Thanks for the nice write-up, phil.
I too, am an owner of a 4003, and look forward to pairing it with the DCX Bass.
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.
My Dirt Bender - Another Jounal
- Thread starter el murdoque
- Start date
I too, am an owner of a 4003, and look forward to pairing it with the DCX Bass.
This is helpful, thanks. I like the overdriven console thing; the Hudson Broadcast would be perfect for this if it had any EQ beyond the high-pass filter, and that's what led me to the Sidecar, which has a shelving bass at 85 Hz (perfect) and treble at 8800 Hz (not so much). Maybe I'll wind up sticking with the API LLX (I know, poor me
), and live without the additional dirt stage (it sort of has one, but it's very subtle).I'll probably wind up getting one or other or both of the DCX and Sidecar one of these days, but I'll kid myself that I'm a responsible adult until then, and during that time, I'm still enjoying the saturation from my new compressor.
I do really like the DCX, but I think it is (or was when it was first blowing up around here) perhaps over-recommended on Talkbass for general-use overdrive while what it does to me is definitely not the (for example) "amp-like" thing that many TBers are always looking for (and to be fair, Origin has never advertised it that way). I do like the fuzzier tones the DCX has on tap, but for lower-gain general "overdrive" purposes I find for my tastes that once I can actually hear it driving then it tends to be too harsh- that does work in a mix often enough, but it definitely wouldn't be my first recommendation for a general-use bass "overdrive".
I tend to agree with you, that what it offers isn't really your typical overdrive; it's more of that vintage console-style saturation, rather than out and out gain/grit. This is probably why there's a more "traditional" overdrive (Wampler Belle) on the same board with the DCX. I mostly use the latter in EQ mode to add a little push and heft to things, and the Wampler for more typical low-to-moderate driven sounds (IMHO that Nobels-type circuit is very under-appreciated on bass!). They also stack very nicely, so I can sort of "layer" the levels of dirt at any given time.
But man, that cranked OD side is great for me if I ever need to cop a "fuzz" sound; I don't own any genuine fuzz pedals, and that gets me close enough for a live mix LOL.
Yeah similar for me- my main overdrive squeeze these days is a Blackstone Mosfet, then I've been using the DCX in OD mode after it to fill it out and EQ a bit to the room. I use the second channel of the Blackstone as a "fuzz" with its Gain nearly cranked and it also pushes the DCX a bit harder and that combo can get downright raucous! One of my bands (sort-of "indie rock", whatever that means these days) has been recording and I am pretty thrilled with the way those fuzzier tones I used in a couple songs were sounding in particular- and it definitely doesn't cut the same with the DCX turned off. Hopefully we'll work on mixing over the next couple of weeks and I can post some examples!
Totally agree on the EQ points stated above have mine currently feeding my Messenger Jr.
What's a bit of a novel concept is how the EQ works in the DCX. Both are active, boost and cut with center flat. The LF control boosts post drive and cuts pre drive while the HF control does the opposite.
I am not entirely sure because I never had the chance to A/B them, but the Broughton P-15 was the other device in my book when it comes to the top dog in terms of touch sensitivity. Is it the best? Maybe. Is it among the best? Absolutely.
I do the same but with the gain knob set between 2 and 3 o'clock and the treble kill switch set to flat. That turns a lively preamp sound with a bit of an edge to it into a mean drive sound that will hold its own against those hard driven metal guitars.
I did jump on the hype train, got one from the very first batch, but returned it after a while. Then realized it was a mistake and got one off the second hand market a while later.
To my knowledge, this is the only pedal I acquired, let go and got again to keep it the second time around.
Yeah, that's maybe the one thing the DCX does not do very well.
The dirt in the EQ mode is too gentle, easily hidden in a mix and gets your sound that crispness that makes it sound more sophisticated, and the OD is quite in your face, the overdrive that says you're using overdrive and you mean it.
Might be a long shot, but does anyone have any experience playing with one of these:
In other news, I did a trade. One unused pedal is heading out, with another incoming.
I'm not sure what I'm looking at but it seems like a quick method to "relic" a bass
Just doing your bit to reinforce German stereotypes?
Do you have a link to that info? I've never read that- it would be a relatively complex implementation to make that happen (using dual-layer pots, also surprising there wouldn't be center detents if this is the case). If true then I'll need to spend some more time fiddling to see how that all works!
Yeah this caught my attention as well. I know they’re doing a lot of fanciness already with the dynamic EQ but that would be something really cool.
I haven’t tried it much in higher gain or on the OD side but that’s something worth messing with after the show this weekend
I haven’t tried it much in higher gain or on the OD side but that’s something worth messing with after the show this weekend
As much as I'd like to boast that I found it out myself by means of headphones and a keen ear, I'd be lying.
I know this came from a reliable source, most likely someone from Origin Effects themselves.
