Avalon U5 --what will it do

[ReverendBass]

I am sorry for the beginner question, but this is bugging me.

Right now, I have a weird set up I am about to be trying--A electric
Reverend P/J stile bass, an Ampeg SVT 3 Pro head and a Raezer's Edge Bass
12-400 (with a BAss 10 later).

I have been looking at this Avalon U5 and heard it is amazing. But I have no
idea what exactly a preamp or DI is supposed to do for me considering what I
currently use.

I am not playing out a lot right now. But I do want that good, solid tone
and the ability to play with my tone, too and change it around. Can someone
explain in layman's terms what this description means:
"The most powerful direct box available. Variable gain Class A preamplifier
to boost low-level pickup signals and a high-level speaker input for
capturing the live sound of the instrument's amplifier. Six passive tone-EQ
curves enhance a variety of acoustic and electric instruments. Twin
DC-coupled Class A output amplifiers drive both low-level mic preamp inputs
and high-level +4dB inputs for direct-to-tape recording or processing. Dual
mic and line outs, very low noise -100dB, high headroom +30dB, low-pass
filter, LED active signal indicator, headphone out.
The most powerful direct box available. Variable gain Class A preamplifier
to boost low-level pickup signals and a high-level speaker input for
capturing the live sound of the instrument's amplifier. Six passive tone-EQ
curves enhance a variety of acoustic and electric instruments. Twin
DC-coupled Class A output amplifiers drive both low-level mic preamp inputs
and high-level +4dB inputs for direct-to-tape recording or processing. Dual
mic and line outs, very low noise -100dB, high headroom +30dB, low-pass
filter, LED active signal indicator, headphone out."



What will this do for my sound if I order it right damn now.

[Bill Ribas]

a direct box is usually a link to the sound board for live performance.
check me if i'm wrong, but if you bought one, your sound wouldn't change. at
least not that you could hear from the stage.

Post by ReverendBass
I am sorry for the beginner question, but this is bugging me.
Right now, I have a weird set up I am about to be trying--A electric
Reverend P/J stile bass, an Ampeg SVT 3 Pro head and a Raezer's Edge Bass
12-400 (with a BAss 10 later).
I have been looking at this Avalon U5 and heard it is amazing. But I have
no idea what exactly a preamp or DI is supposed to do for me considering
what I currently use.
I am not playing out a lot right now. But I do want that good, solid tone
and the ability to play with my tone, too and change it around. Can
"The most powerful direct box available. Variable gain Class A
preamplifier to boost low-level pickup signals and a high-level speaker
input for capturing the live sound of the instrument's amplifier. Six
passive tone-EQ curves enhance a variety of acoustic and electric
instruments. Twin DC-coupled Class A output amplifiers drive both
low-level mic preamp inputs and high-level +4dB inputs for direct-to-tape
recording or processing. Dual mic and line outs, very low noise -100dB,
high headroom +30dB, low-pass filter, LED active signal indicator,
headphone out.
The most powerful direct box available. Variable gain Class A preamplifier
to boost low-level pickup signals and a high-level speaker input for
capturing the live sound of the instrument's amplifier. Six passive
tone-EQ curves enhance a variety of acoustic and electric instruments.
Twin DC-coupled Class A output amplifiers drive both low-level mic preamp
inputs and high-level +4dB inputs for direct-to-tape recording or
processing. Dual mic and line outs, very low noise -100dB, high headroom
+30dB, low-pass filter, LED active signal indicator, headphone out."
What will this do for my sound if I order it right damn now.

[jeffbonny]

Post by Bill Ribas
a direct box is usually a link to the sound board for live performance.
check me if i'm wrong, but if you bought one, your sound wouldn't change. at
least not that you could hear from the stage.

A U5 in addition to being a good DI box is "in layman's terms" one of
the best sounding instrument preamps currently being made. The number
of them owned by studios and used in pro bass and acoustic instrument
rigs bears this out. You couldn't possibly go wrong buying a U5.

jeffbonny
van.bc.ca

[Bill Ribas]

i stand corrected, and missed the preamp part. my bad.

Post by jeffbonny

Post by Bill Ribas
a direct box is usually a link to the sound board for live performance.
check me if i'm wrong, but if you bought one, your sound wouldn't change. at
least not that you could hear from the stage.

A U5 in addition to being a good DI box is "in layman's terms" one of
the best sounding instrument preamps currently being made. The number
of them owned by studios and used in pro bass and acoustic instrument
rigs bears this out. You couldn't possibly go wrong buying a U5.
jeffbonny
van.bc.ca

[m***@gmu.edu]

i use an avalon U5 all the time, for bass (electric and upright) and
guitar, as both a Di into the PA and as a preamp, driving a power amp.
What will it do for you? it will give you a studio quality signal with
a ton of deep, smooth bass and sweet, round highs. I don't know how to
explain it except to say that with every other amp or preamp I've ever
used, I'm always dialing out something--too much treble, or the bass is
flabby, or not enough mids, or not enough bass. But with the U5 I just
always get a good sound with no twiddling. I tweak the controls on the
instrument a bit, but otherwise, just use the U5, usually with the tone
presets disengaged

It sounds just as good with guitar as with bass. with my upright bass,
my electric bass, or my archtop, I get a smooth, detailed sound with no
bad frequencies anywhere--no flabby bass, no harsh, gritty treble.
sometime for guitar I prefer a tube amp, but most of the time for jazz
I like the U5

If you've ever used a high quality studio preamp, then you'll know what
the U5 sounds like. I love mine and it's really changed a lot about how
I play live. No more knob twiddling, no more trying to sound "like"
this or that other sound. Just a great neutral sound that I can shape
to sound like myself.

