Empress ParaEQ Bass!?

[MojoPin]

Agreed! The combo of DCX bass and ParaEQ is great, a lot of tone between those two pedals and they work well together

You know it really is a great combo. Since putting my Bass ParaEq at the end of my chain with a RNDI-M, I've been able to really sculpt my tone like a surgeon. I get this giant fat tone that has a high and low pass filter set to anywhere I want with shelving to add MORE fatness if needed plus an independent boost. I have been leaving the shelves alone and using the DCX more to increase overall high/low end and it makes it so I don't fiddle with the EQ as much but can create this giant contained fundamental bass tone that can just rock everything in my building with my SuperBassman 300 (not that it wasn't rocking everything before lol) and it just so fat but still super tight, especially with my 6x10 cab. The eq is really a sweetener for when you have a good sound man and a surgical tool when you need to cure some problems with the room and you don't have a sound guy that is really up to snuff or is having too good a time to care about your band. It's not completely replacing my OE Super Vintage or occasional Color Box usage but it's an EXCELLENT tool to have handy when you need and I'd especially be inclined to only bring the ParaEQ bass to put on the end if I was only running a board and no amp. The RNDI-M is pretty excellent if you want a great no nonsense DI with a fairly flat response but has a bit of "magic" with the depth that it adds to everything.

 

[Domespeed]

I use mine after the GT-1000 for my stage sound (while the GT-1000 goes to FOH directly via XLR).
It is a superb tool to adapt to any stage amp and above all, the room acoustics.
Crucial for me are two fully parametric bands below 200Hz - not possible with the non-bass para EQ by Empress.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I wish I didn't see this

 

[SteveC]

I used the regular eq deluxe and bass compressor with a REDDI and had a phenomenal sound. The Stomp is smaller and easier and lets me play down a 1/2 step with ease, but it don’t sound like the empress/REDDI rig.

 

[WG Plum]

Used it at the very front of my chain this past Saturday with my upright. I am very, very, happy. I use a Yamahiko dual element pickup on my bass, fwiw.

Pay no mind to the knobs, things got bumped around in transit.

 

[Blazebass77]

Folks... do you think that the empress paraeq bass + empress compressor bass gonna be better than darkglas luminal booster ultra?
I need to make decision and that one is a quite hard as those pedals are expensive.
I am gonna be be combaining those eefects with darkglass x ultra. I play experimental metal.

Do you think that using a paraeq I can get same sound that luminal booster is known for? or maybe I will get even more?

Thanks for any help

 

[butterfingers1]

Many find the Empress bass compressor has a sort of tone harshness to it. It’s more than transparent, like a bit of plate-scratching. This can work in a mix but not always. My optical compressors (Diamond, Broughton, Union Tube & Transistor) sound round and smooth and punchy. The Xotic Bass RC booster after the Empress compressor smooths out this harshness some.

Is there something the Bass Para EQ could do to have this softening effect? A particular high frequency to cut, or low frequency to boost maybe?

 

[Jens Telemark]

Many find the Empress bass compressor has a sort of tone harshness to it. It’s more than transparent, like a bit of plate-scratching. This can work in a mix but not always. My optical compressors (Diamond, Broughton, Union Tube & Transistor) sound round and smooth and punchy. The Xotic Bass RC booster after the Empress compressor smooths out this harshness some.

Is there something the Bass Para EQ could do to have this softening effect? A particular high frequency to cut, or low frequency to boost maybe?

It might be simply be that you like the LA- type sound and aren't hearing it with the Empress.

The transparency and precision of the Empress works incredibly well for me. I already get a fat, round sound with a preamp, flats and touch. I liked the Diamond and Union compressors on their own but with my signal chain in a mix they were too much of a good thing. That additional color seemed to clutter things and sounded somewhat artificial. Not a hack on them it's just how they worked in my system. You may be experiencing something similar but in a different sonic direction. If so throwing more EQ at it might not be the best solution. YMMV but using additional EQ just to try to change a piece of gear I don't fundamentally get along with has never worked out well for me.

 

[butterfingers1]

Got it. Wow. It complements the bass compressor beautifully. I can almost mimic any other tone pedal and fix any tonal deficiencies. Everything at noon, meaning hpf/lpf engaged, sounds good enough. Their suggested “bass growl” settings works even better, and from there the tinkering starts. I always thought a para eq pedal would be too much for my simple needs. Now I’m thinking this replaces a lot of other things. Much more expensive than the Broughton HPF/LPF and RFE but much more useful too. And a classy instructional manual never hurts.

 

[butterfingers1]

All that’s missing is an Empress bass drive.

 

[crguti]

Selecting any of the 3 parametric eq, Does it go into feedback when increasing the Q (full clock wise) and increasing the gain?

 

[kenny ames]

Picked one up recently.

Went into it a little skeptical.

Own the blue EQ Deluxe.

The purple bass compressor is simply just better.

The frequency points are just more bass friendly.

Hard to verbalize the difference, but to my ears is the superior EQ for bass.

Another winner from Empress.

Now if they would make a B-15 pedal or bass distortion….

Well done, gentlemen.

 

[Jason Hollar]

I’d love to try the new purple one but I’m still learning how to use the last one.

I’ve had the para EQ 2 (blue) for maybe a year or two? Originally bought to enhance upright piezo pup in loud environments. Found it’s quite well suited to the front end of a powered speaker. I have two QSC k10.1s and they sound amazing. Just kinda heavy.

However, I’m finding the 10megOhm fdeck HPF mini3 is simplest & best option for upright amplification at this point.

Back to electric - I find my para EQ2 is really exceptional with my Lakland skykine jazz 5 passive. Basically makes it outboard active with HPF/lpf and solo boost. Since it’s a jazz type bass I can keep the funky scoop and fine tune the mids and punch thru in any room. It’s killer.

I didn’t love the para eq2 on my passive fender p w/flats although it’s entirely workable. I much prefer the Sadowsky 2 band outboard pedal with the P. There’s just more noticeable juice that’s inspiring to play through.

 

[Domespeed]

I use my ParaEQ Bass to adapt to different stage amplifiers and room acoustics.
For this purpose it is simply perfect with its selection of frequencies and the high pass filter.

 

[Mike_Empress]

Selecting any of the 3 parametric eq, Does it go into feedback when increasing the Q (full clock wise) and increasing the gain?

Not unless specific frequency bands are already prone to feedback for your instrument, in which case you can cut that band and never feedback again!

 

[JJR58]

Finally got mine.
Didn’t even follow the manual yet.
Just set it where I typically like my eq points.
And the Precision sounds amazing.
I’m glad I held out for this, because I was considering some other eq pedals.
The tone search is over.
It’s very easy to use, and it’s jammed packed full of eq control in a small package.
Highly recommend if anyone is on the fence with this, ymmv of course.

 

[tidbits]

@Mike_Empress random question about where the high/low pass filters are place in the ParaEQ - are they before or after the parametric eq controls? does it even matter which is first (assuming the net effect on the signal at the same frequency is additive)?

 

[BN5HardCaseGuy]

Also @Mike_Empress: What are the HPF/LPF cut-off frequencies for the Bass Para Eq? There is a chart on the Empress website for the Para Eq Mkii Deluxe, but since the range of frequency is different, the chart must also be different, correct? Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[gillento]

Also @Mike_Empress: What are the HPF/LPF cut-off frequencies for the Bass Para Eq? There is a chart on the Empress website for the Para Eq Mkii Deluxe, but since the range of frequency is different, the chart must also be different, correct? Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[ddnidd1]

Is there a block diagram of the ParaEQ Bass?