Author Topic: Rack unit (Read 193 times)

tmoney61092 · « **on:** January 08, 2010, 09:32:35 PM »

i recently realized that i no longer need more basses, i just want more sounds that i can get with any bass so i am wanting to do a rack unit.

i don't have a lot of experience with a rack setup as in which things sound good, how to hook them up, or really anything about them, so i was wondering if someone could help me figure out what i should get that would have the best bang for the buck, and any info on how to wire them into my head which is a Hartke 3500 Mosfet 350 watts with an Ampeg SVT-1540HE cabinet, thanks guys!

~Taylor

sonicus · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2010, 10:31:24 PM »

Taylor ,
If you really want to take a step up in QUALITY then sell the Hartke 3500 or keep it as a a spare back up . Then Buy a QUALITY well made 6 or 8 space rack.( RECEST LATCHES A MUST ! ) NEXT _____ Get an ALEMBIC
F1X or F2B preamp NEXT_____ get an ALEMBIC SF-2 . or instead of the SF-2 get a GOOD parametric equaliser ( OR 2)such as a FURMAN PQ-3 . The SF-2 is a better tone shaper but the FURMAN P-Q3 is also very useful I have 3 of them 2 in one rack and I in another.

Next get a POWER AMP with a decent track record with a HIGH DAMPING factor don't settle for less then 250 /350 watts per channel RMS @ 8 ohms ; that is the least that I would want to advise you to get. More power would be better .Then get another speaker cabinet. MY 2 cents _________
NOW start to rumble !

Sonic Regards and Happy Belated New Year to you !

sonicus · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2010, 10:58:27 PM »

In retrospect to tone shaping ability and versatility __
GET THE SF-2 FIRST ! Use it through your effects send or as a front end with your existing rig. Then save up more money and get the other stuff such as the rack NEXT or get the SF-2 and the rack at the same time and so on ______

pierreyves · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2010, 12:49:16 AM »

alembic sound don't require equalization for me, just F1-X or F2-B. Other rack unit as EQ get more undesirable (?) noise.
F1-X => poweramp 2 X 700w @ 4 or 8ohms => 2 HP 800W 4ohms

sonicus · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2010, 11:43:38 PM »

Taylor,
If I understand your question correctly you would like to be able to have more sound shaping versatility with ANY BASS even a NON-ALEMBIC BASS , is that correct ? Then if the answer is yes then you need additional EQUALISATION (EQ) of some kind or a Filter type device such as the HIGH QUALITY ALEMBIC SF-2.The SF-2 would be the most effective approach to your needs WITH OUT adding more noise into the system.There are low quality EQ units out there that DO add more noise . Many players have additional PARAMETRIC EQ units in their racks as well. The FURMAN PQ-3 was a popular unit at one time,( some of the CATS in the GRATEFUL DEAD used them as well) I own 3 PQ-3's . I also own a TC Electronic 2240 and NEI Model 342 . I would like to be able to get a WEISS EQ1 for my ANALOG TO DIGITAL tape transfer and remastering work but that is a VERY expensive unit.
If you have any further questions just ask _

Wolf ____

ajdover · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2010, 11:53:43 PM »

Taylor,

I can say from experience that an SF-2 makes any instrument sound better (yes, that's subjective) regardless of the amp used. I know this because I initially used my SF-2 with an Ampeg SVT-IV Pro before I went to a pre-amp (F1-X) and power amp (QSC) set up. It made the Ampeg sing, no joke. When I went to a separate pre/power amp set up, the SF-2 gave me total control over tone regardless of the instrument I used.

You want tone? Get an SF-2. You won't be sorry.

V/R,

Alan

tmoney61092 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2010, 07:11:40 AM »

it's weird because as soon as i posted this and Wolf commented about the power amp and all, i got a Carvin guitar/bass catalog in the mail. so as i was looking through it i spotted a head that looked like it would be amazing to have. its the Carvin BX500, all tube with a mute switch and a bypass button incase the tube blows out, has compression, bass/treble controls, 9-band eq, and 2 parametric eq's, one for the low mids and the other for the high ones, and each mid control has frequency settings also. and as an added plus, it has a built in power amp incase i did get something like an SF-2, which i am considering. i'm going to do some more research on this bass head and see if it'd be worth a try, thanks for all the help! forgot to mention that it also has effects loop send'return, tuner out, foot switch jack, ohm selector between 2 and 4, and as the best part, it weighs less than 6 pounds.

~Taylor

(Message edited by tmoney61092 on January 10, 2010)

keith_h · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2010, 07:58:57 AM »

While I do not have any experience with the BX500 I do have experience with other Carvin amplifier products. My current rehearsal rig is an RC210 combo which uses the RL600 head.

