New: Zoom B3n Multi-Effects

[Daniel Piper]

I'm thinking that to maximise my 7 slots I am going to add a compressor first to my chain (Reverend P/MM -->Comp-->B3N-->RNDI)

For those in the know - would the compression algorithms in the TC Spectracomp offer anough of a step up from the B3N algorithms to warrant it's inclusion?

 

[Loring]

It' better to have lights for setting the compressor - b3n is difficult to dial in.

 

[TodaysTomSawyer]

i don’t get it. I have read most of this thread and most of what I have read is a hole lot of tech stuff, not much about most of the effects it has. Why buy something to make you think you sound like you are using a SVT. All this stuff I’m reading IMHO is a waste. I’ve heard guys that use all this crazy stuff to get that sound but in the long run they don’t sound like anything special unless they are using a effect that does change the sound of their bass like fuzz, enveloper synth those things. There was a whole page on the fact this thing doesn’t have xlr, I mean really would someone talk about what it does do, what does the z synth sound like the chorus sound like the phase sound like. I’m not hating I just want to know if it has good sounding effects, not stuff about looping and xlr ins or outs. Ok I’m done

I'd just really stress demoing one somehow to inform yourself instead

 

[FuzzFacetious]

I'd just really stress demoing one somehow to inform yourself instead

To be fair, I think the B3n and the Boss GT-1B both do an excellent job at replicating and producing all the modulation sounds like phasers, flangers, etc, as well as featuring really good delays and verbs, the dirt is really good too, the synths and pitch shifters are... Not as good as decent dedicated stomps or units, but way more than good enough for the average player, the compressors again are really good, the amp models are meaty, the cab models work well, so, yeah, they're really good at doing most things and the worst you can say is that there are a couple of things that are decent enough for most players but maybe not quite there for studio pros and arena giggers - but come on, these cost the same as about 40 coffees at Starbucks, they're not exactly a Helix. You get wayyyyy more than you pay for. The quality of these units is huge.

 

[ppiluk]

To be fair, I think the B3n and the Boss GT-1B both do an excellent job at replicating and producing all the modulation sounds like phasers, flangers, etc, as well as featuring really good delays and verbs, the dirt is really good too, the synths and pitch shifters are... Not as good as decent dedicated stomps or units, but way more than good enough for the average player, the compressors again are really good, the amp models are meaty, the cab models work well, so, yeah, they're really good at doing most things and the worst you can say is that there are a couple of things that are decent enough for most players but maybe not quite there for studio pros and arena giggers - but come on, these cost the same as about 40 coffees at Starbucks, they're not exactly a Helix. You get wayyyyy more than you pay for. The quality of these units is huge.

This is a great post. The fact is, a multi-pedal is likely not going to duplicate the sound of the real pedal or amp. The best you can hope for is good enough. I rate the Zoom B3n and the Boss GT-1B as anywhere from about 80-95% accurate it replicating the tone from the original pedals and amps. I have ever used a Helix or Kemper but I suspect they will likely do a better job than these two lower priced units but for the price of either the Zoom or the Boss, you are getting a powerful ad great sounding piece of hardware.

 

[Daniel Piper]

You could get a proper battery box installed.

This is a great post. The fact is, a multi-pedal is likely not going to duplicate the sound of the real pedal or amp. The best you can hope for is good enough. I rate the Zoom B3n and the Boss GT-1B as anywhere from about 80-95% accurate it replicating the tone from the original pedals and amps. I have ever used a Helix or Kemper but I suspect they will likely do a better job than these two lower priced units but for the price of either the Zoom or the Boss, you are getting a powerful ad great sounding piece of hardware.

Good post. Also - if you go over to the fractal/line 6/thegearpage/atomic forums, you will see that even on the top of the line modelling units, people will be happy with this particular amp model in the unit, but not other ones. Fractal people will say that the helix is only 80% of the way there etc.

