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New: Zoom B3n Multi-Effects
- Thread starter CharlieC
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- b3n multi-effects zoom
Just wondering if anyone else here is aware of the work being done by @Tonelib in this thread -> Free editor for Zoom pedals: B1on, B1Xon, MS-60b
I downloaded the app and have been using it with my MS50G and it really works well for editing and creating patches. I'm not a power user of my Zoom multi's by any means (also have two B3ns). I generally just tweak a hand full of go-to patches that I gig with. I tend not to dive too deep though so I haven't done any exhaustive testing of ToneLib. Everything I've wanted to do it has handled nicely. Very intuitive and attractive interface.
The cool thing is it looks as though B3n/G3n support is also in the works. I have no affiliation with ToneLib just thought y'all might want to know.
I downloaded the app and have been using it with my MS50G and it really works well for editing and creating patches. I'm not a power user of my Zoom multi's by any means (also have two B3ns). I generally just tweak a hand full of go-to patches that I gig with. I tend not to dive too deep though so I haven't done any exhaustive testing of ToneLib. Everything I've wanted to do it has handled nicely. Very intuitive and attractive interface.
The cool thing is it looks as though B3n/G3n support is also in the works. I have no affiliation with ToneLib just thought y'all might want to know.
Hey I just picked up a new B3n yesterday, and am having some operator errors with it (Im stupid ok!)
Can you delete the any of the preloaded patches and or reorganize them to only have what you want? I will never use stuff like a distorted wah or distorted anything really, except for maybe a light tube overdrive!
So far I love te Sans Amp patch and the hard compressor tatches and would like to keep them but add some chorus to them, but I dont really want to have to go through 6 or 7 banks to select them. Would be nice to simplify it so I only had te few patches that I would use
Can you delete the any of the preloaded patches and or reorganize them to only have what you want? I will never use stuff like a distorted wah or distorted anything really, except for maybe a light tube overdrive!
So far I love te Sans Amp patch and the hard compressor tatches and would like to keep them but add some chorus to them, but I dont really want to have to go through 6 or 7 banks to select them. Would be nice to simplify it so I only had te few patches that I would use
You can delete anything on the patches or you can create completely new ones.
For my basic sound I've copied the SWR patch in a position near other ones I've created, then I changed the distortion and add other effects.
Ex: I've added chorus and a light drive on the Hard Comp patch, then entered the menu and saved it near my other patches
For my basic sound I've copied the SWR patch in a position near other ones I've created, then I changed the distortion and add other effects.
Ex: I've added chorus and a light drive on the Hard Comp patch, then entered the menu and saved it near my other patches
I am hating this Guitar Lab software!
Seems like I cant do anything useful with it!! At least with the old Edit and Share you could mod patches and swap things around n stuff! With this software I cant figure out anything, it wont even let me delete a patch I don't want! I right click on the patch and see the option to delete but it is greyed out AAGH!!!
Granted I have not read the manual, but am usually pretty good at figuring things out, but this thing has me stumped
Seems like I cant do anything useful with it!! At least with the old Edit and Share you could mod patches and swap things around n stuff! With this software I cant figure out anything, it wont even let me delete a patch I don't want! I right click on the patch and see the option to delete but it is greyed out AAGH!!!
Granted I have not read the manual, but am usually pretty good at figuring things out, but this thing has me stumped
Guitar Lab is as minimalist as a librarian gets, at least in it's current form.
A lot of us are anxious for Zoom to release the recently showcased editor.
In the meantime, deleting patches is easy: copy a blank patch, and paste it into the slot that you want to blank out.
Just pulled the trigger on a secondhand one of these - quite excited for it to turn up
I’m loving mine now that I figured out how to move patches n stuff
Has anyone used their B3n to connect to two combo amps?
Does both amps work in a mono patch, or do they both still get a signal?
Does a second amp add much to the enhancement of chorus and flange effects etc...?
Would using 2 identical amps (one to each channel of the b3n) give much more headroom due to extra volume and not having to set the volumes as high?
Does both amps work in a mono patch, or do they both still get a signal?
Does a second amp add much to the enhancement of chorus and flange effects etc...?
Would using 2 identical amps (one to each channel of the b3n) give much more headroom due to extra volume and not having to set the volumes as high?
Surely stereo is only going to be of any use if you're using stereo effects and feeding both channels to the front desk - if you run that on stage you're going to get some phasing issues I would have thought.
After reading up on the B3, B3n, B1on and MS-60B for an entire evening I'm still kind of confused.
The B3n doesn't have nearly as much effects as the B1on (with firmware 1.2) that is exactly 1/3rd of the price.
While the B1on doesn't have nearly as much effects as the MS-60B (with firmware version 2).
Which is only slightly more then half of the price of a B3n.
