New: Zoom B3n Multi-Effects

[Stu_Bass]

In case anyone was waiting, Zoom's September 2017 Guitar Lab update was released and it did not include anything new for the B3n. One can perhaps assume that B3n owners are on a quarterly update plan as opposed to the near-monthly update plan for the Gn series?

To add insult to injury, Zoom NA is currently running a $25-off promotion for the G3n, bringing its street price down from $149 to $125. The red-painted B3n built on the exact same hardware sits firmly at $199.

Rather than accuse Zoom of bassist discrimination and price gouging, I will overlook all of this should they ever decide to open their model library so that B3n users can use Gn series models and vice-versa. In this way, we all can partake in new Guitar Lab updates if/when they occur and never again will Zoom need to defend their stance on not offering a bass product with a built-in expression pedal.

3 form factors, one platform, "We are for all creators!" </rant>

Cheers!

Charlie leading the charge!
I still say they should release a Z5n with a basic set of guitar, bass and utilitarian effects plus a voucher for an additional set of effects to tailor it to the end users needs. After that they could offer updates as they have been AND sell bundles and/or a la carte effects for those that have very specific needs or that want the full monty.

 

[jwilson67]

In case anyone was waiting, Zoom's September 2017 Guitar Lab update was released and it did not include anything new for the B3n. One can perhaps assume that B3n owners are on a quarterly update plan as opposed to the near-monthly update plan for the Gn series?

To add insult to injury, Zoom NA is currently running a $25-off promotion for the G3n, bringing its street price down from $149 to $125. The red-painted B3n built on the exact same hardware sits firmly at $199.

Rather than accuse Zoom of bassist discrimination and price gouging, I will overlook all of this should they ever decide to open their model library so that B3n users can use Gn series models and vice-versa. In this way, we all can partake in new Guitar Lab updates if/when they occur and never again will Zoom need to defend their stance on not offering a bass product with a built-in expression pedal.

3 form factors, one platform, "We are for all creators!" </rant>

Cheers!

It's just supply and demand. No company is ever going sell as many units of "bass anything" so therefore the prices will remain constantly higher to make profits. It's the same with strings - Guitar strings are sold by the truckload so therefore the prices are simply dirt cheap.

 

[GBass001]

So, I've finally had time to use the B3n and love the sounds.
Noob Q: how in the world does one update the firmware?

I've installed the guitar lab software and can see it when I plug in the usb to the pc. I can see all the patches and effects.
But when I press FS1 & FS2 (as the manual says on p.45) while turning on the power, the screen says Firmware Update. But now the guitar lab software is blank with no options available. No effects or patches are showing now. ??
What is the next step? Manual says "Launch the version update app on your computer," but when I do it in this order the guitar lab software shows as blank.
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[The Rage]

There's not a firmware update for B3n yet.
Start guitar lab, connect your B3n and turn it on. Then load to device new effects and patches

 

[GBass001]

There's not a firmware update for B3n yet.
Start guitar lab, connect your B3n and turn it on. Then load to device new effects and patches

Thanks. I had the version of GL confused with what's available for the B3n. Thanks again.

 

[The Rage]

No problem. Have fun

 

[Wilmar Boer]

Last Saturday I went to Music Store in Köln (Germany) and tested a lot of gear. Both dedicated bass amps and the Zoom plus full range speaker solution. Budget max €500,-. And with a slight preference for a full range monitor solution because I'm a keyboard player too.

