New GK Plex Preamp

[BrentSimons]

I've got it! For a future update give the user the option of using the overdrive or BOOST. Numbers 6-10 for varying amounts of GK's famous boost circuit?
Brent

 

[mmbongo]

Can you add a button that prods the bartender to bring the bass player a beer when stepped on? Or stepped near? Or maybe a sensor that detects when the bass player starts to slow down it automatically rings for a beer?

 

[BrentSimons]

Can you add a button that prods the bartender to bring the bass player a beer when stepped on? Or stepped near? Or maybe a sensor that detects when the bass player starts to slow down it automatically rings for a beer?

I added that plus a hot tub on the "now that Doug has rested whats new for Darkglass" thread!
Brent

 

[RoadRanger]

I've lost track of the features - does it have a variable HPF yet? Can't live without that once you've had one .
I also forget if you will have the cab/amp sim on just the DI out and not on the 1/4" out?

 

[toddbooster]

Hi All. I recently got a Plex of my own, and I'm quite pleased with how it sounds. So much so, that I'm considering using as the centrepiece for my very first (small) pedal board, even though it's so nice it seems a shame to put it on the floor and step on it.

Anyway, did anyone else find it necessary to remove the rubber feet to Velcro it down? And for that matter, is velcro strong enough to hold it?

 

[Ricky Caboverde]

Hi All. I recently got a Plex of my own, and I'm quite pleased with how it sounds. So much so, that I'm considering using as the centrepiece for my very first (small) pedal board, even though it's so nice it seems a shame to put it on the floor and step on it.

Anyway, did anyone else find it necessary to remove the rubber feet to Velcro it down? And for that matter, is velcro strong enough to hold it?

Industrial strength Velcro is more than strong enough to hold it, and you do not need to remove the feet as long as you are willing to remove the loop-side Velcro from your board. I'll send pics tonight of my Plex and nano board. Welcome to the fam

 

[rag]

I don't find the tuner activation to be that big of a deal. Yes, it takes a little practice to get the timing right and I still don't, but it hasn't been that much of a PITA for me. Having said that, the new design idea would make it easier and give a more consistent result. I wonder, since it is basically a software issue, why not allow both?

Which brings me to another question. How much memory is there on board to accommodate these changes and updates?

RAG said, your Plex will never be outdated. However, it seems to me, there may come a day when the unit runs out of memory for all of these updates. What we don't know, and would understand if GK didn't care to share this information, is how much memory does the unit have and how much is being currently utilized? And when an update is performed, is it patching or replacing the firmware? If it's the latter, then the programmers would have the opportunity to clean up some old code, or even delete something, to keep memory usage under control and thus extend the life of the unit.

I don't say this to disparage GK. I love the Plex. I'm a programmer, by trade, so this issue interests me.

The kind of modifications we are doing do not require much of an increase in memory it all. Adding cab sims for example requires a few FIR's which do not use a lot of memory. Actually it requires only a small table of coeficients for each filter. We have plenty of memory for these kinds of tasks.
RAG

 

[GuiTuber]

Industrial strength Velcro is more than strong enough to hold it, and you do not need to remove the feet as long as you are willing to remove the loop-side Velcro from your board. I'll send pics tonight of my Plex and nano board. Welcome to the fam

I will be interested as well. I'm wanting to add an octave pedal and an envelope filter. I don't figure to add anything else for the foreseeable future so putting everything together on a small pedal board is something I'm looking at.

 

[GuiTuber]

The kind of modifications we are doing do not require much of an increase in memory it all. Adding cab sims for example requires a few FIR's which do not use a lot of memory. Actually it requires only a small table of coeficients for each filter. We have plenty of memory for these kinds of tasks.
RAG

Thanks for the reply, Robert. I was curious more than anything else.

RAM has come a long way in the 35+ years I've been in the computer business. I remember working on a test machine that had only 8K of RAM and booted off of a 5mb (15") hard drive after reading a 12" piece of paper tape. Now you can store 100GB or more on a chip that's no bigger than a postage stamp.

 

[rag]

Thanks for the reply, Robert. I was curious more than anything else.

RAM has come a long way in the 35+ years I've been in the computer business. I remember working on a test machine that had only 8K of RAM and booted off of a 5mb (15") hard drive after reading a 12" piece of paper tape. Now you can store 100GB or more on a chip that's no bigger than a postage stamp.

