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NEW: ZOOM B2 FOUR...
- Thread starter munnkyboy
- Start date
Oh I jzst noticed that the aux in is not coming through the balanced out. I can hear it at the headphones out, probably the other outs as well. Got a cheap usb bluetooth audioreceiver off aliexpress and a 9v to 5v buck converter and attaching that to the unit so I can play drums off loopy pro.
It's working here. I have it running through cans, and it's also going out the 1/4" outs.
Judging from the signal flow chart, the aux in will NOT feed the DI out, only headphones & 1/4" outs.
Judging from the signal flow chart, the aux in will NOT feed the DI out, only headphones & 1/4" outs.
My B24 arrived today while I was at a 12hr drum corps rehearsal, and I got to say I put in about another hour and a half playing with it when I got home. I am really impressed. There are some incredible sounds coming from this thing. I created a patch with the black compressor and the SWR amp model and got a really wonderful clean tone with my P bass. It’s also real easy to navigate too, huge plus!
The d.i. switch is interesting. It’s subtle, at least through my headphones but it definitely changes things. I appreciate the effect bypass switch too.
I haven’t gotten a chance to play with the looper or the drum machine but I do like that they’re a switchable effect. My wife and I are doing a looping duet gig and having a drum machine on a foot switch will be very beneficial.
Im pretty stoked. Seems like a fun unit!
The d.i. switch is interesting. It’s subtle, at least through my headphones but it definitely changes things. I appreciate the effect bypass switch too.
I haven’t gotten a chance to play with the looper or the drum machine but I do like that they’re a switchable effect. My wife and I are doing a looping duet gig and having a drum machine on a foot switch will be very beneficial.
Im pretty stoked. Seems like a fun unit!
I really wish the B2 Four would provide a way to store my own default knob settings for each/every/any module. So whenever I call up any amp, FX, whatever, it will start with settings that are more in MY particular ball park.
First impressions from those initial module settings could go every where. The existing settings are not stupid or wrong. Zoom's patch designers have to walk a fine line: not enough low end? "Thin." Too much low end? "Muddy". A tricky gig, no doubt. The downside of giving users that power is that if the settings are stupid (e.g., blend at zero, etc.), they'd have to field way more support calls. Alas-- the need to remove controls to make things goof-proof is one of the downsides of "entry level".
With 300 patch locations, the obvious workaround is to create a bunch of patches that just have the stuff you want need in a bunch of variations.
I'll confess for the past few days I was GAS'ing a little for the Headrush MX5, and even thinking about returning the B2 Four. But I got over it pretty fast-- ironically, I just had to watch enough YT vids to get over it. Had a couple really satisfying sessions with the Zoom. It's really fun.
First impressions from those initial module settings could go every where. The existing settings are not stupid or wrong. Zoom's patch designers have to walk a fine line: not enough low end? "Thin." Too much low end? "Muddy". A tricky gig, no doubt. The downside of giving users that power is that if the settings are stupid (e.g., blend at zero, etc.), they'd have to field way more support calls. Alas-- the need to remove controls to make things goof-proof is one of the downsides of "entry level".
With 300 patch locations, the obvious workaround is to create a bunch of patches that just have the stuff you want need in a bunch of variations.
I'll confess for the past few days I was GAS'ing a little for the Headrush MX5, and even thinking about returning the B2 Four. But I got over it pretty fast-- ironically, I just had to watch enough YT vids to get over it. Had a couple really satisfying sessions with the Zoom. It's really fun.
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went to see @lildrgn and his band last Friday night
fantastic '70s band (Yacht Rock) - great player, seriously - @lildrgn made the band.
but everyone in the band was top-notch.
and the B2-Four sounded great!!!
My top 6 firmware update requests:
1. Increase knob dwell time to 5 seconds,
or stay in knob view and use an arrow button to exit
2. Improve Tremolo to remove clickiness with Square & Tube.
Instead, provide 7 shapes, where 1 is triangle, 4 is sine, 7 is square
and where the other numbers are transitional morphs between the 3 main shapes.
4. Add a linear (non) curve option to Pedal Volume
5. Add LPF to more of the delay and reverb modules
6. Add wet/dry mix to Slow Attack, and more of the compressors
It's a fairly minor list of changes-- which is a good comment on how well-thought out the product is, generally.
1. Increase knob dwell time to 5 seconds,
or stay in knob view and use an arrow button to exit
2. Improve Tremolo to remove clickiness with Square & Tube.
Instead, provide 7 shapes, where 1 is triangle, 4 is sine, 7 is square
and where the other numbers are transitional morphs between the 3 main shapes.
4. Add a linear (non) curve option to Pedal Volume
5. Add LPF to more of the delay and reverb modules
6. Add wet/dry mix to Slow Attack, and more of the compressors
It's a fairly minor list of changes-- which is a good comment on how well-thought out the product is, generally.
blushing
i am but a humble servant of the bass parts created by the titans of yesteryear. As long as it sounds good out front, then I am happy.
