EBS ValveDrive vs EHX English Muff'n

Tyler13 · #1 12-10-2007, 03:42 AM

Which is the winner?

I'm looking for a pedal able to warm my SS head, I already have the SansAmp PBDI but I'm not 100% satisfied...

scotch · #2 12-10-2007, 08:08 AM

I'm really tempted to pick up a Muff'n & report on my findings.

I love my ValveDrive, but I do wonder how the EH compares.

GlassJaw · #3 12-10-2007, 09:14 AM

I haven't used the EBS but I LOVE my Muff'n. When I play my P-bass, I never turn it off. It adds just enough fuzz and grit to my tone but it's still really punchy as well. To me, it is the P-bass sound.

Tyler13 · #4 12-10-2007, 09:36 AM

GlassJaw, nice nick

Regarding my bass I have e Rick 4003 if this can help

RickenBoogie · #5 12-10-2007, 10:38 AM

I love Ehx pedals, but on this one it would be valve drive all the way.

bassbmx · #6 12-10-2007, 01:26 PM

I heard that the ValveDrive was far more harsh than the Muff'n. Harsh distortion is definately not what I'd be after to 'warm up' an SS head!

davedamage · #7 12-10-2007, 01:29 PM

i just got my little recording set up at home, i can record some clips of the muff'n with a couple of different basses, including a rickenbacker, provided i get it back from the studio sometime soon. likewise, if anyone has some clips of the ebs, i would love to hear them.

TehRoflCopter · #8 12-10-2007, 04:09 PM

Subscribed.
I've been looking at both of these in my search for a pedal to give me some grind with my LMII when needed.

assboglin · #9 12-10-2007, 05:24 PM

I was inbetween these two pedals as for what I would try next, and although the Valve Drive is specifically for bass while the Muff'n is more guitar oriented, I had to go with the Muff'n because I am for more impressed with the sound samples I've heard of it on bass than those I've heard for the Valve Drive. If I like the pedal and I have the time, I will do some sound samples when I get it.

RickenBoogie · #10 12-10-2007, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbmx

I heard that the ValveDrive was far more harsh than the Muff'n. Harsh distortion is definately not what I'd be after to 'warm up' an SS head!

I wouldn't call the Valve Drive harsh. If anything, I find it to be one of the mildest, and smoothest sounding overdrives ever. It doesn't have a mix or blend feature, but on low gain settings it absolutely rocks, with no low end loss. ??

bassbmx · #11 12-10-2007, 05:44 PM

I've never heard it myself. I was only going off a review (BassPlayer I think) that said it was harsh or something like that. We all know how reliable BassPlayer reviews are though aye

Tyler13 · #12 12-11-2007, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davedamage

i just got my little recording set up at home, i can record some clips of the muff'n with a couple of different basses, including a rickenbacker, provided i get it back from the studio sometime soon. likewise, if anyone has some clips of the ebs, i would love to hear them.

It would be nice from you, samples in manufacturers sites can't be bad I think

pulse · #13 12-11-2007, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbmx

I've never heard it myself. I was only going off a review (BassPlayer I think) that said it was harsh or something like that. We all know how reliable BassPlayer reviews are though aye

in this case I think it would be better not to post if no experience with it.

I been using the EBS Valve Drive for a year.

It is not harsh at all, I use it in place of the sans amp because it is not as harsh sounding as the sans amp with all its speaker emulation thing going on.

it is in my opinion great for low gain fatness, certainly good for solid state warm up / "sound more like SVT" aims.

I have not tried using it with any high gain setting though

the few times I did I always backed off, but you know that could be dependent on so many factors

for my use it is a permanently on fattner

unfortunately no experience with the EHX though I am curious if it has more usable high gain OD for me

would always keep the ebs around though, has very good, enormous sound

Rickter · #14 12-14-2007, 11:20 AM

So what is general consensus about using the EBS Valvedrive solely as a preamp? I'm debating on picking one up and running it straight to a crown power amp and into some avatar cabs. Any opinions on using it in this fashion?

RickenBoogie · #15 12-14-2007, 01:46 PM

It would work.

scotch · #16 12-14-2007, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickter

So what is general consensus about using the EBS Valvedrive solely as a preamp? I'm debating on picking one up and running it straight to a crown power amp and into some avatar cabs. Any opinions on using it in this fashion?

I've been kicking around the idea of buying the little Epiphone Valve Junior amp + finding a way to output the EBS ValveDrive directly to it's tube power section. Add in a 1x12 cabinet & see how it sounds!

Please post how your idea works out, if you try it!

I will say that the ValveDrive has plenty of output. I can't imagine it not working well as you describe above.

scotch · #17 12-14-2007, 05:51 PM

Also, the BassPlayer review of this pedal was way off in my opinion.

It excels at achieving lower-gain grit & the EQ is very powerful (as long as you know how to use a passive tone stack).

It is capable of sounding "harsh" as well, but I can't imagine the BP reviewer spent that much time with it. The "vintage" (red) channel is a lot more mellow & organic sounding. You can dial in nice, warm clean tones quite easily.
The (yellow) channel breaks up more & can get really crunchy!

Make sure you set the back panel switch correctly to get the sound you want as well. I treat it less as an active/passive switch, but more of a gain structure control.

Puni · #18 01-09-2008, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickter

So what is general consensus about using the EBS Valvedrive solely as a preamp? I'm debating on picking one up and running it straight to a crown power amp and into some avatar cabs. Any opinions on using it in this fashion?

+1

would like a lot to know results. I like using Valvedrive a lot more through amp´s effects loop than directly between the bass and the amp.

bassgod0dmw · #19 01-09-2008, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TehRoflCopter

Subscribed.
I've been looking at both of these in my search for a pedal to give me some grind with my LMII when needed.

That's exactly what I bought it for. It worked perfectly. It's not harsh at all. I just wanted to add a little tubeyness to my LMII, and I couldn't have been happier with the results.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickter

So what is general consensus about using the EBS Valvedrive solely as a preamp?

All of the recordings on my bands myspace were done:

Bass-->EBS Valve Drive-->Aguilar DB900

Basically using it as a preamp. Check em the songs and see what it sounds like. It worked pretty well. I never used it in a live setting as a preamp though...never needed to.

http://www.myspace.com/severancemusicct

TehRoflCopter · #20 01-09-2008, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

That's exactly what I bought it for. It worked perfectly. It's not harsh at all. I just wanted to add a little tubeyness to my LMII, and I couldn't have been happier with the results.

This is good to know.

As soon as I can wrangle the funds I'm gonna pick one up.