Bongo and BBE BMAX-T

[oldbluebassman]

Does anyone else use a BBE BMAX-T pere-amp with a Bongo?

I am having great difficulty in getting things set up to give me the sound I want. If I set the EQ on the BBE to give a kind of pre-shape and then wind in some bass on the Bongo the BBE just can't handle it. Same if I wind up the lower mid. The SR5 is fine but the output of the Bongo just overloads the BBE completely. I actually think it's a BBE design problem because interestingly I don't have that problem with the Ashdown ABM500.

Are there any other pre-amps that can handle the full EQ range of a Bongo?

 

[cgworkman]

I tried that combination. I personally didn't care for the mix myself. The BBE is a great pre - I just didn't care for the tone I was getting - or the tone I couldn't get.

IMHO, it was way to sterile. I played through it for several weeks, I couldn't learn to like it.

As far as the BBE not being able to handle the output from the Bongo, I exp'd the same thing with my Bongo and SR5 (except on a smaller scale) - even with my MIA Fender J too (on an even smaller scale). It's like the BBE was designed to compliment the bass with the absolute weakest output.

As far as other pre's, I've just acquired a Sansamp RBI - so we'll see what happens with it as I've never used one before.

 

[oldbluebassman]

Thanks Chris

It's nice to know that I'm not alone. Please let me know how you get on with the RBI. I'm tempted to try an EBS or even get an Ashdown RPM.

Has anyone got experience of a Bongo with any other rack mount pre-Amp?

 

[cgworkman]

Well I gigged with the RBI this week and I must say that my first impression was pretty good. It's the best tube emulation I've heard yet. The papers that came with say it's "100% Analog Circuitry" which I'm sure adds to the tube sound.

I've not yet played my Bongo through it live, but the SR5 didn't seem to kill the input on the RBI - Something that I had exp'd with the BBE.

It's definitely something to check out since you're on the prowl for the right pre also. If all goes well - I may just keep this one!

 

[oldbluebassman]

Well thats good to hear. I've been doing a lot of testing over the weekend. I recently picked up a Goliath Snr and I've been trying to make the Bongo5 and the SR5 sound right through it. I've got the BBE into a Crown MT600 and been comparing it to my Ashdown ABM500 head.

What I don't like about the BBE is that the bass and treble are boost only and the mid is cut only which really is a bit limiting. At oe point I was all set to buy an Ashdown pre-Amp but I've now got to a point where I have no EQ on the BBE with only a bit of mid cut dialled in on the parametric. I can then wind in a bit of bass on the guitar and get quite a nice growl with the pup balance somewhere way between centre and bridge. Testing in my garage is not really too good but I'm taking it to a jam tomorrow so that will be a much better test.

Interestingly I realised today why the Bongo can never sound like an SR5. The pups are in different places relative to the nut and bridge, so there is life for the SR5 yet.

 

[cgworkman]

I've been looking at that same cab along with some Aguilar cabs. Like I said I really like the RBI, but I tend to change over the first few weeks, etc. The thing with the BBE, I can't say I ever cared for the tone. I really wanted to like it it just didn't happen for me - Hope you have better luck with it.

 

[JB1]

Hello gents, do you mind if I jump in on this one?

I was just wondering why you need/use pre-amps. Not from a critical POV, only from the POV that I've not used them myself or seen them used & I wondered in which situation you or indeed I would need them.

Or am I misunderstanding the terminology?

I use an Ashdown EVOII 300 and 3 cabs - is the EVO what I should consider my pre-amp.

You'd think after 12 years I should know all of this, but I'm a plug & play type of fella, so I got a bass, an amp, some cabs and off I go!

 

[oldbluebassman]

Hi JB1

The Ashdown ABM300/500 is a complete system in that it has both a pre-amp and a power amp. The point where one becomes the other is at the Effects jacks at the rear. Put simply, the effects send is the pre-amp output, the effects return is the power input.

What CG and I are doing is building rack systems where you can take the pre-amp from one manufacturer and the power amp from another in order to give optimum performance or sound. For example some studio quality power amplifiers are far better than the power amps built, for a price, into a complete head, and some pre-amps offer lower noise, warmer or cleaner sound, or additional features than others. It's a case of mix and match.

 

[cgworkman]

Ditto that. It's kinda like buying components instead of a shelf stereo system. you can pick choose the pieces and parts you want.

Oldblue -

You had mentioned EBS cabs before (maybe in another thread) - have you sampled any of those yet? If so, what's you're thoughts?

 

[JB1]

Thanks for that guys. As I said, I'm not really a techie, just a plug & play man!

I also didn't think about it long enough to realise that 'input' and 'output' possibly translated into 'pre' & 'post' !


All the best in your search for the holy grail of sound.

 

[oldbluebassman]

No I haven't had a chance to have a look at the EBS Neo cabs yet. The store with them is in London and I'm 40 miles out but never go there out of choice. I do have to go up for a meeting later in the month so I'll make the most of the opportunity. They are allegedly very light and very loud, but are they very bassy?

 

[cgworkman]

They are allegedly very light and very loud, but are they very bassy?

Why can't we just have what we want???

 

[Rayan]

Hmmmmmmm

kurious to hear what the Developers of the Bongo would have to offer about (pre/allinone) amp recommendations for optimum performance ...
otherwise, talkin' about "kickin'butt", maybe Bongo just as well plugs directly into 120vA/C, becomes the world's first multi-media bass, and we can listen for visible modulations of the national power grid /Rayan