Help! Bongo sound issues at church.

[JayDawg]

I use Music Man Bongo basses at church and I run directly from the soundboard to my wireless system and then to me. Here is the problem. The low ends distort like crazy so we turn the gain down but even at low volume, we still get distortion. I am at a total loss of what to do? Can anyone help me out?

We have never had this problem before but we had a wedding at the church a few weeks back and the soundboard and possible eq's all got changed around. I think someone also used the channel I use for something else and adjusted all of my settings. I set them back to what they were at the board but I am at a total loss as to what else I can do next?

 

[Movielife]

Sounds like the bass is boosted at the board/gain issues with the board.

Possibly try a new battery (well two) then test another bass )

 

[five7]

Is there a pad on the channel of the mixer, you might be clipping it.

 

[JayDawg]

Sounds like the bass is boosted at the board/gain issues with the board.

Possibly try a new battery (well two) then test another bass )

I have turned the gain on both my wireless system and at the board way down low. So low that it either is almost no sound or you slightly turn one or the other up and it starts clipping again.

I haven't tested the batteries but that is because it is doing it on all of my Bongo's and at home, I am getting a clean sound out of all of my Bongo's.

 

[JayDawg]

Is there a pad on the channel of the mixer, you might be clipping it.

What do you mean a pad? I have the gain at about 20% at the board, the eq at the board set all at around 20% as well whereas prior I ran everything at 50% or 12 O' clock. It has brought the overall volume down but it still distorts on the lower end notes or mainly the E and A strings. Nothing has changed on my basses either. They run with the factory set up and the pickups have not changed height at all. On my wireless, the gain is set at about 10% - 15% too.

 

[uOpt]

What input do you use?

What does the VU meter for that input display?

 

[five7]

When you solo the bass does it distort in the headphones and the solo meter. If so, the input is too hot.

 

[JayDawg]

When you solo the bass does it distort in the headphones and the solo meter. If so, the input is too hot.

I have not tried that but I will today.

The input at the bass or the board would be to hot? I'm assuming the board right?

 

[JayDawg]

What input do you use?

What does the VU meter for that input display?

I think at the board they use a 1/4" input. Going into my wireless, I use an XLR that goes into the stage that feeds to the board.

 

[five7]

We have never had this problem before but we had a wedding at the church a few weeks back and the soundboard and possible eq's all got changed around. I think someone also used the channel I use for something else and adjusted all of my settings. I set them back to what they were at the board but I am at a total loss as to what else I can do next?

If they adjusted the mixer differently, you would need to readjust your bass channel. At my church when they see my bongo they start with the channel padded, compressor on and bring it up slowly. The bongo is a mighty warrior.

 

[JayDawg]

If they adjusted the mixer differently, you would need to readjust your bass channel. At my church when they see my bongo they start with the channel padded, compressor on and bring it up slowly. The bongo is a mighty warrior.

I'm going to see if we have a PAD button on our board. I agree, the bass is a mighty one. I think someone also messed with our amps and eq's that go to the board. Unfortunately, I have no clue what they were set at prior.

 

[JayDawg]

Tonight at practice we switched channels and that seemed to solve the problem. I don't think the other channel is broke but something is messed up with it somewhere in the settings.

 

[tbonesullivan]

It might have a built in boost assuming there is a passive microphone attached.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

I had a problem with one channel in our theatre mixer (just mixing wireless mikes). I ran a 1/4" plug in and out of the channel's insert jack. Solved the problem.

This is the same type of fix that's often used for the effects send/return jacks on a bass amp, by the way.

PS: If your church doesn't supply a qualified sound operator for weddings, they should charge a deposit for correcting all of the screwed-up settings. Besides, a monkey turning knobs can damage equipment and speakers.

 

[MadMatt]

There mighty be a "Low Cut" button that is pressed. I know on our board it is really hard to differentiate between pushed, and unpushed buttons.

 

[Movielife]

Do you go straight in?

The Bongo has a super pre-amp, so it isn't an issue, but a nice pre-amp/DI box would give you more control on the signal you are putting through...plus give you an 'amped' sound without an amp! These boxes are life savers:

Tech 21 Sansamp BDDI
Aguilar Tonehammer

You could try a Zoom B3...

 

[JayDawg]

Do you go straight in?

The Bongo has a super pre-amp, so it isn't an issue, but a nice pre-amp/DI box would give you more control on the signal you are putting through...plus give you an 'amped' sound without an amp! These boxes are life savers:

Tech 21 Sansamp BDDI
Aguilar Tonehammer

You could try a Zoom B3...

Normally I run from the snake in the stage directly to my wireless system. I actually bought a Zoom B3 a few weeks back and used it yesterday. Do you have a Zoom B3 as well? If so, what do you run on it normally?

 

[Movielife]

I have one on order

 

[uOpt]

OP, did it ever occur to you to write down or photograph the settings on the mixer channel that work for you?

 

[JayDawg]

OP, did it ever occur to you to write down or photograph the settings on the mixer channel that work for you?

I had already done that and after the wedding, something else was messed with because my settings, when put back to what they were, were still causing lots of distortion. The weird thing is when we switched channels last week we got it under control but there was a lot of stuff messed with that threw everything out of whack.