What do you think about a larger enclosure as being a potential option?
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Lightning Boy Audio Thread
- Thread starter HoochfromP
- Start date
I'm not because the 2020 is a 1:1 ratio high impedance transformer. That simply won't work as a DI Box transformer. However, I have already started working towards producing a TI Box (see my TI Box video from a long while back) using a custom LBA transformer designed specifically for that application. So, its a box that will do the job of a DI Box, while offering a thicker sound. Its at least a few months away from any sort of production. There's a lot of design work that needs to be done first. This morning I ordered a new machine specifically for drilling out the TI Box holes with high precision and speed. I also ordered parts for prototyping the design. Basically, I need to plot out hole locations on the new enclosure and design the PCB. A bunch of parts were needed to figure that stuff out. The enclosure is much larger than that of the 2020 and unfortunately about 5 times the price. I'm not sure how much I'll be able to sell it for until prototyping is complete, but I'm aiming for $149 USD. It will have 1/4" input and through, XLR output, a phase invert switch for the XLR output, and a ground lift switch for the XLR output.
@lightningboy Sweet! Will it have a tube too?
Scuba is always looking out for our best interests
Okay, now you're pushing it! ...I'll consider the idea for a future product.@lightningboy Sweet! Will it have a tube too?
I checked out the video. Sounds great. A great-sounding colored DI for $149? That would be amazing. I love my Radial JDI, but sometimes I need a little more mid forward color in the recording.
Impossible is a strong word but I understand your response (this and those after up to this post). I don't look at "DI" as necessarily requiring impedance or level changes. For example, not all DI's are mic level.
What would be nice is if the 2020 could be wired to provide switchable ground isolation. That would seem quite useful to break ground loops.
- John
You've probably already got a DI somewhere. He could make a DI but that market is pretty saturated.
Try running the 2020 into a Sansamp DI, nothing else. I use a Sparrow. To me it gives that pro sizzle to a signal from a Precision pickup at the beginning of the chain. I got the 2020 to get that transformer sound with any DI -- and to the amp.
Try running the 2020 into a Sansamp DI, nothing else. I use a Sparrow. To me it gives that pro sizzle to a signal from a Precision pickup at the beginning of the chain. I got the 2020 to get that transformer sound with any DI -- and to the amp.
I wanted to follow-up on my earlier post. When I posted, I tested the setup using my main bass, a Music Man StingRay5 Special HH. I just tried it with my passive Fender Roscoe Beck V. Huge improvement in tone on an already great sounding instrument. Before I found some settings a little muddy for my liking. Now all settings sound awesome.
FWIW, the bass player for King Buffalo is using a 2020 at the end of his pedalboard. He's also using lots of nice gear, and the guitarist went to school for recording/mixing. So no doubt they have their sounds together in general, but it's cool to see both of these dudes using LBA stuff. I think these sessions sound fantastic by the way - the bass tone is excellent...
This is flat out awesome! Liked and bookmarked...
The instruments sounds so good on the new King Buffalo album! Not typically my kind of music, but I've been actually listening to it nonstop for the past 4+ weeks in my car to and from work. I've heard they also use the LBA preamps on some or many of the tracks.
My two 2020s just got delivered and are waiting for me at home. Can't wait to try them out and get a demo vid done
I have to say I can clearly hear the difference running only one. Mine is post 3 leafs, pre Cali and then Noble.
It just touches the floor Fitted underneath a Petaltrain Metro.
On carpet at home it’s fine.
It just touches the floor Fitted underneath a Petaltrain Metro.
On carpet at home it’s fine.
What a gorgeous board - this and those dope King Buffalo videos finally put me over and I just ordered two!
Thanks for the kind words. I think I’m finally happy with everything on the board and the signal path. I could fit one or two more 2020’s underneath maybe
Of course i'm going to experiment with placement, but i'm thinking that i'll place a 2020 after my "digital" section of the Source Audio Aftershock + C4 + RaingerFX Reverb, then another one at the end of my chain after my Source Audio Nemesis. That way, plenty of gain is feeding into them after my compressor and Super Stack.
So, my 2x 2020s arrived.
I've done a demo video but to be honest i'm not sure i should post it.
I want to be honest with my experience and dont want to come across as a "negative nancy". So i thought i'd talk about it here first and ask if maybe i'm doing something wrong.
I think Lightning Boy Audio are great, I've had my eye on them for a while and think he makes great stuff. I feel that he has found a niche in the market for these transformers before someone else has (and definitely someone would, especially with things like the Hudson Broadcast and the JHS Colourbox having great reputations and including the transformer as part of their marketing)
First off, the 2020s, got to me in good time, the automated emails from LBA did all i needed them too and provided tracking. The 2020s came in a larger brown box with a LBA stamp on it, which i liked, and the 2020s came in their own smaller boxes with sticker seals and great little warranty tickets.
From what i can tell, they seem well made (I mean, its a little metal box with two jack inputs, no LED or Power requirement and im not going to open them up so i cant really say much other than it all looks good to me).
I first tried using my Mustang Bass (with Aero Pickup) into the 2020s into my focusrite soundcard, listening through headphones and comparing to it without the 2020s, however I couldnt hear any difference.
