Just got my B3k today. Great build in the USA and the new soft click engage is KILLER! I love it. My Finland B7k will be used for recording and this one will be a perm on my pedalboard.
I also just received my new US built B3K from BassEFX. While the sounds are great, I'm noticing a high pitched "whine" in the sound. My signal chain is:
I get the whine whether or the modeling on the RPM is engaged or not. Since it increases or decreases with the blend control, I know it's the pedal. I can't hear it too much while playing but it's right there when I stop. It seems like it's gone when I have the Drive at almost full, but the minute I turn it down even a little it's right back there.
I haven't used a pedal like this before, but is this normal for this pedal? I can try and record a clip of it tomorrow to post. Just trying to get an idea of what to expect here. I'm not sure I can live with that noise. I know an overdrive pedal by nature is "noisy", but this sound is there even with a relatively tame drive.
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Spector Club #171 ~ Stingray Club #84 ~ Carvin Club #150
Going to answer my own question here. It was the power supply. I had received an Aguilar PS-1 9V power supply with it and it doesn't appear to be a good match.
I grabbed the 1 Spot 9v power supply based on some recommendations in the Spector thread and it works great - no whine.
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Spector Club #171 ~ Stingray Club #84 ~ Carvin Club #150
Going to answer my own question here. It was the power supply. I had received an Aguilar PS-1 9V power supply with it and it doesn't appear to be a good match.
I grabbed the 1 Spot 9v power supply based on some recommendations in the Spector thread and it works great - no whine.
It came today, and it sounds perfect. I had a needlessly complex blender/distortion/eq combo before this replaced it and the b3k sounds much better. It adds a perfect texture to my tone.
Here's a rough clip, both mic and pre EQ DI. Clean then awesome. Blend at roughly 50%.
Ah hell why not? Here's my really sloppy cover of Metallica's All Nightmare Long with my Bongo 6 and B3K. I'm not very good with a pick and I even forget how to play how to play a part or two, but the song is just too much damn fun to play!
Recorded direct with my GK700rb all EQ flat, and B3K of course!
Since Darkglass products don't use batteries we'll all be using a power supply of some sort. Remember that the draw of the B3K is 25mA @ 9V AND 30mA @ 12V.
Keep this in mind when you are choosing regulated power supply options (rather than a 1-spot) from TRex or the PedalPower2+, etc. Each output can vary as to the amount of mA they can provide. This is particularly important if you are daisy-chaining several pedals into one output. The total mA of all the pedals on that single output cannot exceed the total mA power that particular output can provide.
BTW, IMO, the v2 B3K is a quite significant upgrade as to construction and external components. That said, I could not detect ANY difference whatsoever in the sound between v1 and v2. So, there is absolutely zero need to upgrade if you are satisfied with your current v1. If you are thinking about getting a B3K I'd definitely go for the v2. Unless, I could get a better deal on a v1 that is! My personal favorite modification of the v2 was the moving of the stomp switch to the very bottom of the pedal. Much easier to switch it on/off - at least for me - YMMV..........
Kudos to Spencer, BassEFX.com http://www.bassefx.com/, and the Darkglass team for raising the bar with this v2. Well-done! When's the last time you saw or heard about a product that was revised to make it significantly better BUT the price stayed the same?
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Just got the Finland version (on accident) and the USA version and compared them side by side.
Here is what i've noticed:
First, the overdrive sound makes me want to keep playing! I am a Microtube believer!
Second, the level and gain knobs react a bit differently on each pedal.
With both pedals at minimum Gain, the Finland-made pedal at 3:00 is about the same volume as the US-made one at Noon.
The Gain seems to have a similar difference (what?) between the 2 pedals as the Level knob does. A Noon setting on the Finland made pedal is plenty dirty, while the US pedal at Noon is rather clean in comparison.
They both seem to have similar Gain and Level with the settings at max though- a cranked Level and/or Gain sound similar on both pedals.
These differences cause me to perceive the US version as a louder, cleaner pedal because the Level knob is louder at lower settings, and the Gain knob stays cleaner at higher settings.
