Bass direct to PA system?

[jharris]

We have been running our bass guitar (for church) through a blown keyboard amp. We're about to upgrade our PA system to either Wharfedale EVPX 15"s with two subs or to JBL jrx 115s with 118 subs. (your advice on these would be appreciated too!).
We will struggle to afford to buy a proper bass amp right now as well, but I can buy a bass effects/amp modeling pedal off e-bay reasonably cheaply. We definitely want to put the bass through the PA system anyway, is there any reason that we would need a bass amp or

bass guitar-amp modeller-mixer-PA subs

Is it reasonable to expect that setup to work and why? thanks for your help!

 

[kq300325]

just get a di box. they are quite cheap. It will have a high impedance input for the bass and provide a low impedance output. This you can connect to the Pa mixer. Also you will be able to make long cable runs down a multicore with little quality loss and less interference

 

[Adam P]

SansAmp Bass Driver DI. You can probably find one on eBay for around a hundred bucks. Much better than a cheap passive DI.

 

[jharris]

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to end up with a "muddy" sound. We're also going to have an electric drum kit going through the system. I was afraid a straight DI box would give a hollow or less desirable sound, but with the price of a second hand amp modeler I thought this might give us better sound for not much more $$. I'm just an ignorant guitarist/youth pastor

 

[WERNER 1]

+1 on the SansAmp Bass Driver DI !!!

You are describing the exact set up we are currently using at my church. I was previously using my Hartke 5000 head and a 4x10 cab, but in an effort to keep the sound levels down on stage we decided to go direct.

I was totaly against this in the begining, but as time went on and I added the SansAmp and a Boss GEB-7 (Bass EQ) my sound is very good. I am actually using another DI box as well (Stewart I think) as the SansAmp was causing some noise issues. So now I only use the SanAmp as a tone shaping tool --- and it does that VERY well!!

My signal chain now is: Fender Jazz / Geddy Lee Sig. ---> SansAmp Bass DI ---> Boss TU-2 (Tuner)--->Boss GEB-7--->Boss Bass Compressor----> Boss Bass Chorus -----> Stewart DI Box.

I can't express enough how against going direct I was, but now I'm happy with it. .....Funny how things change.

Rick

 

[jharris]

Thanks for that Rick... that's exactly what I needed to know! We're in a smallish building so I would say that what you're describing shouuld work perfectly for us! Thanks for your help!

 

[Bassman Brad]

Yep. The SansAmp Bass Driver is exactly what you would need in a situation like that.

 

[WERNER 1]

You're welcome!

Like I stated before though, for some reason we were unable to actually use the SansAmp for the actual direct box.....It was producing a lot of unwanted noise. Now this was probably due to some error in our hook up or settings, and as a quick fix I just used it as a "Tone Shaper". I've not actually gotten around to figuring out what the actual problem was.....and it's been that way for a year now. But I do know of many other who have used it in it's Direct box form without any problems. (You can still tone shape while using it as a direct box.)

Yeah, If you can't dial in "Your sound" with the SansAmp and an EQ, ....well you probably need to look into getting some new ears.

Rick

 

[Adam P]

I've never had a problem using it in a live setting going direct to the house PA. In fact, it usually put a great big smile on my face when I heard the sound guy bring it up in the FOH, because it sounded great. Thick and clear, and shaking the room (we were a sludgy band that tuned to C, so it really rumbled). I had guys from nationally touring bands that we opened for asking me how I got such a great bass tone, and just pointed to the SansAmp.