New: Zoom B3n Multi-Effects

[David Sutkin]

That depends on where you play, how many simultaneous effects you need, etc.

If you roll your own PA, or there's a shortage of DI boxes where you play, then the XLR out would be a plus for the B3. Ditto if you play solo bass or do a lot ambient stuff, and want to combine tons of effects. It would also be a good arrangement if you have external pedals that you would like to put in between some of the Zoom patches- kind of like having an effects loop in your B3n...

I have experimented with a B3, still own an MS-60B for now, and just acquired a G5n. For my particular circumstances, I much prefer the new features and control layout over the old.

If it made sense to me to pair two Zoom pedals for bass, it wouldn't be a B3 and a B3n. A B3n + MS-70CDR could be interesting, but two B3n's, or a B3n and a G5n would be more likely. These things are cheap and selling like hotcakes, so it's not hard to find even the latest models at a good price.

That's good advice, thanks... all I needed to hear since I do play around with ambient solo bass at home.

I have 2) Eventide H9 Max Pedals and a Zoom B3n and an ME-50B chained together...

I should'nt have used the word "overkill" as much as redundant.

Hell, I'll just buy the B3 as I hear great things about it....

Thanks for the input

 

[lemueldave]

The A/O is its own animal. The Aftershock does have a good Darkglass preset to get started with. I found it more useful and organic than the Zoom DG model

Yes, it seems so. I'm having difficulty dialling in the Goliath tone in the Zoom using the DG model along with an Ampeg sim. Still too trebly. But I can't afford an AO, that's why I'm thinking of combining the Aftershock with my B3n.

 

[CharlieC]

^^^

Not to de-rail, but I am extremely impressed with the Aftershock pedal and what Source Audio has accomplished. Fantastic!

 

[The Rage]

I'm having difficulty dialling in the Goliath tone in the Zoom using the DG model along with an Ampeg sim. Still too trebly.

Different problem here. I like my swr head/cab plus darkglass sim, but I found it has a prominent low mid bump, and not trebly at all (at least for my liking), though setting the balance on the goliath at half, seems to help...

 

[jwilson67]

Since this is such a long thread now I can't sift through everything but I have one question -
Are the distortions noticeably richer than the B3?

 

[Jantelagen]

Yes, it seems so. I'm having difficulty dialling in the Goliath tone in the Zoom using the DG model along with an Ampeg sim. Still too trebly. But I can't afford an AO, that's why I'm thinking of combining the Aftershock with my B3n.

I'll keep my .02 short on this thread. But, before I sold my Aftershock as collateral for the A/O, I was using the b3n with the b7k ultra as a clean boost pre (always on) along with the Aftershock for all my OD, fuzz, distortions. The b7k ultra is obviously excellent and I still use it's eq, but I liked the Aftershock's variety and tweakability of distorted tones. Which is what lead to my GAS problem when I saw the A/O has more distortion options than the B7k as well. For what you're asking, It wouldn't hurt to try out the AS, and it paired really well with the b3n imo

 

[jimfist]

Since this is such a long thread now I can't sift through everything but I have one question -
Are the distortions noticeably richer than the B3?

IMO, there is a pretty stark difference and improvement in the drives in the B3n vs B3. With the B3, I struggled across the board to get any of the drives to sound and sit in the mix the way I prefer. It is almost the opposite case with the B3n, where I find myself easily being able to craft an OD, distortion, or fuzz to my liking without too much stress or fussing. The variety is discernible, too - not nearly as homogenized across the variety of drives like I found with the older B3. I think the drives generally sound really good.

 

[Danielz]

I had the same experience as @jimfist . I found a wealth of usable drives on the B3n but never really touched them on the B3. In AB testing with my Porkloin overdrive, I found the B3n to give me a ton of control and produced tones that were every bit as satisfying to my ears. Digging deep into the parameters makes a huge difference. Even my clean sound with light overdrive tends to have a least 4 effects in the chain.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

I'm noticing the same contrast between the G5n and MS-60B.

