy said:

If I`m going thru the pa and just need some on stage monitoring, Bass -  Korg tuner - Sadowsky pre amp - ART tube mic pre - RCF 715. Sometimes I might put in an additional pre amp after the Sadowsky but I don`t really need it.

 

Such a simple set up.

Which Sadowsky are you using & What do you use it for? 
Is the Art very good or just enough?

I've been doing my nut in lately at Band Practise, where I am D.I in a Soundbooth with the drummer and sending to the control room upstairs and emulating a SVT via an UA Apollo. 
But it's just not the same, I have a ABM but this is just so its more clinical... and easier to transport around etc.  

Looked around for a Helix as my G man uses one, but not at the 2nd hand prices they are at... Used to Use a Sansamp but debating if either I am going wrong or simply need summit else to add that tube-esk warmth that I am craving. 
Signal is Korg - TC Comp - B7K Ultra - Noise Gate for dirty loop - Out. 

 

[joel406]

Quadcortex

[jezzaboy]

6 hours ago, Chaddy said:

Which Sadowsky are you using & What do you use it for? 
Is the Art very good or just enough?

I've been doing my nut in lately at Band Practise, where I am D.I in a Soundbooth with the drummer and sending to the control room upstairs and emulating a SVT via an UA Apollo. 
But it's just not the same, I have a ABM but this is just so its more clinical... and easier to transport around etc.  

Looked around for a Helix as my G man uses one, but not at the 2nd hand prices they are at... Used to Use a Sansamp but debating if either I am going wrong or simply need summit else to add that tube-esk warmth that I am craving. 
Signal is Korg - TC Comp - B7K Ultra - Noise Gate for dirty loop - Out. 

 

The Sadowsky SBP 2 pedal, basically the same pre amp that is in their basses but in a pedal. The ART is used to send a signal to the RCF and the desk and does the job fine.

[Baloney Balderdash]

21 hours ago, jezzaboy said:

The Sadowsky SBP 2 pedal, basically the same pre amp that is in their basses but in a pedal. The ART is used to send a signal to the RCF and the desk and does the job fine.

I use the bigger version of the ART tube preamp, the Tube MP Project Series, which got a build in HPF, fixed @ 40Hz -12dB/Oct, perfect for bass, which I also make use of, and am overall really satisfied with this preamp.

 

Both that and the smaller version does however utilize a starved tube plate voltage, I've read about someone having measured it to 70V, whereas preamp tubes typically originally being designed to work optimally at around 200V to 300V plate voltage.

 

However optimally here meaning optimally accordingly to the original functionality of tubes in tube based units, where you originally would want as little coloration of distortion from the tubes as possible (they weren't originally designed to work for overdrive/distortion in amplifiers), and contrary to common misconception tubes operating at starved plate voltage actually will color the signal passed through them more, not less, and will require less gain to break up/overdrive than tubes run at the kind of plate voltage they were originally designed to work optimally at, however they will do so in a slightly different way, in comparison generating more odd order harmonic content and also compress in a slightly different way.

 

Personally I really like what this preamp does though, and I do have another tube equipped unit, the EHX Black Finger, stacked into it, that functions both as a light optical compressor and as a tube preamp stage as well, and the 2 preamp tubes that this pedal features does operate at proper high 300V plate voltage. 

Edited January 10, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Franticsmurf]

One band I play regularly with has a permanent sound engineer and so with them I'm now going down the IEM/DI route and gaining confidence with it. The set list means I can get away with a simple signal chain set up. Bass (Sterling HH, HB GuitarBass VI and/or P Bass) into a Behringer tuner, then into my Zoom MS60B (with patches for chorus and a defretted sound for one song but which allows for other effects should the need arise) and finally into the passive input of a Laney Digbeth pre-amp, where I have a clean and a gritty channel plus I will use the bypass occasionally.

 

This feeds the FOH desk, from which I take a personal IEM mix which I'm still working on but currently has my bass, my backing vocals, the two guitars, the keyboard, drums and main vocals. Left out are the brass (which I can hear without monitors), three ukeleles, a banjo, percussion and two backing vocals (which are usually a bit ropey). I can also take a signal to an onstage amp from the Digbeth if necessary as the drummer isn't on IEMs and likes to hear the bass.

 

The IEM is a Gear4Music transmitter and receiver with a pair of Sony noise cancelling earbuds. 

[mattpbass]

Bass>Cali 76>HX Stomp>Jad Freer Capo>Desk>Fischer Amps In-Ear Stick>JH Audio JH11s. 

[gafbass02]

My set up has a few routing options depending on whether I’m DIing from the zoom or the boom avenue, or running out to a pair of headrush 112s from the sonicake switcher. 
Mostly it’s run using a (bloomin expensive!) custom made multicore signal/headphone cable so the signal goes into the Sparrow DI (only switched on if I’m running a passive bass) and the out to the zoom for all the signal processing. 
From there it’s on to the horse EQ (again only used to subtract v low and hi frequencies if running to the 112s, otherwise it’s also off.)

Then to the boom avenue preamp for punch, and DI out to the desk. 

But the signal splits at this point from the boom ave’s 1/4” out to the caline EQ which is for keeping my IEM signal as close to foh as possible so I don’t don’t make per song eq changes on the bass that might sound strange out front, here I can tweak what I’m hearing without affecting the FOH.

