I replaced my used Bmax with a used Bmax-T. I much prefer the Bmax-T sound, it so much warmer, and so less harsh and biting in the highs. However, I have noticed a couple of things.
If I run my passive instruments into the passive jack I have to run the gain at nearly the minimum of 1 dot dial to get a totally clean sound.
If I run my passive instruments into the active jack I can then have the gain at 2 dots on the dial to get a totally clean sound.
If I turn the gain up much past 9 O'clock some sort of overdrive-ish sound begins, but it's not at all consistent or pleasant. It typically affects only the lowest notes while leaving the higher notes un-overdriven even if played with some serious attack. It's not at all like your typical tube-based preamp in this regard where the signal starts clean but tube-y, then adds more harmonics and gets woolier without totally breaking up, then typically breaks into a full-on overdrive when the gain approaches the last 1/3 to 1/4 of the knob range.
In fact, I'm never able to get a truly usable overdrive sound out of the unit. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be or not. It basically goes from clean to unusable in my opinion.
Note I do not typically run the compressor at all as even on it's absolute minimum setting I find it sucks some of the body and low end from the signal, and the LED still activates when playing low notes. On my non-T version I ran my instrument into the passive jack with gain around 5 and comp around 5 to get the same behavior on the comp LED. I didn't expect both units to behave identically, but there seems to be a huge difference in the gain structure of the units, or my Bmax-T has an issue of some sort.
I also find the compressor lets through large spikes on the initial attack if there's a significant quiet passage. Play a run of notes, pause, play some stacatto'ed notes and the attack on that first staccato note can really spike. It's more evident the heavier you set the compressor.
I've attached a few sound clips for your review so you can hear what I'm talking about. It's entirely possible this is all normal functionality for the BMax-T. However, I'd like to confirm as I'm aware some models supposedly had a "too high gain" problem that was available for a factory fix. I'm not sure if that's what I'm seeing here. My bass is a Fender Precision with a Nordstrand NP4 and LaBella flats. The setting I typically use is heard on "bmaxt_active_gain2.mp3" Sounds the same as using the passive on gain 1 I think, but it's such a super small amount of gain that if the knob gets bumped a hair it kills the signal or pushes it into that annoying overdrive sound, so I use the active jack most of the time.
Here's some additional information:
Main board indicates Rev 1.21 P/N 100-0260
Back sticker indicates S/N A-Q10340 DOM 0430
I really love the BBE preamps. Simple to use, 1U, not too heavy, and they sound totally excellent, at least when I keep the gain extremely low on my Bmax-T. I get tons of compliments on the sound, meaty, punchy, without mud. However, I would love the BBE preamps even more if they:
Had a separate level control on the DI output. I typically run my power amp with its gain at maximum as recommended and control the overall volume with the BBE master. However, this produces a barely usable DI level.
Had a separate tuner output. I could care less if there was a mute feature associated with it, I'd just like to be able to send a separate output signal to my tuner. Now that I wrote this I have no effects in my effects loop, maybe I can use the send only without connecting the return for this. I'll have to try that.
If it only required the use of one type of screw to remove the top lid. I've only removed the lid once, but it uses two different Philips screws, plus one Allen key screw. It's slightly annoying, but I'm being extremely nit picky. But I'm sure the techs would love it if it was one type of screw period.
While my email may come off as a rant or a long list of complaints I do seriously love the sound of the Bmax-T. I just wish I had more clean gain range to work with and the overdrive would work in a more consistent and more pleasant manner. I realize leveraging the compressor into the picture seriously tames all of my dislike for the overdrive, but I don't generally like compression and dislike the particular quality of the BBE compressor on these units more than your typical compressor, so I prefer not to use it. And maybe that's my problem here.
