Zoom B3 As Preamp

[CharlieC]

60-Cycle Camouflage

Besides the very effective built-in tuner, the B3 offers another tool to further round-out its role as a serious preamp, a noise reduction (NR) simulation.

I never was a huge fan of these as physical devices, let alone simulated ones, but I am here to say the one offered within the B3 does a more than respectable job in making your quiet playing pauses even more quiet. In particular I enjoy the way it camouflages the 60-cycle hum in my Jazz basses when I favor one pickup over the other. It can also further quiet already-quiet humbucker pickups and make you wonder why you did not put one in your signal chain sooner.

I place the NR sim before the amplifier sim and I basically have adopted a single parameter set that works well across all of my basses. One of the parameters worth noting is DETCT which allows one to set the trigger for the NR to be either your instrument's signal or the effect chain and I find I do better using the former.

The NR settings I use for aggressive use "Live" are:

THRSH = 15
DETCT = GtrIn
Level = 100

[CharlieC]

Originally Posted by caeman

Inquiring minds want to know...will this replace the Bass V-Amp Pro as your go-to preamp box?

Affirmative, Caeman!

I was finally able to make the switch after I resolved the disparity issue between the 1/4" and XLR outs as I talked about on the Bass V-AMP thread.

Mind you, I am not giving up completely on the Bass V-AMP Pro rig, but my rack case is happily down to just 2 U spaces these days

Cheers!

[AmpedSilence]

Very interesting info! the Line6 Bass Pod left a bad impression for me with multi-effects units but I've read great things about the new Zoom stuff! I'll be trying out a G3 for the guitar soon enough!

[dawbass]

I have had the B3 since February, and I have to be honest that I was just about to put it up for sale out of frustration. Reading this post, and the other about the cool patches, I am now filled with hope. There are some great sounds to be had from this pedal, I am sure, so seeing that you guys are finding them gives me hope. I like the svt preset, I think it's h4(?), but there is just something missing. I'll keep you posted on how it goes, and thanks for the info.

[CharlieC]

Originally Posted by dawbass

I have had the B3 since February, and I have to be honest that I was just about to put it up for sale out of frustration. Reading this post, and the other about the cool patches, I am now filled with hope. There are some great sounds to be had from this pedal, I am sure, so seeing that you guys are finding them gives me hope. I like the svt preset, I think it's h4(?), but there is just something missing. I'll keep you posted on how it goes, and thanks for the info.

Hang in there, dawbass!

The B3 is currently the star of my gigging rig for good reason and hopefully this and the other specialty threads on Talkbass will soon help prove it to you as well.

Cheers!

[CharlieC]

Amplifier Simulation Demos

I created a companion web page to this thread that will give you the opportunity to hear the Zoom B3's amplifier simulations without any other effects getting in the way.

http://www.zinfanus.com/zoom_b3

Cheers!

[CharlieC]

Beware The Auto Save

The B3 lets you tweak-away at every patch in real-time, but know that all edits are potentially destructive as everything is saved automatically whether you want to or not.

I have adopted a safe practice that before I experiment and touch any knobs, I first navigate to a patch I do not care for in the event I dislike the end result. I later can choose to copy that patch over to a more permanent location if necessary.

[Swift713]

I worry less and less about loosing my favorite patches as I narrow down my preferences and get more familiar with everything.
Maybe I'm weird but I generally prefer the cabinets sims off. I guess I'm used to fairly transparent amplification.

[CharlieC]

Originally Posted by Swift713

I worry less and less about loosing my favorite patches as I narrow down my preferences and get more familiar with everything.
Maybe I'm weird but I generally prefer the cabinets sims off. I guess I'm used to fairly transparent amplification.

+1

Cabinet sims off for me when playing through real cabinets, but full-on when I send to a mixer or recorder.

I prefer amp sounds with a little fur on them and the cabinet sims take the harsh edge off of the tone when heard through full-range equipment. This is especially the case when using any of the great distortion pedal sims on the B3.