My findings (and most have to do with personal preference and taste):

• No dedicated Bass amp within the budget sounds better than the Zoom B3n plus a good monitor. Fender Rumble was the closest competitor to my taste. Especially in the mid frequencies a bass amp sounds duller. A 15 inch PA speaker goes as deep as a bass amp but with much nicer and more balanced mids (and high's).
• If you want a compact solution than modeling is not the way to go. A small 12 inch Fender Rumble amp sounds better than a small 12 inch PA speaker. Maybe 10, and 12 inch speakers are voiced to be used with a sub. The speaker I bought says in de marketing blah that it's designed to be used without sub. I tried several speakers from 10 to 15 inch. You really need a 15 inch full range speaker as a bass-amp alternative (again, to my taste).
• The dedicated bass-amps I liked most was a Ashdown ABM and a Markbass CMD 121. Both around €800,- and out of my price range.
• On quite big disadvantage of going the modeling route is dynamics. All bass amps (and especially the expensive ones) seemed to react more aggressive to finger plucking and slapping. On the other hand, the dynamics seems more even and more in control with the full range speaker.
• Replacing the Zoom with a dedicated bass-preamp/DI like the Ampeg SCR or Tech 21 sans amp instantly gave me back the dynamics. Actually that was the best sounding solution within my budget. But I didn't want to give up the versatility of the Zoom.

Conclusion.

• I bought a Zoom B3n with a Fame Emperor 15 DSP speaker: Invalid Link Removed. Total bill was €515,-. Best sound for that budget.
• I hope to add a bass-DI in the future and put the Zoom in the effects loop of that.
• Once at home the 15 inch speaker sounds amazing with Fender Rhodes patches and synth bass patches on my Kurzweil PC3 keyboard

I will add pictures of my setup later but have to go now.

 

[Heisenbass]

Last Saturday I went to Music Store in Köln (Germany) and tested a lot of gear. Both dedicated bass amps and the Zoom plus full range speaker solution. Budget max €500,-. And with a slight preference for a full range monitor solution because I'm a keyboard player too.

My findings (and most have to do with personal preference and taste):

• No dedicated Bass amp within the budget sounds better than the Zoom B3n plus a good monitor. Fender Rumble was the closest competitor to my taste. Especially in the mid frequencies a bass amp sounds duller. A 15 inch PA speaker goes as deep as a bass amp but with much nicer and more balanced mids (and high's).
• If you want a compact solution than modeling is not the way to go. A small 12 inch Fender Rumble amp sounds better than a small 12 inch PA speaker. Maybe 10, and 12 inch speakers are voiced to be used with a sub. The speaker I bought says in de marketing blah that it's designed to be used without sub. I tried several speakers from 10 to 15 inch. You really need a 15 inch full range speaker as a bass-amp alternative (again, to my taste).
• The dedicated bass-amps I liked most was a Ashdown ABM and a Markbass CMD 121. Both around €800,- and out of my price range.
• On quite big disadvantage of going the modeling route is dynamics. All bass amps (and especially the expensive ones) seemed to react more aggressive to finger plucking and slapping. On the other hand, the dynamics seems more even and more in control with the full range speaker.
• Replacing the Zoom with a dedicated bass-preamp/DI like the Ampeg SCR or Tech 21 sans amp instantly gave me back the dynamics. Actually that was the best sounding solution within my budget. But I didn't want to give up the versatility of the Zoom.

Conclusion.

• I bought a Zoom B3n with a Fame Emperor 15 DSP speaker: Invalid Link Removed. Total bill was €515,-. Best sound for that budget.
• I hope to add a bass-DI in the future and put the Zoom in the effects loop of that.
• Once at home the 15 inch speaker sounds amazing with Fender Rhodes patches and synth bass patches on my Kurzweil PC3 keyboard

I will add pictures of my setup later but have to go now.

Hi Wilmar, congrats for your score. I made the same decision as you about one and a half year ago buying an active EV ZLX15P (in fact I bought a pair) w/ 250 watts each for my B3. I've also made the transition to the B3n in the meantime but haven't done much with it apart from setting up a patch with basic compressor/EQ/SVT emulation to my liking. A few weeks ago I auditioned for a new band with a combo of iRig HD 2 / AmpliTube and the ZLX. The guitarists (Marshall guys) looked pretty sceptic initially, but, although I consider the IRig inferior to the B3n, it virtually blew them away. Got the job BTW, so I'm a happy camper.

