Makes sense now! Thanks for the help.....hm..... now I wonder if I've been plugging into the wrong input at my drummers house when we rehearse. Better check that next time.

Can any damage be done if plugged into the the hotter input with an active bass? You mentioned it getting distortion but is that it?

Found this info when looking myself but doesn't really explain too much:
"Although very few active basses have a signal so hot that you absolutely must use the active input, plugging an active bass into the passive jack could result in distortion."