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Anyone using an Electro-Harmonix Battalion Preamp DI?

scottfeldstein

scottfeldstein

Roots and fifths and a little extra.
Jun 20, 2011
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4,412
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San Marcos, California
endlessblue.bandcamp.com
#1
I bought a Strobostomp HD tuner and I decided to use the Polytune to start a new, mini pedal board. An alternate board for small spaces or secondary rig setups. Besides a tuner, what else would it absolutely need to have?

That's when I found the Battalion. It's got a DI, a switchable dirt circuit, a compressor, and an EQ. Between that an a tuner I think I could survive just about any gig. And I got it pretty cheap in mint condition.

Anyone still using this unit? What's the 2020 verdict? I have only done minimal testing on mine, just to make sure it's all working. I'll likely spend some more time with it this weekend and see if I can come to some settings that work for me.
 
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#2
Stupid late response to your post. I stumbled onto the Battalion today and decided to order one. It’s replacing a SansAmp YYZ pedal…which sounds awesome but isn’t the most flexible thing. I figure the Battalion will give me the same tone and then some.
 
#3
I picked up one a couple of weeks ago to swap out my original VT Bass with the Battalion. It does seem to be a little darker than the VT but overall, I like it much better. The dirt circuit is good, maybe a tad fizzy, but I'm just using it for some mild OD. I also like the mid voicings much better than the VT.
 
#4
Yeah, I've been on the fence about it. I plan on adding a Big Muff Deluxe in the mix too. Two types of distortion along with a solid preamp should do the trick. I do like the SansAmp YYZ...but I would like something that can produce a similar sound but more versatile. Figure I can get more out the Battalion with the 4-band EQ and separate drive. So...gonna set it inline with the YYZ and see if I can dial in similar tones.
 
#5
I'm running a Superfuzz, Fig Fumb (Big Muff) and Aftershock into the Battalion so I have no shortage of dirt. I like having some additional EQ flexibility over the pedals with the preamp. Also, one other cool thing about the Battalion is that you can plug headphones into it.
 
#8
scottfeldstein said:
I haven't had a single opportunity to use the Battalion. I got it as a DI/dirt pedal for a small, alternate pedal board. On my big board I'm using a YYZ full-time and the SA Aftershock as an occasional effect.
Click to expand...

Strangely enough, I also ordered a SansAmp DI v2 which is likely to be a better replacement for the YYZ. Kinda want one that caters more for 5-strings, which the SansAmp does.
 
#10
I just sold mine today. It stayed on the board for 3 years of active use. For FOH, I would typically use the XLR out on my amps. I think I tried the DI on the Battalion once with no discernible difference as the dry out was going straight into the clean amp running pretty flat. Used it a lot for recording. But after a complete board overhaul, the Battalion went, though not before trying to integrate it into the new board, just too much overlap, not enough benefit. I thought it did its job while I had it for sure; a sturdy, solid pedal. The XLR and 1/4" outs are quiet and clean, the distortion is pretty good, and the ability to put it before, after, or parallel to EQ was nice.

Eta: while it was there, it was an always on, with a little compression, and slight gate. It was always nice to have that volume knob so that I could easily give myself a boost, too!
 
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#11
AlvarHanso said:
I just sold mine today. It stayed on the board for 3 years of active use. For FOH, I would typically use the XLR out on my amps. I think I tried the DI on the Battalion once with no discernible difference as the dry out was going straight into the clean amp running pretty flat. Used it a lot for recording. But after a complete board overhaul, the Battalion went, though not before trying to integrate it into the new board, just too much overlap, not enough benefit. I thought it did its job while I had it for sure; a sturdy, solid pedal. The XLR and 1/4" outs are quiet and clean, the distortion is pretty good, and the ability to put it before, after, or parallel to EQ was nice.

Eta: while it was there, it was an always on, with a little compression, and slight gate. It was always nice to have that volume knob so that I could easily give myself a boost, too!
Click to expand...

What are you using now? And what made you want to get rid of it? Just curious. This is all good info. :D
 
#12
I've recently gone to an all Source Audio system. I'm still figuring out the best routing for my clean signal, but so far I have the Aftershock at the beginning of the chain with Output 2 being the clean out, and the routing set to Mono with Dry Through, but it also means I'm setting my presets to all be single channel distortion and clean on the other. Then an EQ2> C4 synth> UltraWave (which I have always on for my clean for the compressor, but also use for its insane sounds)> Spectrum Intelligent Filter> Collider Delay+Reverb> Lunar Phaser, all through the Neuro Hub and Soleman MIDI Foot Controller. Not set on that order, but it's working okay so far.
 
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#13
jeffwhitfield said:
Ah, so I’m going in a good direction. One it gets here, I’ll do the Pepsi Challenge with the SansAmp YYZ. Should be interesting, especially since the EQ ranges are a bit different.
Click to expand...
Resurrecting an old thread, because I'm currently kicking around a few different preamp/fuzz options, and both the YYZ and Battalion are on the list. (Along with a good ol' BDDI and the Humboldt Subatomic. I'm curious how your Battalion/YYX challenge went?
 

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