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#1,161
Janforth said:
I already have the DE-CL, but I'm thinking about picking up the Opti-FET, for different applications (i.e. playing with my stereo power amp), I'm gonna keep the DE-CL too, anyone else using both?
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I've owned both but not at the same time. Love my Opti but I wouldn't mind still having a DE-CL. They are both great and different enough that owning both isn't totally redundant.
 
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#1,164
rmars said:
How are ya'all running your sidechain eq's on your Opti-fets?

The reason I ask is because I've been playing with the Opti-fet and changing around my sidechain eq with awesome results. Originally I just cut a bit of the lows and high and it sounded very good....I was happy. Not sure why but the other day I reversed it and set the lows flat/highs flat an cut the mids on the sidechain to about 10:00-10:30.....voilà! I've died and went to Jazz Bass heaven.

I can't tell you how this will work with other basses but there's an edge I always feel I lose with my J Bass running compression. I love clean, not overly eq'd Jazz Bass but it's not optimal in every setting. The compressor has become a tool I use to help sit that clean J Bass in the mix without tweaking the heck of the the eq. Big benefits with a little sacrifice.

Until now I really thought it was the top end that was getting overly rounded so my instinct was to cut the highs on the sidechain. While it did make things feel a bit more airy now I'm realizing that the magic (for me at least) is backing off the sidechain eq's mids. For me that little cut really opens the tone up and allows the J's mid character to shine thru while still having the tonal benefits of the compressor. Will I notice this in a band mix? Not sure, but working on material in my practice room I've become even more impressed with this pedal. View attachment 1101057
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Hi.

Stupid question, but I'm really curious about how you are running the side chain. Are you using it as an effects loop? Or do you have a separate input you are trying to roll off some frequencies?

I really dig this pedals, but I've yet to use the side chain and I guess I need someone to hold my hand and explain it like I am five with how to maximize its potential.

Thank you. I'll log off and take my answer offline.
 
#1,165
fly agaric said:
Hi.

Stupid question, but I'm really curious about how you are running the side chain. Are you using it as an effects loop? Or do you have a separate input you are trying to roll off some frequencies?

I really dig this pedals, but I've yet to use the side chain and I guess I need someone to hold my hand and explain it like I am five with how to maximize its potential.

Thank you. I'll log off and take my answer offline.
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Frank can explain this stuff so much better than I but lets see what kind of ham-fisted explanation I can come up with.... I'm not sleeping well and my brain needs something to do. My apologies Frank if(when) you have to clear this up....

I'm just using the built in eq. The sidechain eq doesn't affect your tone like standard eq controls (boosting/cutting lows/mids/highs) it's just changing how hard those frequencies are internally hitting the compressor. Turn down a frequency band and it takes increased energy (playing harder) for that band of frequencies to go over threshold.

Maybe you have an instrument with some dynamic problem areas so you set your threshold to fix that issue only to find out that now you are overly squashing the mids. With the sidechain you can back off the mids so that they aren't going as far over threshold.

Another example; You like how the compressor sounds when you're popping notes on the D and G but you're thumpin' low on the E and it feels a little too squashed or that you've lost a some of the attack. You could roll back the lows of the sidechain eq and get less squash on those low notes. Alternatively I guess you could back off the threshold until the E sound good and boost the sidechain highs (pushing them towards/over threshold) until you were compressing notes on the G string to your liking(?).

I like backing off the sidechain mids to preserve some of the aggressive character of the bass when digging in on the A, D and G strings. Makes even those scooped J mids speak. Backing off the sidechain lows can add this nice extra boost of power and dynamics in those frequencies.

As far as the sidechain loop goes, it's not a typical effects loop. You could put a 10 band eq in the loop and use it to further fine tune the compressors response to those narrower bands. I believe there are other ways to use the sidechain loop but they are above my pay grade.
 
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#1,166
rmars said:
Frank can explain this stuff so much better than I but lets see what kind of ham-fisted explanation I can come up with.... I'm not sleeping well and my brain needs something to do. My apologies Frank if(when) you have to clear this up....

I'm just using the built in eq. The sidechain eq doesn't affectt your tone like standard eq controls (boosting/cutting lows/mids/highs) it's just changing how hard those frequencies are internally hitting the compressor. Turn down a frequency band and it takes increased energy (playing harder) for that band of frequencies to go over threshold.

Maybe you have an instrument that with some dynamic problem areas so you set your threshold up to fix that issue only to find out that now you are overly squashing the mids. With the sidechain you can back off the mids so that they aren't going as far over threshold.

