Troubles With BSS AR-133 D/I

[Suntower]

Hi,

Possibly a noob question, but I recently purchased a BSS AR-133 after numerous recommendations. Using with an upright bass with a piezo pup.

I'm having a bad time of it, The BSS thing has 3 impedance settings but none of them seem -right- for the bass pup I'm trying to use (piezo). One position... too weak... the 3rd overloads... the one in the middle -seems- the right strength and yet the sound still sizzles a bit much and is kinda -thin-.

The passive one I was using (a very old $20 Proco) sounds -much- better... or at least it doesn't overload.

Do I have a dud? Am I doing something wrong?

TIA,

---JC

[Suntower]

Anyone?

[Andy Peters]

Hi,

Possibly a noob question, but I recently purchased a BSS AR-133 after numerous recommendations. Using with an upright bass with a piezo pup.

I'm having a bad time of it, The BSS thing has 3 impedance settings but none of them seem -right- for the bass pup I'm trying to use (piezo). One position... too weak... the 3rd overloads... the one in the middle -seems- the right strength and yet the sound still sizzles a bit much and is kinda -thin-.

The setting isn't for impedance -- it's a pad.

As for why it sounds bad? Well, it needs phantom power. It also has a battery which could be dead.

I've used this guy quite often and it's always been great.

[Suntower]

Sorry for the terminology. I'm not using a battery... it's getting it's power from the mic pre (digimax). Like I said, I got it because -everyone- recommended it... specifically for use with basses of all types.

When I use the Proco passive DI it -seems- OK. I'm wondering if the 'pad' just isn't in the correct 'range' to match with the pre-amp?

Any ideas on how to test to see if it's the unit... or... user error?

Cheers,

---JC

Hi,

Possibly a noob question, but I recently purchased a BSS AR-133 after numerous recommendations. Using with an upright bass with a piezo pup.

I'm having a bad time of it, The BSS thing has 3 impedance settings but none of them seem -right- for the bass pup I'm trying to use (piezo). One position... too weak... the 3rd overloads... the one in the middle -seems- the right strength and yet the sound still sizzles a bit much and is kinda -thin-.

The setting isn't for impedance -- it's a pad.

As for why it sounds bad? Well, it needs phantom power. It also has a battery which could be dead.

I've used this guy quite often and it's always been great.

[jhharvest]

Yeah, the reason why people recommend the BSS audio DIs is because they are generally pretty good. I've used them for years and I haven't had problems outside of mistreated units. I don't think that's the case if you've bought it though.

I'd say with a piezo you could probably leave the pad off completely. Then just adjust the gain in the preamp. If your piezo really produces that much voltage then have the pad on. It shouldn't make much of a difference to the impedance match: this is an active DI box for that very reason.

And you are taking the signal from the back in the connector marked output and not from the linked input? Does flipping earth lift affect your perceived sound quality?

This is just a stab in the dark but maybe, just maybe, the issue isn't with the BSS DI. Maybe the Proco rolls off the highs / boosts lows because it's a passive design and you just prefer the sound like that?