Darkglass Anagram Multi FX Announced

[D.A.R.K.]

I would be curious to hear about your experience. Were you disappointed in the smaller library of effects/amps/cabs? Was it not sonically where you want it to be?

I believe the library will grow pretty quick.
The experience of 4 of the 6 knobs having the known bottoming out issue makes me very wary of the qc on the rest of the build (no excuse for something like that at this price point) and while the library will grow, not having some basic stuff that we will have to wait for (ping pong delay for example) makes it fall a bit short of enough functionality to justify the cost. These couple things just point to a product rushed to release. Both will be addressed I'm sure, but what pushed me too far was having it freeze up on me. No signal passing, but in and out meters showing signal (probably some infrasonic information when the OS failed). Reboot necessary. I understand being an early adopter and what that means, and perhaps the unit I got is a lemon. But at this price point it needs to be stable enough to trust, which I can't. I also use UAD in my studio (I am an audio engineer for a living), which also claims 1.5 ms latency with plug ins stacked in real time, but there is a noticeable difference in the processing time between the two platforms. The Anagram I had has a lag that I can perceive. My last issue worth mentioning I guess is the lack of expression pedal ports- but that's user preference (just like how much I really hate 1/8" midi jacks because they are inferior to 5 pin and add another point of failure vis using an adaptor, which makes no sense to me). Anyway, if I am going to invest a certain amount of money on a piece of gear that absolutely has a shelf life, as all computer processing equipment does, it has to function 100% out of the gate so I get maximum use per dollar before it gets outdated and bricked. I thought all the plugins sounded great in the DG btw, and the sims/ IR are great. Better overall than Helix or Fractal factory stuff I've tried.

 

[Bass Ape]

Better than the Fractal? That’s a heavy duty comment.

I would love to try the Anagram out but no stores here have any demo units and I’m not about to drop a dime+ just to a/b test.

 

[MrDinsdale]

I believe the library will grow pretty quick.
The experience of 4 of the 6 knobs having the known bottoming out issue makes me very wary of the qc on the rest of the build (no excuse for something like that at this price point) and while the library will grow, not having some basic stuff that we will have to wait for (ping pong delay for example) makes it fall a bit short of enough functionality to justify the cost. These couple things just point to a product rushed to release. Both will be addressed I'm sure, but what pushed me too far was having it freeze up on me. No signal passing, but in and out meters showing signal (probably some infrasonic information when the OS failed). Reboot necessary. I understand being an early adopter and what that means, and perhaps the unit I got is a lemon. But at this price point it needs to be stable enough to trust, which I can't. I also use UAD in my studio (I am an audio engineer for a living), which also claims 1.5 ms latency with plug ins stacked in real time, but there is a noticeable difference in the processing time between the two platforms. The Anagram I had has a lag that I can perceive. My last issue worth mentioning I guess is the lack of expression pedal ports- but that's user preference (just like how much I really hate 1/8" midi jacks because they are inferior to 5 pin and add another point of failure vis using an adaptor, which makes no sense to me). Anyway, if I am going to invest a certain amount of money on a piece of gear that absolutely has a shelf life, as all computer processing equipment does, it has to function 100% out of the gate so I get maximum use per dollar before it gets outdated and bricked. I thought all the plugins sounded great in the DG btw, and the sims/ IR are great. Better overall than Helix or Fractal factory stuff I've tried.

Appreciate the reply, lots to think about for me!

 

[pbass62]

I used the Anagram 1st time live today and it did not disappoint.
I wanted to do simple chain,
Luminal Noble Chorus Delay Octaver Reverb
All series (stomp box mode) w chorus delay and octave as stomp.
A little over all EQ and our FOH even commented positively.
Now this week I will get into some complex chains
If you are on the fence don’t hesitate to come over to the “Dark” side

 

[meisi]

Haven't tried that yet... Kinda skeptical actually. If I'm reading this correctly I can power it from a MacBook Pro power supply?

RTFM! lol, but actually helpful from the manual

 

[macribas]

RTFM! lol, but actually helpful from the manual

View attachment 7321697

Thanks. I don't think I've ever read manuals since they stopped coming with the equipment. There's Talkbass when I need it.

