Future Impact now available!! WAS: deep impact reissue!!! interested?

[Bassheart365]

Gotta do something to slow the C4 bleeding I suppose. The number of people jumping ship is out of control. I just got a MIDI setup so.honna try the upgrade and some patch tweaking.

I had high hopes for the C4. I tried it for one gig in place of my FI. But now my Fi is upgraded and on my pedal board again. Where it will be staying. Will probably be selling my C4. It ain't all that. Lots of great community presets that are absolutely unusable in a live performance setting. So I guess you could say I'm officially off the C4 bandwagon. All it did was make me appreciate my FI even more.

 

[NicJimBass]

I had high hopes for the C4. I tried it for one gig in place of my FI. But now my Fi is upgraded and on my pedal board again. Where it will be staying. Will probably be selling my C4. It ain't all that. Lots of great community presets that are absolutely unusable in a live performance setting. So I guess you could say I'm officially off the C4 bandwagon. All it did was make me appreciate my FI even more.

I've got both an FI and C4 on my board. Each do things the other can't. No need to choose a side, really. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. Both great pedals.

 

[Hugsonic]

I have both but so far Ihave only really used the C4 to replace the Manta. Hope to get some fun out of the sequencer. Its a shame Panda have dragged their heels on the V3 update although I know there are reasons for that. Still it might cost them. With my FI in the compact housing i can keep both.

 

[Quatschmacher]

I have both but so far Ihave only really used the C4 to replace the Manta. Hope to get some fun out of the sequencer. Its a shame Panda have dragged their heels on the V3 update although I know there are reasons for that. Still it might cost them. With my FI in the compact housing i can keep both.

Did you not read this post?
Future Impact now available!! WAS: deep impact reissue!!! interested?

We’re all working very hard on it and are pretty close. I’ve written the majority of the manual now but want to include some new material that will hopefully making understanding and using the pedal much easier for everyone. I’m doing this in my spare time for free.

 

[cosmicevan]

I've got both an FI and C4 on my board. Each do things the other can't. No need to choose a side, really. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. Both great pedals.

Most folks are going to look for a singular synth pedal so many will choose a side and the C4 launch is looking like when the iphone first hit the market. While the blackberry may still be the best platform for reading email...I am hoping the Future Impact doesn't go the way of the blackberry. The only reason not to jump ship in my opinion is that you already own something.

 

[Charlie Tuna]

Most folks are going to look for a singular synth pedal so many will choose a side and the C4 launch is looking like when the iphone first hit the market. While the blackberry may still be the best platform for reading email...I am hoping the Future Impact doesn't go the way of the blackberry. The only reason not to jump ship in my opinion is that you already own something.

SA has definitely done a good job with the marketing of the C4. Personally, I think the FI's ability to store 99 presets internally is a big advantage for those who do not want to delve too heavily into the MIDI-sphere to access more presets. The C4 requiring "The addition of a third party MIDI controller with USB host [to] access... the pedal’s 128 Factory presets" (rather than just 6) seems to make it not so much a singular synth pedal in my opinion. But real-world use (sound and functionality) will be the deciding factor on which one ends up on more boards. The current pricing on the FI is very nice now, too.

I would have bought the FI without knowing about the upcoming V3 update just because I remember the first time hearing the Deep Impact live. It was the first time I HAD to find out how a bassist was getting such an amazing sound. The FI is of course even better and the upcoming V3 is just icing on the cake.

 

[AngelCrusher]

I've got both an FI and C4 on my board. Each do things the other can't. No need to choose a side, really. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. Both great pedals.

Can you share what the strengths and weaknesses are, in your opinion?

 

[AngelCrusher]

Most folks are going to look for a singular synth pedal so many will choose a side and the C4 launch is looking like when the iphone first hit the market. While the blackberry may still be the best platform for reading email...I am hoping the Future Impact doesn't go the way of the blackberry. The only reason not to jump ship in my opinion is that you already own something.

Iphone? Seems like a hyped comparison to me. The iphone was totally different than any phone ever made before. What exactly puts the c4 in that category? Id like to understand in case it’s something i should check out.

 

[NicJimBass]

Can you share what the strengths and weaknesses are, in your opinion?

Sure!
The FI, to my ear, sounds more analog, whereas the C4 sounds more digital. The FI seems to have a certain fatness to it that I love. I realize they are both digital, and may even be able to sound similar or exact with tweaking, but out of the box, I'd say the FI has a different feel to the tone that I dig.