Agreed,
While I was at Berkley (1966) our computer took a whole room and the memory was cards with rows and colums of small ceramic cores held in a matrix with vertical and horizontal wires threaded through them. It was a long time ago but I think the words were 16bit (could have been 8bit) not many words on each card, that is why we call memory "core".
RAG

 

[JamasC]

Oh my.... I'm just now seeing this why... Need to hear this thing...

 

[toddbooster]

Industrial strength Velcro is more than strong enough to hold it, and you do not need to remove the feet as long as you are willing to remove the loop-side Velcro from your board. I'll send pics tonight of my Plex and nano board. Welcome to the fam

Hey, thanks very much. I'd be very interested to see how you put it together.

 

[Ricky Caboverde]

I will be interested as well. I'm wanting to add an octave pedal and an envelope filter. I don't figure to add anything else for the foreseeable future so putting everything together on a small pedal board is something I'm looking at.

Hey, thanks very much. I'd be very interested to see how you put it together.

Here are the pics! Some things to note: I did not cut the loop-side Velcro as I had thought; the loop-side Velcro should have somewhat of a thick pile...I'm not sure if it is Industrial Velcro, but I think it is (the hook-side is indeed Industrial); the Plex is held VERY securely as can be seen in the photo. Also, the hook-side Velcro affixed to the Plex is short enough that the Plex can still be placed on a table and stand on its rubber feet.

Thanks to GK, this little pedalboard has everything I need: Octaver -> Compressor -> Drive/Fuzz -> Amp Sim -> CabSim -> Chorus/Delay/Reverb -> Looper -> DI (live) or Headphone (home)

Currently the Drive/Fuzz is actually AFTER the EQ/AmpSim, but will be able to go in front after the next update; also CabSim is obviously not available yet. I'm considering replacing the BOD for an MS60b, but Zoom's octaver seems a bit weak compared to MXR's. What a versatile board it would be though!

 

[GuiTuber]

Agreed,
While I was at Berkley (1966) our computer took a whole room and the memory was cards with rows and colums of small ceramic cores held in a matrix with vertical and horizontal wires threaded through them. It was a long time ago but I think the words were 16bit (could have been 8bit) not many words on each card, that is why we call memory "core".
RAG

I remember core memory. It looked like a bunch of washers stuck to the board. The cool thing about it was that you could unplug the board and it would retain the information.

The young whippersnappers of today don't know how good they have it.

 

[GuiTuber]

Here are the pics! Some things to note: I did not cut the loop-side Velcro as I had thought; the loop-side Velcro should have somewhat of a thick pile...I'm not sure if it is Industrial Velcro, but I think it is (the hook-side is indeed Industrial); the Plex is held VERY securely as can be seen in the photo.

Thanks to GK, this little pedalboard has everything I need: Octaver -> Compressor -> Drive/Fuzz -> Amp Sim -> CabSim -> Chorus/Delay/Reverb -> Looper -> DI (live) or Headphone (home)

Currently the Drive/Fuzz is actually AFTER the EQ/AmpSim, but will be able to go in front after the next update; also CabSim is obviously not available yet. Also, I'm considering replacing the BOD for an MS60b, but Zoom's octaver seems weak compared to MXR's.

What is the brand/make of the pedal board you are using? That looks perfect for what I'd like to have.

I'm planning on buying the MXR octave and envelope filter pedals would like a simple, compact design like this.

 

[Ricky Caboverde]

What is the brand/make of the pedal board you are using? That looks perfect for what I'd like to have.

I'm planning on buying the MXR octave and envelope filter pedals would like a simple, compact design like this.

It's the Pedaltrain Nano board (14" x 5.5"). I want to limit myself to this board so that I can use the Mono Tick for easier transport.
The Plex is a hair longer than the Nano, which is just perfect for the EBS cables I use.

 

[TonyP-]

I'm planning on buying the MXR octave and envelope filter pedals would like a simple, compact design like this.

Hey GT,
I'm running those pedals and the MXR compressor they sound great and work well with that tight GK tone.

 

[Ricky Caboverde]

Hey GT,
I'm running those pedals and the MXR compressor they sound great and work well with that tight GK tone.

Hey @TonyP- , mind posting a pic of your board? I wish more users would!

 

[GuiTuber]

It's the Pedaltrain Nano board (14" x 5.5"). I want to limit myself to this board so that I can use the Mono Tick for easier transport.
The Plex is a hair longer than the Nano, which is just perfect for the EBS cables I use.

So, does it all fit in the bag that the Nano comes with?

Also, did you use the velcro that comes with the Nano or did you buy something that worked better?

 

[SpectorDetector]

Cab Sim is all this piece is lacking at this time, sounds like it is on the way!