 

[FuzzFacetious]

Good points - rarely am I so concerned with how similar it sounds to the real amp (I haven’t heard any of the real amps enough to know anyways) but with what a good tone I can get out of it for my own personal brand of sound and tone, and I get it in spades from the current affordable units, even from the older MS60 since the recent FW update! I can grind metal, I can sway gentle cleans, I can boom, I can swirl and I can wah wah and sound really good and no one who couldn’t see my rig could guess that I was using a little $199 red or grey box to get those sounds!

 

[The Rage]

For what is worth I can say the swr model is in the ballpark with my swr mo'bass.
Now I'm using more and more the guitar version, but I remember that with some tweaking the the B3n sounded really close to the real thing.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

I'm thinking that to maximise my 7 slots I am going to add a compressor first to my chain (Reverend P/MM -->Comp-->B3N-->RNDI)

For those in the know - would the compression algorithms in the TC Spectracomp offer anough of a step up from the B3N algorithms to warrant it's inclusion?

Compressors can do a lot of different things, depending on the situation and what sounds you are after. OVNI Labs has a large website devoted to compressor reviews and comparisons.

Being something of a compressor geek myself, I have found that other people’s advice isn’t much help when you are looking for the right fit.

That said, I would choose the MS-60B over a Spectracomp, and there are at least a half-dozen I would choose over the MS-60B. The white Dunlop is great if you want All The Knobs in a compact, affordable package. The Diamond is a terrific always-on tone improver, the Markbass is great if you want some tubeyness...

Regardless, a comp is a logical device to put before your B3n.

Another suggestion- given the shortage of slots and processing power in the B3N, your best bang for the buck is if you can eliminate a 2-slot effect. If putting a compressor in front doesn’t do the trick, the next step is probably an amp sim after. There are loads to choose from these days- Tech 21 VT, MS-60B, Noble, etc.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

...All this stuff I’m reading IMHO is a waste. ...There was a whole page on the fact this thing doesn’t have xlr, I mean really would someone talk about what it does do, what does the z synth sound like the chorus sound like the phase sound like.

At the other extreme, over on the Bass Fly Rig thread, you’ve got page after dreary page of people quibbling over whether the synth/filter package is amazing/good/so-so/not very good/the worst thing ever.

My .02:

• This thing has the best price-no-object UI in the business, until you start looking at large colour screens and/or touch displays a la iPad apps or Helix/Headrush.
• Zoom’s drive models are astonishingly good, even when compared back-to-back with the original pedals. Ditto for reverbs, delays and comps.
• The latest filters and synths are drastically improved over their past efforts, as good as some mass market stomp boxes, but not up to boutique standards. The biggest limiting factors are lack of variety and limited number of controls.
• The revamped octave effects are better as well, but still Zoom’s weakest link- especially octave up, which tends to sound out of tune.

But at the end of the day, personal experience is the only thing that will determine whether the B3n will float your boat.

That’s why most of the talk on this thread is from people who are on the fence about specific UI features, or have already made the purchase and need setup advice.

 

[jimfist]

This is just one person's opinion, but having owned and gigged the AxeFxII for years on bass, I can't say that the bass amp/cab modeling on it (stock, not including 3rd party IRs) was really any great shakes. Yes, you can get good/great tones out of it (depending on what you want to hear, and if you didn't mind spending LOTS of time tweaking), but the emulations of the few bass amps included (really, only the SVT, Orange AD200?, and Mesa 400) were lacking in character, and the few bass cabinet digital IRs were sort of "meh". As a guitar amp/cab/effects modeler, the AxeFxII is absolutely KILLER. No exaggeration.

Scary to say this, but I've been 10x more satisfied with the inexpensive little maroon boxes Zoom has produced (more the B3n than the B3), in terms of amp/cab simulation, compared to the AxeFxII. I know that I'm not the only bassist to have moved off of the AxeFxII in favor of "something else" due to the lack of attention bassists feel at the hands of Fractal Audio.

 

[jimfist]

I'd love to see the G5n's Gold Drive implemented into the B3n. It's my go-to mild overdrive when I use the G5n, and it's amazing how just a little bit of this pedal drive makes the bass punch and cut through a mix, especially for those plucky, palm-muted, pick-playing "rockabilly" tones.

