True-Bypass Bigshot i/o, Monster Cable, Boss Tu-2 try out - Audio Clip

[Piedro]

Hi guys...
I've made a few test with one of the soundman i'm working with, which is a bass player too by the way, about the tone Loss when using a Tuner Live... so with tried different DI's and tried the Boss TU-2 with the inversion of phase to hear what is the difference in your tone when using these unit in your signal chain.

To make it fast, after this experience, i was looking to find a way to using a tuner, with the ability to mute, without ruining my tone! I've tried Volume Pedal avec Tuner.. but man! i don't recommend this to anyone! Bad Idea...

So, after having a great experience with Radial and their JDI, i've decided to try the Radial BigShot™ i/o true bypass instrument selector, to be able to plug 2 bass, and having a mute when i need to tune!

I've bought this unit cause it supposed to be true-bypass, and radial built their stuff like tanks, so...

i've reveived it this morning... and i was kind of dissapointed by the tone-loss... especially in the high end! I've tried with the different input, and with the bright switch (and didn't feel any difference...), So i'm not really happy about the part when Radial says:
"Because the i/o is 100% true-bypass, it addresses the needs of the most demanding purist."

So, i've made these little clip, and re-discovered a few things i already knew but never tried.

(Like the difference between 10 feet cables and 15 feet cables...)


So this was recorded with a 2008 American Standard Precision 5 strings, with 2 MonsterCable, a 10 feet and a 15 feet (with one Right angle plug)

all of this, Tone all way up, and recorded with my Presonus FireBox. (you can hear a bit of electric "sizzle"... cause i was probably too near the electric adapter of my computer)


Here are the clips:

http://media.putfile.com/Direct-10-feet-Monster-Cable

http://media.putfile.com/Direct-15feet-MonsterCable

http://media.putfile.com/Bigshot-Input-1

http://media.putfile.com/Bigshot-Input-2---Dim-Off

http://media.putfile.com/Bigshot-Inp...ight-switch-Up
(i don't feel any difference between these 2... Dim On and Off)

and finally :

http://media.putfile.com/Boss-TU-2




So my conclusion are... are my cable too long? so the True-Bypass makes it like i'm having a 25 feet cable.. and that's why i'm loosing all this high-end!

But with the TU-2, i'm not loosing highs at all, i'm loosing some fat bottom-end, and i still have "25 feet" of cable!

what you guys think?

[gillento]

I am using a Peterson Strobostomp and I like it! No loss at all!
It can be used either in buffered or true bypass mode.

[RickenBoogie]

I use the TU-2, but I've got so much gain, eq, comp, and whatnot, it totally makes up for anything I might be losing otherwise.

[jschall84]

um how do you listen to them?

[Crabby]

Listening for tone suck can be a challenge. I have discovered throught careful experimentation that I can clearly hear the difference between plugging in direct and in using a single Boss pedal. I hear a distinct loss of high end and sparkle as well as a slight loss of punch and clarity.

Using the same cables and power supply, I tired the same experiment using various true bypass and non true bypass pedals and the results were interesting. Certain MXR pedals did amazingly well while my Sans Amp bass driver di was worse then expected.

It always amazes me how good my basses sound plugged straight into the amp after running through my pedalboard for awhile.

[pickles]

Yes, an extra 10' of cable is always going to sap some high end from your passive bass. If that bugs you, go with a high quality active bypass box, or add a preamp in front of the bigshot. With an active bass, it is not as much of an issue.

The Sadowsky Outboard Pre/DI is an excellent all-in-one choice for what you are looking for, and has the advantage of LED indicators, and also gives you the option to stomp in some EQ and run a great sounding DI.

But nothing will ever sound quite as good as plugging directly into your amp with a short high quality cable.