Strengths of the C4- loads of flexibility, can store up to 128 presets internally, can enter the PC editor with a simple USB cable, small footprint, can easily sample community patches before downloading, can easily be a synth or envelope filter, tracking is really good, can take the place of several other pedals with some patience.

Weaknesses- needs additional equipment in order to access all 128 presets. Unable to accept PC messages at the moment (CC only), somewhat difficult to fully replicate sounds from the Manta, despite being billed as a much better version of that pedal (which is why I still have both on my board), steep learning curve.

Strengths of FI- big, fat tones, 99 presets available from the get go, many being usable immediately, somewhat simple to modify existing patches to get what you're looking for, rather than starting from scratch, no extra equipment needed to access the presets.

Weaknesses- large footprint (unless you rehouse, like I and many others have), accessing the PC editor requires a MIDI interface, which requires disconnecting from a MIDI controller while editing, making it a bit more of a tedious process, presets are available, but scrolling through, from the pedal, can take some time, sampling a user patch isn't difficult, but a couple extra steps comparatively speaking, editor is, to me, a bit more daunting, and may require more learning in order to maximize it's full potential, steep learning curve.

I'm sure most can get by with one or the other. I find they both have their place on my board, at least for now. I don't know if one is better than the other. They're two sides to the same coin. Both require time and patience to get the most out of it, and spending time learning about synthesis in general is a good idea. That may turn some people off, or make them think either pedal is broken or not worth the hype. I've barely scratched the surface of either, but still find both to be integral on my board. YMMV.

 

[Quatschmacher]

Can you share what the strengths and weaknesses are, in your opinion?

These are a few of my thoughts on it.

Source Audio C4 Synth Pedal

Source Audio C4 Synth Pedal

 

[Quatschmacher]

PC editor requires a MIDI interface, which requires disconnecting from a MIDI controller while editing

You can have an external MIDI controller plugged in while editing. Use the “keyboard input device” into the interface’s MIDI IN.

editor is, to me, a bit more daunting, and may require more learning in order to maximize it's full potential, steep learning curve.

This should be much less daunting if you read my rewrite of the forthcoming manual.

 

[AngelCrusher]

These are a few of my thoughts on it.

Source Audio C4 Synth Pedal

Source Audio C4 Synth Pedal

Ah, nice. No ADSR?

Yeah that’s no iphone V blackberry..lol.

I will wait on V3 and stick with the FI.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Sure!
The FI, to my ear, sounds more analog, whereas the C4 sounds more digital. The FI seems to have a certain fatness to it that I love. I realize they are both digital, and may even be able to sound similar or exact with tweaking, but out of the box, I'd say the FI has a different feel to the tone that I dig.

Strengths of the C4- loads of flexibility, can store up to 128 presets internally, can enter the PC editor with a simple USB cable, small footprint, can easily sample community patches before downloading, can easily be a synth or envelope filter, tracking is really good, can take the place of several other pedals with some patience.

Weaknesses- needs additional equipment in order to access all 128 presets. Unable to accept PC messages at the moment (CC only), somewhat difficult to fully replicate sounds from the Manta, despite being billed as a much better version of that pedal (which is why I still have both on my board), steep learning curve.

Strengths of FI- big, fat tones, 99 presets available from the get go, many being usable immediately, somewhat simple to modify existing patches to get what you're looking for, rather than starting from scratch, no extra equipment needed to access the presets.

Weaknesses- large footprint (unless you rehouse, like I and many others have), accessing the PC editor requires a MIDI interface, which requires disconnecting from a MIDI controller while editing, making it a bit more of a tedious process, presets are available, but scrolling through, from the pedal, can take some time, sampling a user patch isn't difficult, but a couple extra steps comparatively speaking, editor is, to me, a bit more daunting, and may require more learning in order to maximize it's full potential, steep learning curve.

I'm sure most can get by with one or the other. I find they both have their place on my board, at least for now. I don't know if one is better than the other. They're two sides to the same coin. Both require time and patience to get the most out of it, and spending time learning about synthesis in general is a good idea. That may turn some people off, or make them think either pedal is broken or not worth the hype. I've barely scratched the surface of either, but still find both to be integral on my board. YMMV.

Awesome man. Thank you. I appreciate guys not adding to the hype train on gear and just being real about what each can do. Really helps people make better buying decisions.

