If you import the patches into your Edit & Share software, you will see the settings he used for each patch.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
New Zoom B3 has arrived!!!!
- Thread starter Askia
- Start date
- Status
I apologize for any patch level issues, the synth patches are likely mega loud. That's the problem of working with the Zoom as a stand alone device without something else to compare the levels to. Last night I ran my hardware pedals > Zoom B3 > Roland GR-55 as amp sim and output to monitors. That way I could compare some of my hardware pedals to the Zoom into a common amp sim to check levels and tone.
I'm still in my honeymoon phase but my initial impression of the B3's possible sounds is overall positive. However, I'm fully utilizing all 3 FX slots just to create a single synth tone or gated fuzz tone without leaving any room for additional effects such as amp sim, modulation, delay, verb, etc.
I still haven't looked at the user manual but my initial impression of the B3's live use is poor. I haven't found a way to usably pick patches live. And I've found no quick way to master bypass live, though maybe you can do that with an additional CTRL pedal?
Some scenarios:
* Using Patch A1 and it has 3 live FX slots. I want to go to bypass. Apparently I have to manually bypass each of the 3 FX or press-and-hold for the tuner. Neither is an instantaneous bypass.
* Using Patch A1 and want to now go to Patch A2. As soon as you press-and-hold to access patch mode there's an insertion of silence where the box is switching modes before it even presents you with the patch selection mode.
Overall I prefer the Line6 M9 hardware interface. You get a better live experience with a dedicated tap tempo button, better way to select patches while still allowing bypass to the individual FX slots, etc.
Not pitting one product against another, though it's hard not to.
With multieffect boxes you have to compare the box to itself and work within the constraints of what it can offer as opposed to focusing on what it cannot do.
I'm still in my honeymoon phase but my initial impression of the B3's possible sounds is overall positive. However, I'm fully utilizing all 3 FX slots just to create a single synth tone or gated fuzz tone without leaving any room for additional effects such as amp sim, modulation, delay, verb, etc.
I still haven't looked at the user manual but my initial impression of the B3's live use is poor. I haven't found a way to usably pick patches live. And I've found no quick way to master bypass live, though maybe you can do that with an additional CTRL pedal?
Some scenarios:
* Using Patch A1 and it has 3 live FX slots. I want to go to bypass. Apparently I have to manually bypass each of the 3 FX or press-and-hold for the tuner. Neither is an instantaneous bypass.
* Using Patch A1 and want to now go to Patch A2. As soon as you press-and-hold to access patch mode there's an insertion of silence where the box is switching modes before it even presents you with the patch selection mode.
Overall I prefer the Line6 M9 hardware interface. You get a better live experience with a dedicated tap tempo button, better way to select patches while still allowing bypass to the individual FX slots, etc.
Not pitting one product against another, though it's hard not to.
With multieffect boxes you have to compare the box to itself and work within the constraints of what it can offer as opposed to focusing on what it cannot do.
Anyone compare the sansamp emulator to a real sansamp bddi? I've listened to the YouTube demo of it and it sounds pretty good, but I'd like to hear from anyone who can compare the two. I'm thinking of getting a bddi, but can get a b3 for the same price and get all the extra bells and whistles with it.
What do you guys think?
What do you guys think?
+1 me too. I need something flexible, cheap, and good enough sounding so that I don't need to bring my stupidly expensive pedalboard to cover band gigs. I have an M5 and may have to upgrade to an M9 if I'm not happy with the B3. Hopefully the pitch shifting/octave effects are not as bad as has been stated.
This is the very first thing I'm goin to test. I've been using a M Comp into a BDDI for a long while and want to compare it to Zoom's emulation of the two.
I think the octaver is fine for a digital octaver. It tracks everything except my open D (detuned E), tracks fast, no warbles. It even has a tone and a separate bass and mid control for a variety of sounds from bright to deep and dark. With that said don't expect it to sound like an OC-2, not that anything else does either.
The monopitch shifter is good IMO, at least for -12. Positive pitch shift on bass always sounds artificial with sampling artifacts or something. The normal pitch shifter sounds poor, as they usually do. I'm not a pitch shift fan except for shifting synths, but I'm not sure why you'd choose the pitchshift instead of the monopitch FX. Someone can educate me.
Again, it's a digital multieffect box. Always pros and cons. But at sub-$200 brand new it has a LOT to offer. Consider a simple tuner cost $50+ and then consider you're getting DI and all sorts of FX.
One odd thing I noticed is that the CTL jack requires a stereo connection for expression, but then only supports a single mono connection for a CTRL footswitch. It doesn't appear to support TWO external footswiches for dual function, such as master bypass and tap tempo.
The footswitch controls for patch selection, bypass, etc. is the most significant weakness I've identified thus far.
The monopitch shifter is good IMO, at least for -12. Positive pitch shift on bass always sounds artificial with sampling artifacts or something. The normal pitch shifter sounds poor, as they usually do. I'm not a pitch shift fan except for shifting synths, but I'm not sure why you'd choose the pitchshift instead of the monopitch FX. Someone can educate me.
