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New Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp and DI

#121
Just ordered one. There just aren't many preamps (versus just effects) in the price range that offer four bands of EQ, distortion, and D.I. in one unit. The ability to change where the distortion goes is big to me.

Remember when everyone wanted rackmounted preamps? I still do, but without the rack and under $200. I've got a couple different amps that will benefit from the better EQ, and a couple power amps I'd like to use. It just seems like the best value.

We'll see...
 
#122
unbridled said:
Just ordered one. There just aren't many preamps (versus just effects) in the price range that offer four bands of EQ, distortion, and D.I. in one unit. The ability to change where the distortion goes is big to me.

Remember when everyone wanted rackmounted preamps? I still do, but without the rack and under $200. I've got a couple different amps that will benefit from the better EQ, and a couple power amps I'd like to use. It just seems like the best value.

We'll see...
Click to expand...
fair assessment. i sold mine to go towards a Zoom B3n and the pre amps on that do me (no di) liked the Battalion a lot but have no use for a di or (seperate) preamp at this time, but would get another straight away if i needed a di. does alot for the money and performed well.
 
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#123
I just bought one and I like it. The eq gives a nice boost to the bottom that gets lost when I have my Cry Baby on, (I bought the original CB to modify for bass, but that's for another thread). As a bass player just really getting into distortion after almost 40 years of playing, the Battalion suits my purpose well. I like the -10db cut because most of my axes are active and that's something I didn't notice on other pre amps. My only concern is I bought mine from Zzounds. The first one crapped out just after the return deadline, but they accepted it and replaced it. The second had a bad footswitch that broke after two or three days. Returned it and just got the third one and I may be wrong, but it seems to have a lower volume output than the first two. It seems I have to put the master volume at 3:00 to equal the bypassed volume of my amp. Starting with everything set at 12:00, it seems to have a very low output. Looking online for mods to increase its volume. Was also thinking of going directly to EHX to have them check it over. I hope Zzounds isn't selling lemons as new gear! This is the fourth pedal I bought from them and the others are working fine and never had to return anything before. I know most would say I should have just gotten a refund but I had no problem with Zzounds before and I'm hoping this is just a fluke.
 
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#124
WMDBASSPLAYER said:
I just bought one and I like it. The eq gives a nice boost to the bottom that gets lost when I have my Cry Baby on, (I bought the original CB to modify for bass, but that's for another thread). As a bass player just really getting into distortion after almost 40 years of playing, the Battalion suits my purpose well. I like the -10db cut because most of my axes are active and that's something I didn't notice on other pre amps. My only concern is I bought mine from Zzounds. The first one crapped out just after the return deadline, but they accepted it and replaced it. The second had a bad footswitch that broke after two or three days. Returned it and just got the third one and I may be wrong, but it seems to have a lower volume output than the first two. It seems I have to put the master volume at 3:00 to equal the bypassed volume of my amp. Starting with everything set at 12:00, it seems to have a very low output. Looking online for mods to increase its volume. Was also thinking of going directly to EHX to have them check it over. I hope Zzounds isn't selling lemons as new gear! This is the fourth pedal I bought from them and the others are working fine and never had to return anything before. I know most eoukw say I should have just gotten a refund but I had no Zzounds before and I'm hoping this is just a fluke.
Click to expand...

Jeez...after the third I probably would have given up and officially declared it garbage. I doubt it's all Zsounds fault...at some point they wind up paying more out of pocket for several bad pedals than they would make in profit just selling you a single working one. Have you contacted EHX about this? Seems ridiculous to have to return not one, but four pedals due to malfunction.
 
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#125
petrus61 said:
Jeez...after the third I probably would have given up and officially declared it garbage. I doubt it's all Zsounds fault...at some point they wind up paying more out of pocket for several bad pedals than they would make in profit just selling you a single working one. Have you contacted EHX about this? Seems ridiculous to have to return not one, but four pedals due to malfunction.
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So far, I'm on the third one and haven't contacted EHX yet. I'm definitely going to register the pedal, (something I never do, because I never got a lemon before). In the back of my head, I kept thinking I have just got a refund and buy it elsewhere. I am big on giving benefit of the doubt because I bought 3 pedals and an amp from them with no problems.
 
