# Bass amp vs. keyboard amp (for guitar/vox)



## James_E (Oct 16, 2008)

I have a Yorkville Bassmaster xs400 combo. 1x15 and tweeter.

I've picked up a POD X3 live... and was hearing that these things are great direct to PA or to a keyboard amp. (I will use the pod x3 at home for elec guitar, acoustic guitar, bass and vox.)

When I go to look at keyboard amps... they seem to be the same configuration as my bass amp. 1x15 with a tweeter. The sound I'm getting using the pod x3 live -> yorkville bassmaster effects return seems to be pretty good. (I also tried running it through the bassmaster preamp and it sounded ok, but i think I like it better using the EFX return or the "power amp in" on the back)

Is there really that much difference between my bass amp and a reasonable quality keyboard amp? The yorkville amp I have is PLENTY loud. I'm wondering what the differences between my amp and a resonable keyboard amp would be, mainly for guitar/vox? (Obviously my bass amp is fine for bass lol.)


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

A keyboard amp is more of a full range amplifier. You can put anything through it and it'll reproduce more frequencies than what you'd get with a bass or guitar amp. I've got a couple of Peavey KB-300s in storage at my friends place and I used to use them with my Roland VG-8 and GR-33, plus the cool thing about those amps is they also have XLR inputs for mics. Hope that helps. :smile:


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## James_E (Oct 16, 2008)

Thanks for the reply.

Well that was my thinking too, but then I realized that if I'm plugging the POD X3 Live right into the power amp and bypassing the pre-amp... there's no "bass voicing" going on by the pre in my case. The bass amp says the frequency response is 2-20Khz +/-3dB. 

I guess I'm going to have to do a lot of A/B to figure this out. Maybe I'll get a friend to do some recordings with various configurations and then I'll listen and see if I can tell the difference.


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## Big_Daddy (Apr 2, 2009)

James_E said:


> Thanks for the reply.
> 
> Well that was my thinking too, but then I realized that if I'm plugging the POD X3 Live right into the power amp and bypassing the pre-amp... there's no "bass voicing" going on by the pre in my case. The bass amp says the frequency response is 2-20Khz +/-3dB.
> 
> I guess I'm going to have to do a lot of A/B to figure this out. Maybe I'll get a friend to do some recordings with various configurations and then I'll listen and see if I can tell the difference.


I'd be surprised if that 15" bass speaker will run up to 20 KHz response even tho the amp is rated for it. I think the difference you will see in a keyboard combo amp will be in the speaker's fuller range.


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

Have been enjoying my X3 Live and been through what your doing.

So, short version.
Plugging into your effects return bypasses the preamp as you said.
Does it make a difference, Yes.
The pre-amp does more than I thought and is more in the way than it should be.

Plugging into the return you are now only using your power section, what goes in comes out only louder. If its a tube based power section it will warm up your sound if SS then not.
Lots of the low tuned guys play guitar through a bass speaker and 15's are normal. Your X3 tone into the return will be perfect.
The mike through the same thing will be perfect again, great vocals. You can do both at the same time with another amp/cab.

For my Guitar and Bass needs I am going to use my 200W Hartke head and either power my 2-12 guitar or 2-10 bass cabs. Works amazing for both with the one amp.
In a perfect world I would like to pick up a mini MarkBass type head to run everything. Once I find the perfect guitar/bass speaker in one it will be even smaller.

Hope that helped.
Bev

Bev


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## James_E (Oct 16, 2008)

It does help Bevo. Thank you. 

I'm going to do some comparisons to check this out. 

I did a quick attempt at trying the X3 into the effects return of the bass amp vs. the effects return of a Fender Deville I had access to tonight. I didn't notice a huge difference (with my electric guitar, haven't tried vox or bass yet.) 

I'm going to record both and listen back to them carefully, as well as the X3 live by itself... and see how much difference I notice.


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

I found it very noticible, you have no tone volume or gain control once you plug into the return..Your master volume will work normaly.

Run your power amp at a level that you will get good volume from your X3 at 50% min. I like my POD volume 60-70% of flat out, makes a difference from what the manual said, feels like guitar volume is backed off.

If you have two amp sets to use do a double tone, run each seperate group with a different tone kksjur

Bev


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