Your "Amp-Less" Setup!

[Chaddy]

3 hours ago, Naigewron said:

 

What power supply are you using for all of this? 

[Naigewron]

7 minutes ago, Chaddy said:

What power supply are you using for all of this? 

Fender Engine Room LvL5 under the board. Two outputs combined to power the Stomp.

[la bam]

Just put this together for tonight's practice. Not had time to fully sort, but its:

 

1. Boss wl50 wireless transmitter.

2. Nux MLD preamp, di and amp and cab modeller.

3. Pedal train space saving tuner.

4. Xvive wireless transmitter for in ears.

 

We'll see how it goes tonight!

 

[la bam]

Did a full practice with the above set up tonight.

 

Bye bye amp!

 

Absolutely no need for an amp and cab anymore.

 

We went through the supplied pa at practice (albeit a good pa) and the pedal sounded fantastic.

 

I just set it to the mld amp and trace 4x10 cab and it did everything so well. Nice and warm. Receptive to eq changes.

 

In all honesty I did last weeks practice (everything else the same) DI'd through the ashdown evo iv and this week it sounded just as good if not better to be fair - and that without trying any of the other amps and cabs available. The sound quality of the pedal is as good as I've heard anywhere and I've had more than my fair share of amps, pedals and and rigs over the years.

 

With so much routing available on it - xlr di out pre or post and with or without a cab sim, an unaffected jack through, and a jack output with switchable cab sim - this pedal is prepared for anything.

 

The drive function worked well to add some grit and volume if needed for solos.

 

It's a keeper and now will be my main sound no matter what's required.

 

Just need to secure it all properly now onto a board and I'm sorted.

Edited January 26, 2023 by la bam

[javi_bassist]

I think this is my new favourite post in Basschat. You guys have some really interesnting setups.

 

Mine is rather simple, because I mostly use a clean tone for most of my projects.

 

Bass-->Wireless-->Tc Electronic Polytune3-->MXR Studio Compressor-->HX Stomp-->Radial DI.

 

Depending on the project, I use the MXR Polyblue Octave and some fuzzes and overdrives in the loop of the HX. I used to use also my Ashdown or my Markbass DI, but now I am trying some Ampeg sims in the HX. 

[mrn1989]

This is my ampless and mains power free rig, works a treat

 

 

[gafbass02]

I’ve had a change around! Super flexible set up with four possible DI out locations, options for running out to my frfr cabs in mono or stereo, or to an amp, or as I use it, to my IEMs through a separate route to my FOH signal. All mounted on a Pedaltrain novo 32 with a choice of soft or hard cases. 

[IanA]

I haven’t taken an amp out of the house for about 5 years now and after numerous pedal board combinations have settled on a Helix LT.

I have a few amp and IR patches set up with variations on a theme but am pretty happy with a B15 pre (no cab) with a Volume pedal, clean boost, an overdrive, and a octave/fuzz combination to emulate the EHX Bass microsynth.

It is really nice to have everything in one unit, and despite what some folks might say it is so easy to tweak on the fly. Having high and low pass built in is also really handy!

I just use a set of UM Pro 50’s for in ears but am eying up some 64 customs for my next purchase

Edited January 29, 2023 by IanA

[vsmith1]

I use an amp-less set up for tiny spaces. I rely on the FoH PA which does include a sub. So my chain is:

Bass>Ampeg SCR-DI>desk>FoH

desk>xVive IEM>homemade custom IEMs using Monoprice drivers (they have a great bass response)

 

Note I run the SCR-DI off a USB battery with a MyVolts Ripcord USB power cable. 

 

Positive net effect in that I need no mains sockets nearby. The Ampeg DI includes a switchable overdrive. Sometimes I add a Boss WL-50 wireless connection.