Cheers!

[OzzyGreg]

.

I worry less and less about losing my favorite patches as I narrow down my preferences and get more familiar with everything.

Just use "Edit & Share" to back everything up on your computer.

I've got all of the factory patches saved, as well as any of my own that I wanted to take off my B3 now, but use again in the future if I choose.

Greg

[CharlieC]

Beyond Clean

For a bass tone completely free of amp/cab coloring, select an EQ model and use that as your preamp effect.

Optionally, add a Compressor model of your choice right before the EQ to manage headroom and transients.

Finally, with space remaining for one model, consider adding a Chorus or other modulation effect between the Compressor and EQ for the ultimate hi-fi tone.

[Jazz Ad]

I use my B3 often with a Bergantino IP112ER and I love the results.
The B3 has a very hot output though, it can clip pretty much any power amp so you have to be careful.

[doudoubasse]

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

I use my B3 often with a Bergantino IP112ER and I love the results.
The B3 has a very hot output though, it can clip pretty much any power amp so you have to be careful.

Last week end, i recorded with my band and my B3 as a preamp feeding a mixer through the XLR out.
I randomly had some weird clips and pops sound. That's really annoying because i must replay one of the track:

https://soundcloud.com/doudoubass-1/...ms-sans-voix-2

(listen at 1:27 & 2:44 for example)

I used the SVT sim with the 360 comp fx. My settings : global vol was 15, total vol 100, my amp sim mix was 27, and my record XLR gain -6 db.
The computer was a MacPro and the software CUBASE (don't know the version)

It clipped and popped only with the B3, i tested a real DI and the problem instantly disappeared.

any ideas about that problem?

[oerk]

Originally Posted by CharlieC

As a tease, I plan on divulging the clever compromise I currently use to get my way above in a future post. This solution was the only way I would ever consider using the B3 for my "Live" needs, so stay tuned! :-)

What did you do, if you don't mind sharing now?

I've only had the B3 for two days, and only into my home rig, but I've come to the same conclusion. I've found all cab sims into a real bass cab to be wooly and devoid of any high end content, except for the GK and one other I can't remember now. Especially the Hartke XL surprised me, since it's fairly bright IRL, but isn't in the B3.

I need a compromise I can live with on my combo and into the PA simultaneously.

For comparison, I'm using a VT Bass for my amp sim needs, and the built-in cab sim is pretty much perfect for me going into _anything_ (combos, amp+cab rigs, PA, recording).

And I agree, the B3 takes getting used to. I played with it for two hours to get a feeling for it, before even attempting to dial in my sound.

Other than that, it's a great unit. I love the usability, and the fact that it's a true multi-purpose device. Live use = use the DI out - recording = built-in interface and software - practicing = built-in looper and drum machine.

[CharlieC]

Originally Posted by doudoubasse

Last week end, i recorded with my band and my B3 as a preamp feeding a mixer through the XLR out.
I randomly had some weird clips and pops sound. That's really annoying because i must replay one of the track:

https://soundcloud.com/doudoubass-1/...ms-sans-voix-2

(listen at 1:27 & 2:44 for example)

I used the SVT sim with the 360 comp fx. My settings : global vol was 15, total vol 100, my amp sim mix was 27, and my record XLR gain -6 db.
The computer was a MacPro and the software CUBASE (don't know the version)

It clipped and popped only with the B3, i tested a real DI and the problem instantly disappeared.

any ideas about that problem?

Sorry, I could not hear the track as your link did not work for me

I have had no such issues with my XLR out on the B3

Usually weird clips and pops are caused by the external mixer clipping on the signal being fed into it

The level settings you indicated are relatively tame, but this does not rule out that it could not be clipping at some point between the B3 "internally" and then the mixer

I would recommend you recreate the recording scenario again then try to identify the exact problem from there

Cheers!

[CharlieC]

Originally Posted by oerk

What did you do, if you don't mind sharing now?