From there the signal goes into the Rolls PM50 where I receive my monitor feed. The headphone section of my multicore cable goes in there and allows me to mix my own level against the rest of the band as I wish. 

I can also use a wireless and single headphone cable if I prefer, or Di straight from the zoom and use the boom ave and EQs for iems.

 

Or should I wish, I can stereo out the zoom into the 2xfrfr speakers and run stereo, or take a mono out and use the other monitor for fold back, or a single speaker using both channels, one for bass, one for fold back.
But mostly It’s run ampless as seen.  It’s a very flexible, yet simple set up. 
At present, the board is all housed on a squashed up Harley Benton spaceship 60xl for portability. When festival season comes around and it’s all getting chucked in a van day in, day out, for protection, I move the whole lot over onto a much larger Pedaltrain in a flight case. I forget which model, but it’s big! 

Edited January 9, 2023 by gafbass02

[jrixn1]

P bass & upright bass
→ EBS Stanley Clarke preamp
→ FBT ProMaxx 112A (normally as stage monitor, or as backline if there's no PA).

 

I'm loving the FBT.  I've never seen it mentioned by bass players (I searched the entire internet loads before buying it and found nothing).

 

My previous 12" powered speaker was an RCF 732-A, and in a nutshell the FBT is comparable in price and performance, but at 80% of the weight - just 14.8kg.

[Paul S]

5 hours ago, jrixn1 said:

 

My previous 12" powered speaker was an RCF 732-A, and in a nutshell the FBT is comparable in price and performance, but at 80% of the weight - just 14.8kg.

 

That is very interesting - a weight reduction that is worth having.

[Bigwan]

Currently planning out an ampless setup. Stomp XL on its way. Currently thinking "Bass > HX Stomp XL (with Tech21 dUg in loop 1, Darkglass Alpha Omega Photon in loop 2 with presets MIDI controlled) > PA/IEM (and possibly an amp running a homemade shaker platform)".

 

I may go "Bass > HX Stomp XL (with Tech21 dUg in loop 1, DIY TS-50 preamp in loop 2) > Darkglass Alpha Omega Photon (with presets MIDI controlled) > PA/IEM/etc." depending how the TS-50 and MIDI control of the Darkglass turns out.

 

I've too many amps knocking around so there may be a cull there and just replace the lot with something FRFR, probably QSC. For personal practice I'm just using a single studio monitor at the minute and it sounds excellent.

[BigRedX]

Eastwood Hooky (for Hurtsfall) or Gus G3 (for In Isolation) > Line6 Helix Floor with Linn Adrenalinn in one of the effects loops > PA.

 

I have an RCF745 powered cab but this only gets used for rehearsals with In Isolation and at gigs where we are asked to supply a bass amp (I have a few patches on the Helix with a selection of amps and cabs only for these situations). Hurtsfall now all go direct into the PA and this has massively improved our sound both on-stage (in terms of monitoring) and FoH, and I can see the whole band adopting IEMs before the end of the year. In Isolation still have a conventional backline for the guitars and take much longer to set up and sound check. I'm hoping that once Hurtsfall have gone the IEM route both bands can do a few gigs together where I can demonstrate the advantages of both ditching the backline and switching to IEMs.

[mario_buoninfante]

Bass > pedals > Laney Digbeth Preamp

[BigRedX]

BTW for those saying that the Helix is too expensive, bear in mind that in real terms what you get is considerably cheaper than what you would have paid just 15 years ago. My first multi-effects unit which did only a fraction of what I can do with the Helix cost almost as much when I bought it in the early 90s. Also the bass rig that the Helix and RCF cab replaced cost me considerable more even though most of it had been bought second-hand. When I sold this rig and the guitar one, because the Helix had made them superfluous, I came away with a small profit

[Paul S]

8 hours ago, jrixn1 said:

P bass & upright bass
→ EBS Stanley Clarke preamp
→ FBT ProMaxx 112A (normally as stage monitor, or as backline if there's no PA).

 

I'm loving the FBT.  I've never seen it mentioned by bass players (I searched the entire internet loads before buying it and found nothing).

 

My previous 12" powered speaker was an RCF 732-A, and in a nutshell the FBT is comparable in price and performance, but at 80% of the weight - just 14.8kg.

 

Just glancing at the FBT ProMaxx 110A, wondering if that would have enough beans?  It is significantly lighter again at 10.3kg, looks like it has the same amp but a different 10" driver.  I am not versed enough in the data to make a meangingful comparison in my head.

[jrixn1]

53 minutes ago, Paul S said:

 

Just glancing at the FBT ProMaxx 110A, wondering if that would have enough beans?  It is significantly lighter again at 10.3kg, looks like it has the same amp but a different 10" driver.  I am not versed enough in the data to make a meangingful comparison in my head.

 

Specs are one thing, but I found I never really know if something will be good enough other than playing it in real-life situations for a few months.

 

I was using a 10" Yamaha DXR10 mkII for a year (in between owning the RCF 732-A and FBT ProMaxx 112A) and it performed really well; I was very happy with it.  Just in a few situations it did not feel quite as effortless as a larger powered speaker does.  I was tempted to keep it anyway for the gigs that I knew would be lower volume; but in the end I'm trying to take a more minimalist approach to owning (and storing) gear.

 

The smaller and slimmer form factor of a 10" will always have an appeal - not only the weight saving, but close to half the geometric volume of a 12".  Let us know if you get one!