 

[Esquillama]

I’m sure many already know this, but it might help someone. I disconnected the 1/4” and XLR outs from the master and my levels increased a noticeable amount.

If you’re having trouble with low output, that could be a starting point.

Now, if only I could figure out a way to adjust the input signal strength. I haven’t been able to find any control for that.

 

[gustobassman]

Anyone else having issues with the B3K block? I have a HUGE volume jump when i load the block- like speaker blowing. It has the "grunt" engaged when I load the block- I own the B7K, i know what the grunt does - this is... not that, lol. I just tried to build a new preset and I don't remember it acting this way with previous software updates.. like at all...

 

[silky smoove]

Anyone else having issues with the B3K block? I have a HUGE volume jump when i load the block- like speaker blowing. It has the "grunt" engaged when I load the block- I own the B7K, i know what the grunt does - this is... not that, lol. I just tried to build a new preset and I don't remember it acting this way with previous software updates.. like at all...

I use that block as my go-to overdrive on almost every gig and have not experienced this.

 

[gustobassman]

I use that block as my go-to overdrive on almost every gig and have not experienced this.

I've used it before on other presets I've built and it didnt act this way. The main preset I use it on, it didn't act like this at all. If I drop it in now and want to leave Grunt on, I need to reduce the drive down to about 1.6 to stay anywhere close to unity gain. If I want to add any drive with Grunt on, without blowing everything out, I have to bring the level down to almost 1 or less.

I know there will be growing pains, and heck I'm still VERY new to multi effects like this - but I gotta admit, this is a little frustrating. 95% of the time, I just want to use it like a pedalboard- but it never seems like levels stay the same, there's always something different going on at the master output every time I fire it up. I've only gigged it once and I'm really not confident enough to do that again. I wish there was a factory reset option- just in case my issue is something I did somewhere along the line and need to reset.

 

[Bass Ape]

I've used it before on other presets I've built and it didnt act this way. The main preset I use it on, it didn't act like this at all. If I drop it in now and want to leave Grunt on, I need to reduce the drive down to about 1.6 to stay anywhere close to unity gain. If I want to add any drive with Grunt on, without blowing everything out, I have to bring the level down to almost 1 or less.

I know there will be growing pains, and heck I'm still VERY new to multi effects like this - but I gotta admit, this is a little frustrating. 95% of the time, I just want to use it like a pedalboard- but it never seems like levels stay the same, there's always something different going on at the master output every time I fire it up. I've only gigged it once and I'm really not confident enough to do that again. I wish there was a factory reset option- just in case my issue is something I did somewhere along the line and need to reset.

Can you roll back the firmware to test if it’s software?

 

[Tieftonschlumpf]

Hi, sorry if this was already asked, but I try to switch presets on the Anagram via Program Change with Midi over USB. I use BandHelper for that and had no problems to do that on my HX Stomp. The Anagram doesn't seem to receive the Midi signals - nothing happens.
I have the firmware version 1.5 and it says that Midi over USB is supported. Can somebody please give me a hint?

 

[IvanBassist]

Hi, sorry if this was already asked, but I try to switch presets on the Anagram via Program Change with Midi over USB. I use BandHelper for that and had no problems to do that on my HX Stomp. The Anagram doesn't seem to receive the Midi signals - nothing happens.
I have the firmware version 1.5 and it says that Midi over USB is supported. Can somebody please give me a hint?

Moin aus Hamburg, is your Anagram not getting any messages whatsoever? Have you tried with CC messages, too?

 

[Tieftonschlumpf]

Moin aus Hamburg, is your Anagram not getting any messages whatsoever? Have you tried with CC messages, too?

Moin aus Hockenheim, seems to be not getting anything. I also tried CC. Do you use BandHelper? I don‘t know if I‘m missing some little setting anywhere, but I checked it again with the HX Stomp and there it works.

Edit: It is also that the HX Stomp is immediately recognized as Midi Device, but the Anagram doesn‘t appear in the List of Midi devices.