Are different tapers between the pedals the cause?
Stompbox designer/builder for 3Leaf Audio & Darkglass Electronics
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Seattle
Quote:
Originally Posted by amfmsb
Just got the Finland version (on accident) and the USA version and compared them side by side.
Here is what i've noticed:
First, the overdrive sound makes me want to keep playing! I am a Microtube believer!
Second, the level and gain knobs react a bit differently on each pedal.
With both pedals at minimum Gain, the Finland-made pedal at 3:00 is about the same volume as the US-made one at Noon.
The Gain seems to have a similar difference (what?) between the 2 pedals as the Level knob does. A Noon setting on the Finland made pedal is plenty dirty, while the US pedal at Noon is rather clean in comparison.
They both seem to have similar Gain and Level with the settings at max though- a cranked Level and/or Gain sound similar on both pedals.
These differences cause me to perceive the US version as a louder, cleaner pedal because the Level knob is louder at lower settings, and the Gain knob stays cleaner at higher settings.
Are different tapers between the pedals the cause?
I think Doug has tried a few different tapers in the Finnish B3K's, so it is possible that your USA and Finnish models have different pot tapers. The values are the same though, so each is capable of the exact same sounds.
So. I love my B3K with a fretless running through it. Win.
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Clement Bass Member #100
Clement #255, Clement #274, PDN Honey Roasted Bongo 5 HS
"Government is to society, what rape is to lovemaking"
Ah hell why not? Here's my really sloppy cover of Metallica's All Nightmare Long with my Bongo 6 and B3K. I'm not very good with a pick and I even forget how to play how to play a part or two, but the song is just too much damn fun to play!
Recorded direct with my GK700rb all EQ flat, and B3K of course!
Wow! This sounds fantastic! Killer tone and touch... thanks for sharing!
Quote:
Originally Posted by kenstee
Since Darkglass products don't use batteries we'll all be using a power supply of some sort. Remember that the draw of the B3K is 25mA @ 9V AND 30mA @ 12V.
Keep this in mind when you are choosing regulated power supply options (rather than a 1-spot) from TRex or the PedalPower2+, etc. Each output can vary as to the amount of mA they can provide. This is particularly important if you are daisy-chaining several pedals into one output. The total mA of all the pedals on that single output cannot exceed the total mA power that particular output can provide.
BTW, IMO, the v2 B3K is a quite significant upgrade as to construction and external components. That said, I could not detect ANY difference whatsoever in the sound between v1 and v2. So, there is absolutely zero need to upgrade if you are satisfied with your current v1. If you are thinking about getting a B3K I'd definitely go for the v2. Unless, I could get a better deal on a v1 that is! My personal favorite modification of the v2 was the moving of the stomp switch to the very bottom of the pedal. Much easier to switch it on/off - at least for me - YMMV..........
Kudos to Spencer, BassEFX.com http://www.bassefx.com/, and the Darkglass team for raising the bar with this v2. Well-done! When's the last time you saw or heard about a product that was revised to make it significantly better BUT the price stayed the same?
Excellent advise! Thanks for the kind words mate!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spencer!
I think Doug has tried a few different tapers in the Finnish B3K's, so it is possible that your USA and Finnish models have different pot tapers. The values are the same though, so each is capable of the exact same sounds.
Exactly! But i feel we nailed it this time with the knobs tapper and positioning, so the USA batch will remain a lot more consistent than the Finnish one .
Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerwylie
So. I love my B3K with a fretless running through it. Win.
It came today, and it sounds perfect. I had a needlessly complex blender/distortion/eq combo before this replaced it and the b3k sounds much better. It adds a perfect texture to my tone.
Here's a rough clip, both mic and pre EQ DI. Clean then awesome. Blend at roughly 50%.
I'll have clips to upload later on this week. Still working out my favorite tones to demo.
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Clement Bass Member #100
Clement #255, Clement #274, PDN Honey Roasted Bongo 5 HS
"Government is to society, what rape is to lovemaking"
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