[JapanAxe]

I have a dep gig tonight with a local singer-songwriter and the load-in involves parking in a public car park 2-300 yards away and handballing the kit from there. I was going to use my Origin Bassrig until I found out we have a drummer playing with us. I know the PA and I think it would be unrealistic to expect it to reproduce my bass above a live kit so I am going for plan B - Markbass Nano 300 into BF One 10 - which is still one easy trip from the car. So going ‘Amp-less” will have to wait for another day…

[JapanAxe]

On 13/01/2023 at 14:11, JapanAxe said:

Should the sad day arrive when I have to go amp-less, it will be this plus a tuner pedal:

 

Well that day is tomorrow, and indeed the day after. I have a couple of last minute theatre gigs with a tribute band who all go direct to the PA. Apparently I’ll get a monitor though, rather than using my IEMs.

[MichaelDean]

I've been doing some recording using my Boss GX-100 today. Damn it sounds good! I've never been this pleased with my recorded bass tone before. Really wish I had this sort of thing years ago. I'd be very happy using this as my amp-less setup!

[JapanAxe]

My bass rig for last weekend's gigs. I was reliant on a wedge monitor and it took me a little while to find my sweet spot. Future gigs with this band will have the benefit of IEMs and the ability to control my own monitor mix.

 

The glasses case? I was sight reading my own transcriptions of the band's 2-hour set!

 

[Baloney Balderdash]

Update :

 

On 08/01/2023 at 12:51, Baloney Balderdash said:

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:

 

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 G standard tuning, that is 3 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 :

->> TC Electronic Sub'N'Up Mini (used exclusively for a customized 1 octave up effect, that is used always applied, relatively subtly, to my high gain distortion/fuzz setup, to improve definition and articulation, though it actually does add some extra heft as well) ->> XVive V16 Undulator  (tremolo, though used exclusively for it's really effective buffer and is never actually engaged) ->> EHX Black Finger (always on 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) ->> Boss LS-2 [A+B Mix <-> Bypass] (effect loops mixer/switch, used for my high gain distortion/fuzz setup, always with the 1 octave up effect from the Sub'N'Up Mini stacked into it) ={ [Loop A Send] ->> Mosky Black Rat (RAT clone, used on a high gain setting in Turbo RAT mode, always used with the {1 octave up -> Clean signal} from the Sub'N'Up stacked into it and blended with {Orange Juice -> Metal Zone} from parallel effects [Loop B Send])  ->> Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz (high gain fuzz, clone of the Boss FZ-2 Hyper Fuzz, which again is a take of the legendary Univox Superfuzz octave fuzz circuit, always used with the 1 octave up effect from the Sub'N'Up stacked into the Boss LS-2, and then either blended with clean signal or {Orange Juice -> Metal Zone} from parallel [Loop B Send]) ->> [Loop A Return] ->|+|<- [Loop B Send] ->> Joyo Orange Juice (used for a low gain overdrive, and always stacked into the Metal Zone in front of it, always with the 1 octave up effect from the Sub'N'Up stacked into the Boss LS-2, and blended with either the Mosky Black Rat or Behringer Super Fuzz from parallel effects [Loop A]) ->> Boss MT-2 Metal Zone (used on a relatively moderate gain setting, always with the Orange Juice overdrive stacked into it, and always with the 1 octave up effect from the Sub'N'Up stacked into the Boss LS-2, and blended with either the Mosky Black Rat or Behringer Super Fuzz 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 always on 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 function as my general reverb pedal, for other reverb effects, as well as a few additional other effects) ->> NUX MLD Bass Preamp + DI (NBP-5) (always on bass preamp, IR loader and DI, used with the Aguilar Tone Hammer amp emulation and the stock Ampeg SV-212 2x12 + high frequency tweeter IR cab simulation, with the main EQ set as following: Bass (+/-18dB @ 40Hz) 2 o'clock, Mid (+/-17dB) 3 o'clock, Mid Freq (180Hz-1kHz) 2 o'clock, Treble (+/-18dB @ 4kHz) 1 o'clock, the HPF of the cab sim set to 40Hz, and the LPF set to just bellow 14kHz, and always with the build in drive engaged, the Drive control set at 9 o'clock and the drive/clean blend at noon) ->>

 

// ->> 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  ->> Headphone output of NUX MLD Bass Preamp + DI ->> Sennheiser HD 380 Pro (studio grade, that is FRFR, headphones) // ->> Home recordings ->> M-Audio Fast Track (audio interface) ->> Reaper (DAW) //

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Frank Blank]

Grace Design Alix, Darkglass Hyper Luminal Comp mounted on a Aclam XS1 board. Will DI straight from the Alix to the desk and monitor via a QSC K12.2.

