Correct. With the already quite acceptable, level and blend controls, plus the grunt and attack switches you can already customize what parts of your sound are affected and how much bottom is retained. A one knob compressor does not excite me.
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Microtubes X
- Thread starter Frank_Raider
- Start date
Correct. With the already quite acceptable, level and blend controls, plus the grunt and attack switches you can already customize what parts of your sound are affected and how much bottom is retained. A one knob compressor does not excite me.
The B7K is my most-used dirt pedal, and I know exactly what you mean that it can kinda-sorta sound multiband, which is why I love it so much -- and I'm not trying to say you're wrong, or GAS you up for a pedal you don't need. BUT -- true multiband with comp on the clean lows is AMAZING. It works beautifully with the Tech 21 dUg pedal. And okay, I would normally never use a one-knob comp, but with multiband all it's doing is compressing the low end, so it simply doesn't need extra parameters. And besides, it's Darkglass, so you know it won't suck.
- Dec 10, 2008
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- Douglas Castro, Founder: darkglass.com
I can get a lot of the same sounds with the small one. The Mid knob is the same control as the 500Hz slider on the big one.
To people that say this sounds just like the B7K: it totally can if you set it that way, but moving the HPF control and hearing the different sounds you get just by doing that is quite amazing.
The main difference between the X the other Microtubes is that you have much better control over the distortion characteristics and its clean counterpart.
It cab also retain the attack, presence and clean low end with older strings or thinner basses remarkably better, and the ability to add “size” with the filtered cleans (compressor or not) is really cool.
I never claimed to have designed something radically different than the other Microtubes (I did add the “Microtubes” part next to the X), but it’s far more flexible and fully adjustable.
The palette of available tones is vastly more diverse due to the parallel filtering setup (audio engineers and producers have been doing this for decades, and for a good reason).
Hopefully once the first people here start getting theirs they’ll be able to chime in, talk is cheap
.Kind regards,
Doug.
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Has anyone heard a demo of the x do a more vintage or alpha style tone? Not really into the whole bk thing as a preamp (like it as distortion though). Love the thought of the concept but ive only really heard those modern metally tones so far in the few ive seen.
Im not wanting to start any beef here but the vulcan xl with color switch down to vintage and the low rolloff on gain coloured side blended with the clean and bass turned up is currently doing it for me. Would love to replace it with the X if i can find it does what im after.
Im not wanting to start any beef here but the vulcan xl with color switch down to vintage and the low rolloff on gain coloured side blended with the clean and bass turned up is currently doing it for me. Would love to replace it with the X if i can find it does what im after.
I can get a lot of the same sounds with the small one. The Mid knob is the same control as the 500Hz slider on the big one.
To people that say this sounds just like the B7K: it totally can if you set it that way, but moving the HPF control and hearing the different sounds you get just by doing that is quite amazing.
The main difference between the X the other Microtubes is that you have much better control over the distortion characteristics and its clean counterpart.
It cab also retain the attack, presence and clean low end with older strings or thinner basses remarkably better, and the ability to add “size” with the filtered cleans (compressor or not) is really cool.
I never claimed to have designed something radically different than the other Microtubes (I did add the “Microtubes” part next to the X), but it’s far more flexible and fully adjustable.
The palette of available tones is vastly more diverse due to the parallel filtering setup (audio engineers and producers have been doing this for decades, and for a good reason).
Hopefully once the first people here start getting theirs they’ll be able to chime in, talk is cheap
Kind regards,
Doug.
Perfect way to put it, man. Esp the “talk is cheap” part.
I wasn’t too sure when I first heard the pedal. “Aww man sounds too metal” then I heard the lowgain part of Patric Hunter’s demo that MonsterThompson mentioned and I was like “yeah, maybe I’m wrong”
Yeah, I'm familiar with the Mid control from the product description. I'd meant to reply to the guy mentioning demos. I didn't know if he was referring to the X or X7. I'll keep an eye out for the little X version to compare
I think if you crank up the distortion on any of these pedals, they will sound pretty "Metal", but if you use the blend and level carefully, with just the right amount of drive, The B7K, B3K or X will also make a very subtle but reactive overdrive.
I am a metal player. But i use my B7Ku as an overdrive so the harder i play - the angrier it gets
*I tried the B3k out in the store - and said "Awesome! I'll take the Ultra" (even more awesome).
- Dec 10, 2008
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- 5,822
- Disclosures
- Douglas Castro, Founder: darkglass.com
I guess the best thing to do would be to go to the nearest store and try it.
Boosting the mids and playing around with both bands and the gain knob should get you near any Microtubes (and I guess that should also include the one you mention).