#132
Michael Vee said:
Nothing on this thread in 2019. You current Battalion owners still liking the pedal?
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Still have mine and still like it. One problem; the LED for the distortion is acting up. Sometimes it doesn't turn off when I hit it. Minor but annoying. Might be my own fault for sometimes putting my pedals in a bag and them banging against each other. Gonna send it in soon for service.
 
#133
mannysilvers said:
People always bring this up, which I totally get as it's the one standard thing we don't make. Mike has never expressed any interest to do it, and designing a tuner pedal on our end would take a solid amount of development time and effort, especially as far as the enclosure and some sort of display. If we were to come out with a tuner, not sure it would be providing the market with anything that isn't already out there (unless you desire an all EHX board). Maybe one day, but it's not currently something we're planning on doing.
Click to expand...

Well...it has happened!

I'll now get an EHX tuner to follow my vow! ;)
 
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#134
I know its an old thread, but in case anyone else comes stumbling in to this. I ended up getting a Battalion and I'm very pleased with it for the price. The compressor is OK. It increases the noise, which can happen with compression, but the noise gate is almost useless. It takes too long to close to be useful for start/stop parts and makes a very subtle glitch noise before it closes on a sustained note that is close to fading out. It will stop hum between songs or during long rests. Other than that the EQ and distortion are very good. The switch for where the distortion sits in the chain is great. I like it in the dry EQ position with fairly heavy drive at about 1:00 and blend at 12:30. If you want a more subtle grind I would go with the SansAmp BDDI. This pedals strength is heavier distortion or none at all, which works for me.
 
#138
Schopes said:
Sooooo......
I just went and tried out my MXR compression pedal. I like that one way better. I think I was just "settling" for the less space taking option. The Battalion itself definitely gets to stay on the pedalboard for its other awesome benefits though!
Click to expand...
Daniel Piper said:
Oh yah- I honestly love what you guys are doing!

Hot wax, new green Russian and s glove are all on my wait list!
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I have the Hot Wax, the tone corset, the small stone and the battalion on my bass board, Personally I prefer the tone corset over the comp on the battalion and the hot wax replaces the drive on the battalion, that said, I really love it, xlr into my interface or into the snake or mixer, I often run 2 signals out ( 1 for amp, 1 for mixer) with great results. although since getting the bass battalion I find less purpose to lug a big ass amp around.

Just joined here today. thanks
 
#139
peteygrizz said:
I know its an old thread, but in case anyone else comes stumbling in to this. I ended up getting a Battalion and I'm very pleased with it for the price. The compressor is OK. It increases the noise, which can happen with compression, but the noise gate is almost useless. It takes too long to close to be useful for start/stop parts and makes a very subtle glitch noise before it closes on a sustained note that is close to fading out. It will stop hum between songs or during long rests. Other than that the EQ and distortion are very good. The switch for where the distortion sits in the chain is great. I like it in the dry EQ position with fairly heavy drive at about 1:00 and blend at 12:30. If you want a more subtle grind I would go with the SansAmp BDDI. This pedals strength is heavier distortion or none at all, which works for me.
Click to expand...
I had issues with the nise gate too. just had to trouble shoot my entire rig to figure out why i was getting a click/electrical pop when i started playing. turns out it was the noise gate.
still works ok if it's turned right down to around 9 o'clock which helps for excessive noise between songs but i usually just engage my tuner anyway!
Other than that i like the pedal, the distortion is what it is. If you want a good distorted sound then you'll buy a dedicated pedal, but if you just like the option to play around then it sounds ok if you've got everything dialed in properly. I have a Darkglass Vintage Microtubes running into it, which sounds great on its own but when i engage the Battalions distortion over the top it adds a bit of extra bite.
 
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#140
I picked up a Battalion a couple months ago. Unfortunately, I'm only playing upright gigs since the pandemic hit, so I can't test it out on the gig. That said, I like it a lot. Really good, really versatile OD/distortion. Good preamp with a great EQ. The compressor is just okay, but very useful for providing a little smoothing before the OD. The noise gate sucks. I wish they would have given us more compressor control instead of the noise gate.

I was just looking for an OD/boost pedal, but bought the Battalion instead since the price was right. I plan to build a small pedal board with just the Battalion and a Zoom B1 Four for gigs where I double on upright and electric/fretless electric. The EQ points on the Battalion work well with upright too, so I have the option of using it as a boost/cut (for switching from arco to pizz, for instance).
 
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