Thanks for coming, @Zoot H Rollo!!
Hey, so I'm a relatively new bassist in the world of gear. Would you guys think would be a good first pedal for me to get? I'm really not in the position to buy a whole pedal board, do you guys think this would be a good starting option? I'm currently running an Ibanez Sr 505e and a fender rumble 500. Thanks!
Years ago I got a Bass Pod, red bean shaped multieffects unit, I suppose. I had no idea what I was doing and expected incredible sounds. What I got vs what I unfairly expected were two different things.
That said, I currently have the B24 and through IEMs and recording, I am really enjoying it. However, I have defaulted to my big board for my originals band as it's easier to hit what I want, when I want. With the cover band, there's less need for on-the-fly changes, so I can pre-set and forget, as it were.
I used it live a few weeks ago and from what I could tell, the B24 performed admirably. I hope to have video and audio from it very soon, and will share here.
So, all that to say, viewing from a new bassist's POV, I think it might be a little complicated. For the price of the B24 ($249 USD), you could get a handful of other pedals to start your trip down the rabbit hole. OR, for $99-ish, the B1 Four is a great option. I tried one and liked it a lot, and that convinced me to get the B2 Four (wanted the DI out and metal casing, among other improvements).
Good luck! And welcome to TB, the best way to make a slow day pass by faster!
Is it complicated due to learning what all of the effects and controls and everything else do? Im an audio engineer, drummer, and guitarist as well and I have a boss katana artist mk2 for all of my guitar needs. I've had prior experiences with setting up bass tones for friends on pedals such as these as well. With that being said do you think that would change your opinion on the situation? Thank you So much!
If you are only wanting to spend $250, then the B2 Four is a great choice for a first-time bass-only rig. Despite the criticisms in my review, the B2 Four is fairly uncomplicated, logical, and has a good selection of the kinds of effects and tones you'll want to learn about and mess with.
The other strong contender (IMHO) is the Headrush MX5 ($400). It has a few advantages over the B2 Four-- in terms of flexibility, and sound quality. However, I don't know if the selection of effects is as well-rounded for bass as the B2 Four is. I expect the user-experience with the Headrush would be much better.
If you have more headroom in your budget, The Boss GT-1000 Core ($650) is a really good option. It's 2.6 times more expensive, but built like a tank, has a dedicated bass mode, and the fun factor is well worth that extra price. I don't have one, but have an SY-1000 which shares some of the same DNA. It's a rig you'd grow-into.
The Mx5 does pique my interest, Time to start researching about it. Thank you!
After some fast research through the fx, I was really hoping for some more preamps. I love the sound of sans amps and dark glasses so I think I'm gonna go with the b2 four. Thank you for your help!
Sorry, haven’t been able to read through the whole thread yet, but does the B24 have a bypass or is it like most other multi effects where you can’t bypass, or if you can it still messes with the tone of the rest of the board?
The red footswitch on the bottom right is an all bypass. As to whether or not there is any tonal difference, I personally haven’t known any but I’ve had it less than two weeks.
Later tonight my wife and I have a 15 minute set at a local brewery for a music scholarship program. I’m pretty stoked, but more than stoked I get to use my b24 live and I’m happy about that. I have 6 patches written including some synthy stuff, but it’s mostly based around their bassman 100 modeling and it sounds killer.
I like seeing the Octave Deluxe there; I used my B24 at practice the other night, with a patch I made for a synthy bass. It had one of the octavers and though it worked, it sounded a little thin in my IEMs. But, what was interesting was that anything under the low A didn't fart out or lose tracking. On my stand alone octave pedal (vintage MXR octave Deluxe), I have to shut it off at A or lower or risk the bad tracking.
Looking forward to hearing about your set tonight.
I was playing around with putting some TS drive before a "cry" env filter. By adjusting the volume of the TS Drive, I was able to set the filter to respond as I wanted-- and I could make up for it by raising the output of the Cry. It was satisfying to find the sweet spot. What a cool tone.
The Patches switch nearly instantly-- which is impressive. Foot-switches 1,2,3 all execute their main function on the buttons' down-press (as opposed to on the button release). As others have mentioned, this means that press and hold functions-- NEW, REVERT, and TUNER-- will always execute that button's primary function (like selecting a patch or turning a module on/off) before executing the hold function. But Zoom did add a little process to undo that button press when exiting the press-hold function.
The Patches switch nearly instantly-- which is impressive. Foot-switches 1,2,3 all execute their main function on the buttons' down-press (as opposed to on the button release). As others have mentioned, this means that press and hold functions-- NEW, REVERT, and TUNER-- will always execute that button's primary function (like selecting a patch or turning a module on/off) before executing the hold function. But Zoom did add a little process to undo that button press when exiting the press-hold function.