As for the amp/cab modeling in the B3n, I can honestly say that - in terms of ease of use in producing tones that I prefer which are representative of bass amp tones I know well - the B3n is a far more satisfying piece of gear vs. the AxeFxII for creating the core bass tone. Not kidding. This is quite a statement, and I'm sure a lot of cork-sniffers out there will have no trouble poo-pooing the sentiment, but there it is. The AxeFxII, as incredible as it is for guitarists, is only OK for bassists who are looking to quickly dial up a bass amp and cab sim and feel like they've found a familiar bass amp/cab emulation. $200 vs $2000+. All other aspects, yes, the AxeFxII is world-class for effects, complex routing, and MIDI control functions, if you need that sort of advanced feature set.

 

[ppiluk]

I'd love to see the G5n's Gold Drive implemented into the B3n. It's my go-to mild overdrive when I use the G5n, and it's amazing how just a little bit of this pedal drive makes the bass punch and cut through a mix, especially for those plucky, palm-muted, pick-playing "rockabilly" tones.

As for the amp/cab modeling in the B3n, I can honestly say that - in terms of ease of use in producing tones that I prefer which are representative of bass amp tones I know well - the B3n is a far more satisfying piece of gear vs. the AxeFxII for creating the core bass tone. Not kidding. This is quite a statement, and I'm sure a lot of cork-sniffers out there will have no trouble poo-pooing the sentiment, but there it is. The AxeFxII, as incredible as it is for guitarists, is only OK for bassists who are looking to quickly dial up a bass amp and cab sim and feel like they've found a familiar bass amp/cab emulation. $200 vs $2000+. All other aspects, yes, the AxeFxII is world-class for effects, complex routing, and MIDI control functions, if you need that sort of advanced feature set.

It is quite a statement for sure. I would love to see what a company could do in the $1000+ with regards to a dedicated bass specific multi-pedal.

 

[jimfist]

It is quite a statement for sure. I would love to see what a company could do in the $1000+ with regards to a dedicated bass specific multi-pedal.

I think the deal with Fractal Audio is that the owner is really into guitar amp modeling and cab simulation, and just doesn't care that much about bass. His passion is guitar tube amps, and his bank account benefits from it, thus no real drive to go the bass-specific route. I agree, that Fractal Audio could light the bass world on fire with a bass dedicated unit in the $800-1200 range, with top notch modeling, IR loading, and highest of quality effects and routing options. They'll never go there...my guess.

 

[BrentSimons]

True! very true! and I really do like the addition of the aux in. I doubt I will be able to resist getting one. I really do enjoy my B3 for the most part. Although I rarely use effects, I do often find myself feeling the restraint of the 3 effects only thing?
Thanks Charlie! Happy New year.
Brent

Yup mine just came. I picked one up after the price reduction at Sweetwater. Yes it is that good. With the lack of an aux in my B3 is up for sale.
Oh talkbass you test my wallet you do you do.
Brent

 

[Daniel Piper]

Very interested in hearing your thoughts on the B3n- particularly how it compares to your other preamps.

Yup mine just came. I picked one up after the price reduction at Sweetwater. Yes it is that good. With the lack of an aux in my B3 is up for sale.
Oh talkbass you test my wallet you do you do.
Brent

 

[woody357]

At the other extreme, over on the Bass Fly Rig thread, you’ve got page after dreary page of people quibbling over whether the synth/filter package is amazing/good/so-so/not very good/the worst thing ever.

My .02:

• This thing has the best price-no-object UI in the business, until you start looking at large colour screens and/or touch displays a la iPad apps or Helix/Headrush.
• Zoom’s drive models are astonishingly good, even when compared back-to-back with the original pedals. Ditto for reverbs, delays and comps.
• The latest filters and synths are drastically improved over their past efforts, as good as some mass market stomp boxes, but not up to boutique standards. The biggest limiting factors are lack of variety and limited number of controls.
• The revamped octave effects are better as well, but still Zoom’s weakest link- especially octave up, which tends to sound out of tune.

