Types

• Some bass amps have two separate high and low input jacks. The high jack is usually for passive bass guitars, while the low jack is perfectly suited for active electronics, which provide a hotter signal. Some bass amps have a single jack and a pad button that will reduce the gain for high output instruments.
  
  

Significance

• The high and low jacks on a bass amp dictate how much signal is sent to the preamp. If the signal is too hot, the sound coming from the speakers may be distorted. By controlling the gain to the preamp, you can also control the overall sound of your bass through your amplifier.
  
  

Misconceptions

• Many believe that you cannot use a passive bass with the active, or low, input, but if you can adjust the gain, your passive bass may sound better used with this input. Some low jacks reduce the gain too much, and no gain increase can give you the right amount of signal to the preamp.