Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

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Liquid EDGE
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Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by Liquid EDGE »

I was recently given a bass guitar.

I don’t really have any extra room in the studio for more hardware!

So was thinking to get the dynatube bass bundle.

What are people’s opinion on it?
As a basspod would have more emulations and you can get one for about the same price as the bundle.

Like I said though, it’s getting cramped in the studio. So am leaning towards the bundle.
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dante
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by dante »

Some info here if you havent seen it already : https://www.scopeusers.com/ScopeRise/is ... nabass.htm

I'm not using it at present because it doesnt supports 96Khz. But not an issue if you're working at 44 or 48Khz.
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by Liquid EDGE »

Cool. Thanks.

I’m hoping someone has experience with both options.

Even though the bass bundle has less options is it better quality than the line6 basspod emulations? Are they comparable?

I used to have a basspod and really liked it. But then like the idea of just having a bass amp solution in scope!
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by garyb »

you can get a demo key....
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by Liquid EDGE »

Good point.
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by jksuperstar »

I have the Dynatube bass bundle, Celmo's Bass Amp Modeler,and a Zoom B3 pedal.

Dynatube is a clean sound, but us just the 2 amps and 2 cabinets. I really like the Simms-Watts model. Most people over look the bass-amp interaction (physical connection) as part of the time, and having a DI into the Dynatube is nicer than direct into the XITE (I love the XITE preamps, but my opinion on them for DI is less so. A sansamp bass pre with everything flat is my DI box). With that in place, the Amps seem to come to life a.little.

Celmo's BAM rocks! It's fun, and deep, and musical in many ways. It inspires and wants to be played.

The Zoom covers everything else...the models are really true to the many pedals that are out there, has good time and is clean & versatile...I use this for 90% of the time, in studio or jams. Really, this covers the same sounds in the Dynatube. It's just not in scope.
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by jksuperstar »

Oh,I use the Dynatube on the backside of any Synth...always just sounds better :(
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by Liquid EDGE »

I thought I replied to this. thanks for the info jksuperstar.

how do you plug the di into the xite? same place on the front but set at line level? (hi z) not pressed.

if I wasn't to bother with a di, just plug the bass into xite with hi-z button pressed and route directly into dynatube.

on a bit of budget really so whatever gets a nice solid bass sound with a bit of grit...

I might as well get a demo and have a play.

ive got spacef's bass amp thing, sticking that on synths makes them sound better as well. just adds body/chunk..(and as I type, why have i not got round to just messing with the bass guitar with this.. HAHA)
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by Liquid EDGE »

also, what I liked with the bass pod was the design of it outputting the di of the bass and the amp & fx on two separate mono outputs.. as recording bass guitar its good to have the clean signal and the "effected" signal as two recordings to mix together.
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by jksuperstar »

My active bass just didn't jive well with getting a decent sound when plugged direct to the XITE. There wasn't anything wrong with it, but putting the sansamp really brought dynamics to life. You can use the bass pod into both XITE front inputs, then re-amp in scope if needed.
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by Liquid EDGE »

I’ve got a GSR205 https://www.ibanez.com/na/products/deta ... 4h_05.html

I’m plugging direct into the Xite. Have that routed to the das c350 channel strip and that routed to the softube/dynatube bass amps.

Am I supposed to have the hi-z button pressed on the Xite input, I don’t notice such a great difference in sound or level either way. The specs for the bass say passive pickups but has active eq and a battery is needed.

I’m not sure if it’s a passive or active guitar due to the contradiction in terms. Supposedly hi-z should be used with passive guitars, and active ones out put at line level!
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by jksuperstar »

My bass is a Steinberg Synapse 5-steing, and takes 2x 9volt batteries. It's output can be very hot. I can over drive the XITE when playing hard.

I'd say your bass is active. If the pickup isn't directly wired to the output (and then through the long cable to your XITE input), but instead has a small buffer/preamp in the bass body, it's def active. The only "active" type of pickup I know of is a piezo, coils are almost all passive (for the pick up itself, not the bass overall).

I'd experiment with Hi-Z vs lo-z. Real instrument levels are somewhere in-between those two. It's not just a matter of reducing volume levels, it's a different impedence, so the bass will see a different load on it, and the active circuitry could sound differently one way or the other. Then tweak input gain/volume as you see fit.
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by Liquid EDGE »

thanks. think that gives me more clarity on whats going on, so basically, hi-z button pushed in is more to do with adjusting the frequency response (the load? and impendence match?) from what i'm gathering with info. yes it adjusts the level, but reading up its something to do with a roll off happening as you go higher up the frequencies, hi-z stops a roll off happening. or am I talking gibberish?
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by valis »

Hi-z is impedance which affects frequency response as well. Hi-Z is usually on the order of 40-160 K Ohm, and when put into a less 'controlled' (lower ohm load) circuit you get a far less controlled sound. This is what the DI box is for, to convert from the High Ohm (Hi-Z) load to a lower resistance, higher power circuit for line or mic level. Gearslutz is a great place to read about such things, as is recording.org:

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/newbie-audio-engineering-production-question-zone/816428-hi-z-input-vs-di-input.html

https://recording.org/threads/hi-z-input.57496/
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by Liquid EDGE »

Thanks, nicely explained valis. 👍 I do find it odd there is no simple explanations of hi-z. Most places go off on a tangent and start talking about the return to Saturn with 50000mill cycles on the negative impact of zod!

