• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

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

#1,102
bludog said:
Thanks, Adam. I've been following the thread since it started so I knew that. But, I guess I was suggesting that it should have ref'd back to its lineage with the item#. Like, Future Impact SB2. If SB1 was for Synth Bass 1, this would be Synth Bass 2, no? Just trying to keep the discussion rolling, not a real suggestion for Andras - he can call it whatever he wants, I'm still buying it!
Click to expand...

Okay, sorry to be Captain Obvious on that one (and I figured you had seen everything), I guess I didn't understand your question. My guess is since this isn't an Akai product there's no real reason to give it a sequenced model number like that. At best it would be sort of an "Easter Egg" for fans of the original. But there's an interesting mix here of call-backs and references (the name, the enclosure, the preset emulation) and trying to distance this product from the old one (some of the language in the description). So I don't think he wants to go overboard on connections to the SB-1.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikeswals and bludog
#1,103
Here's a little aside for everyone... many times when a reissue or an updated version of something is released years later there are inevitably a few people that say it's not as good as the original. Often based on vintage parts that are no longer available or updated topology to add modern features or whatever. I can't help but wonder how much of that will happen here. Which leads me to ponder what will happen to the current market for Deep Impacts. It could tank immediately, or there might still be folks who insist on the original. If it's the latter, the supply will likely increase with people dumping their old units and demand will definitely decrease, so prices still can't stay crazy high but they might be as much $4/500 or so. Will be interesting to watch come January.

Of course, I only mention this because I have 2 DI's. One fully functional and another that has a bad solder joint that needs to be sent out to be fixed. Been procrastinating on getting the backup fixed, and now not sure if I should wait to see what the market is like or just do it. I may never get my money out of them after this new release and yet I can't bring myself to sell them yet. The romantic in me says keep 1 of them just for nostalgia. It's a stupid dilemma. I'm sure a lot of you guys would say just sell them both now and use the money for more gear. Very tempting...

Any thoughts?
 
Last edited:
#1,104
The used "vintage" pedal market often makes no sense so I doubt this will be any different. But, honestly, if the FI can cop all the DI sounds, there is no reason why the DI prices should be as high as they are right now. Especially given that there is a limit to how they can be repaired, unlike simple analog pedals.

Of course, cork sniffing pedal collectors and Muse fanboys will still want to pay big bucks for the DIs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bludog
#1,105
According to Akai the DI does indeed contain parts that are no longer produced. At NAMM a few years ago they stated they weren't interested in a reissue because it sold horribly but they couldn't reissue it even if they wanted to. Unfortunately I don't think they stated which parts were no longer produced... I would imagine it was the chip containing the DSP. Considering the same engineer is making the FI it is entirely reasonable to assume he still has the original source code and emulation on a new chipset should be possible.

So it probably isn't really the same situation as an old MN3005 based delay where the chip is a crucial part of the actual sound or the Digitech Spacestation where the algorithms are either lost or not refactorable into modern DSP.
 
#1,106
My feeling is that the FI will be enough like the DI (and more) that I'm definitely in for the upgrade. BUT, there are always cork sniffers who covet the nuances of the original (whether real or imagined).

As for unavailable parts, this happens all the time. There are amps that are supposedly authentic reproductions but not really exact copies. The Ampeg V4B is kind of like this. It's effectively a different amp, with different topology, but it was designed to reproduce all the magic of the originals. Of course, these are very close approximations, not exact copies, so there will be some inherent differences. Sometimes those difference are more evident than others. Many times they may be measurable but are really not discernable enough to matter. The V4B is very successful at this. On the other hand, a Fender Deluxe Reverb RI is not nearly as close to the original.

I'm not a tone snob or collector, but I'm hoping that someone out there will care enough about this to warrant buying my old DI's. I bought them thinking that they would retain their value for quite a while and here we are 5 years later. Looks like I might be the loser on that investment. Gotta love the "vintage" pedal market.
 
#1,107
Work in progress...
 

Attachments

  • FI 4.jpg
    FI 4.jpg
    120.7 KB · Views: 424
  • Like
Reactions: EastCoastThump, BIG97BEN, dannster and 14 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back