 

[IvanBassist]

Moin aus Hockenheim, seems to be not getting anything. I also tried CC. Do you use BandHelper? I don‘t know if I‘m missing some little setting anywhere, but I checked it again with the HX Stomp and there it works.

Edit: It is also that the HX Stomp is immediately recognized as Midi Device, but the Anagram doesn‘t appear in the List of Midi devices.

I dont use Bandhelper, but DM me your device settings and we can look into your case. Feel free to write in German, too.

 

[ga_edwards]

Just wanted to add to the list of people frustrated by the noisy psu. It seems the issue it the lack of ground - I'm in the UK, and the UK head on the supplied adapter just has a plastic earth pin. I had the anagram plugged in to a power strip alongside my Helix LT for the last few days whilst A/B testing. Now I've put the Helix away, I've notice so much noise - the helix must have been grouding it.

 

[viobass]

I've had the Anagram since April and lately something has been irking me so I figured I'd reach out to the community for help. I'm a bedroom bassist that just enjoys playing the bass. When my kid is in bed I play through headphones. When no one is around I play through my Ampeg RB-210 combo. FWIW, this amp sounds amazing when I just plug a bass directly into the input.

The Anagram sounds killer through my headphones. It sounds amazing through my headphones no matter what I do. I use amp and cab sims in this case.

When I use the Anagram with my Ampeg RB-210 it's the opposite. I can't get it to sound good no matter what I do. I plug into the return jack and have only been using the preamp and amp sims. I did try using cab sims too but, that did not help.

I know "sounds good" is vague and subjective but, I'm looking for any pointers or tips on how to get the Anagram to sound as good through my amp's return jack as it does through my headphones.

TIA

 

[MascisMan]

I've had the Anagram since April and lately something has been irking me so I figured I'd reach out to the community for help. I'm a bedroom bassist that just enjoys playing the bass. When my kid is in bed I play through headphones. When no one is around I play through my Ampeg RB-210 combo. FWIW, this amp sounds amazing when I just plug a bass directly into the input.

The Anagram sounds killer through my headphones. It sounds amazing through my headphones no matter what I do. I use amp and cab sims in this case.

When I use the Anagram with my Ampeg RB-210 it's the opposite. I can't get it to sound good no matter what I do. I plug into the return jack and have only been using the preamp and amp sims. I did try using cab sims too but, that did not help.

I know "sounds good" is vague and subjective but, I'm looking for any pointers or tips on how to get the Anagram to sound as good through my amp's return jack as it does through my headphones.

TIA

How does the Anagram sound in to the input of the Ampeg without any preamp/amps/cabs (just effects)?

 

[Grahams Groove]

I've had the Anagram since April and lately something has been irking me so I figured I'd reach out to the community for help. I'm a bedroom bassist that just enjoys playing the bass. When my kid is in bed I play through headphones. When no one is around I play through my Ampeg RB-210 combo. FWIW, this amp sounds amazing when I just plug a bass directly into the input.

The Anagram sounds killer through my headphones. It sounds amazing through my headphones no matter what I do. I use amp and cab sims in this case.

When I use the Anagram with my Ampeg RB-210 it's the opposite. I can't get it to sound good no matter what I do. I plug into the return jack and have only been using the preamp and amp sims. I did try using cab sims too but, that did not help.

I know "sounds good" is vague and subjective but, I'm looking for any pointers or tips on how to get the Anagram to sound as good through my amp's return jack as it does through my headphones.

TIA

Can you try to qualify it a bit? What sounds good about the headphone mix to your ears, and what feels ‘bad’ or lacking when you play through the amp. Is it fizzy, boomy, thin, sterile, harsh, muddy, etc?

 

[viobass]

Can you try to qualify it a bit? What sounds good about the headphone mix to your ears, and what feels ‘bad’ or lacking when you play through the amp. Is it fizzy, boomy, thin, sterile, harsh, muddy, etc?

Through my amp the Anagram has way too much clank and lacks any kind of low end punch. The distortions all sound muffled, especially the new ones they recently added.

Through my headphones everything sounds just right; balanced.

Thank you for asking. I hope this helps.