I searched my email but found nothing. I do remember running across this info at some place and then immediately jotting it down to add it to the Jounal entry ASAP.
Enabler to the rescue.
The source was Origin Effects themselves, albeit I was the intermediary: "
Thank you for your email. The DCX's L.F. and H.F. knobs work the same regardless of whether it's in EQ or OD mode, but the way they work is quite clever and unusual.
The L.F. control effectively cuts before the drive circuit but boosts after it. This means that you don't get the usual "flubbiness" of high levels of bass going into a drive circuit. When cutting, it tightens up the sound. When boosting, it adds bass to the already overdriven signal.
The H.F. control does the opposite - it boosts before the drive circuit and cuts after it. This means you can push higher frequencies into the drive circuit to get a more aggressive, cutting drive tone. But, when you use the H.F. control to cut treble, it's also removing the "fizz" from the drive tone. Both controls are completely flat when set to 12:00.
The VOICE switch is located after the drive and does change with EQ/OD modes. This removes treble higher up than the H.F. control, with three levels of severity - flat, medium and dark. In OD mode, this high cut is always active, with the switch just selecting how much it's cutting. In EQ mode, the high cut increases as the pedal overdrives. So, if you're on the edge of breakup, clean tones will be bright, then get warmer the harder you dig in.
All this makes it a very versatile and responsive pedal."
Just doing your bit to reinforce German stereotypes?
I'm playing in a metal band and these guys don't exactly wear what mom laid out for them this morning when we play.
The singer and rhythm guitarists seem to be regular 24/7 metal guys, but everyone looks the part when we meet up.
However, I need to step up my stage looks and wearing a spiked vambrace like the one pictured might be a big help.
It'd obviously be on my left forearm.
Thanks! I will need to spend some more time with mine then to see what other interesting combos of settings I can draw out. This also makes me want to open it up to see the circuit! Very intriguing approach.Enabler to the rescue.
"
Thank you for your email. The DCX's L.F. and H.F. knobs work the same regardless of whether it's in EQ or OD mode, but the way they work is quite clever and unusual.
The L.F. control effectively cuts before the drive circuit but boosts after it. This means that you don't get the usual "flubbiness" of high levels of bass going into a drive circuit. When cutting, it tightens up the sound. When boosting, it adds bass to the already overdriven signal.
The H.F. control does the opposite - it boosts before the drive circuit and cuts after it. This means you can push higher frequencies into the drive circuit to get a more aggressive, cutting drive tone. But, when you use the H.F. control to cut treble, it's also removing the "fizz" from the drive tone. Both controls are completely flat when set to 12:00.
The VOICE switch is located after the drive and does change with EQ/OD modes. This removes treble higher up than the H.F. control, with three levels of severity - flat, medium and dark. In OD mode, this high cut is always active, with the switch just selecting how much it's cutting. In EQ mode, the high cut increases as the pedal overdrives. So, if you're on the edge of breakup, clean tones will be bright, then get warmer the harder you dig in.
All this makes it a very versatile and responsive pedal."
I’m surprised it doesn’t mention this in the manual or product page at all!
Unique implementation of EQ.Enabler to the rescue.
"
Thank you for your email. The DCX's L.F. and H.F. knobs work the same regardless of whether it's in EQ or OD mode, but the way they work is quite clever and unusual.
The L.F. control effectively cuts before the drive circuit but boosts after it. This means that you don't get the usual "flubbiness" of high levels of bass going into a drive circuit. When cutting, it tightens up the sound. When boosting, it adds bass to the already overdriven signal.
The H.F. control does the opposite - it boosts before the drive circuit and cuts after it. This means you can push higher frequencies into the drive circuit to get a more aggressive, cutting drive tone. But, when you use the H.F. control to cut treble, it's also removing the "fizz" from the drive tone. Both controls are completely flat when set to 12:00.
The VOICE switch is located after the drive and does change with EQ/OD modes. This removes treble higher up than the H.F. control, with three levels of severity - flat, medium and dark. In OD mode, this high cut is always active, with the switch just selecting how much it's cutting. In EQ mode, the high cut increases as the pedal overdrives. So, if you're on the edge of breakup, clean tones will be bright, then get warmer the harder you dig in.
All this makes it a very versatile and responsive pedal."
I read this elsewhere.
Really excited about my inbound DCX Bass.
I see this is a recurring thing with the Brits. If you want to know what the tone knob does on the Effectrode Tube drive, you'll read that it is an active control with a modified Baxandall tone stack and zero insertion loss, but what frequencies get boosted how is not really mentioned anywhere.
You can actually download the schematic from the website - so you only need to study electronics enough to understand a schematic's finer nuances and then you can probably read it straight from the sheet - so there's no secrecy here. Just some very clever engineering and and seemingly no will to talk about specifics.
I guess that happens when you have grown up imperial and then switched to metric, yet still drive on the wrong side of the road.