Personally I would stay away from Carvin amps. If the compressor is like others they have had in the past it is never fully off and results in a low farty distortion. The only way around it is to use a mild but noticeable compression setting. Also internally the construction is not really road worthy. I do not abuse my amps by any means and have had connectors fall off of the PC boards and a poorly designed heat sink mount crack the cooling fan housing. While I have resolved these issues with local modifications they show the results of cutting corners to keep costs low. I also had a problem with a bent speaker basket when I first received it. While Carvin sent me a new speaker right away it indicates to me poor quality control. I've also had a couple of cold solder joints in the power supply. Again a sign to me of poor quality control. It is for these reasons I leave it at the rehearsal space. By not moving it I minimize loose connections and as it has a low resale value it is no great loss if it is stolen or goes up in flames.

When you say you want to get more sounds than you can with any bass, what do you mean? Going to a component system doesn't mean you will have any greater flexibility in the preamp than an integrated head. As an example I have an Eden Navigator which has 3 bands of semi-parametric equalization plus bass and treble controls. I am actually looking at simplifying by going to a Fender based tone control circuit (think F1-x or Fender TBP-1). I already use a component system but would look for the same characteristic an integrated head if that is what I had.

Keith

mike1762 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2010, 08:29:30 AM »

I read some reviews on the BX500: they were mixed. The people who got a good one loved them, but there were lots of complaints about noise and shut-down issues. One guy was on his 3rd return!!!

dannobasso · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2010, 09:56:20 AM »

I may be in the minority but I've moved away from more equipment in the rack. I had (and loved) the tones I had with an F1X-Sf2 and QSC amps put in a power conditioner and a rack tuner I was good to go. But the weight was becoming problematic with the need for fast setups.Also the SF2 is such a powerful tool that if someone messes with it during setup you can do some damage to your cabs. I had to add a pedalboard for distortion and chorus for tunes when we went to 1 guitar instead of 2. I now use an Epifani UL902C - korg tuner-shure wireless in the rack into Epifani UL212's and a UL610. I also have a Thunderfunk TFB 750A that sounds great. No SVT for me. I'm too spoiled with neo stuff.

Whatever your needs and desires follow then and be happy. But until I get a tech to handle my gear the less weight I have to lift, the better I feel. Also the lesson learned about live sound is in most situations your immaculate tone sweated over and honed will be changed by the guy at FOH. So I learned to have a sound I love but forget about how it translates to the audience. Just make each performance your best and trust that others know what they are doing.

keith_h · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2010, 10:50:05 AM »

Danno,
I hear you on the weight. My six space rack is full and comes in around 60-70 lbs. Basically another speaker cabinet to drag around. I've decided to split it into two racks once my Series gets here to reduce weight. I hope to split the amp and ELF into a 3 spacer. The voltage regulator and everything else will into a 4 space rack.

Keith

tmoney61092 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 10, 2010, 10:59:10 AM »

well i guess its not that i want a rack unit then, i guess what i'm looking for is a head that has a good amount of tone possibilities, with my Hartke, i have a tube/solid state mixer, compression, a 10 band eq, and low pass and high pass contour controls but no bass/treble or any kind of parametric eq, i love this head but it is lacking in some areas. so it would help if any one could tell me a good head with bass, treble, and mid controls, 9+ band eq, and maybe some type of parametric eq. so any help with finding this kind of head would be awesome

i also have a pedalboard that has BOSS ODB-3, CEB-3, BF-2B, ZOOM P.O.D., Dunlop Bass Crybaby, and a Line 6 X2 wireless

~Taylor

crgaston · « **Reply #12 on:** January 10, 2010, 09:23:18 PM »

Taylor, it sounds like your Hartke has all the features you're looking for except a midrange knob and a parametric EQ. The lowpass/hipass contour knobs are just fancy names for bass and treble controls. It should be able to help you produce a number of good tones, but you'll have to manually adjust it to change between them. Ampeg does makes some heads that might have what you are asking for, minus the parametric EQ. On the other hand, since it sounds like you are wanting the ability to do some major tone-shaping on the fly, you might want to look into a Line 6 Bass POD and a good power amp like a QSC PLX 2402. That combination would give you lots of sonic options, plenty of headroom, and it'd be really portable, too.

Danno, I hear you. I'm down to a 4-space compact Gator rack with the DS-5R, an F2B, and a PLX 3402. I even zip-tied a 3-outlet extension cable onto the back of the amp instead of using a rack-mount power strip to save space. If I weren't using the Series, though, the Superfilter would definitely be in there.