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All-New Ampeg SCR-DI!
- Thread starter CharlieC
- Start date
I'm pretty impressed with this preamp so far. The scrambler circuit is what I've been looking for. I've tried a few "overdrive" pedals and this one has the buttery, amp sound that I like.
I think I'll use every feature on this pedal.
I think I'll use every feature on this pedal.
One question, forgive me if this has been covered, I haven't read all 38 pages of this thread, but it has to do with the pad. My Spector Forte bass was distorting even without the preamp engaged. So I activated the -15db pad and all is fine. I've never considered this bass very "hot" . I've never had to use the pad on any other devices with this bass.
Is it pretty common to use the pad with this preamp?
Is it pretty common to use the pad with this preamp?
I love using this pedal with headphones and batteries for practice. Now when I go to visit the in-laws this weekend I can zone out lol
Picked up one of these last week, and have been practicing with it for a few days. Really like it. And then, yesterday, was jamming with a guitar player, wow. That scrambler is fun! Going to try running the DI to our little mixing board, been wanting to try and record a bit, this seems just the ticket! A happy camper so far.
Doner Designs
Steve Doner
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
Jimmy - what is your take on the Ampeg ultra low controls on this DI and maybe more broadly on Ampeg amps too...
One of the things this pedal did for me was to help me zero in on my favorite EQ setting for my amps. The ultra low control on the DI sounds like it boosts the bass and thickens the tone, but it only increases bass by 1db at 40 hz. Mostly what it does is cut the low mids by 10db at 500hz. Since then I have discovered how much I like to cut the low mids a bit on my amps. Markbass LMIII low mid is centered at 380hz which is reasonably close and the VPF control is at 380hz. When playing live I boost the upper mids a little bit.
The thing that I can't reconcile in my mind is that you hear guys on TB talk about boosting the low mids as a way to beef up the low end while my ears and the Ampeg controls seem to be telling me the opposite. Maybe this has to do with amp voicing (for example, I think a GK amp is flat-ish when bass and treble are at 10am and hi/low mids are both at 2pm).
My typical LMIII settings now are to 9-10am on low mids (always), 1-2pm on high mids (mostly for live), VLE and VPF both at 10am (always), bass and treble both flat (plus or minus tweaking for the room).
One of the things this pedal did for me was to help me zero in on my favorite EQ setting for my amps. The ultra low control on the DI sounds like it boosts the bass and thickens the tone, but it only increases bass by 1db at 40 hz. Mostly what it does is cut the low mids by 10db at 500hz. Since then I have discovered how much I like to cut the low mids a bit on my amps. Markbass LMIII low mid is centered at 380hz which is reasonably close and the VPF control is at 380hz. When playing live I boost the upper mids a little bit.
The thing that I can't reconcile in my mind is that you hear guys on TB talk about boosting the low mids as a way to beef up the low end while my ears and the Ampeg controls seem to be telling me the opposite. Maybe this has to do with amp voicing (for example, I think a GK amp is flat-ish when bass and treble are at 10am and hi/low mids are both at 2pm).
My typical LMIII settings now are to 9-10am on low mids (always), 1-2pm on high mids (mostly for live), VLE and VPF both at 10am (always), bass and treble both flat (plus or minus tweaking for the room).
Can't say I ever use the ultra-lo, Steve. Once in a great while I might use the ultra-hi, but I like my mids so I don't mess with the ultra-lo.
The four rubber feet on the bottom double as screws. Remove them and that will open the main compartment...(it's all in the manual
).Suggestion? Forget the batteries, Get yourself a power adaptor. You'll be glad you did.
I am at work now and I was planning on stopping at the hardware store on the way home. I don't have one of the screws for the bottom of the SCR-DI but does anyone know what size they are? I'm looking to get some flathead replacements so I can put velcro on the bottom.
Does anyone know how much current this pedal draws? The manual says to use a 9V @ 100mA adapter but they usually over-rate by quite a bit. I need to know because I use a Pedaltrain Volto when I gig and the current draw can be an issue. I have heard that the SCR-DI is a bit of a battery killer.
Just for reference, the BDDI draws about 5mA and the Dr. J Sparrow is closer to 30mA.
Just for reference, the BDDI draws about 5mA and the Dr. J Sparrow is closer to 30mA.
Doner Designs
Steve Doner
- Jun 2, 2012
- 5,784
- 6,819
- Disclosures
- Doner Designs is an alias for Steve Doner
Thanks for all your input on my many questions about Ampeg and DI boxes Jimmy!
I ended up ordering a Radial JDI which I'll test drive live at church this weekend. I can't justify a REDDI at this point and like the idea of having a flat passive option. Last time the soundman was scouting around for a hum source and I was his first stop. I don't think it was me, but it seems like you are sometimes guilty until proven innocent when using the output from an amp. Now I'll have a fallback other than the POS boxes the church has.
I still have an eye on the PF-50T, but can't really rationalize that right now either. My little Ashdown 15 is fine for messing around at home and I don't really envision wanting to lug an extra 30lb box around...but it's still on the GAS list. It's a swiss army knife just like the SCR DI.
On paper (and from this thread) this thing is everything I've ever wanted in a little pedal. I can also sell the stupid little headphone amp thing I have and never use (here's how I do it now - headphones, one ear on/one off, chin on body of bass for the perfect learning-a-tune mix). Hopefully the SCR-DI will make it easy enough where I actually use it for that purpose. As far as using it with an amp/performing, the eq looks great, and having the overdrive built in is awesome because I use it so infrequently that it makes carrying around the big muff not worth it. I'm down to one pedal/DI for upright, one for electric if this works out (plus a tuner).
It's an excellent headphone amp. I may sell my Cafe Walter, but it's nice to have a decent headphone amp at work as well as at home.
I just got it and will test it out at rehearsal tonight. It's heavy!
So I tried it out - kind of a weird night because I was in a hurry and only brought my little gk combo, which I normally would never do for a seven piece band haha - I kept the eq at noon and volume maybe 1 o'clock. I actually kept the deep button engaged to help the little combo, but otherwise just eq'd up the low mids on the amp. I was really pleased with it - seemed to enhance and boost nicely. The distortion is awesome, though so different from the bass muff I am used too - less ballsy but cuts through nicely. I really only used it for the nefarious purpose of scaring my bandmates in a couple sections. I'll report back again after I use it more and with a bigger amp.
Yeah, I really like the OD!
Ultra Lo is really like a mids-pulverizer. It cuts 500hz -10db (and boosts 40hz by 1db). The same sound can be achieved with the knobs and you get the flexibility of not being stuck to one setting. I kinda wish I could disable the Ultra Lo & Ultra Hi buttons permanently because they sometimes get turned on by accident.
Ultra Lo is really like a mids-pulverizer. It cuts 500hz -10db (and boosts 40hz by 1db). The same sound can be achieved with the knobs and you get the flexibility of not being stuck to one setting. I kinda wish I could disable the Ultra Lo & Ultra Hi buttons permanently because they sometimes get turned on by accident.
IIRC the Scrambler has a bit of frequency doubling going on, I keep meaning to breadboard it to see what it sounds like (but life gets in the way).
