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New Origin Effects DCX Bass
- Thread starter Derek Williams
- Start date
I haven’t had a chance to really put it through its paces yet, and unfortunately fractured my shoulder a few days ago so am out of action for a bit! Was using it with acoustic guitar last week which sounded great as a tone sweetener in EQ mode. It’s a nice flavour of OD with bass but I’m using an MBD3 as my main tone and drive so not sure how much I’ll use the DCX as an OD.
Oof, that sounds horrible -- I hope your shoulder heals up quickly and easily!
I recently got a DCXBass and compared it (as a tone Enhancer, final preamp before the Cali76B comp) at rehearsal in a full band IEM situation (everyone has a perfect stereo individual mix) with my Tech21 VTBass and the Broughton Audio Fliptop.
We tweaked a lot, but finally the DCX was the least favourite of these three.
Back it goes.
We tweaked a lot, but finally the DCX was the least favourite of these three.
Back it goes.
I recently got a DCXBass and compared it (as a tone Enhancer, final preamp before the Cali76B comp) at rehearsal in a full band IEM situation (everyone has a perfect stereo individual mix) with my Tech21 VTBass and the Broughton Audio Fliptop.
We tweaked a lot, but finally the DCX was the least favourite of these three.
Back it goes.
What did you identify as it's weakness as compared to the other units? Were you using it in EQ or Drive mode?
I was using the EQ mode, the Drive giving too much drive even at its lowest setting.
The other 2 pedals had a more complex/pleasant "presence" in the low mids, whereas the DCX is more about lows and highs "only".
Wow with the switch on EQ/mid, backing off bass/ treble I find it has more than enough mids, and this with a jazz bass...
You compared a console-type preamp to Ampeg emulators. If you like the SVT/B15 type of sound, the DCX will not give you that sound. I happen to have the DCX and a SansAmp BDDI V2, and I actually like to feed the DCX into the SansAmp. Sounds great.
Either in EQ mode and low blend/low drive on the SansAmp, meaning the core of my sound is the DCX with a slight warm-up from the SansAmp.
or the DCX in Drive mode as an OD before the SansAmp with higher blend/drive settings.
both sound great!
Either in EQ mode and low blend/low drive on the SansAmp, meaning the core of my sound is the DCX with a slight warm-up from the SansAmp.
or the DCX in Drive mode as an OD before the SansAmp with higher blend/drive settings.
both sound great!
You are probably right. Coming from years of heavy pick overdriven sounds I recently came back to clean sounds, really liking the B15 type thing. I was hoping to get a similar clean tone with a different approach from the DCX. But I suppose, the B15 tone is what I am liking right now.
I ran into the same issue initially, but found the solution was boosting the front end of the DCX with a Broughton SBM. Now I have great Low-end & Mid presence whether keeping it clean or driving it into saturation.
Here is the post I made about it a while back:
DCX compared to SVT & B15 clones won't be the same honestly it's not intended to. That's not a valid comparison in the least. Also I have no mid range issues with Jazz, PJ, or Stingray Special's 4HH OR 5H. Sounds to me you like Ampeg tone stack and was looking for a studio grade quality tool to be something it's not intended to be. IMHO
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I also think that Cali76 BEFORE the DCX sounds better.
The DCX isn't intended to be an amp effect. It's your direct console tone, just FYI. Placing the DCX always-on in front of the amp pedal has a very pleasing result. Or you can also use it as a nice boost pedal in front of an amp pedal.I recently got a DCXBass and compared it (as a tone Enhancer, final preamp before the Cali76B comp) at rehearsal in a full band IEM situation (everyone has a perfect stereo individual mix) with my Tech21 VTBass and the Broughton Audio Fliptop.
We tweaked a lot, but finally the DCX was the least favourite of these three.
Back it goes.
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Since I go straight to a Radial DI with no Amp… I am always trying to find an amp-ish feel from my DCX.
I found that the most “amp like” setting is using the “MED” setting while running an overdrive before it.
I set the gain stage at a level where the character of the DCX drive takes center stage when pushed into clipping by my overdrive.
Basically… it acts as a second gain stage for the DCX. (1) clean and saturated (2) Tube like DCX drive with no volume bump.
This is how I set up the chain for that effect…
I found that the most “amp like” setting is using the “MED” setting while running an overdrive before it.
I set the gain stage at a level where the character of the DCX drive takes center stage when pushed into clipping by my overdrive.
Basically… it acts as a second gain stage for the DCX. (1) clean and saturated (2) Tube like DCX drive with no volume bump.
This is how I set up the chain for that effect…
Thanks to compelling sound samples and good thread advice here, had to acquire a DCX to shootout against my longtime FTT Black Vehicle for my own ears to decide which stays.
Though the FTT's boost (pre- or post- drive) is a great feature, I don't use it enough to justify. The DCX betters it in every other way - a more consistently musical drive that doesn't bloat at higher settings, a *much* more versatile and pleasing eq, all in half-size footprint. Plus it more nicely jibes with the Jive, and other onboard saturators (Edison, Humboldt).
Slightly reluctant to sell the FTT, because the two together sound better than either alone. But I'm reaching saturation....saturation. And soon I'll have new room (and $) for ____? Maybe octave or synth, plus a mini boost before DCX. This board's nearing (subjective) perfection. Thanks!
Though the FTT's boost (pre- or post- drive) is a great feature, I don't use it enough to justify. The DCX betters it in every other way - a more consistently musical drive that doesn't bloat at higher settings, a *much* more versatile and pleasing eq, all in half-size footprint. Plus it more nicely jibes with the Jive, and other onboard saturators (Edison, Humboldt).
Slightly reluctant to sell the FTT, because the two together sound better than either alone. But I'm reaching saturation....saturation. And soon I'll have new room (and $) for ____? Maybe octave or synth, plus a mini boost before DCX. This board's nearing (subjective) perfection. Thanks!
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why the tuner in second? Usually the tuner goes first no? I mean there’s no rules but it’s the common setup.
