Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Lightning Boy Audio Thread
- Thread starter HoochfromP
- Start date
In my everlasting quest to beef up my signal chain, I'm hearing more and more about the 2020S - however, I am seeing some people recommending using two or even three or more of them. Could someone explain the benefit of this? Just more secret sauce? My current chain is tuner -> Keeley Bassist -> Damnation MBD2 -> ISP Decimator. I will eventually buy another amp and at that time I'll need a DI for shows and possibly for recording, too (The TI Box looks like a promising alternative to a Radial DI, but that's a separate discussion!)
My thought in reading through the thread would have been to put a single 2020S in line before the Compressor, based on Scubaduba's input in the early pages, but now I'm not so sure. I play rock and metal almost exclusively.
Any insight is appreciated!
My thought in reading through the thread would have been to put a single 2020S in line before the Compressor, based on Scubaduba's input in the early pages, but now I'm not so sure. I play rock and metal almost exclusively.
Any insight is appreciated!
One before the compressor and one after the compressor sounds great to me. But two directly after the bass sounds great too. And so does two after the compressor before a preamp or DI out. So many options... so many possibilities when more than one 2020S is involved. 
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
I haven't tried two, but tried one. It was some subtle secret sauce and midrange sweetening, but I ultimately decided it wasn't worth it. But I kind of wish I had tried two at some point. Double the sweetening might have been more noticeable and more "worth it."In my everlasting quest to beef up my signal chain, I'm hearing more and more about the 2020S - however, I am seeing some people recommending using two or even three or more of them. Could someone explain the benefit of this? Just more secret sauce? My current chain is tuner -> Keeley Bassist -> Damnation MBD2 -> ISP Decimator. I will eventually buy another amp and at that time I'll need a DI for shows and possibly for recording, too (The TI Box looks like a promising alternative to a Radial DI, but that's a separate discussion!)
My thought in reading through the thread would have been to put a single 2020S in line before the Compressor, based on Scubaduba's input in the early pages, but now I'm not so sure. I play rock and metal almost exclusively.
Any insight is appreciated!
Cool - my sound is very midrange-y as it is (again, heavily distorted rock and metal, have to cut through somehow!) so a little bit of extra somethin' somethin' in those frequencies appeals to me, especially at the price point that these can be had for.
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
I definitely feel like it's worth a shot. I already have a ton going on in my signal chain with boosts and always-on pedals. I feel like it was too much. But I might still revisit that idea in the future.
I ordered two based on the reviews in this thread. After unpacking I started with one 2020s first in the chain and was not impressed. Then added the second 2020s and the mojo juice started flowing. I played around with positioning in the chain but they ended up where we started, immediately after the bass. It has the best effect for me. Also a nice way to fatten up the OC-2 if it has the 2020s-es before it.
So yes, IMHO two units is kind of necessary to get the most out of it. I've been thinking it would be great if LBA would sell a double version in a slightly bigger enclosure with two of the transformers inside. Let's call it the 4040s with top mounted jacks and a toggle to switch single or double transformers.
So yes, IMHO two units is kind of necessary to get the most out of it. I've been thinking it would be great if LBA would sell a double version in a slightly bigger enclosure with two of the transformers inside. Let's call it the 4040s with top mounted jacks and a toggle to switch single or double transformers.
That would be sweet!!!
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
Got about 10 pages into this thread..
Ordered one..
Read the rest of the thread..
Ordered a second..
Sounds like these will be the icing on the cake. I'm pretty happy with (most of) my tone, but based on this thread, and the vids, this should give me the final polish I'm looking for.
Ordered one..
Read the rest of the thread..
Ordered a second..
Sounds like these will be the icing on the cake. I'm pretty happy with (most of) my tone, but based on this thread, and the vids, this should give me the final polish I'm looking for.
Thanks!
Now if I can just find that perfect always on, base drive tone
Gassing pretty hard atm for a Super 300, but we'll have to wait a bit now. I've gotten pretty close with a lot of diy trial and error, but more and more I am realizing it's an SVT, cranked, that I'm looking for..
Now if I can just find that perfect always on, base drive tone
Gassing pretty hard atm for a Super 300, but we'll have to wait a bit now. I've gotten pretty close with a lot of diy trial and error, but more and more I am realizing it's an SVT, cranked, that I'm looking for..
If cranked SVT's your taste might be worth considering the Super 300 for sure. I'd wait a tad more for some extra-feedbacks on Sushi Box Fx's SBVT though. Two valves high-voltage running a SVT accurate on SVT eq points freshly set by @Sushi Box FX ... May look the deal as well.
Last edited:
Saw that, and it does look interesting. Welp, if I gotta wait, I gotta wait
Back on topic, (sort of), I had a dream last night (that's what I get for reading TB as I drift off), that Mike made a massive bass pre with three transformers, one up front, one between the 'pre' and 'power' sections, and one after. It had an obscene number of knobs and switches, and was enormous.
Also, it glowed! (Sometimes my dreams are better than lsd!)
Really looking forward to the 2020S's. Lots of places on my board to try them
Mike's Trinity looks like it's quite transformers' featured. Seems it's working quite nice with bass as well !
I'm sure that had a lot to do with my dream...
First LBA2020 will arrive this afternoon.. Might have to take the rest of the day off!
A few days ago, I received an LBA Thunderknob with a NOS 12AU7 tube. It sounds incredible. I can get some grit out of it if I put a boost pedal in front of it. I have another Thunderknob with a 12AX7 which may be the best OD I ever heard on bass, and it's been on my pedalboard for the last 2 years while others (dozens of them) have come and gone in that endless search for the best OD for bass.
I tried the 12AU7 version after the 12AX7 version, and the results were mind blowing. I don't think I've ever been this stoked with pedals before, and I'm probably going to start getting rid of my other preamp and OD pedals. I haven't tried my 2020 pedals with this combination yet, but I'll try those in the next day or two.
I tried the 12AU7 version after the 12AX7 version, and the results were mind blowing. I don't think I've ever been this stoked with pedals before, and I'm probably going to start getting rid of my other preamp and OD pedals. I haven't tried my 2020 pedals with this combination yet, but I'll try those in the next day or two.
