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Broughton Messenger v2 Alternative?

#22
One thing to keep in mind with a Messenger is that it is a "Clean Machine."

Like... squeaky clean, it doesn't impart much if any flavor on it's own, where as the Tech 21s usually have some baked in "SVT" or amp sim tone.

For some folks that's a good thing, for others it might be too "sterile" if you are used to a lot of amp flavor.
 
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#24
gh0st42 said:
Like... squeaky clean, it doesn't impart much if any flavor on it's own, where as the Tech 21s usually have some baked in "SVT" or amp sim tone.
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I put the V2 Messenger through my studio system and measured the response. It wasn’t perfectly clean when set flat, but was pretty close. If memory serves it had a little low end and top end roll-off, even without the HPF/LPF controls doing anything, and possibly some slight build-up in the midrange. That’s all going from memory as I don’t have any measurement notes on it anymore, so I could be wrong about its frequency response. I never measured my older V1.

As for Tech 21 stuff; The Q Strip is very clean. I never measured its output but when set flat it didn’t really impart much sonic character.
 
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#28
silky smoove said:
I put the V2 Messenger through my studio system and measured the response. It wasn’t perfectly clean when set flat, but was pretty close. If memory serves it had a little low end and top end roll-off, even without the HPF/LPF controls doing anything, and possibly some slight build-up in the midrange. That’s all going from memory as I don’t have any measurement notes on it anymore, so I could be wrong about its frequency response. I never measured my older V1.

As for Tech 21 stuff; The Q Strip is very clean. I never measured its output but when set flat it didn’t really impart much sonic character.
Click to expand...
Great info, and I agree about the V2 Messenger imparting some character. Someone said "squeaky clean", yes, but not neutral. I'm not a fan of its fixed low and high eq points, but I get that it's not meant to be a tone shaping tool. More for adapting to a room and a mixer I think.

Putting it last in a chain lets you easily go Return into an amp (bypassing an amp's pre) because it has so much very clean gain on tap.

Having its sweepable HPF and especially its LPF are great for taming cabs, so I'd be sure to include those in your setup, most flexibly as independent pedals (e.g. an RFE).
 
#29
This is my upright rig:
18F0886F-28B5-496B-B1D1-E824C2BC4DD1.jpeg

this is my electric rig:
F8BE90A0-96EE-4BE6-8110-9C786A81A432.jpeg

and I have a separate board so I can use my envelope filter for either setup. The rest is my Broughton P-15 or into the board.
66E8461A-76E1-4B0E-8B38-3BB63D49F63B.jpeg

Since this is an effects sub, I highly recommend the Mr. Black Fwonk Beta envelope filter. Works great for electric and upright.
 
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#31
I remember someone saying here that the Q-Strip was noisier than the MXR Bass Pre. I do not have the Q-Strip, but I have the MXR and can confirm that it is dead clean. I wish it had a high-pass filter right after the input gain, and a low-pass filter before the output gain stages. I could live without the DI as I use a DI with amp simulation at the very end.
 
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#36
Shindig73 said:
Ahhh. So can be adjusted not from the pedal, but from the computer app?
Click to expand...
Yes, that’s the downside. It’s definitely not a good replacement for a dedicated HPF/LPF if you tweak for the room. If you’re a set it and forget it type, it works fine.

There’s potential here, though. All of the functionality seems to be controllable via midi, as you can see from this thread: DIY: NuX NBP-5 Preamp Controller HPF/LPF included.
 
#37
MYLOWFREQ said:
I remember someone saying here that the Q-Strip was noisier than the MXR Bass Pre. I do not have the Q-Strip, but I have the MXR and can confirm that it is dead clean. I wish it had a high-pass filter right after the input gain, and a low-pass filter before the output gain stages. I could live without the DI as I use a DI with amp simulation at the very end.
Click to expand...

I don't remember mine being that noisy...but it has been a few months.
 

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