Booster or Attenuator?
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2017 11:08 am
So, I’ve been considering putting together a small pedalboard, and am a little hung up on one thing. I have an L-2000 and an LB-100; both have very different levels feeding from the instrument. I want to run my L-2000 with the volume wide open, because I mute regularly with the volume and don’t want to keep having to find the right volume when I unmute. That’s fine if I’m running directly into the amp, where I can use the input pad to offset the increased signal from the instrument and use the unpadded input for the LB-100 and get a relatively similar signal into the amp, but what about when I’m running directly into pedals? I’m thinking particularly about pedals that are sensitive to input – compressors, envelope filters, even distortions. (Side note, I’m looking to put something together that would allow me to use DI and/or amp, so using the FX send/return on the amp would not be an option.)
So, the ultimate question is, what would be better at the front of the signal chain – a booster (boost the P bass signal) or an attenuator (lower the L-2000 signal) – and why?
Cheap and/or buildable would be a plus. I think an attenuator would be the easiest for that. So, would there be a clear advantage to a booster or disadvantage to a passive attenuator? I was even thinking of making my own dual input box where one input had a preset attenuation (for the L) and the other just went straight through with no affect. Or, conversely, a dual input box with one pass through (for the L) and the other feeding through a boost, probably derived off the LPB-1 circuit or something. I don’t anticipate the need for switching. Really this is just to not have to adjust settings on the downstream pedals when using a different bass.
Thoughts?
So, the ultimate question is, what would be better at the front of the signal chain – a booster (boost the P bass signal) or an attenuator (lower the L-2000 signal) – and why?
Cheap and/or buildable would be a plus. I think an attenuator would be the easiest for that. So, would there be a clear advantage to a booster or disadvantage to a passive attenuator? I was even thinking of making my own dual input box where one input had a preset attenuation (for the L) and the other just went straight through with no affect. Or, conversely, a dual input box with one pass through (for the L) and the other feeding through a boost, probably derived off the LPB-1 circuit or something. I don’t anticipate the need for switching. Really this is just to not have to adjust settings on the downstream pedals when using a different bass.
Thoughts?