Lightning Boy Audio Thread

[Zbysek]

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?

What Kind of pickups do you have on your basses? If I remember correctly, Mike from LBA stated that the effect of the transformer is more apparent with either P-bass style pickups or humbuckers (especially alnico). He said that there might almost be no effect with single coil pickups...

 

[DosiYanarchy]

The Gibson has a humbucker, Aero Mustang is also apparently a humbucker. The Squier Jag is a p/j and I've used both the p pickup and the p/j blend.

 

[bigmikebass]

Hello everyone, so is it confirmed that the 2020 will fit under a Pedaltrain nano? Thanks for your time everyone.
mike

 

[scubaduba]

Yes but plan on it being flush with the ground.

 

[bigmikebass]

Got it. Thanks so much.

 

[bassbrad]

I have to say I am intrigued by the LBA 2020 and had some fun money from sessions so decided to give one a try. If it is that bona fide special sauce I will post my results.

 

[lightningboy]

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...

Cool. Thanks for pointing that out. Their related EP was recorded largely with prototype LBA Trinity Channel strips.

 

[lightningboy]

The Gibson has a humbucker, Aero Mustang is also apparently a humbucker. The Squier Jag is a p/j and I've used both the p pickup and the p/j blend.

What were the 2020’s plugged into? A recording interface? If so, which one? You might want to try an actual amplifier if that’s the case. The tonal effect can be magnified by driving the 2020 with a booster.

 

[bassbrad]

LBA 2020 arrived today fast shipping is always a plus! Initial testing is inconclusive, more me than the 2020 I'm afraid tinnitus running high and on the edge of a migraine. I do plan to give it a good shake there boss. An engineer I work woth is interested so will have to have a session at his studio soon to give it a go in his domain. I put together a little test board to make it easier.

 

[Johno Dunn]

Here’s where mine lives! Can’t really describe what it’s doing, but I know I like my tone better with it on my board.

 

[Kendescending]

I scored an LBA Thunder Knob on those internets, and it arrived today. It sounds incredible! I ended up skipping dinner and kept playing bass through it. I don't skip dinner very often...

 

[shwashwa]

if i put a 2020 on either side of a clean boost pedal, so preamp <2020<clean boost<2020<DAW, will i get some of that neve style smoothness? not looking for distortion, but definitely been on a quest lately for the transient smoothing of the neve sound

 

[Kendescending]

The LBA Thunder Knob sounds incredible! I made a little video on my iPhone, and it sounds way better in person (the phone compresses the sound) . I tried to play something simple with all of the strings so that you get the idea. None of that fancy too many notes from this guy. At least not today.

 

[Mosfed]

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?

thanks for being honest, posting your findings and not letting your confirmation bias tell you you are hearing something that isn’t there. Link to your video?

 

[TodaysTomSawyer]

thanks for being honest, posting your findings and not letting your confirmation bias tell you you are hearing something that isn’t there. Link to your video?

Eh, whether or not some TB'er implies that I have confirmation bias doesn't change the fact that I use 2 2020's and get the same results as Mike does in the demo

 

[Mosfed]

Eh, whether or not some TB'er implies that I have confirmation bias doesn't change the fact that I use 2 2020's and get the same results as Mike does in the demo

good for you. I would never say you don’t. I just like it when people are honest about their personal experiences and don’t let TB mentality or the fact that they spent a bunch of money get in the way.

look - I followed audiophile circles for a while and those are enough to turn anyone off.

 

[lightningboy]

thanks for being honest, posting your findings and not letting your confirmation bias tell you you are hearing something that isn’t there. Link to your video?

I think I should make a video titled, “How not to use the 2020” because this is apparently a thing. I personally can confirm there is no significant audible difference when the 2020 output is connected directly to the built in instrument input on a consumer-grade recording interface. In my first 2020 video I started by recording direct into my budget interface (Covid lockdown limitations). I couldn’t hear much of a difference. I then tried going into a external DI box first and heard only a marginal difference. However, the difference was obviously there when I connected the 2020 output to a bass amp and recorded the amp with a microphone. In my second video I recorded direct into a tube preamp, which was connected to professional AD converters. The tonal effect was quite apparent there as well. Obviously, there is something going on with the front end of consumer recording interfaces which nulls the harmonic qualities of the 2020. I honestly don’t know enough about digital electronics to say exactly whats going on, but my educated guess is the input impedance of the recording interface is suspect. When used as intended (as an in-between your pedals device, with a bass amp or professional recording preamp in the picture) you should get something comparable to my published results.

 

[Mosfed]

I think I should make a video titled, “How not to use the 2020” because this is apparently a thing. I personally can confirm there is no significant audible difference when the 2020 output is connected directly to the built in instrument input on a consumer-grade recording interface. In my first 2020 video I started by recording direct into my budget interface (Covid lockdown limitations). I couldn’t hear much of a difference. I then tried going into a external DI box first and heard only a marginal difference. However, the difference was obviously there when I connected the 2020 output to a bass amp and recorded the amp with a microphone. In my second video I recorded direct into a tube preamp, which was connected to professional AD converters. The tonal effect was quite apparent there as well. Obviously, there is something going on with the front end of consumer recording interfaces which nulls the harmonic qualities of the 2020. I honestly don’t know enough about digital electronics to say exactly whats going on, but my educated guess is the input impedance of the recording interface is suspect. When used as intended (as an in-between your pedals device, with a bass amp or professional recording preamp in the picture) you should get something comparable to my published results.

I am sure it’s cool in the right setup. I definitely have a lot of love for a good transformer.

 

[shwashwa]

if i put a 2020 on either side of a clean boost pedal, so preamp <2020<clean boost<2020<DAW, will i get some of that neve style smoothness? not looking for distortion, but definitely been on a quest lately for the transient smoothing of the neve sound

Bumping this for the creator of the device

 

[Mosfed]

Bumping this for the creator of the device

From my understanding of both what the 2020 is trying to achieve and your thread, I don’t think it’s what you are looking for.