If you want a unit that lets you get a wide range of tones, this is not
it. It doesn't really have a lot of eq extremes. It won't let you sound
"like" flea and james jamerson and jaco and geddy lee. But it will put
the best possible face on the sound you make

[ReverendBass]

How exactly does it hook up? DO I connect it to my Ampeg?

Yougave a great explanation, but I am still not sure if this unit is what I
should get. Is there one less expensive that will do the same exact thing--a
preamp/DI?

Does it hook up to my amp? Or do I plug my bass directly into this?

If it is a preamp---what actually does that mean---does it pre the amp
meaning it makes my amp's tone measures obsolete?

Thanks again for these annoying beginner questions--but I am seeking a great
sound.

[Bill Ribas]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&oi=defmore&q=define:Preamp

Post by ReverendBass
How exactly does it hook up? DO I connect it to my Ampeg?
Yougave a great explanation, but I am still not sure if this unit is what
I should get. Is there one less expensive that will do the same exact
thing--a preamp/DI?
Does it hook up to my amp? Or do I plug my bass directly into this?
If it is a preamp---what actually does that mean---does it pre the amp
meaning it makes my amp's tone measures obsolete?
Thanks again for these annoying beginner questions--but I am seeking a
great sound.

[m***@gmu.edu]

No problem.

An electric instrument amp usually includes two parts, the preamp and
the poweramp. Most commonly, the two are combined in one unit that has
a preamp section and a poweramp section. Your Ampeg is like that. It's
got a preamp section, which takes your signal and boosts it to the
right level for the poweramp section, which then REALLY boosts it and
drives the speakers. The preamp section of an amp usually includes
volume and tone controls, and preamps often but not always add some
tone "color" to the signal. Your ampeg has the classic ampeg sound,
which is kind of a boost in the lower midrange, and it has tone shaping
knobs and sliders. It also has (I think) a DI output.

You can choose to have the preamp and the power amp be separate
units--that's what I do--I use the Avalon as the preamp, and it run it,
for bass, into a QSC PLX 1202 poweramp and then to the speaker cab. I
also use the Avalon as a DI, which is a box designed to take your
instrument signal and transform it into a clean (no buzz), high
quality, flat (no tone shaping) signal to be used in the PA system of a
club or theater.

I don't think the Avalon is what you're looking for. To get the most
out of the Avalon using your ampeg, you'd have to bypass the Ampeg's
preamp section and run the Avalon signal right into the Ampeg's
poweramp. I THINK you could do this through the effects loop on the
ampeg--run the Avalon signal into the effects return jack. But it would
make more sense, with the Avalon, to get a seperate, standalone
poweramp. That would get pricey

There are lots of less expensive preamp/di units--I used a tech21
sansamp RBI for a long time. It's got really powerful tone shaping
features and a tube emulation circuit that make it sound a lot like
almost any amp--close, but not quite.

The Avalon also has really limited tone shaping--you can't just crank
the bass and get a really different sound. It's not exaclty
specialized, but you kind of have to know what you're doing--you have
to have developed a really effective basic sound. The avalon then just
makes that sound sound better. I don't want to sound like I'm all that,
since I'm not, but I;'ve been playing for close to thirty years.

Let me put it this way--the Avalon is like a Samurai sword, the sans
amp rbi is like a swiss army knife, and your ampeg is maybe like a
Marine's K-bar knife. They are all related , but they have very
different capabilities. The Ampeg is a pretty cool, unit that can get a
great sound, it's a strong multipurpose tool. It's not goign to slice
or handle like the samurai sword, but the samurai sword is no good for
opening a can of rations

[jeffbonny]

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 08:30:55 -0400, "ReverendBass"

Post by ReverendBass
How exactly does it hook up? DO I connect it to my Ampeg?
Yougave a great explanation, but I am still not sure if this unit is what I
should get. Is there one less expensive that will do the same exact thing--a
preamp/DI?

Some people swear by cheap passive DIs but most agree you get what you
pay for in a preamp. I'd think with the amp/cabinet you have a preamp
wouldn't be especially necessary and I'd go for a DI like this one
http://www.radialeng.com/di-jdi.htm
If you're playing live this would work well. If you're planning on
recording much just buy the U5, you won't ever regret spending the
money.

Post by ReverendBass
Does it hook up to my amp? Or do I plug my bass directly into this?

Go into the preamp input with the instrument and out of the preamp
(often marked SEND) into the amp. If your amp has an effects loop you
can go send to input, input to send from the preamp into the amp's
effects loop.

Post by ReverendBass
If it is a preamp---what actually does that mean---does it pre the amp
meaning it makes my amp's tone measures obsolete?

No, not at all. It simply adds on top of them. If you use a preamp
with an amp that already has a preamp built in like your ampeg does
it's a good idea to start with the controls on the amp set flat
(usually knobs at 12 noon). Running two preamps can confuse things so
take one out of play by setting it flat.

Post by ReverendBass
Thanks again for these annoying beginner questions--but I am seeking a great
sound.

Advise will only get you so far down that road and at some point you
just gotta cough up the money to try different things to see what
works for you.

jeffbonny
van.bc.ca