 

[NicJimBass]

You can have an external MIDI controller plugged in while editing. Use the “keyboard input device” into the interface’s MIDI IN.


This should be much less daunting if you read my rewrite of the forthcoming manual.

Just so I understand how to do this... I have the FI at the end of my MIDI chain, so it goes Morningstar MC6>HX Effects>Source Audio Hub>FI. I have an MAudio Uno to communicate with the FI, which I thought needed to have both the In and Out lines connected to the FI. How would I connect the Uno, without disconnecting from the FI?

Really looking forward to all the future updates, but the manual sounds especially promising.

 

[Bassheart365]

Did you not read this post?
Future Impact now available!! WAS: deep impact reissue!!! interested?

We’re all working very hard on it and are pretty close. I’ve written the majority of the manual now but want to include some new material that will hopefully making understanding and using the pedal much easier for everyone. I’m doing this in my spare time for free.

Thanks for your time and effort @Quatschmacher !

 

[Bassheart365]

Ok, I've done a complete reversal already. I've spent the better part of the day trying out community presets for my C4 and making some adjustments. I found a few that I most likely will be using in my Funk/R&B cover band. So it's is going back on my board with my FI. Both have unique capabilities. Yes, its a great time to be a bass player!

 

[MADChuudoku]

man, i've not used my FI Editor for so long i've forgotten how to use it all, just the thought of trying to get my head around it all again is a bit daunting, think I might hold out until the big update before diving back into new patches and updates etc,

seeing this pedal develop and have such great minds all chip in and make something already amazing; into something MORE... well it's making me very excited.

 

[cosmicevan]

Iphone? Seems like a hyped comparison to me. The iphone was totally different than any phone ever made before. What exactly puts the c4 in that category? Id like to understand in case it’s something i should check out.

Sure little bit of hyperbole...I was leanining on the massive change in market share without any response from the former market leader in my example, not so much the disruptive tech. For those who remember, Motorola's response to.the iphone was to release the Razor flip phone in new colors and blackberry just ignore that the smart phone revolution was even happening. That gave apple such a dominant lead in market share that by the time the other companies attempted to respond apple had already developed a significant loyalist following who became blind to the fact that android phones surpassed iphones in functionality and quality. We all know (and some of us might be) blind apple loyalists.

 

[BurningSkies]

I've got both. Right now the C4 is on my board, and to me ends up being more useable. That said, having the C4 in the end should allow me to put the FI back on my board and keep both.

Why? Because the C4 can effectively and convincingly remove somewhere between 2 and 5 pedals from my board since it does more than 'synth' competently. It is an envelope filter factory and has a bunch of very workable distortion types (I generally use my fuzz into envelope). It can phase, it can trem, if you're not super picky you can use it as a distortion/OD/Fuzz, it has convincing OC-2 sounds, it can volume swell.

It will have a level of synth usability for bass players (or guitarists) who want some cool sounds but aren't going to use it all night long. The Future Impact beats it in terms of overall synth faculty (more control, more wave forms, heftier editor). It seems like that's a different market for a different kind of player. I honestly took about 7 months to find a FI sound that I could layer in effectively in our live set. I was using the C4 within a week of taking it out of the box.

The over/unders:

-FI has more synth control and ability. More wave-forms and more of the traditional 'deeper' synth editing control.

-C4 has more 'other features' that will appeal to many players as well as synth abilities.

-The FI has a really hardy editor...but it's currently a total bear. That probably scares away more people than otherwise. There's a lot in there but effectively using it will be a problem for a whole lot of folks unless you have a background in synthesis.

-C4 has an editor that's pretty intuitive and friendly and well laid out. Most will be able to understand the signal and work flow without much effort. It also as a bonus has a phone/tablet app/editor that really can work 'on stage' if you want/need, including a really slick implementation of crowdsourced patches that are 'one click' useable with the pedal.

-The FI has full 5-pin I/O MIDI, while the C4 you only have USB or their own proprietary connector (needs SA hardware hub that does have 5pin). Right now the C4's MIDI implementation is not where it needs to be. Their hardware hub doesn't pass PC only CC. And while they work with Disaster Area, DA's C4 programming for patch change is all PC (instead of the CC work around that does exist). Right now, while I bought the hub, I'm waiting for a USB MIDI host to make it all work well.

-The C4 is smaller but many of us have re-housed our FI's anyway. Ends up being a wash size-wise and if you have to add a hub/host you're in the same footprint as the FI anyway.