 

[Elfrasho]

I go bass > small pedal board centred round hx stomp as preamp/cab sim. 

 

This then feeds into an 11 quid passive DI box- thomanns own brand millenium di-e.. then straight to desk.

 

Simple set up. 

 

For monitoring I use a beringer ma400 headphone amp and KZ zs10 iems. 

 

Apart from the actual pedal board itself, everything else is inexpensive but excellent on  sound, functionality and quality !

[MrDinsdale]

I unintentionally went ampless for a gig last Tuesday when our VBA400 blew in soundcheck, maybe a valve got knocked in transit or something.

 

I decided to just go through the PA rather than asking to borrow the headliners amp. This sounded absolutely awesome, think the sound guy was pretty blown away with it.

 

 

The Capo has a really well tuned LPF rather than and cab simulation/IRs etc which helped a lot take some of the fizz out of the really gnarly tones.

 

As great as it sounded, it would be super hard to hear over both the guitarist's Marshall stacks and loud drummer. I also really missed having that wall of sound behind me but I very much enjoyed being an ampless setup tourist, I can definitely see the appeal.

 

For other less loud punky bands I'd happily turn up with my Capo and a tuner in future though!

[Paul S]

5 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

 mounted on a Aclam XS1 board.

 

That looks elegant - no cable ties or velcro, just held in place by the adjustable clamps?

[Frank Blank]

19 minutes ago, Paul S said:

That looks elegant - no cable ties or velcro, just held in place by the adjustable clamps?

 

Exactly. They do quick release clamps too, if you are a pedal swapper.

[Pea Turgh]

On 28/01/2023 at 16:08, mrn1989 said:

This is my ampless and mains power free rig, works a treat

 

 

Can you tell me more about the power pack please?  Freeing up another plug (and maybe ditching the amp/cab) sounds quite appealing.  Almost as little to set up as the brass section!

[Paul S]

11 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

 

Exactly. They do quick release clamps too, if you are a pedal swapper.

 

Every 5 years or so, I'd estimate, so screws would be just fine   Interesting... 

[Frank Blank]

5 minutes ago, Paul S said:

Every 5 years or so, I'd estimate, so screws would be just fine   Interesting... 

 

Let me know if you want to check it out.

[BigRedX]

And here's a photo of mine:

 

 

Just making some adjustments for tonight's gig. The foldback at the venue will be more than adequate for our needs which saves me having to carry the RCF up two flights of steep and narrow stairs. I've included the backing playback system, because this also controls all the patch changes on the Helix required for the songs as well as being our drummer and second synth player. The foot pedal to the left is used to stop and start playback as well as run a macro that closes the current song and opens the next one in the set. The songs are numbered in the order we are going to play them so the set order can be quickly changed by simply renaming the songs.

[indiegrungesound]

On 28/01/2023 at 20:44, gafbass02 said:

I’ve had a change around! Super flexible set up with four possible DI out locations, options for running out to my frfr cabs in mono or stereo, or to an amp, or as I use it, to my IEMs through a separate route to my FOH signal. All mounted on a Pedaltrain novo 32 with a choice of soft or hard cases. 

 

Props/Big +1 for The Sonicake Boom Avenue pedal from me! Mine's brilliant!

[gafbass02]

Just now, indiegrungesound said:

 

Props/Big +1 for The Sonicake Boom Avenue pedal from me! Mine's brilliant!

Sadly mine died last week!