I guess the bigger form factor with more hands-on control and bigger screens is nice and that's why I almost mistakenly bought it assuming it would be the best of the three. And if they would have kept the DI functionality or still allowed us to use it as an audio interface it would have things to offer that the others don't, but now it just seems like the least useful yet the most expensive of the bunch.
Is there some major undocumented feature I'm missing?
It comes with it's own adapter, but then it doesn't run on batteries, so they kind of had to supply one. Not a big fan of this limitation, I like to jam in the backyard every now and then. I don't see why they would add this limitation, because the power-hungry effects are only in the MS-60B which does run on 2 AA's. I guess it's just to power the big screens?
It can also deal with 7 instead of 5 effects, but some effects take up 2 slots. I thought this was to allow for more power-hungry effects, but the fancy effects aren't in the B3n and yesterday I learned that even EQ's take up 2 slots. It's more of a screen-real-estate limitation then a processor power limitation it seems. So it seems like you could actually end up with shorter effects chains on the B3n.
I'm really not trying to bash Zoom, I like their products, I'll probably get the b1on and a MS-60B or MS-70CDR later down the line. I also like how they bring loads of effects to musicians on a budget, but I'm just genuinely confused even after researching these pedals for over 6 hours.
The B3n doesn't have nearly as much effects as the B1on (with firmware 1.2) that is exactly 1/3rd of the price.
While the B1on doesn't have nearly as much effects as the MS-60B (with firmware version 2).
Which is only slightly more then half of the price of a B3n.
I guess the bigger form factor with more hands-on control and bigger screens is nice and that's why I almost mistakenly bought it assuming it would be the best of the three. And if they would have kept the DI functionality or still allowed us to use it as an audio interface it would have things to offer that the others don't, but now it just seems like the least useful yet the most expensive of the bunch.
Is there some major undocumented feature I'm missing?
It comes with it's own adapter, but then it doesn't run on batteries, so they kind of had to supply one. Not a big fan of this limitation, I like to jam in the backyard every now and then. I don't see why they would add this limitation, because the power-hungry effects are only in the MS-60B which does run on 2 AA's. I guess it's just to power the big screens?
It can also deal with 7 instead of 5 effects, but some effects take up 2 slots. I thought this was to allow for more power-hungry effects, but the fancy effects aren't in the B3n and yesterday I learned that even EQ's take up 2 slots. It's more of a screen-real-estate limitation then a processor power limitation it seems. So it seems like you could actually end up with shorter effects chains on the B3n.
I'm really not trying to bash Zoom, I like their products, I'll probably get the b1on and a MS-60B or MS-70CDR later down the line. I also like how they bring loads of effects to musicians on a budget, but I'm just genuinely confused even after researching these pedals for over 6 hours.
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You are asking some excellent questions. I will do my best to address them. This will get long but it will hopefully be worth the read.
You are correct in stating that the number of effects in the B3n are lower than other Zoon products. The B3n makes up for this lower number of effects by including some really good modern effects such as excellent versions of Darkglass products. The B3n, IMHO, is the best sounding and easiest Zoom product for bass. I currently have the B1on and when you A/B them there is simply no comparison. Saying all that, according to Zoom, the B3n will get updates which will be adding additional effects and amp sims. Unfortunately, we have only had a couple of these updates. Oh, I forgot to mention that the Zoom B3n uses Impulse Responses for its cabinet simulations. This method of simulating cabinets is widely considered the most realistic method of generating cabinet sounds. The B3n has no shortage of effects and you should be able to find a pedal for whatever sound you have in mind.
The form factor shouldn't be used as an indication of which of the Zoom bass pedals is best. The B3n is the newest and to most people, the best bass pedal Zoom has ever made. I count myself in this crowd. As for the missing DI in the Zoom B3n, that is a matter of personal taste. There are plenty of people who see this as a downgrade and many who never used it to begin with. Zoom ultimately decided, rightly or wrongly, to not include it. Personally, I would have prefered it included but you can purchase a relatively cheap one that would have more features than the built-in one. I use a Tech 21 Sans Amp bypassing the built-in tone controls and it works like a charm. Plus it gives me the added benefit of having a solid backup in case something were ever to happen to my Zoom B3n. As a side note, many of the venues I have played had a spare DI or two kicking around and many even have them directly wired into the stage. I realize this isn't an option for the home player that likes to record using the DI interface but for those cases, the included USB port works well. Based on your thoughts to purchase the B1on or MS series pedals, the DI might not be a killer feature for you either.
Not allowing the B3n to be battery power is the biggest design flaw of the B3n and if this is a must-have feature, then the B3n might not be for you but if you can find a work around for this, the B3n is the pedal to get. The B1on and the MS series of pedals simple do not sound as good as the B3n. As for the power feature, I suspect if you are wanting to play in the backyard, you are likely needing power for your amp already so you will likely be able to find an extra power outlet or run everything into a powerbar.
