Which DI to use....

[dclaassen]

I've not had the chance before to need to DI my Trace GP12SMX before, and have to this weekend. I have left and right post eq and also a pre eq option. I know the difference, but would like a Trace veteran to give me guidance on which to use with a house sound engineer. 

 

Thanks!

[Dan Dare]

I'd ask the engineer which he prefers. He may well want a pre-eq signal, so he can set it up for the PA. 

[Nickthebass]

I would send pre-EQ to the FoH if in doubt. Then you can EQ the amp for the onstage sound and fiddle with it during the show without affecting the balance out front. 
 

What works on stage and what works out front are not always the same thing. 

[Supernaut]

Always pre EQ if going to the PA for myself. In my experience, a lot of venues prefer that. 
 

Reason being, they can get a good sound out front and you can have a different stage sound which allows you to cut through better. Win-win. 

[dclaassen]

Thanks to all for the great replies!

[Nickthebass]

3 hours ago, dclaassen said:

Thanks to all for the great replies!

You’re welcome. Let us know how it goes. 

[BigRedX]

Pre-EQ, but get the PA engineer up on stage to hear what your bass sounds like to you through your amp and cab(s) so they know what sort of sound to be aiming for FoH.

[warwickhunt]

4 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Pre-EQ, but get the PA engineer up on stage to hear what your bass sounds like to you through your amp and cab(s) so they know what sort of sound to be aiming for FoH.

 

You'd like to hope they would.    

 

I had an experience where the engineer wouldn't take my amp DI (a good DI btw) as he wanted a clean unadulterated signal to work with... I tried pointing out we were a Cheap Trick tribute band and my effects/amp inc valve amp overdrive etc were to recreate a specific bass tone.  He wasn't happy but he was being paid by the venue to do the sound for us not him.  

[Downunderwonder]

Be sure the desk has phantom power off. Trace never isolated their DI afaik. 18v up it and no more DI. Then they tell you your DI doesn't work!

[Downunderwonder]

41 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Pre-EQ, but get the PA engineer up on stage to hear what your bass sounds like to you through your amp and cab(s) so they know what sort of sound to be aiming for FoH.

Good luck.

 

Having heard so much boom and clank rubbish out front from other bands I just send them my effected signal. At least they are starting from something decent. I still get the odd grumbles it's bloated in the lows. It's the hall and the PA.

 

My cab is full range and the lows are turned down already. Tune your fine PA to the room!

[Japhet]

Engineers generally like as clean a signal as possible which means pre EQ. That's all well and good until you run into a sound engineers who doesn't know what a bass should sound like. 

[Baloney Balderdash]

Buy a good bass mic and insist on using the miced signal, so that it actually sounds like you.

 

If they can do that for guitars, they can do it for bass too.

 

And a lot of professional bass players/soundmen actually does do this.

 

As someone pointed out the sound guy is supposed to work for you, not against you or to his own whims.

 

Yes, it is much easier for him to do the exact same routine on every single bass he encounters, but that isn't actually doing his job properly.

 

Different bass players and bands do tend to have their own sound that defines them, they are not supposed to all sound the same, and a soundman who doesn't recognize this is a lazy hack who shouldn't have been given the responsibility over the PA system and mixer.

 

Edited April 12 by Baloney Balderdash

[Lozz196]

I always send post rather than pre. The reason for this is that the flat tone of my basses gets in the way of the guitars and doesn’t sound good with them. My tone is adding some highs and dropping some low mids so nothing boomy or distorted that is difficult to deal with, just sculpted a little. 
 

 

[Acebassmusic]

2 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

I always send post rather than pre. The reason for this is that the flat tone of my basses gets in the way of the guitars and doesn’t sound good with them. My tone is adding some highs and dropping some low mids so nothing boomy or distorted that is difficult to deal with, just sculpted a little.

 

Funny how guitarists always get an "end of signal path" feed to the desk to ensure "their sound" with all EQ and effects are included. When the bass player politely asks for the same option it's often met with a look of confusion as to "why do you want that? I set your tone at the desk" 🤣  Whats often needed is a bit of a balance between on stage sound (tone, definitely, but usually volume level!), PA operation and communication with the engineer as to what the band are looking for. 

[dclaassen]

Thanks for all the wonderful advice above. The sound tech was pretty hands-off, I offered the post feed, which worked great and resulted in a really accurate sound. Another of the advantages of this amp is the choice of pre or post DI outputs. I know it's heavy, and I'm going to get a lighter 4x10 to save my back, but I can't justify getting rid of it!