Then I put the 2020s in the loop of a true bypass looper and tried with the Mustang and also my Gibson DC Tribute Bass. I also added my Wren & Cuff Phat Phuk B for boost to saturate the transformer more. I'm now comparing the tone to the signal with the two 2020s to it being bypassed by the loop.
This time i can kinda hear.....something. The volume is slightly less and maybe some of the highs are being rolled off?
Finally i figure, sod it, i'm gonna do the demo vid anyway and ill do it with my Squier CV Jaguar Bass with my Beetronics Fatbee providing volume boost and top end (maybe I will be able to hear more of an impact with the additonal harmonics created by the overdrive).
Again, I can hear something happening but i'm not sure, i'm using the 2020s in the TBP loop and im starting to question whether i've got the Loops send/receive the wrong way round, so i do the whole video again with the send/receive the other way.
Still, i'll be honest, im not seeing it. I think the truth is, i wanted it to be something it's not. A magic, secret sauce box that made my tone "better". I can say having tried 3 different basses and running two of these with alternately a boost and an overdrive i've done my best to get the most out of them.
Ultimately, as i say in my video, i dont doubt that the 2020 is what they are advertised to be, I think maybe these transformers have about as much impact on the tone as the Lundhal transformer in the JHS Colour Box has or whatever Hudson use in their Broadcast and I think I expected more from them, based on what i heard in the video, than what i actually got out of them.
Just for the sake of my own sanity, can someone just tell me i'm doing something wrong please?
Would having it in a TBP loop negate the effectiveness of the transformers?
I've done a demo video but to be honest i'm not sure i should post it.
I want to be honest with my experience and dont want to come across as a "negative nancy". So i thought i'd talk about it here first and ask if maybe i'm doing something wrong.
I think Lightning Boy Audio are great, I've had my eye on them for a while and think he makes great stuff. I feel that he has found a niche in the market for these transformers before someone else has (and definitely someone would, especially with things like the Hudson Broadcast and the JHS Colourbox having great reputations and including the transformer as part of their marketing)
First off, the 2020s, got to me in good time, the automated emails from LBA did all i needed them too and provided tracking. The 2020s came in a larger brown box with a LBA stamp on it, which i liked, and the 2020s came in their own smaller boxes with sticker seals and great little warranty tickets.
From what i can tell, they seem well made (I mean, its a little metal box with two jack inputs, no LED or Power requirement and im not going to open them up so i cant really say much other than it all looks good to me).
I first tried using my Mustang Bass (with Aero Pickup) into the 2020s into my focusrite soundcard, listening through headphones and comparing to it without the 2020s, however I couldnt hear any difference.
Then I put the 2020s in the loop of a true bypass looper and tried with the Mustang and also my Gibson DC Tribute Bass. I also added my Wren & Cuff Phat Phuk B for boost to saturate the transformer more. I'm now comparing the tone to the signal with the two 2020s to it being bypassed by the loop.
This time i can kinda hear.....something. The volume is slightly less and maybe some of the highs are being rolled off?
Finally i figure, sod it, i'm gonna do the demo vid anyway and ill do it with my Squier CV Jaguar Bass with my Beetronics Fatbee providing volume boost and top end (maybe I will be able to hear more of an impact with the additonal harmonics created by the overdrive).
Again, I can hear something happening but i'm not sure, i'm using the 2020s in the TBP loop and im starting to question whether i've got the Loops send/receive the wrong way round, so i do the whole video again with the send/receive the other way.
Still, i'll be honest, im not seeing it. I think the truth is, i wanted it to be something it's not. A magic, secret sauce box that made my tone "better". I can say having tried 3 different basses and running two of these with alternately a boost and an overdrive i've done my best to get the most out of them.
Ultimately, as i say in my video, i dont doubt that the 2020 is what they are advertised to be, I think maybe these transformers have about as much impact on the tone as the Lundhal transformer in the JHS Colour Box has or whatever Hudson use in their Broadcast and I think I expected more from them, based on what i heard in the video, than what i actually got out of them.
Just for the sake of my own sanity, can someone just tell me i'm doing something wrong please?
Would having it in a TBP loop negate the effectiveness of the transformers?
My experience with transformer 'color' is that it doesn't really show up until the input is pushed a little. This is often how it is applied in studio work. For example, the gain on a Neve style mic pre is raised until you start to hear transformer saturation. Then the input level is increased or decreased to get the desired amount of saturation effect. Overall the effect is fairly subtle when compared to something like a fuzz pedal, but the effect is very real and desireable. (That's why you still see plenty of transformer-based analog signal processors in pro studios today.
In my experience, it really helps to have some kind of controllable signal boost between the bass and the 2020. Even a little boost makes a big difference. Have you tried using a comp, o/d, or boost? I think you will get better results.
In my experience, it really helps to have some kind of controllable signal boost between the bass and the 2020. Even a little boost makes a big difference. Have you tried using a comp, o/d, or boost? I think you will get better results.
Yes, as using both a wren & cuff phat phuk b and a Beetronics Fatbee both providing significant level boost over the regular signal.
