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NEW: ZOOM B2 FOUR...

With the B2 Four, the only way to record both dry & "FX" would be to use a DI before the B2 Four.

Bass into DI input, XLR to recording track 1 (dry), thru of DI to B2 Four, out XLR out of B2 Four to recording track 2 (wet).

Aha! So theoretically, I could put my SansAmp in front of the B24, with that XLR going to my Focusrite, and then the quarter inch going into the B24 and then back out with the effects, right?
 
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Aha! So theoretically, I could put my SansAmp in front of the B24, with that XLR going to my Focusrite, and then the quarter inch going into the B24 and then back out with the effects, right?

Yes, it works. I just tried it, though ProTools is dumb and I had to tweak my driver settings. It worked without any adjustments in Audacity, so whatever. I think it's a me thing, but boy is ProTools unintuitive!
 
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Considering the B2-Four in the FX loop of the B6

B6 tomorrow

Will report

Looking forward to this! If you wouldn't mind, can you please quickly compare the octave effects between the B2four and B6 to see if they sound/track differently? This is a big focus of mine and I want to know if the B2four sounds better than the octave effect in my B3n/B1four, as others have mentioned that the B6 octave effect is superior to the B3n. Thanks!
 
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Putting 2nd multi-fx in the external loop of the first one is a cool idea for lots of blocks. But perhaps, since you'll have zoom sounds so well represented with the B6, you might want to consider branching out-- like with a boss?


i've been a Roland/Boss user since my first guitar synth (GR700) in the '80s.

since i have the B2-Four already, and love the preamps, amps, EQs, and comps so much, i'm thinking of
using it as an expansion of TONE rather than FX.
 
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Looking forward to this! If you wouldn't mind, can you please quickly compare the octave effects between the B2four and B6 to see if they sound/track differently? This is a big focus of mine and I want to know if the B2four sounds better than the octave effect in my B3n/B1four, as others have mentioned that the B6 octave effect is superior to the B3n. Thanks!


i will check it out and post here.
 
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Looking forward to this! If you wouldn't mind, can you please quickly compare the octave effects between the B2four and B6 to see if they sound/track differently? This is a big focus of mine and I want to know if the B2four sounds better than the octave effect in my B3n/B1four, as others have mentioned that the B6 octave effect is superior to the B3n. Thanks!
Throwing my thoughts in.... I've not tried the octaves in the b6, but I can tell you in the b2four they're absolutely horrible. I really try not to use them as they don't track well and get confused quite easily. Forget sustaining a note. I run my boss oc-5 before my line selector so that I can use that in my zoom loop if I need to. I've found the oc-5 plays well before the zoom and haven't run into issues. Plus, it frees up an extra effect slot in the patch bay for something else useful like noise reduction.
 
Throwing my thoughts in.... I've not tried the octaves in the b6, but I can tell you in the b2four they're absolutely horrible. I really try not to use them as they don't track well and get confused quite easily. Forget sustaining a note. I run my boss oc-5 before my line selector so that I can use that in my zoom loop if I need to. I've found the oc-5 plays well before the zoom and haven't run into issues. Plus, it frees up an extra effect slot in the patch bay for something else useful like noise reduction.

Good to know thanks! I currently use a Boss OC-5 on my main pedalboard and I love it.

I don't like the octave effects in my B3n, and I was hoping to eventually upgrade to a better Zoom (or other) multi-effect unit without paying such a high price for the B6 with all of its current DSP limitations.

That single 1/4" amp/line out + shared headphone jack on the B6 also irritates me so much just looking at it lol. At least the B2four addressed this with both L&R outs plus a dedicated headphone jack. I'd rather have the B2four routing options than the effects loop on the B6.
 
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Good to know thanks! I currently use a Boss OC-5 on my main pedalboard and I love it.

I don't like the octave effects in my B3n, and I was hoping to eventually upgrade to a better Zoom (or other) multi-effect unit without paying such a high price for the B6 with all of its current DSP limitations.

That single 1/4" amp/line out + shared headphone jack on the B6 also irritates me so much just looking at it lol. At least the B2four addressed this with both L&R outs plus a dedicated headphone jack. I'd rather have the B2four routing options than the effects loop on the B6.

the DSP limitations and connectivity are definitely detractors with the B6.

i'm still smitten with the B2-Four for the sound, routing, and form factor.

if the B6 isn't lightyears beyond the B2-Four with its separate amps/cabs/IRs, back it goes and happy to stick with the B2-Four.

i never use octavers or shift - just checked it on the B2-Four - yeah, it's pretty rough.
 
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That single 1/4" amp/line out + shared headphone jack on the B6 also irritates me so much just looking at it lol. At least the B2four addressed this with both L&R outs plus a dedicated headphone jack. I'd rather have the B2four routing options than the effects loop on the B6.

Fortunately, I don't find this an issue

Studio:

Bass 1/4" > J48 Input > J48 XLR > Mic1 Babyface Pro (Clean DI)

J48 through 1/4" > Zoom input > Zoom XLR > Mic 2 Babyface Pro

Two simultaneous tracks

And I can run the Zoom 1/4" output to another BFpro input for three tracks.

THANKS TB TEAM!

Live:

Zoom 1/4" Output > QSC CP12

Zoom XLR > front of house

FU phantom power

I use the headphones on my Babyface Pro.


