For light drive duties do you prefer the Storm King, Xotic Bass preamp, or perhaps 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
Lettuce put it this way: As you might know, all three of these pedals are in my possession at this moment.
The Aguilar Storm King is listed for sale in my local market,
the DCX is sitting on a shelf,
...and the BB Preamp is installed on one of my pedalboards.
Reasons:
The Storm King vs. the BB Preamp as a low gain drive is indeed a close thing. In my particular case, I do like to have the two band EQ at my disposal to really fine tune.
The DCX has that tone sweetening capacity, but tone sweetening is something you can't stack indefinitely and it gets sweeter every single time, and my tone sweetening needs are fulfilled on both boards.
Furthermore, I do want a slightly raspier texture as my only dirt pedal on the big board, and a pedal that plays well into the BDPG.
The DCX is too smooth in the EQ setting and too harsh in the OD setting.
I'm pretty sure the DCX will end up on some sort of pedal board in the foreseeable future, that's why I'm holding on to it.
I’m in a similar boat with the DCX. I really like what it does, but not sure how to best utilize it except when stacked- and I’m trying to whittle down my stacking chain as well.
Before I went completely bonkers on the metal band board, I really liked the Origin Trifecta (DCX, Cali, Super Vintage) for a beefy sound that could spit fire.
Along with a tuner, it easily fit on a nano, with room to spare.
I really like the way the DCX plays with a tube preamp set on the edge of breakup. In EQ mode, with the gain cranked, it causes the pre to reach a decent level of overdrive, and makes for a super touch sensitive, amp-like response. At least, it does that for me, using a Rickenbacker (and sometimes Jazz) with rounds. I know @el murdoque has some of the deadest flats in town, so you and I probably won't get the same results... @sunbeast you used to use a Ricky primarily, too, no? Can't remember if that's still the case, or if I read that the current project(s) you're in calls for other things.
Anyways, my point is that our whole "ecosystems" are so distinct that it can be difficult to replicate each others' results. But that doesn't make it less interesting to discuss! Lol.
Anyways, my point is that our whole "ecosystems" are so distinct that it can be difficult to replicate each others' results. But that doesn't make it less interesting to discuss! Lol.
Yeah, treble response plays a big role, especially when stacking low gain drive devices. I usually get all my treble content through the harmonics the dirt pedals produce, where a roundwound strung bass played with a pick will have a lot of own content in those frequency ranges.
And deep down we all know that we want to find that unique combination of super rare pedals that transports 'the' tone. The one that perfectly works with our bass and our play style.
I'm similarly using the DCX with the gain cranked in EQ mode, and a healthy handful of treble to feed as the first in line for my board. I really like that as a base sound and how it livens up the other drives, similar to @sloppy_phil. I also tend to feed the board about as bright of a sound as the song will tolerate, then give it a haircut with the LPF towards the end of the signal chain to tame any harshness.
I am back to using one of my Rics in the band where I utilize audible dirt. Its currently strung with flats that just feel like home on that bass though I've considered returning to nickel wounds as I haven't actually tried rounds in this band, but these are pretty lively for flats (old Sadowsky Black Label flats, which I think are my favorite flats ever- sadly discontinued but have a mid-presence that doesn't seem to die so if I can stop taking them off and reinstalling then they may last me quite a few more years!). Fortunately a Ric can bring alot of mid presence and punch to most setups which is why I moved back to it from the P-bass I'd been using the last few years.
I still haven't had the opportunity to try out the Origin Fifteen in a band context in combo with my other current rotation drives (DCX and Blackstone Mosfet). My hope is that two of those three will be the obvious choice, but I fear I'll want to keep all three...also I might have picked up an Origin Super Vintage on sale last week based on my really great first impressions with the Fifteen. I'm already loving both of them for different reasons- I wish they'd make a Fifteen with the cab-sim from the Super Vintage as that combo really hits. Supposed to be getting rid of things...
I would love for Origin, or Audio Kitchen, or Sushi Box, or Effectrode to make an all analog, tube driven version of the Torpedo C.A.B. M+.
A pedal that emulates the last bit of the audio chain: Power Tube, output transformer, cabinet. I have no idea how to go on about this,
but when looking at the Fake Plastic Trees, where the chef cook of the Audio Kitchen took the term "Amp in a Box" quite literally and built a tiny little output stage that plays into a tiny little power soak, and created an incredible amp-like feeling to a pedal, I see that things are possible.
For me personally, the Broughton RFE is the best speaker sim out there. It has just enough controls. Resonant High and Low pass plus a single parametric EQ band.
The one thing I feel like I'm sort of missing out on is that interplay between the aforementioned tube, tranny and cab that makes the B15 or SVT+Fridge so special when you crank them.
A pedal that emulates the last bit of the audio chain: Power Tube, output transformer, cabinet. I have no idea how to go on about this,
but when looking at the Fake Plastic Trees, where the chef cook of the Audio Kitchen took the term "Amp in a Box" quite literally and built a tiny little output stage that plays into a tiny little power soak, and created an incredible amp-like feeling to a pedal, I see that things are possible.
For me personally, the Broughton RFE is the best speaker sim out there. It has just enough controls. Resonant High and Low pass plus a single parametric EQ band.
The one thing I feel like I'm sort of missing out on is that interplay between the aforementioned tube, tranny and cab that makes the B15 or SVT+Fridge so special when you crank them.
It isn’t tube driven but Axiom Effects is the closest answer. Unfortunately there is a waitlist and it’s at least a year long: Power Amp Emulator PAE-2
...even though I did declare my Chorus sidequest officially over, I did just buy the Horrothia Chorus.
We'll see whether or not that stays with me.
Also, I bought the Dunlop mini bass Wah.
And a new mixer. Seems like an early Christmas for me.
We'll see whether or not that stays with me.
Also, I bought the Dunlop mini bass Wah.
And a new mixer. Seems like an early Christmas for me.
I’ve had the DCX bass now for a week. I cannot get it to sound any good. No matter how I set it. Using the provided guides or from forums.
It sounds super fizzy and harsh. In either mode, LF variety of positions and voice switch. It doesn’t stack well with other pedals, yet watching origin videos etc it sounds great.
I wanted it for a light drive on my board. Just to fill that gap between clean and breakup.
Dug out my old DG VMT to compare and that’s too dull but the DCX sounds like bees.
Any suggestions ?
I play 80’s and indie. Using EBMM SS and Mesa Boogie D800+
Pedals
Drop
Tuner
DG Hyper Luminal
Boss OC5
Zvex Mastotron
Walrus Julia
Origin Super Vintage (amp & FOH)
It sounds super fizzy and harsh. In either mode, LF variety of positions and voice switch. It doesn’t stack well with other pedals, yet watching origin videos etc it sounds great.
I wanted it for a light drive on my board. Just to fill that gap between clean and breakup.
Dug out my old DG VMT to compare and that’s too dull but the DCX sounds like bees.
Any suggestions ?
I play 80’s and indie. Using EBMM SS and Mesa Boogie D800+
Pedals
Drop
Tuner
DG Hyper Luminal
Boss OC5
Zvex Mastotron
Walrus Julia
Origin Super Vintage (amp & FOH)
I had the DCX as well and my experience was exactly the same as yours. Back it went.
That’s the way mine is going too. Really disappointed with it tbh. Had so much high hopes.
What did you end up with that you are happy with ?
Don't break the bank:
-Xotic BB Bass Preamp
Please break the bank:
-Audio Kitchen Fake Plastic Trees (that's really great in that position)
Not only expensive, but also hard to find:
-BJFe Blueberry