I've only had the B3 for two days, and only into my home rig, but I've come to the same conclusion. I've found all cab sims into a real bass cab to be wooly and devoid of any high end content, except for the GK and one other I can't remember now. Especially the Hartke XL surprised me, since it's fairly bright IRL, but isn't in the B3.

I need a compromise I can live with on my combo and into the PA simultaneously.

For comparison, I'm using a VT Bass for my amp sim needs, and the built-in cab sim is pretty much perfect for me going into _anything_ (combos, amp+cab rigs, PA, recording).

And I agree, the B3 takes getting used to. I played with it for two hours to get a feeling for it, before even attempting to dial in my sound.

Other than that, it's a great unit. I love the usability, and the fact that it's a true multi-purpose device. Live use = use the DI out - recording = built-in interface and software - practicing = built-in looper and drum machine.

The SVT sim happens to be my favorite sim on the B3 and I, too, own a VT Bass, as well as other SVT tone-capable devices.

I have found that when one plays through real bass speakers, the cabinet sims need to be completely disabled else the resulting tone will sound like the amp is muffled under a big blanket. To do this with any of the B3's amp sims, just set the "Mix" parameter to 0 and the problem is then instantly solved.

In doing this however, usually the XLR or other output one wishes to use as a DI signal will suffer, IMHO, as it will not have the more beneficial cabinet sim tone.

Please first confirm that you have set your "Mix" parameter to 0 to resolve the local "muffled" issue with your rig's tone and then we'll go from there.

Cheers!

[doudoubasse]

Originally Posted by CharlieC

Sorry, I could not hear the track as your link did not work for me

I have had no such issues with my XLR out on the B3

Usually weird clips and pops are caused by the external mixer clipping on the signal being fed into it

The level settings you indicated are relatively tame, but this does not rule out that it could not be clipping at some point between the B3 "internally" and then the mixer

I would recommend you recreate the recording scenario again then try to identify the exact problem from there

Cheers!

i forgot to say that i play two G&L basses (L1000 & El Toro).
Both are passive but have hot output MFD pickups.
Perhaps they have too much input for the B3 when you want to record with it.
It seems to be rather a common problem with G&L basses.
See that old thread:
Effects, G&L Basses, and Passive Electronics.

Does a setting in the B3 can reduce the input gain? (i already used the "passive-active" switch)

[CharlieC]

Originally Posted by doudoubasse

i forgot to say that i play two G&L basses (L1000 & El Toro).
Both are passive but have hot output MFD pickups.
Perhaps they have too much input for the B3 when you want to record with it.
It seems to be rather a common problem with G&L basses.
See that old thread:
Effects, G&L Basses, and Passive Electronics.

Does a setting in the B3 can reduce the input gain? (i already used the "passive-active" switch)

I am not familiar with those 2 basses, but perhaps hot pickups are to blame.

You have already tried the Passive/Active switch which was going to be my next suggestion. That switch BTW is really not an attenuation pad, but instead it is an impedence compensator.

Unlike most amps, the B3 does not both have a padded input jack (-15 dB) and a normal input jack (0 dB) to combat instruments with hot signals and AFAIK there is no internal pad parameter for this either.

Both the compressor and amp sims you are using have their own "Level" paramaters and I suggest those next be explored to see if lowering them helps.

Cheers!

[doudoubasse]

Originally Posted by CharlieC

Both the compressor and amp sims you are using have their own "Level" paramaters and I suggest those next be explored to see if lowering them helps.

Cheers!

Thanks for your advice!
Next time, I'll try to change those levels and see if the clips go away.
Strangely, the pops & noises don't appear when you directly play the B3 through an amp or some ear monitors..., only with a mixer!

[oerk]

Originally Posted by CharlieC

Please first confirm that you have set your "Mix" parameter to 0 to resolve the local "muffled" issue with your rig's tone and then we'll go from there.

Wow, you're fast!

Yeah, I forgot to say, I already did that.