The QSC CP 12 has a sub mixer on the back panel.
 
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Anyone have ideas on how to set levels between the headphone jack on the XLR/USB Audio outputs? I’ve been playing around with this for about a week and using only the headphone out to listen. Today, I hooked up the USB audio into my MacBook to record to GarageBand. I had the audio out from the MacBook hooked to the Aux In of the B2four and had my IEMs plugged into the headphone jack of the B2four. The tracks were insanely loud in my ears (MacBook volume at about 25%, GarageBand master volume around 25%). I had to take the MacBook and GarageBand volumes down to 10%ish and reduce all the GB tracks down by about 10dB just to not blow my ear drums out. Once I got that settled, I started recording my bass into a GB track with no additional processing inside GB. The track volume in GB was REALLY low, but when I was listening in my IEMs while playing (still plugged into the B2four), the bass volume was fine. My concern is that, since the DI Out and the USB Audio are parallel outputs before the B2four master volume, I’m not going to have a strong signal to go to FOH. My first time using it live will be tomorrow morning. Any thoughts? Do I just need to have the sound tech crank the gain on my channel?

My alternative is to run the main output from the B2four into a SansAmp DI and control level to FOH that way. I really wanted to avoid having to do that though.
 
Throwing my thoughts in.... I've not tried the octaves in the b6, but I can tell you in the b2four they're absolutely horrible. I really try not to use them as they don't track well and get confused quite easily. Forget sustaining a note. I run my boss oc-5 before my line selector so that I can use that in my zoom loop if I need to. I've found the oc-5 plays well before the zoom and haven't run into issues. Plus, it frees up an extra effect slot in the patch bay for something else useful like noise reduction.
Updating my previous comment. I played around with the octavers on my passive Fender J and they sounded and tracked much better. Unsure why my active basses make the octave effects sound like crap. I was using a Stingray Classic 24ca.
 
Anyone have ideas on how to set levels between the headphone jack on the XLR/USB Audio outputs? I’ve been playing around with this for about a week and using only the headphone out to listen. Today, I hooked up the USB audio into my MacBook to record to GarageBand. I had the audio out from the MacBook hooked to the Aux In of the B2four and had my IEMs plugged into the headphone jack of the B2four. The tracks were insanely loud in my ears (MacBook volume at about 25%, GarageBand master volume around 25%). I had to take the MacBook and GarageBand volumes down to 10%ish and reduce all the GB tracks down by about 10dB just to not blow my ear drums out. Once I got that settled, I started recording my bass into a GB track with no additional processing inside GB. The track volume in GB was REALLY low, but when I was listening in my IEMs while playing (still plugged into the B2four), the bass volume was fine. My concern is that, since the DI Out and the USB Audio are parallel outputs before the B2four master volume, I’m not going to have a strong signal to go to FOH. My first time using it live will be tomorrow morning. Any thoughts? Do I just need to have the sound tech crank the gain on my channel?

My alternative is to run the main output from the B2four into a SansAmp DI and control level to FOH that way. I really wanted to avoid having to do that though.

That was one of my main issues, no master volume control. When I use my IEMS, I run the XLR to our mixer, then the mixer to a 1/8" jack that I plug into. I use the iPad mixer app to adjust and it works fine for me.
 
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That was one of my main issues, no master volume control. When I use my IEMS, I run the XLR to our mixer, then the mixer to a 1/8" jack that I plug into. I use the iPad mixer app to adjust and it works fine for me.

Everything we have runs to the sound board then out (pre-fader) to our IEM modules. So that’s not an option for my particular setup. If I can’t figure it out this morning, I’ll either use the alternative I mentioned before or run direct through the SansAmp and see what I can figure out before next time.
 
Anyone have ideas on how to set levels between the headphone jack on the XLR/USB Audio outputs? I’ve been playing around with this for about a week and using only the headphone out to listen. Today, I hooked up the USB audio into my MacBook to record to GarageBand. I had the audio out from the MacBook hooked to the Aux In of the B2four and had my IEMs plugged into the headphone jack of the B2four. The tracks were insanely loud in my ears (MacBook volume at about 25%, GarageBand master volume around 25%). I had to take the MacBook and GarageBand volumes down to 10%ish and reduce all the GB tracks down by about 10dB just to not blow my ear drums out. Once I got that settled, I started recording my bass into a GB track with no additional processing inside GB. The track volume in GB was REALLY low, but when I was listening in my IEMs while playing (still plugged into the B2four), the bass volume was fine. My concern is that, since the DI Out and the USB Audio are parallel outputs before the B2four master volume, I’m not going to have a strong signal to go to FOH. My first time using it live will be tomorrow morning. Any thoughts? Do I just need to have the sound tech crank the gain on my channel?

My alternative is to run the main output from the B2four into a SansAmp DI and control level to FOH that way. I really wanted to avoid having to do that though.
I have a B6, but looking at the signal flow diagrams it will be similair. Your patch level should be close to unity gain when compared to bypassed level, or maybe a bit higher. That will ensure good signal at the XLR and USB outputs. You should be fine live. To get more signal into GB I assume there would be a channel record level control somewhere. I have no experience with GB nor Mac... Would it be possible to use USB instead of Aux to get sound from GB into the B2four? The USB input is before the master volume, so at least you would have some control over the level going into your headphones.