I’ll try and sum up what I think the hi-z button means and does from all that I have read and your guys help etc. And why it’s useful. And not use technical jargon. I will try to explain what hi-z is so my 4 year old child can understand. (I believe that this is how all things should be explained, and then go into the technical jargon etc)

Instruments such as bass guitar and guitars with passive pickups should use the hi-z input on your pre amp. It keeps a strong clean signal over a long distance (once converted) and keeps the lively full frequency response of the instrument intact to transfer well to your recordings or destination. Though most bass guitars and guitars are active and output a strong signal, so it’s at a point where it’s almost a taste thing as to using hi-z or not on your pre amps input! Hi-z usually keeps the vibrant sound of your instrument intact and a more controlled signal (weird buzzing and hums are eliminated/less so)

That’s what I’m getting from the information on it, please correct me if I’m wrong, but do not talk in too much detail about ohms, transistor numbers, or the latitude & longitude coordinates of the planet zod! I don’t give a shit about that. All I want to know is does it make it sound better or worse and what source signals need/should use hi-z on pre amps!
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by garyb »

hiz is NOT good for long distances. for that, use a direct box and lowz(balanced).

hiz has a limit of 128feet 6 inches(20 feet is ok) before the signal is compromised, rolling off high and low frequencies.

active pickups are usually still instrument level. typically, they need to to into the instrument level input. some active pickups are nearly at line level and should go into a line level input or a direct box. most instrument amps offer high and low gain inputs. active pickups can go into the low gain input, if they are very hot.

line level can be hi or lowz.
instrument level can be hi or lowz.
mic level can be hi or lowz.

it is all about impedance. that is something to give a shit about, even if it's just at the most basic level. if the impedance is incorrect, you will see a seriously reduced frequency response.
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by Liquid EDGE »

Thanks Gary.

sorry my bad with the long distance thing, I was trying to say you would need something with a hi-z button (or a di box as you say) so the signal can then be sent long distances.

The hi-z button on the xite. Does that work on both the jack input and the xlr input?

so if you get the match up wrong you get a dull lifeless signal.

i'm glad you have said all levels can be hi-z or not as I was starting to think the hi-z was a "technical term" for instrument level?

the pre amps on xite are not set at line level or instrument level, they can just cope with most levels?.. pad button for really hot signals.. hi-z button to match impedance, phantom power for the xlrs if needed.
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by valis »

If you get the (impedance) "matchup" wrong, it can EITHER be dull and lifeless OR overly "energized" in that it will be distorted and harsh if flat out wrong.

However even when matched up you can often change things to alter the 'response' of the signal to taste, which is why I mentioned the wide range you can find 'Hi-Z' impedances at. Seems to me that in order to get something suited to a person's "playing style" or "tone" it's common to change pickups, change amps (input response) and cables (largely shielding in this case, though some will wax lyric about single copper core for its 'low resistance characteristics'--which is wrong as we're dealing with AC, or conversely winding of "multiple core strands" as "the electrons travel on the outside of the cable"--this is all bumpkis and the main thing you are likely changing is shielding and possibly some change in impedance due to the length of the cable and whether it's cheap copper clad aluminum or decent wire).

Mind you, I haven't played guitars in a few years so take my input for being out of date. There's a lot that changed in terms of resistance/impedance handling in our gear since the late 90's and matching such things tends to be much more forgiving from what I see on tech specs now.
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by garyb »

:) in spite of common opinions, things like "tone" are mainly influenced by the player's hands, although the gear can make things easier or harder. cables are actually one of the most important links in the signal chain, but also the most full of nonsense hype...

the latest suppositions are more or less correct, Liquid EDGE...

hiz is usually instrument level, but it can also be line level, and lowz can also be instrument level. these are just general terms as there is no real standard.
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Re: Dynatube bass bundle vs line6 basspod.

Post by valis »

Note I was using terms in quotes that are usually improperly used. Cables that suck give shitty, noisy results. It's been a long time since I've had problems with noise, and when I played guitar (childhood up until early 90's) this was my most common issue with recording. I don't think I knew enough back then, or cared, to understand about impedance. It either sounded like shit or it didn't. Now I probably know more than I should, and it certainly doesn't make me more productive. :)
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