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The release of the X has come at a good time. For simplicity I have decided to downgrade the B7KU to a B3k V2 and just use the AOU for preamp / eq. Now I have an X on preorder so much for simplicity, but I'm excited to see what it can do. X7 didn't offer me anything I need (blend seems fine, trying to not over EQ my sound, I can't see a use for the comp when I have the HL start of my chain).
And hey, if it's enough to finally take people away from stickleback or whatever he called it, even better
And hey, if it's enough to finally take people away from stickleback or whatever he called it, even better
I think if you crank up the distortion on any of these pedals, they will sound pretty "Metal", but if you use the blend and level carefully, with just the right amount of drive, The B7K, B3K or X will also make a very subtle but reactive overdrive.
I am a metal player. But i use my B7Ku as an overdrive so the harder i play - the angrier it gets
*I tried the B3k out in the store - and said "Awesome! I'll take the Ultra" (even more awesome).
I’ll say something like that, then I wind up preferring the Alpha Omega over the Vintage Ultra
- Dec 10, 2008
- 2,341
- 5,822
- Disclosures
- Douglas Castro, Founder: darkglass.com
Yes. It was designed not to need a cabsim when going direct.
- Apr 19, 2001
- 2,302
- 3,047
- Disclosures
- Beta tester Source Audio, demos/reviews of many others
I’ll mimic Doug’s description and say the C definitely sounds like a B7K but with more control over the mids and crossover blending.
If you have a B7K and are happy with it you’d be ok to not ‘upgrade’ but of the two it’d depend on your needs.
But let’s not lie here, the Alpha Onega slays all of them.
If you have a B7K and are happy with it you’d be ok to not ‘upgrade’ but of the two it’d depend on your needs.
But let’s not lie here, the Alpha Onega slays all of them.
I’m going to start a band called Talk is Cheap. Can’t wait to get my X7... hopefully this week.I can get a lot of the same sounds with the small one. The Mid knob is the same control as the 500Hz slider on the big one.
To people that say this sounds just like the B7K: it totally can if you set it that way, but moving the HPF control and hearing the different sounds you get just by doing that is quite amazing.
The main difference between the X the other Microtubes is that you have much better control over the distortion characteristics and its clean counterpart.
It cab also retain the attack, presence and clean low end with older strings or thinner basses remarkably better, and the ability to add “size” with the filtered cleans (compressor or not) is really cool.
I never claimed to have designed something radically different than the other Microtubes (I did add the “Microtubes” part next to the X), but it’s far more flexible and fully adjustable.
The palette of available tones is vastly more diverse due to the parallel filtering setup (audio engineers and producers have been doing this for decades, and for a good reason).
Hopefully once the first people here start getting theirs they’ll be able to chime in, talk is cheap
Kind regards,
Doug.
- Dec 10, 2008
- 2,341
- 5,822
- Disclosures
- Douglas Castro, Founder: darkglass.com
The clarification here is clear as mud 
… So, the way I'm understanding it now is that the X isn't exactly crossover in terms of biamping a bass amp and guitar amp, per se. Without a separate clean channel to dial things in before the crossover, its rather a multiband that keeps the low clean to allow for shaping high gain to fuzz levels of DG flavors of distortion on the high end, correct? Therefore, does the X refer an X-factor or unknown distortion found as a result from the ability to tweak existing circuits on the DG B*K to fuzz spectrum? The filtering on the DI is like roll off on the dUg pedal. The comp is mainly just there for cohesion between the signals, correct? Not trying to oversimplify just making sure I'm understanding it before pressing "add to cart"... Any further info would be appreciated
… So, the way I'm understanding it now is that the X isn't exactly crossover in terms of biamping a bass amp and guitar amp, per se. Without a separate clean channel to dial things in before the crossover, its rather a multiband that keeps the low clean to allow for shaping high gain to fuzz levels of DG flavors of distortion on the high end, correct? Therefore, does the X refer an X-factor or unknown distortion found as a result from the ability to tweak existing circuits on the DG B*K to fuzz spectrum? The filtering on the DI is like roll off on the dUg pedal. The comp is mainly just there for cohesion between the signals, correct? Not trying to oversimplify just making sure I'm understanding it before pressing "add to cart"... Any further info would be appreciated
I'm pretty sure the x refers to x-over aka cross over because there's a crossover in the circuit before the distortion that lets through whatever is above a user-selected crossover.The clarification here is clear as mud
"Without a separate clean channel to dial things in before the crossover, its rather a multiband that keeps the low clean to allow for shaping high gain to fuzz levels of DG flavors of distortion on the high end, correct?" Couldn't you put pedals before the DG X and call THAT your "clean channel to dial things in before the crossover"?
"Not trying to oversimplify" if anything I think you're overthinking it.
Now, I am completely open to having egg all over my face from my response, so apologies if I've muddied the waters
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