But at the end of the day, personal experience is the only thing that will determine whether the B3n will float your boat.

That’s why most of the talk on this thread is from people who are on the fence about specific UI features, or have already made the purchase and need setup advice.

Thank you

 

[BrentSimons]

Very interested in hearing your thoughts on the B3n- particularly how it compares to your other preamps.

Hi Daniel,
Thank you. In the limited time that I've had it i can honestly say that many of the models just sound more "real" to my ears than some of my other preamps. I had a GK Plex which I had high hopes for as a "everything in one" unit but I think it fell short in a few areas. On the B3 I was able to get some really good sounds and still can but I kept comparing the amp and cab sims to my old Bass Pod XT which I thought sounded more realistic at least to my ears. Some of the pedal preamp sims in the B3 still sound good to me as do some of the amp sims but the cabs on the B3 really didn't do much for me. Now the amp and cab sims on the 3n just sound great! and I've barely scratched the surface! My main amp is a SWR 350x and the SWR sim with the Goliath cab sim sounds soooo close. With the addition of an aux in for practicing and the easier patch switching its really just the next step ya know? But some of the models just sound sooo goood!
The first hour I was just goofing around with it going through factory presets playing my Geddy Lee Jazz. After I started to get the hang of the new switching I selected an empty patch and added the Sansamp model. I quickly and easily found a good tone. Now the Sansamp on the B3 sounds great, very close. But the 3n just sounded a little better? Even through headphones. Next I added the Avalon U5 sim in front of the Sansamp and it added just the right amount of spice.
I played around with the Ampeg and SWR sims and thought well they sound pretty good but really not much better than the B3? Then realized I had read that the cab sim is a separate block I didn't have them turned on!...BOOM both amp sims came to life.
Now certainly you will have to try one out for yourself. I am not a professional by any stretch. I am also not really an effect nut. I like a little grit and maybe a little chorus or flange here or there ,love envelope filters but cant seem to find the right sonic space for them.I come from a complete prog/alternative rock background.
Is this the beat all end all bass multi-effect? Probably not but Zoom is heading in a good direction. At $175 I think its a great bargain and the sounds that you can get out of it are better than the price-tag would lead you to believe.
Hope this helps.
Brent

 

[Moe45673]

Oh man, you're all tempting me. Here's my situation:

I am a guitar player but have played bass in most bands (with a pick). I am not a real bass player, you guys are awesome, but I can play in the pocket and know how to utilize compression and EQ to sound like I have more right-hand skill than I actually do

Anyhow, I have ignored the effects world for years and only recently got back into it. I bought a Boss ME-80 for my guitar and I find it kills. I can consistently dial in awesome tones. Everyone at TGP going nuts over the Helix or Kemper, but I can get great tones from that and my Roland Cube 60 amp.

What saddens me is the lack of bass effects on the market. 10 years ago, for every compact or multifx guitar pedal, there was pretty much a bass version. Nowadays, bassists are left high and dry. The B3n is the best multifx unit (that's not ridiculously priced) out there for bassists, if you include ease of tweakability. The Boss GT-1b would be up there for me if you didn't have to go menu-diving.

I tried a B1On at the shop the other day. Got some amazing sounds but I really disliked the menu diving

I would love for a Boss ME-80b or a Zoom B5n. I'd buy either in a heartbeat

I'm waiting for winter NAMM, hoping someone announces something exciting for us low-enders. Tempted by the B3n, but let's see if my willpower holds out until then!

 

[jimfist]

I would love for a Boss ME-80b or a Zoom B5n. I'd buy either in a heartbeat

I'm waiting for winter NAMM, hoping someone announces something exciting for us low-enders. Tempted by the B3n, but let's see if my willpower holds out until then!

Yup. Preaching to the choir here. The G5n format is a winner, and if there were a B5n, I'd be gigging it exclusively for a long time.