-To me the physical hardware interface goes to the C4. Run it stereo, run it mono and use the second set of I/O as a sub-loop or some other really interesting routing. Two of the knobs are user assignable to whatever features you want. The other two knobs are multi-function with an 'alt' button. The FI has a display but it's only patch number, the C4 has no display...but I'll end up using a controller that tells me what patch/song I'm using 90% of the time anyway and more like 100% of the time live. The C4 if you're using only it and no controller you only have 6 patches at the ready. The FI can access all 99. But in all honesty the FI's pedal 'scroll ratchet through patches' implementation is to me clumsy and not workable on stage...I pretty much HAVE to have a controller. The 3-way toggle switch with alt function for 3 more patches is pretty easy to get around on. You may have a bit more on-the-fly adjustability on the FI, but the function control really should be detented and can be a little wonky if you're not careful with it.

 

[Adamixoye]

I've got both. Right now the C4 is on my board, and to me ends up being more useable. That said, having the C4 in the end should allow me to put the FI back on my board and keep both.

Why? Because the C4 can effectively and convincingly remove somewhere between 2 and 5 pedals from my board since it does more than 'synth' competently. It is an envelope filter factory and has a bunch of very workable distortion types (I generally use my fuzz into envelope). It can phase, it can trem, if you're not super picky you can use it as a distortion/OD/Fuzz, it has convincing OC-2 sounds, it can volume swell.

It will have a level of synth usability for bass players (or guitarists) who want some cool sounds but aren't going to use it all night long. The Future Impact beats it in terms of overall synth faculty (more control, more wave forms, heftier editor). It seems like that's a different market for a different kind of player. I honestly took about 7 months to find a FI sound that I could layer in effectively in our live set. I was using the C4 within a week of taking it out of the box.

The over/unders:

-FI has more synth control and ability. More wave-forms and more of the traditional 'deeper' synth editing control.

-C4 has more 'other features' that will appeal to many players as well as synth abilities.

-The FI has a really hardy editor...but it's currently a total bear. That probably scares away more people than otherwise. There's a lot in there but effectively using it will be a problem for a whole lot of folks unless you have a background in synthesis.

-C4 has an editor that's pretty intuitive and friendly and well laid out. Most will be able to understand the signal and work flow without much effort. It also as a bonus has a phone/tablet app/editor that really can work 'on stage' if you want/need, including a really slick implementation of crowdsourced patches that are 'one click' useable with the pedal.

-The FI has full 5-pin I/O MIDI, while the CI you only have USB or their own proprietary connector (needs SA hardware hub that does have 5pin). Right now the C4's MIDI implementation is not where it needs to be. Their hardware hub doesn't pass PC only CC. And while they work with Disaster Area, DA's C4 programming for patch change is all PC (instead of the CC work around that does exist). Right now, while I bought the hub, I'm waiting for a USB MIDI host to make it all work well.

-The C4 is smaller but many of us have re-housed our FI's anyway. Ends up being a wash size-wise and if you have to add a hub/host you're in the same footprint as the FI anyway.

-To me the physical hardware interface goes to the C4. Run it stereo, run it mono and use the second set of I/O as a sub-loop or some other really interesting routing. Two of the knobs are user assignable to whatever features you want. The other two knobs are multi-function with an 'alt' button. The FI has a display but it's only patch number, the C4 has no display...but I'll end up using a controller that tells me what patch/song I'm using 90% of the time anyway and more like 100% of the time live. The C4 if you're using only it and no controller you only have 6 patches at the ready. The FI can access all 99. But in all honesty the FI's pedal 'scroll ratchet through patches' implementation is to me clumsy and not workable on stage...I pretty much HAVE to have a controller. The 3-way toggle switch with alt function for 3 more patches is pretty easy to get around on. You may have a bit more on-the-fly adjustability on the FI, but the function control really should be detented and can be a little wonky if you're not careful with it.

I own the FI and other SA pedals but not the C4. I intend to buy the C4 later this year.

So with that limited context, I agree with basically all of this. It's a great summary. The only thing I might quibble with is that for my own setup it's not a big deal that there isn't PC for the C4. The CC system works quite well on my Nemesis, with the added advantage that one of the CCs is "load preset engaged" and the other CC is "load preset bypassed." I realize this will not necessarily be the case for the setups (particularly MIDI controllers) of others.