Again, it's a digital multieffect box. Always pros and cons. But at sub-$200 brand new it has a LOT to offer. Consider a simple tuner cost $50+ and then consider you're getting DI and all sorts of FX.
One odd thing I noticed is that the CTL jack requires a stereo connection for expression, but then only supports a single mono connection for a CTRL footswitch. It doesn't appear to support TWO external footswiches for dual function, such as master bypass and tap tempo.
The footswitch controls for patch selection, bypass, etc. is the most significant weakness I've identified thus far.
Uploaded a contra / double bass patch, and an octaver patch so you can quickly test the various octaver type FX. Sorry, no sound clips today.
I agree with the octaver being pretty good. I went back and forth tuning the b3 to my oc-2. And doing a medium octave I thought it sounded great and does track very good.
I need to play with the octaver some more, first impressions weren't that good.
I'm liking the defret effect as well, first one of these I've tried that works for me.
I am using the "160COMP"
BTW; great sound clips you have there, like the funky stuff!
Thanks for the info and compliment!
I hope have time to make some clips of the B3, when it arrives (hopefully tomorrow!).
I'm not a compressor expert but the compressors sound decent. The 160 fattens nicely as it audibly adds some lows.
Someone else asked about the Sansamp which is the "Bass Driver" in the B3. I find most of the drive effects to be too fizzy and artificial in the high end, and most sound poor without a clean blend. The Bass Driver sounds decent but I don't have a real hardware Sansamp to compare directly against. But you get that scooped sound with drive applied to the higher registers. Sounds a little to heavy in the lows to my ears but you have a lot of EQ parameters to adjust. But it's one of the more usable drive FX in the box.
Someone else asked about the Sansamp which is the "Bass Driver" in the B3. I find most of the drive effects to be too fizzy and artificial in the high end, and most sound poor without a clean blend. The Bass Driver sounds decent but I don't have a real hardware Sansamp to compare directly against. But you get that scooped sound with drive applied to the higher registers. Sounds a little to heavy in the lows to my ears but you have a lot of EQ parameters to adjust. But it's one of the more usable drive FX in the box.
Mine arrived!
First thing I had to do was reverse the signal chain to go right-to-left like real pedals. That caused some initial confusion that sent me to the manual. The option is under 'global'. The options under 'total' also sent me to the manual. All the rest was EASY to figure out. Very intuitive interface.
First pedal setup tried was: M Comp->BassDrive.
Sounds pretty good, very convincing tone. Wasn't hearing the distortion character at high gain settings that I like so much from the real BDDI.
Next I tried: T Scream->SVT.
Sounds about what you can expect from a digital drive. Little fizzy, not so lively, but the tone is there and its useable.
BassMuff and GreatMuff sounded good. FuzzSmile felt a little lacking in tone.
OctDist combo effect sounds pretty good. Wasn't liking the stand alone Octave too much.
PitchDelay sounds like a EQD Rainbow Machine.
Couldn't find a chorus with adjustable predelay. The Detune effect almost gets me there.
Overall I'm really happy with the Zoom. I've stayed away from digital multieffect boxes for many years because of the complicated setups, crappy OD/Dist effects, and abundance of useless strange effects. This box has a lot of useful features in an easy to manage format. And at a pretty darn good price too.
First thing I had to do was reverse the signal chain to go right-to-left like real pedals. That caused some initial confusion that sent me to the manual. The option is under 'global'. The options under 'total' also sent me to the manual. All the rest was EASY to figure out. Very intuitive interface.
First pedal setup tried was: M Comp->BassDrive.
Sounds pretty good, very convincing tone. Wasn't hearing the distortion character at high gain settings that I like so much from the real BDDI.
Next I tried: T Scream->SVT.
Sounds about what you can expect from a digital drive. Little fizzy, not so lively, but the tone is there and its useable.
BassMuff and GreatMuff sounded good. FuzzSmile felt a little lacking in tone.
OctDist combo effect sounds pretty good. Wasn't liking the stand alone Octave too much.
PitchDelay sounds like a EQD Rainbow Machine.
Couldn't find a chorus with adjustable predelay. The Detune effect almost gets me there.
Overall I'm really happy with the Zoom. I've stayed away from digital multieffect boxes for many years because of the complicated setups, crappy OD/Dist effects, and abundance of useless strange effects. This box has a lot of useful features in an easy to manage format. And at a pretty darn good price too.
Got mine today. Spent about 6 hours on it. My favorite is the Bass Drive. For me I can get a very close tone to the real thing. Sound absolutely amazing through my ring (LM3/Epifani212). Besides that I like some of the reverbs, chorus and phaser effects. I don't care for any of the distortions too much. I will be keeping my Big Muff.
Overall I think Zoom will sale alot of these units on the simplicity alone. Thats the reason I never cared much for multi effects in the first place. I won't suger coat it, I like it alot!
Overall I think Zoom will sale alot of these units on the simplicity alone. Thats the reason I never cared much for multi effects in the first place. I won't suger coat it, I like it alot!
- Status
