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Darkglass Anagram Multi FX Announced

#3,541
I just picked up an Anagram, due to the newly added input feature. Having a few basses with varying inputs this was an issue all the time for me, that is now solved. Just curious, was there a single feature that made you pull the trigger on the Anagram?
I hope this fantastic just continues to get better and better.
 
#3,543
jedwards said:
was there a single feature that made you pull the trigger on the Anagram?
Click to expand...
Yep - the MIDI implementation.

I knew it was being worked on because they had some early 'work in progress' implementation in v1.3.0 (16 July 2025). I wasn't going to purchase until I saw the MIDI implementation reach a release level of quality with the at least Preset and Scene selection. This was delivered in v1.4.0 (3 September 2025) and the MIDI implementation, while basic, was sufficient for what I needed (as opposed to what I wanted).
 
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#3,546
jedwards said:
I just picked up an Anagram, due to the newly added input feature. Having a few basses with varying inputs this was an issue all the time for me, that is now solved. Just curious, was there a single feature that made you pull the trigger on the Anagram?
I hope this fantastic just continues to get better and better.
Click to expand...

Nope, just the Fact that it is Bass based and I always had Darkglass Gear.
Coming from a Quad Cortex and DG Infinity.
 
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#3,548
Chrishi87 said:
Tested the 2 JF Luce NAMs that are available.
If the Volume is set correctly (one is louder, one is quieter than unity gain) I can hear absolute no difference if the Block is on or off.
Maybe that's my general problem with my tone :laugh:
Click to expand...
You can use a split and use the gain block on one split with Invert Polarity on to do a null test, to see if it's exactly the same. I like doing this to hear what a pedal is 'adding'
 
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#3,549
Chrishi87 said:
Tested the 2 JF Luce NAMs that are available.
If the Volume is set correctly (one is louder, one is quieter than unity gain) I can hear absolute no difference if the Block is on or off.
Maybe that's my general problem with my tone :laugh:
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that the difference some of these high end DI boxes makes can be subtle, other effects you are running may drown out any noticeable effect they are having. Sometimes more of a feel thing.
 
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#3,550
JengDoe said:
I haven’t tried the HX myself, but it looks like it already comes out ahead in most areas, while still missing some features.
Click to expand...
Certainly has some things over the HX Stomp. I'm speaking of various options that the stomp has that I use with my current setup that the Anagram lacks...that being:

--there isn't a momentary mode for the switches (this is a big one for me)
--no hard gate (can't get fuzzes to sound that synthy yet)
--no harmonizer mode...if I want to pretend to be like janek gwizdala and noodle in certain keys...I like the twin harmony
--synthesizers aren't there yet
--midi implementation isn't quite there yet. I (among many here) would love to toggle each block with a CC# and just use one scene with many effects.
--Just not enough overall effects yet...since there's no synth, I would love these particular effects: mastotron, brassmaster fuzz, bitcrusher, ring modulator

It's just these little quality of life things that keep the HX stomp on my board and this one at home. I see this pedal right now as a working mans multi-effects pedal. It does the things, it's easy to use, it's built well. Very interested to see what darkglass implements in the next few updates.
 
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#3,551
This is maybe a hot take, but I’ll offer it anyway:

The Anagram has one critical function that the HX Stomp does not currently offer. That is, the ability to sound really good. The HX sounds just okay at best, and honestly quite bad for certain tasks. I spent years convincing myself that it sounded good. As soon as I got rid of it and went to two boards (one analog, one Anagram), I realized how much I’d been lying to myself. Since then the Anagram has even unseated my previous analog board built around a Caveman BP-1C. Yes, the Anagram is missing some functions that the Helix platforms can do. For my money, I’m happy to gamble on Darkglass closing those gaps while already managing to sound great, unlike their Line 6 counterpart.
 
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#3,553
silky smoove said:
This is maybe a hot take, but I’ll offer it anyway:

The Anagram has one critical function that the HX Stomp does not currently offer. That is, the ability to sound really good. The HX sounds just okay at best, and honestly quite bad for certain tasks. I spent years convincing myself that it sounded good. As soon as I got rid of it and went to two boards (one analog, one Anagram), I realized how much I’d been lying to myself. Since then the Anagram has even unseated my previous analog board built around a Caveman BP-1C. Yes, the Anagram is missing some functions that the Helix platforms can do. For my money, I’m happy to gamble on Darkglass closing those gaps while already managing to sound great, unlike their Line 6 counterpart.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I have never felt like I was fighting any of the amp models on the Anagram, while at times I have felt that way with the Quad Cortex and HX Stomp. Maybe that's due to the default settings of those blocks already having a generally good sound to them, instead of the common practice of setting all knobs at noon.
 
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#3,554
Derek Williams said:
Totally agree. I have never felt like I was fighting any of the amp models on the Anagram, while at times I have felt that way with the Quad Cortex and HX Stomp. Maybe that's due to the default settings of those blocks already having a generally good sound to them, instead of the common practice of setting all knobs at noon.
Click to expand...
I also went through a HX Stomp, then a Quad Cortex and now an Anagram, and I have the exact same experience. The Anagram is way way superior to those other units sound-wise, and I do prefer the simplicity, UI and form factor of it too.
 
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#3,555
Same here, I wanted a pedal that was made for bass as a primary focus, sounded great out of the box and was easy to config. I’d been using HX Stomp since the beginning and it was always a hassle to get great tones, as has been stated over and over.

The Anagram has been easy to setup, adjust on the fly and sounds great, no hassles. Growing pains for sure but DG has been great at taking feedback and updating frequently. It’s a great platform with a team that’s focused on bassists.
 
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#3,557
silky smoove said:
This is maybe a hot take, but I’ll offer it anyway:

The Anagram has one critical function that the HX Stomp does not currently offer. That is, the ability to sound really good. The HX sounds just okay at best, and honestly quite bad for certain tasks. I spent years convincing myself that it sounded good. As soon as I got rid of it and went to two boards (one analog, one Anagram), I realized how much I’d been lying to myself. Since then the Anagram has even unseated my previous analog board built around a Caveman BP-1C. Yes, the Anagram is missing some functions that the Helix platforms can do. For my money, I’m happy to gamble on Darkglass closing those gaps while already managing to sound great, unlike their Line 6 counterpart.
Click to expand...
I don’t know if it is that hot of a take, but I will make the case that the Helix effects are actually pretty good. Just a different flavor. That being said, the Anagram effects are much better and I still feel that gain and dynamics (albeit less so) are better served as analog, though the Anagram is closing the gap significantly. Bass cabinets are a place where I think all of the modelers struggle a bit.
 
#3,559
JengDoe said:
Maybe it’s because modelers don’t really have standalone bass cabinets, but rather a combination of a cabinet, a mic, and a room.

And that’s how other people hear the bass, not how the musicians hear it.
Click to expand...
I’m fine with sound living in a context, it’s more of the static nature of an IR and the way current modelers capture the dynamics of a bass cabinet. They all sound a bit lifeless (IMO, YMMV) even with a DI blended back in.
 
#3,560
I find that putting dual cabs on amps make a lot of difference in that alive sound. But also, if you spend a lot of time in a seperate room from your amp and only hear it through monitors/cans it sounds pretty lifeless. It's just the nature of it sadly.
 

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