Mini bass heads for recording

spantini

COO of me, inc.
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In my everlasting search for improved sound quality and control, I've been reading up on Mini Bass Heads. I'm attracted to their small size, soundshaping abilities and, mostly, their XLR Pre/Post DI Outs. I'm not too concerned with their power ratings since I won't be running a cab(s) or playing out with them. For now, I'm just looking into recording with one with the possibility of (maybe) jamming or playing out sometime in the future.. or not.

After watching videos, reading reviews and forum user's posts, one thing keeps popping up with certain models: Fan Noise

At least one Mfr replied to an amp owner stating either fans or heatsinks had to be used. Since heatsinks for their power ratings would have to be much too large for their Mini enclosures, fans were selected. Noise was an accepted trade-off and is normal since these were intended for larger live performance venues. This was in answer to a user's inquiry - his amp's fan was very noisy in home usage.. even in a full band practice situation.

At first, this noise bothered me. But then I realized if I were to use one of these in my bedroom studio I wouldn't be running it while tracking vocals or miking something, so it could work out ok.

Does anyone have experience using one of these in their studio (going DI) - fan noise a problem?

Just a couple of example amps for visual refference :

gk-peavy.jpg
 
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Been listening to demos and some sound very good to my ears. It's difficult though when the only constant is the amp. Each demo is a different bass guitar with different strings, a different mic and different cab.. Guitars range from Squiers to any number of higher level basses with rockin' pups. A couple demos had good comparisons of DI and Cabs - straight and blended. Though each guitar has different strings, it sounded like most if not all were roundwounds which accommodated those doing a lot of slapping and lead guitar riffs on 5-strings. Doesn't anyone just play bass anymore..??

Those with lots of EQ control - such as a Band EQ or frequency knobs - seem a bit superfluous for my current needs (DI to DAW) as it seems that stuff can be handled in Reaper.

My current interests are drawn to those in the $200-$400 range +/-.

Those demos I've listened to :

I don't know if Trace Elliot is Pre or Post on the DI but I liked the sound somewhat
I don't know if the Ashdown is Pre or Post EQ on the DI but I liked it's sound
I don't know if the Behringer is Pre or Post EQ on the DI but it also has a Line Out and sounds ok

Ashdown OriginAL 300W Bass Amplifier Head : Ashdown OriginAL Bass Head - Review & Demo - YouTube
Behringer BX2000H 2,000W Bass Amplifier Head : BEHRINGER BX2000H - басовый усилитель на 2000 Вт (правда очень мощный) - YouTube
Peavey MiniMax V2 600-Watt Lightweight Bass Head : All About The Bass - The New Peavey Mini Max Bass Amp - Part 1 - YouTube
Peavey MiniMAX 500W Bass Amp Head Black : Peavey miniMax 500 head demo - YouTube
TC Electronic Thrust BQ500 500-Watt Compact Bass Head : TC Electronic Thrust BQ500 Bass Amp Review | GEAR GODS - YouTube
Gallien-Krueger MB200 200-Watt Ultra Light Micro Bass Head : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69spscU1V8o

7. Acoustic B300HD 300W Bass Amp Head : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lJVM7v-zsA
8. Behringer Ultrabass 300 Watt 2-Channel 7-Band FBQ : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPKTvr0dP4c
9. Trace Elliot ELF 200W Micro Bass Guitar Amp Head : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2TNzJEaVKE



So far, I'm putting the Behringer Ultrabass 300 Watt 2-Channel 7-Band FBQ near the bottom of the list - Too much EQ stuff and not enough in the basic overall sound area. It's not really bad, just didn't hear what I want.
 
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nice stuff....youre right, most easily done to eliminate the fan noise = turn off when doing microphone stuff.

Class D, or switching amplifiers, by their very nature run cool and use much less energy compared to linear solid state amplifiers. Because of their 2ohm specification Class D Electric Bass amplifiers may be the only application where one will find the need for fan cooling.Dec 15, 2017
 
Each model seems to have it's own fan setup. Some are on all the time. Some off and on as required. And some are constant on and variable speed depending on cooling requirements. Some are deep internal and some mounted on the side or rear of the housing - I suppose those on the side or rear are the loudest.
 
Yeah, fans can be a disaster in a little room studio.

I get -60 idle noise with the Radial JDI and Cloudlifter+Interface preamp gain.
Just tested out a Cathderal Durham mk2 and its solid too.

Running some comparison of the Durham and Cloudlifter and at first noticed big difference....then I used exact same cables and they both sounded very similar. A reminder about cables....my Bass is a Monster cable, and though many roll their eyes at the cost, Ive never had a bad one.
This bag of cheapo XLR from Amazon are colorful and cheap and some just are bad, weak? whatever.....wow..."cheap-o" crap cables lesson again!
 
I'm not up to the Monster Cable level yet. I've only had one go bad on me - years ago. That was a coiled cable I got free that wasn't long enough to lay on the floor, always stretched out and swinging all over the place, so it failed at the jacks from fatigue. It's been long, straight cables ever since for me. I 'm not comfortable with 90° jacks either but I use a couple because they fit the bill.
 
The price on the Amp Heads with DI you list , $200- $400 is actually a great price.
Considering you get a real Amp Head too, theres the EQ or boosts etc...
Radial JDI is $200
My booster is $75 Cathederal Durham...so theres $275 not including cables.

however, if cheap is the goal, the interface with plugins- soft amps probably works as well?
but for some outboard Bass DI....for me its one of the easiest sounds to get.
Ive had so many different devices and the DI for bass almost always sounds "really good"...for a super novice bass player like myself.

Having a tuner on the Amp head would be a useful tool. I didnt look at all the amp heads, do any have tuner built in?

add: looks like PEAVEY includes the tuner....very handy!
 
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