Yes, its true, you can run up to 7 effects in a chain, however, some effects take up two slots. Until you start to play with the B3n this might seem silly but once you see the logic it makes much more sense. Realistically, you are more likely to build patches with a maximum of 5 effects if you include an amp sim and an EQ. This is still more than enough for most of the patches you would need to create.
Personally, patch creation on the B3n is head and shoulders above all the previous bass pedals Zoom as released. It is currently done from the interface on the unit but patch creation will be available via software shortly. The B1on and MS-60B can be downright frustrating to modify a patch and creating one will take substantially longer than the B3n. This patch creation issue is one of the reasons I shelved my B1on and sold the single Zoom pedals I have owned in the past.
One of the ways the MS-60B excels is as a single use effect pedal. I have seen some cool bass pedal boards with multiple MS-60B pedals each being used to simulate a single pedal. You wouldn't want to do this with a B3n or even a B1on.
Here is how I see the current range of Zoom bass pedals. The B1on is a starter pedal that offers features and effects over the quality of sound and build. The MS-60B offers better quality effects but sacrifices feature in order to keep the price down. It has professional uses and offers good value for the money. The B3n has the best quality effects, sounds and interface but has fewer effects than the other Zoom offerings. The built quality is superior to the B1on but on par with the MS-60B. The B3n can be and is used by professional musicians as their pedal board and amp simulator.
I would urge you not to make the mistake of assuming that the more effects are better. That's not the case. The effects builtin to the B3n are better than the other pedals. I would suggest that the B3n is the best pedal to purchase. The ease of patch creation alone would be worth the money, especially for someone just learning to use effects. Plus the built-in drum sounds are helpful to ensure you are keeping good time. These drum sounds are also available on the B1on as well.
I have avoided mentioning the B3 because I do not have enough experience with it to make a fair comparison. I have heard the B3 and think if you are looking for a good bass pedal to start with if and you don't want to invest in the B3n right away, a used one of these would likely suit you better than the B1on or the MS-60B and have a similar cost to new versions of these pedals.
My personal opinion is the B3n is currently the best bass specific multi-pedal currently on the market and if funds allow it, this is my recommendation for you. I have tried the BOSS GT-1B and thought it was a good pedal but just not as good as the B3n. I think the B1on or the MS-60B could be as frustrating an experience for you as it was for me. The B3n will allow you to spend less time fiddling around with the unit and more time playing.
Thank you for reading my long diatribe about the Zoom bass pedal offerings!
A quick note - the usb port does not provide power to the unit - it must still be plugged in and you cannot use it as a digital interface. It is for firmware updates and patch/effect copying only.
I will also add - most DI (direct interface not Digital IO) included in effects are proper crap. I just use the one installed on my amp (some of these are also proper crap but the Genzler one is one of the best IMO).
You won't get better sound quality without spending $$$ for a Helix or similar. The boss is equal quality but you need to buy an additional foot pedal to really make it work on stage so $$.
Thank you for the correction...the USB port is only for firmware and patch copying.
I used to have a B3 which was good - not sure why I sold it TBH
Getting to B3n rather than another B3 because they are supposed to have better quality sounds.
Personally I would rather have one good quality amp sim than 99 crap ones - even on this the B3n wins over a sansamp or something as it costs less.
A DI would be good - but a top quality Orchard electronics Di costs what? £40 and will outlive your current pedal board, and your next few....
Getting to B3n rather than another B3 because they are supposed to have better quality sounds.
Personally I would rather have one good quality amp sim than 99 crap ones - even on this the B3n wins over a sansamp or something as it costs less.
A DI would be good - but a top quality Orchard electronics Di costs what? £40 and will outlive your current pedal board, and your next few....
I'm not too concerned about the whole DI thing! If I need to DI I have both a Markbass LM 3 and a Traynor SB112 with good DI's plus I never play anything where I need IEM so I have to use an amp reguardless
No, thank you for your extensive reply! I really appreciate it.
I only brought up the DI because I thought that was one of the features that really set it apart. Personally I don't need it that much either. A seperate DI would make more sense. However the Audio Interface feature was very interesting to me as it would easily save me 70 bucks and save some desk space.
For backyard (solo) jamming I would just use headphones instead of an amp, so the lack of battery power is still a small downside, but if it does indeed sound so much better it's a very understandable trade-off.
I heard somebody say that they all sound the same, or that they all at least use the same algorithms, and in that case it seemed so strange they would leave out so many effects, but I now it all makes a lot more sense.
I'm still going with the B1on because I want to experiment with a lot of the effects that aren't on the B3n and I see no use for amp simulations in hardware form, at gigs I use amps, in the studio I use vst's, but then my needs might just be a bit different from most people's.