Another example; You like how the compressor sounds when you're popping notes on the D and G but you're thumpin' low on the E and it feels a little too squashed or that you've lost a some of the attack. You could roll back the lows of the sidechain eq and get less squash on those low notes. Alternatively I guess you could back off the threshold until the E sound good and boost the sidechain highs (pushing them towards/over threshold) until you were compressing notes on the G string to your liking(?).

I like backing off the sidechain mids to preserve some of the aggressive character of the bass when digging in on the A, D and G strings. Makes even those scooped J mids speak. Backing off the sidechain lows can add this nice extra boost of power and dynamics in those frequencies.

As far as the sidechain loop goes, it's not a typical effects loop. You could put a 10 band eq in the loop and use it to further fine tune the compressors response to those narrower bands. I believe there are other ways to use the sidechain loop but they are above my pay grade.
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Excellent!:thumbsup:

-Frank
 
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#1,170
ShaunNecro said:
Any idea when the next batch of DB-CLs will be ready? Recording a few months from now and I really really hope that I can grab one before then. I'm on the wait list and it's killing me, lol.
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We are working on them now and I hope we will start shipping by the end of May.
Thanks!

-Frank
 
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#1,171
Janforth said:
Received my new Opti-FET today, played it for a few minutes and all I can say is WOWZERS! I love it, thank you Frank and Glen.
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Same here.
Janforth said:
Received my new Opti-FET today, played it for a few minutes and all I can say is WOWZERS! I love it, thank you Frank and Glen.
Click to expand...

Truly a magical piece of equipment. I knew from the first few notes, even with all the controls at noon it was exactly what I've been looking for in a comp for a long time. Most of the other pedal comps that offer the same amount of control sound sterile by comparison, IMO. The Opti-Fet sweetens things up but also has very sensitive, effective controls that you can actually feel working as you turn them, unlike some of the competition where the parameters seem to be there in numbers, but not sound or response. With a comp as audibly expressive as the Opti, one doesn't really need metering because your ears are telling you what's up right away. I love it.
 
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#1,172
petrus61 said:
Same here.


Truly a magical piece of equipment. I knew from the first few notes, even with all the controls at noon it was exactly what I've been looking for in a comp for a long time. Most of the other pedal comps that offer the same amount of control sound sterile by comparison, IMO. The Opti-Fet sweetens things up but also has very sensitive, effective controls that you can actually feel working as you turn them, unlike some of the competition where the parameters seem to be there in numbers, but not sound or response. With a comp as audibly expressive as the Opti, one doesn't really need metering because your ears are telling you what's up right away. I love it.
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I concur, magical indeed.
 
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#1,173
petrus61 said:
Same here.


Truly a magical piece of equipment. I knew from the first few notes, even with all the controls at noon it was exactly what I've been looking for in a comp for a long time. Most of the other pedal comps that offer the same amount of control sound sterile by comparison, IMO. The Opti-Fet sweetens things up but also has very sensitive, effective controls that you can actually feel working as you turn them, unlike some of the competition where the parameters seem to be there in numbers, but not sound or response. With a comp as audibly expressive as the Opti, one doesn't really need metering because your ears are telling you what's up right away. I love it.
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Absolutely agree....and may I say you worded that much more clear and concise than I ever could have. I liked the Markbass Compressore but I could never tune it by ear like I can the Opti-fet
 
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#1,176
petrus61 said:
Same here.


Truly a magical piece of equipment. I knew from the first few notes, even with all the controls at noon it was exactly what I've been looking for in a comp for a long time. Most of the other pedal comps that offer the same amount of control sound sterile by comparison, IMO. The Opti-Fet sweetens things up but also has very sensitive, effective controls that you can actually feel working as you turn them, unlike some of the competition where the parameters seem to be there in numbers, but not sound or response. With a comp as audibly expressive as the Opti, one doesn't really need metering because your ears are telling you what's up right away. I love it.
Click to expand...

Thank you!:thumbsup:

-Frank
 
#1,177
Coughdrops said:
I pulled the trigger on an opti-fet yesterday. I've bounced around comps lately and they all sound great in their own way but haven't quite nailed the sound I want. I was particularly interested in the comment that it can act like the Diamond but obviously you can control many more parameters. Looking forward to it
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I hope it nails the sound you are after.:)

-Frank
 
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#1,178
I've tried to find an answer for this and have fallen short...
on the OptiFET the instructions for the DIP switches are to turn on Warm 1 OR 2. if both warm filters are turned to the on position, does one of them supersede the other (and if so which one) or do they interfere with each other
 
#1,179
eddododo said:
I've tried to find an answer for this and have fallen short...
on the OptiFET the instructions for the DIP switches are to turn on Warm 1 OR 2. if both warm filters are turned to the on position, does one of them supersede the other (and if so which one) or do they interfere with each other
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If both switches (1 and 2) are on, switch 2 will override switch 1.
 
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