Some drawbacks I've encountered on the way: active speakers like yours and mine have the knobs on the back, which makes fiddling with the volume onstage lots more complicated. I am considering maxing the master on the wedge (with a reasonable preamp volume) and setting the volume on the B3n exclusively, but then you'll run into problem #2: active speakers are not made for being overdriven, and clip protection will set in harshly, once you push the volume too much. So 250 watts on an active speaker might not take you as far as a conventional amp. I've been on band hiatus for more than one year now and haven't had a chance to experiment much, so I'm still pretty much in the testing phase. Guess you will find something that works for you.

BTW, It should be a 250km drive from Amersfoort to Cologne, so you should add the gas for the round trip to your bill. Just saying...

 

[Wilmar Boer]

BTW, It should be a 250km drive from Amersfoort to Cologne, so you should add the gas for the round trip to your bill. Just saying...

HAHA! The gas bill is for a nice day out in Germany and having a chance to give my car a plus 200 km/h drive (though not very much of chance on that in this paricular route). Germans are nice people, always fun to be there.

 

[Wilmar Boer]

Some drawbacks I've encountered on the way: active speakers like yours and mine have the knobs on the back, which makes fiddling with the volume onstage lots more complicated. I am considering maxing the master on the wedge (with a reasonable preamp volume) and setting the volume on the B3n exclusively, but then you'll run into problem #2: active speakers are not made for being overdriven, and clip protection will set in harshly, once you push the volume too much. So 250 watts on an active speaker might not take you as far as a conventional amp. I've been on band hiatus for more than one year now and haven't had a chance to experiment much, so I'm still pretty much in the testing phase. Guess you will find something that works for you.

Knobs on the back is indeed a drawback. Fame claims that this speaker is 1800 watts. I do'nt beleave that, and of course its peak watts and not RMS. I found that the basic noise does'nt get louder when you turn digital controlled master volume knob on the speaker. So i guess the amp is a class D amp and always on at full power. The master knob is actually a dimming function. I set the Zoom volume at 75% and than turn up the mastervolume on the amp to what is needed. Then I still have 25% left on the Zoom to make ajustments and don't have to reach behind the speaker. The ZLX has exactly the same DSP as the Fame.

 

[Wilmar Boer]

Hi Wilmar, congrats for your score. I made the same decision as you about one and a half year ago buying an active EV ZLX15P (in fact I bought a pair) w/ 250 watts each for my B3. I've also made the transition to the B3n in the meantime but haven't done much with it apart from setting up a patch with basic compressor/EQ/SVT emulation to my liking. A few weeks ago I auditioned for a new band with a combo of iRig HD 2 / AmpliTube and the ZLX. The guitarists (Marshall guys) looked pretty sceptic initially, but, although I consider the IRig inferior to the B3n, it virtually blew them away. Got the job BTW, so I'm a happy camper.

Adding a Zoom U44 interface with mic clamp is on my shortlist. That I will use to play guitar with Amplitube on iOS and add (bass) synths on iOS. I'm also use Mainstage a lot. Adding a Zoom U44 gives me a change to use that live without have to get my audio interface out my home studiodesk.

 

[Wilmar Boer]

My setup now ...

Zoom B3n IMG_1641

• Wilmar Boer
• Sep 12, 2017
• zoom b3n

Zoom B3n IMG_1642

• Wilmar Boer
• Sep 12, 2017
• zoom b3n

Zoom B3n IMG_1643

• Wilmar Boer
• Sep 12, 2017
• zoom b3n

 

[steve_rolfeca]

My setup now ...

Zoom B3n IMG_1643

• Wilmar Boer
• Sep 12, 2017
• zoom b3n

That's an awesome use of modern technology!

Lots of tones available, very few wires...

I feel the same way about my current IEM rig. Venue-provided DI and Sennheiser G3 IEM transmitter/receiver setup. 1 wall wart for my G5n, two guitar cables, a pair of Shure 425SE earbuds, and two guitar cables.

No clip-on tuners, pedalboard power supplies, daisy chain cables, etc...

It doesn't get any simpler than this.

