PaulE Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 yo. i've been a guitarrist for nine years, but ive started playing bass in a new band. I've just bought a fender jazz, an ashdown evo iii 575w and a 4x10 ashdown cab. My mate, another bassist, has got a SansAmp RBI, and raves about it, saying i should get one. i've got a rackmount system in my flightcase, so im pretty keen to use these three slots too. However, is there a point to me having a sansamp? i thought they were used to plug straight into a PA. I'm confused as hell by this, if anyone could clear this up, it would be brilliant. Would it go; SansAmp --> Head --> Cab ? Cheerss. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 It's a preamp and a DI, so yes you can use it in front of your usual amp setup. It's got a great sounding drive and EQ section, so if you like the sound they make then they are a great addition. I love it, hence I've recently moved to using just an RBI for all my tone shaping and a seperate power amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulE Posted August 17, 2010 Author Share Posted August 17, 2010 [quote name='Wil' post='927423' date='Aug 17 2010, 12:07 PM']It's a preamp and a DI, so yes you can use it in front of your usual amp setup. It's got a great sounding drive and EQ section, so if you like the sound they make then they are a great addition. I love it, hence I've recently moved to using just an RBI for all my tone shaping and a seperate power amp.[/quote] Would it basically render my head obsolete though? would i need to bother changing any settings on my head if the RBI is doing all this? technically could i just put RBI straight into cab? Whats the difference between a cab and a poweramp? I'm a bit new to the whole head/cab stuff too, any help is appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 (edited) The RBI is just a preamp (like the EQ section on your amp) and a DI box - it has no power amp, so it couldnt drive a speaker cabinet. Think of it as an external EQ pedal/rackmount unit. Your Ashdown has an EQ section, DI and a power amp built in (the 575 watts rating is what your amp's power section can put out). So, the only advantage you gain from using a Sansamp really with your amp is the tone - they do sound great. You can use the EQ on the Sansamp and the EQ on your head, or leave one alone, or both, entirely depends on how it sounds to you. Edited August 17, 2010 by Wil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyratm Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 [quote name='PaulE' post='927436' date='Aug 17 2010, 12:14 PM']Would it basically render my head obsolete though? would i need to bother changing any settings on my head if the RBI is doing all this? technically could i just put RBI straight into cab? Whats the difference between a cab and a poweramp? I'm a bit new to the whole head/cab stuff too, any help is appreciated![/quote] You would need to run the RBI into the poweramp - the poweramp is just a basic amplifier. I think it provides no tone shaping at all. I could be wrong though - this is just how i've always taken it. The cab is your speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulE Posted August 17, 2010 Author Share Posted August 17, 2010 [quote name='woodyratm' post='927455' date='Aug 17 2010, 12:20 PM']You would need to run the RBI into the poweramp - the poweramp is just a basic amplifier. I think it provides no tone shaping at all. I could be wrong though - this is just how i've always taken it. The cab is your speakers.[/quote] by poweramp, are we talking my head? thats whats confusing me. RBI --> HEAD --> CAB is that correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 (edited) An amp head consists of an EQ section, and a poweramp. The power amp does the work and turns your quiet bass signal into the massive racket that comes out of your speakers. You can also buy poweramps with no EQ section built in, the same sort used in PAs, which is what I use with my RBI, but in your case you can use your amp head's poweramp to drive your speakers with the Sansamp doing the EQing. Clear as mud? Edited August 17, 2010 by Wil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyratm Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 [quote name='PaulE' post='927468' date='Aug 17 2010, 12:32 PM']by poweramp, are we talking my head? thats whats confusing me. RBI --> HEAD --> CAB is that correct?[/quote] You can run it that way yeah - But poweramps are stuff with no tonal EQ and such (eg they give you the volume) You could get an RBI and try it going into the ashdown (eg like you'd do with a pedalboard) I used to use a sansamp BDDI into my Ashdown Mag to give it a sound the ashdown just couldnt get on its own. But on the other side of the coin the sansamp couldnt get the tone on its own neither. I used both EQs to get the tone i wanted. Also the sansamp was handy for dialling in a bit of grit just to dirty the tone up a bit! Ask your mate if you can test his Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulE Posted August 17, 2010 Author Share Posted August 17, 2010 both the above replies help loads! thanks a lot! I've got 3 spaces in my rackmount. I'm gonna go with the RBI, the korg DTR 2000 tuner, and the line 6 g90 wireless! Any suggestions? pros? cons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I use the pedal version of the Korg tuner, and it's a great bit of kit. Tracks well even on my 5 string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulE Posted August 17, 2010 Author Share Posted August 17, 2010 [quote name='Wil' post='927486' date='Aug 17 2010, 12:56 PM']I use the pedal version of the Korg tuner, and it's a great bit of kit. Tracks well even on my 5 string.[/quote] you know with the rackmount version, how can i mute/bypass from front stage to tune? considering my flightcase will be at back of stage? is it a case of phyiscally going to the rackmount tuner and pressing buttons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I think they're footswitchable, or you can use the buttons on the front panel. If you want to use a footswitch, something like a Boss FS-5L should do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 The Sansamp PSA (one of which I'm selling) is pedal controllable, if you score a midi pedal, fairly sure you could set a channel to 0 volume, as long as tuner is first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverinebass Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I've got a Korg DTR 2000. You can either press the button or use a latch type footswitch to mute as there is a jack in the rear panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scowley Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 (edited) How do those rackmount korgs compare to boss TU 2s? I love mine, but flashing things don't half look cool! Also, with your sansamp issue, your amp might have an input that says "poweramp in". If so, try plugging a sansamp through there as well as trying through the input. You might find you prefer the sound that way as it will bypass the EQ on your head. Edited August 17, 2010 by Scowley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmshaw37 Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 i have essentially the same set up - the g90 is awesome! simply brilliant the dtr1000 i have had for 8 years and never had a simgle problem, just sits there doing its job! the sansamp rpm does REALLY fat low end amazingly well, next purchaces are the rbi (for top end grit) and my own power amp (borrowing the bands PA one atm) send em to 2 different cabs (i'm using 15's for the rpm and 10's for the top) using a distortion pedal atm for the dirty top and the difference is i have to rum the power amp at nearly twice the volume as its not a proper pre amp! but yes good choices none the less! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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