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Double Bass Grace Designs Felix
- Thread starter flatback
- Start date
this was back in 2015. i guess too far back to be able to comment on the phoenix? from what i've been reading its really nice, and close the the price of the felix.
edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
Seems cool, but it also seems to lack a lot of the features of the Felix, notably individual outputs and other routing flexibility. I'm also curious if it would rise to the audio quality of the Felix. Grace is generally considered on the high end of recording gear, while EBS doesn't really have that experience.
About that I'm wondering also...
The Felix sounds simply "great" because of "not sounding himself", but enables hearing "into" the instrument... this works for me even with electric guitar.. just now connected a electric guitar to the Felix and not only sounded "good"... I had the feeling to "get into" the guitar... sorry... not easy to describe for a not native English speaking....
There's several things to factor in to the cost of the Grace Design's Felix. It doesn't require a "wall wart" for it's AC power, it's plug and play. Grace has a 5 Year Transferable Warranty, so if you wish to sell it within 5 years the warranty moves to the new
the owner. Grace is located in Colorado. There are no Vat charges for shipping. So if you're in the U.S. and Canada (?) it's less expensive to get repaired (granted this is a mote point, if you live outside North America) It is boutique piece of gear that
some folks just cannot afford. We rarely see the Grace Felix for sale used in the U.S.
There have been two here on Talkbass that I can remember.
the owner. Grace is located in Colorado. There are no Vat charges for shipping. So if you're in the U.S. and Canada (?) it's less expensive to get repaired (granted this is a mote point, if you live outside North America) It is boutique piece of gear that
some folks just cannot afford. We rarely see the Grace Felix for sale used in the U.S.
There have been two here on Talkbass that I can remember.
Yeah, we will see once we are able to try it...
The routing flexibility is a Big plus for Felix, IMO.
I apologize if this has already been covered in this thread, but I thought this might be of use to others. Lately, I've been back to gigging, in some noisy, problematic environments. I contacted Grace Designs to see if it was possible to bridge the two channels, so I could use the HPF and notch filter simultaneously. Turns out there are a few different ways, this is the one that I used. Like many things Felix, it is rather complicated!
1. Plug into channel 1 (this is to optimize the 10M impedance for my Yamahiko pickup)
2. Use the insert out to feed channel 2
3. Turn mix knob to channel 1
4. Use the amp out (sourced to channel 2) to feed amp
5. Put #6 dipper switch in blend position to engage both channels
Hope this helps someone in a similar situation, and if this has been shared before, feel free to delete.
1. Plug into channel 1 (this is to optimize the 10M impedance for my Yamahiko pickup)
2. Use the insert out to feed channel 2
3. Turn mix knob to channel 1
4. Use the amp out (sourced to channel 2) to feed amp
5. Put #6 dipper switch in blend position to engage both channels
Hope this helps someone in a similar situation, and if this has been shared before, feel free to delete.
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Wow. Does this mean some of the circuitry of channel 2 could be available, like the parametric, in some bridge configuration with one primary input? I’m confused because you say the mix knob to channel 1 - implies only that eq section.
That's really interesting, especially when it's already too loud to use a mic so you're on one channel anyway.
Well, sure enough ... you can route from insert into 2nd channel, dip switch on blend and mix to 1, and have both rows of eq, hi-pass / notch, etc.. available. Now to see if I missed this in the manual. I wonder what the next few years will reveal the Felix able to do ...
Got the Felix 2 a couple of days ago (thanks Gollihur music and stimulus check). First impressions...wow. Carved Juzek w/Realist Copperhead into the Felix and out to a QSC K12. Set with the eq flat it was really nice. I'll have to bone up on my EQ knowledge and skills. Two gigs this week in big brewery type rooms with P.A. support, so I'm excited to hear what the soundmen think and how it sounds in the room. I'll report back.
I was also pleased with how the electric bass sounded through it.
I was also pleased with how the electric bass sounded through it.
I’ve been reading about the Felix (not Felix2). Is channel 1 just for a mic? Can you use both channels for instruments? I ask because I have an electric bass with separate outputs for the neck and bridge pickups and I was hoping to send each output to separate channels in the Felix, then use the mix control combine the two for output to the amp. That way I could EQ each pickup separately. Thanks.
Channel 1 has either a 1/4” input or a XLR for a mic there is a push button switch to toggle between the two. I use the Felix primarily as a Double bass preamp or for doubling. I have a 3Leaf Audio Enabler for Electric Bass that sounds better for EB. I’d recommend that you demo the Grace with Bass Guitar first before you make the plunge. It’s a very clean preamp.
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I have a Felix 2 that I use for doubling. I’ve only used a few times so far, and on those gigs I mostly play upright, just use the electric on a few tunes. But my impression is that the Felix sounds great on the electric (in my case a Roscoe 5 string), adding a sheen and a sparkle that I quite like. And the eq is incredibly precise and sounds great. But yes, it is very clean, so wouldn’t work if you’re looking for warmth or any dirt.
Thanks for the replies. I’m using an Alembic bass with stereo output, so clean is my goal, along with mixing each pickup separately. I will also use it with an acoustic guitar with piezo pickup as well. It’s being shipped now, but I’m looking forward to checking it out.
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I've just rediscovered a routing that I much prefer: instead of running my tube pre amp either thru the FX loop of the Felix (which works great) or running the AMP out of the Tube Preamp to the line in, taking the transformer DI out from the tube pre and running that into the Felix Ch1 with an XLR makes everything sound maximally excellent.Dunno why it sounds so much better, maybe it is eliminating one gainstage or maybe transformers do some magic but it sounds really better and far less problematic. Recently I put the Felix on the floor too (rather then velcro'd to the preamp. On the floor (on one of those mini pedal boards) there is the mute and boost and tuner all within toe distance (I am digging the boost for solos lately...at about a 20%) Yeah on the floor these functions are way useful.
I have the Alix and use it with electric bass. I disagree with what you've said. It's incredibly warm and I use all kinds of effects through it, including dirt effects. I love the Alix.