 

[Heisenbass]

HAHA! The gas bill is for a nice day out in Germany and having a chance to give my car a plus 200 km/h drive (though not very much of chance on that in this paricular route). Germans are nice people, always fun to be there.

Same goes the other way round. I remember a splendid Koninginnedag in 2012 that I spent in Utrecht...

 

[David Sutkin]

My setup now ...

Zoom B3n IMG_1641

• Wilmar Boer
• Sep 12, 2017
• zoom b3n

Zoom B3n IMG_1642

• Wilmar Boer
• Sep 12, 2017
• zoom b3n

Zoom B3n IMG_1643

• Wilmar Boer
• Sep 12, 2017
• zoom b3n

Man, you make it look so easy Here's my madness:

B3n is there, just hidden in front of the chair.

 

[OldFunBass]

Man, you make it look so easy Here's my madness:

B3n is there, just hidden in front of the chair.
View attachment 2751907

Madness is right, but a great assortment of gear none the less.

 

[BAG]

For those looking at a budget powered speaker, the current Yamaha DBR series are unbelievable for the price. The 15's are nearly double the volume of the current JBL Eon15's and their sound is very nice with an excellent bottom end.

 

[Stu_Bass]

Hi Wilmar, congrats for your score. I made the same decision as you about one and a half year ago buying an active EV ZLX15P (in fact I bought a pair) w/ 250 watts each for my B3. I've also made the transition to the B3n in the meantime but haven't done much with it apart from setting up a patch with basic compressor/EQ/SVT emulation to my liking. A few weeks ago I auditioned for a new band with a combo of iRig HD 2 / AmpliTube and the ZLX. The guitarists (Marshall guys) looked pretty sceptic initially, but, although I consider the IRig inferior to the B3n, it virtually blew them away. Got the job BTW, so I'm a happy camper.

Some drawbacks I've encountered on the way: active speakers like yours and mine have the knobs on the back, which makes fiddling with the volume onstage lots more complicated. I am considering maxing the master on the wedge (with a reasonable preamp volume) and setting the volume on the B3n exclusively, but then you'll run into problem #2: active speakers are not made for being overdriven, and clip protection will set in harshly, once you push the volume too much. So 250 watts on an active speaker might not take you as far as a conventional amp. I've been on band hiatus for more than one year now and haven't had a chance to experiment much, so I'm still pretty much in the testing phase. Guess you will find something that works for you.

BTW, It should be a 250km drive from Amersfoort to Cologne, so you should add the gas for the round trip to your bill. Just saying...

These in-line volume controls are available in 1/4,", xlr, rca and 3.5mm. I tape one to the top of my active monitor so I can easily make volume level adjustments.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[steve_rolfeca]

These in-line volume controls are available in 1/4,", xlr, rca and 3.5mm. I tape one to the top of my active monitor so I can easily make volume level adjustments.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

$40 for a volume control, plus shipping, plus another patchcord.

All so you can velcro something to a monitor in order to adjust your volume on the fly?

Personally, I'd much rather have volume control at my feet, and have it built into the B3n.

This is why we need Zoom to release a B5n, or an unlocked, universal modeller (UU5n?) that could load both the bass and guitar patches.

Even better?

Retroactively unlock all the metal-bodied n-series modellers, so people could leverage their existing investments in the G3n/G3Xn/G5n/B3n...

 

[Wilmar Boer]

$40 for a volume control, plus shipping, plus another patchcord.

All so you can velcro something to a monitor in order to adjust your volume on the fly?

Personally, I'd much rather have volume control at my feet, and have it built into the B3n.

This is why we need Zoom to release a B5n, or an unlocked, universal modeller (UU5n?) that could load both the bass and guitar patches.

Even better?

Retroactively unlock all the metal-bodied n-series modellers, so people could leverage their existing investments in the G3n/G3Xn/G5n/B3n...

Totally agree! If Zoom Guitar Lab would stop seeing a difference in products so that I can load both guitar and Bass patches in my unit, that would be wonderfull. Actually every other modeler (Line6, Kemper etc..) does that.