Grand Orbiter Phase (initial thoughts)

Jared Lash · #1 04-23-2009, 07:18 PM

Still without internet at home so this is from my phone, but my Orbiter showed up (serial #008) so a couple quick thoughts.

In terms of tone it's really interesting. Billed as being based on the DOD 490 and Ross Phaser, it sounds much more like the DOD. Well, it sounds like a much more focused and refined 490. Cool pulse with some nice wash. My only other phaser right now is the Maxon PH-350, and they are so different so as to be hard to compare them.

But here's the really bad news - it's noisy. Very possibly the most noisy phaser I've tried, and that's saying something. Not only is the phase sweep really noticeable when not playing, but it is picking up radio signals. This isn't uncommon in my house, but this is much worse than my Moog Low Pass or Robotalk before I had it modded.

I'm going to email Earthquaker tomorrow and ask them about it, but right now it is simply unusable due to the noise.

Bummer, because I really want to like it. I'll keep it until I can make some clips and post them whenever AT&T fixes my internet connection, but unless I just got a lemon, this one is going back.

Bassenstien · #2 04-23-2009, 07:29 PM

This broke my heart.

Jared Lash · #3 04-23-2009, 08:00 PM

Quick Update :

Ok, so I should have known better considering my experience with the 490 but you can dial back the resonance (and on this one depth) and still have strong enough phasing, unlike most phasers that have to have the depth cranked to be useful on bass.

With that adjustment the phaser noise is tolerable - similar to the 490 and just a bit louder than the Psylocibe. And of course it's not really fair to compare to the Maxon, which, along with the MuTron Phasor II (which the PH-350 seems to be based on) are the absolute quietest phasers I've ever played.

Still it is on the noisy side. And I'm really bothered by the FM interference. Again my house is especially bad for this, but it still experience tells me that at practice and gigs, through my big rig it will be loud enough to be unnacceptable.

When I can post clips you'll be able to hear for yourselves.

Joe Gress · #4 04-23-2009, 08:30 PM

Is it a tremendous buzzy type noise like a gain pedal cranked, or does it follow with the LFO?

Jared Lash · #5 04-23-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeinsprings

Is it a tremendous buzzy type noise like a gain pedal cranked, or does it follow with the LFO?

Just to be clear, I posted too hastily. The Orbiter IS on the noisy side, but not nearly as bad as I first thought. Of, course my main bass is fairly low output so when I turn up my bass or amp to compensate, it raises the noise floor.

Anyway, the noise is the normal LFO throb of a phaser. Again, it's about the same as the old DOD and somewhat louder than the HBE.

And of course the FM interference just sounds like what it is - radio signals coming through my amp.

Joe Gress · #6 04-23-2009, 08:52 PM

So if I use it with dirt (my all time favorite phaser sound), it will most likely not even be noticeable?

And I really don't care about too much noise. How deep does this thing go? I had a BYOC phase 90 clone, but it didn't quite get as deep and as slow as I wanted.

When you do record clips of it, can you do one with a super slow sweep and after some dirt? This is really what I would love to get out of a phaser.

Jared Lash · #7 04-23-2009, 09:15 PM

I'll definitively record some clips with dirt. And I'll see if there are any other requests.

As for the speed, yeah it can go both super slow and super fast by using rate switch for two different ranges.

In terms of depth, you'll have to hear it. Fundamentally it has a different tone than Script circuit phasers. It's very "pulsing", and almost in between a traditional phaser and a vibe.

Jared Lash · #8 04-23-2009, 11:04 PM

Ok, yet another update:

Trying it briefly at my buddy's house, apparently the FM interference WAS the reason the LFO noise was so loud. So they aren't two separate issues, but the same one. With the radio signals minimized (but not gone) the Orbiter is a lot quieter.

I guess I'm just going to have to take this thing to band practice to get a real feel for what the noise level would be like in a gig situation.

BassJunkie730 · #9 04-23-2009, 11:10 PM

the main difference between the phase 90/ 45 types and what I call the small stone types (OTA based phasers) are the ICs. Phase 90 uses t072s and the Stone uses OTA.

I prefer the sound of OTA based phasers wholly - I think others prefer them for the slow and deep thing.

If it's any indication - I see keyboard and synth guys going more for the OTA based phasers that the phase 90 types.