There are a number of touch-sensitive, guitar-oriented drives and amps on my G5n (upgraded to the v2.0 firmware) that sound remarkably like a good Darkglass setup when used for bass.

The v1.0 firmware in the MS-60B didn't even come close. I will be curious to see how it stacks up, now that mine has all the new drive models in the v2.0 upgrade.

It's a shame that Zoom found it necessary to shut down the upgrade path for the B3, but at least the B3n gives the platform a new lease on life for bassists.

I'm still hoping for an enhanced expression pedal-equpped option for bassists. B5Xn, anyone?

 

[FuzzFacetious]

I haven't had much time to play with the 2.0 update, but in the short time that I did use it, I found that some of the drive tones were better than the B3n's! At least to my ears, from what little knowledge I have in regards to dialing in a good bass tone...

 

[Stu_Bass]

The thread has gotten too big to search through so I am gonna ask. Has anyone powered both a B3n and a Line 6 G70 receiver off of the same power supply without hum or whine?

 

[FuzzFacetious]

The thread has gotten too big to search through so I am gonna ask. Has anyone powered both a B3n and a Line 6 G70 receiver off of the same power supply without hum or whine?

I'm guessing it won't work but I haven't tried that.

 

[dave_bass5]

The thread has gotten too big to search through so I am gonna ask. Has anyone powered both a B3n and a Line 6 G70 receiver off of the same power supply without hum or whine?

Not a G70 but a G30. Both running off a 1 spot PSU. I got a high pitched whine. Nothing else running off it. Normally it’s fine with my gear but the B3n just didn’t like sharing the un isolated PSU.

 

[Stu_Bass]

Gigrig Timelord = problem solved!

 

[munkeyfish]

I have a request, I've seen a few already, but could you folks that have made a pedal board using the B3N post a pic or 2?

I'm going to make a 2nd board focusing on the B3N or I might redo my current. And just wanted to see how others are doing it.

Thanks.

 

[Johno Dunn]

I have a request, I've seen a few already, but could you folks that have made a pedal board using the B3N post a pic or 2?

I'm going to make a 2nd board focusing on the B3N or I might redo my current. And just wanted to see how others are doing it.

Thanks.

 

[OldFunBass]

I have a request, I've seen a few already, but could you folks that have made a pedal board using the B3N post a pic or 2?

I'm going to make a 2nd board focusing on the B3N or I might redo my current. And just wanted to see how others are doing it.

Thanks.

Here is mine. Bass input to tuner pedal, output of that to line selector. Two loops from that, one is B3N only, other is the rest of the pedals. Output of Line Selector goes to amp. Line Selector allows me to run B3N alone, pedal chain alone, or pedal chain and B3N in series (either order first to last). I find this setup allows me to do whatever I want without moving a connector.

 

[Das Jugghead]

I have a request, I've seen a few already, but could you folks that have made a pedal board using the B3N post a pic or 2?

I'm going to make a 2nd board focusing on the B3N or I might redo my current. And just wanted to see how others are doing it.

Thanks.

Fits on a shelf in my 6U SKB and while it does not look like it the front and back lids fit just fine.

 

[munkeyfish]

Here is mine. Bass input to tuner pedal, output of that to line selector. Two loops from that, one is B3N only, other is the rest of the pedals. Output of Line Selector goes to amp. Line Selector allows me to run B3N alone, pedal chain alone, or pedal chain and B3N in series (either order first to last). I find this setup allows me to do whatever I want without moving a connector.
View attachment 1272507

How does the B3N react to your other pedals?

Nice set up btw. I forgot about line selctors...

 

[Jazz Ad]

Line Selector allows me to run B3N alone, pedal chain alone, or pedal chain and B3N in series (either order first to last). I find this setup allows me to do whatever I want without moving a connector.

Unless you have a special trick or modified it, in which case I'd love to know what kind of mod was done, the LS-2 doesn't do what you think it does. Loops are always parallel so it's either pedals, B3n or both in parallel. There is no series mode in this unit.