• 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.

Live effects - Darkglass Microtubes B7K

B

buckalori

Guest
May 18, 2011
28
2
London
www.facebook.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: Sandberg
#1
I am off to America with my band (The Safety Fire) and as we will be flying I will need to cut down on gear. I usually use a Darkglass B7K through my Ampeg SVT-3 pro, but this simply won't be possible (have you ever felt how heavy these babies are?! wow...). I was wondering whether or not anyone had much experience just going direct through a pedal. I am a bit of a technophobe, and tend to let the other guys help me out with these things...but I would like to actually know what I am doing.

Thanks for the help guys!

Lori
 
#2
So it's become more and more common now for people to abandon amp heads in favour of keeping their setup more concise with just a bass and a pedalboard. While i'm still doing local gigs predominantly I wouldn't be convinced to dispense with my head but i've seen many bands recently just plug in and play with a preamp pedal and the B7K is (in my opinion) the best on the market.

I would also consider what size venues you're playing at. At relatively small ones and low budget the difference between an all tube head and a a preamp pedal would be almost unnoticeable due to the quality of the P.A system. At larger ones the differences may be a bit more noticeable.

I say just use the B3K!
 
#5
The only thing I would be concerned about going cabinet-less is that you will probably need to adjust your tone to fit with PA speakers. Since PA speakers tend to be brighter and deeper than most bass speakers, sometimes a tone that will sound perfect through your amp and cabinet might sound pretty harsh and/or boomy through the horns and subwoofers of a PA. This is especially true of distorted tones. That's why some DIs have built-in speaker simulation (a lot of people underestimate how much their particular speakers contribute to their tone).
I might also be concerned that not every venue would have an adequate PA or monitors to handle bass without stage help.
 
#6
sunbeast said:
The only thing I would be concerned about going cabinet-less is that you will probably need to adjust your tone to fit with PA speakers. Since PA speakers tend to be brighter and deeper than most bass speakers, sometimes a tone that will sound perfect through your amp and cabinet might sound pretty harsh and/or boomy through the horns and subwoofers of a PA. This is especially true of distorted tones. That's why some DIs have built-in speaker simulation (a lot of people underestimate how much their particular speakers contribute to their tone).
I might also be concerned that not every venue would have an adequate PA or monitors to handle bass without stage help.
Click to expand...

+1

Excellent advice


Just a suggestion, but something like a Zoom B3 along side the Darkglass B7K might be a nice option for you. The B3 gives you amp simulations (Ampeg SVT modeling among others) along with speaker simulation (if you want them too), EQ's, other flavors of overdrive, SansAmp emulation, choruses, flangers, all sorts of good stuff that might help you additionally tweak your foundation tone in many situations.

The B7K into an Ampeg model and maybe some cabinet sim might give you a sound closer to what you were accustom to than just the B7K alone, but without the weight. Could be handy for writing/jamming/practicing between gigs too.

My humble little board:

20130618_083257.jpg
 
#7
Hey mate! Great to hear you're going on tour in the US!

What B7K version are you using? The American has a super strong and fat DI signal, so you should be fine.

IME if the sound guy is good and know what he's doing, you should be fine.

Specially given that the Microtubes (all models) feature post distortion filtering (besides the EQ).
So that gets the signal pretty PA/Direct adept already.

I think you should be more than fine ;).

Regards,
Doug.

PS Let me know when you come to Finland or Scandinavia... Saw you in Zürich last year and your band kicked ass! (Seriously recommended to all of those who're into prog and metal).
 
#8
Thanks for the tips guys, I will certainly look into some of these options. Intrigued by the suggestion by Stingray69 especially.

Doug! I remember meeting you of course. I have been using Nolly's when possible, I have been strapped for cash you see to buy my own! haha, so yeah whichever one he has!
 
#11
buckalori said:
I am off to America with my band (The Safety Fire) and as we will be flying I will need to cut down on gear. I usually use a Darkglass B7K through my Ampeg SVT-3 pro, but this simply won't be possible (have you ever felt how heavy these babies are?! wow...). I was wondering whether or not anyone had much experience just going direct through a pedal. I am a bit of a technophobe, and tend to let the other guys help me out with these things...but I would like to actually know what I am doing.

Thanks for the help guys!

Lori
Click to expand...

Go direct with the B7K and tell the sound guy to low pass the bass signal so you won't end up in the PA's tweeters.
 
#12
Good luck on tour man! love your band.
I had a tour last month and i used a B7K.
I think you should try to get a head and cab in the US (Lots of renting companies).
I rented a SVT 3 with 810E in Poland and it was great.
 
#17
Hello! Got a question that I hope somone could help me with

I love running 2 channels in my live rigg or in-ear mix
also for the FOH to add more low-end if needed from the clean channel.

I got the dirty one fixed thanks to my B7K DI but the clean DI have lately been the sound-guys ****** DI's that (not always even holding togather unless duct-taped the **** out of) makes the Bass sound like ****. So what im asking is any tips on a good DI Box for bass BTW I only use active pick-up basses

and have been looking on
Radial Engineering Pro DI
Radial Engineering JDI
Radial Engineering Tonebone Bassbone (dont see any use of the other things you can do with it ecept lowering the input cain before the B7K maybe)
Radial Engineering JDI Duplex Mk4
Radial Engineering SB-2
It does look like a big jungle to me so some help pls
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back