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New: Zoom B3n Multi-Effects
- Thread starter CharlieC
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- b3n multi-effects zoom
uh huh. wow. thanks for trying to be helpful?
anybody else? my understanding is that this thread is about the zoom B3n which does NOT have an XLR out. also, apparently Fender has gone and left off the XLR input on my amp.
I use a DI box with my B3n.
Bass -> Audio-Technica wireless pack -> Audio-Technica wireless receiver -> Zoom B3n => (stereo output to) Samson MD2Pro DI box
=> single/mono or dual/stereo XLR cable to FoH; and
=> single/mono or dual/stereo ¼" jack cable(s) to on stage amp(s).
The 1/4" output of the B3n goes into the 1/4" instrument in of the DI. The 1/4"output of the DI goes to your amp's input. The XLR output of the DI goes to the PA mixer or recorder's input. If you run the XLR output of the DI into your amp's input via an XLR to 1/4" cable you will have very little level.
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The whole point of a direct box DI is to interface an instrument with a mixing console which will typically use XLR inputs, for technical reasons of impedance matching and in order to avert cable noise/interference when the distance from the stage DI box and the mixing console is long.
Please read this:
The DI Box - What is it? Why Do I Need One? - inSync | Sweetwater
Please describe your usage situation and we can help guide you through what you do or don't need to do.
Please read this:
The DI Box - What is it? Why Do I Need One? - inSync | Sweetwater
Please describe your usage situation and we can help guide you through what you do or don't need to do.
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ok, i'll take responsibility for not being clearer in my original question, which was about an AMP, not FOH or mixing board (i understand the need for a DI in those instances). thanks Aidil, Stu_Bass, Loring, and jimfist - i appreciate your help.
My issue was that without the DI between the B3n and the amp i had noise, with the DI using 1/4" to 1/4" out of the DI into the amp i still had some noise in the amp (but much less), and with XLR out of the DI and 1/4" into the amp i had zero noise but lower levels, as Stu_Bass mentioned. So i've got it now. thanks again.
My issue was that without the DI between the B3n and the amp i had noise, with the DI using 1/4" to 1/4" out of the DI into the amp i still had some noise in the amp (but much less), and with XLR out of the DI and 1/4" into the amp i had zero noise but lower levels, as Stu_Bass mentioned. So i've got it now. thanks again.
OK. Sounds like you'll have some noise trouble-shooting to do. For what it's worth, I find that the B3n is not a noisy device all by itself, but if you are using overdrive or distortion pedals with a lot of gain in the B3n signal path, just like the real thing, you'll have increased noise/buzz/hiss. Electricity, close proximity electronic noise radiation (from a number of sources like computers), cabling, and instrument internal wiring/connection problems are common sources of noise problems.
First thing you need to do is try to get any patches you use to achieve unity gain. I set mine to 100 volume for the master and then went through any patch effect by effect and made sure the volume was the same on or off. The zoom presets are all over the map for output with the gains being over the top on quite a few. If you still have noise then it may be your cords but more likely your gain is just ramping the noise up.
not long after i first got it i was exploring Guitar Lab and had it on my desk so i wouldn't have to bend down so far to see it, and of course it was right under my computer and between my monitors with the amp about 6 feet behind me, the DI box on top of the amp. Also until Loring pointed it out, i didn't consider that the gain outputs for the presets would be so inconsistent with each other, but that seems to have been part of the problem. i've corrected both issues and everything is working very well. thanks for all the input, folks. i've mostly worked in the box, and up until about 5 weeks ago i hadn't ever even played a string instrument so didn't pay much attention to the signal flow of outboard effects hardware.
still I say something was wrong there...
Assuming 6 feet / less than 2 meters was the same length of instrument cable that you were using, you shouldn't have gotten noise even with a direct connection from the B3n to the amp, without a DI box.
I thought you were running instrument cable of more than 20 feet / 6 meters, which some said might potentially be getting noise.
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Yeah... could be. They said instrument cable is shielded vs. speaker cable isn't.
Or some other POS cable. The OP has already confessed to a lack of experience in patching gear. Running bad cables, especially unshielded ones, in close proximity to computer power supplies and monitors is a recipe for noise soup...
it was the patches. many needed tweaking. i wasn't paying attention. my troubleshooting was lacking. a wild goose was being chased.
The extra 1/4” jack on most DI’s is generally referred to as the “through” jack. It’s literally just a jack wired in parallel to the input.
In a situation where you have a physical backline amp, the normal signal chain is bass to DI, a second 1/4” guitar cable to the amp, and XLR mic cable to the snake for FOH.
In other words, the house gets a dry feed straight off your bass, and EQ’s it accordingly. If you want effects on that signal, they have to go before the DI.
Even when they’re dealing with classic rock bands where an overdriven Marshall or SVT stack is part of the sound, sound people generally want a dry DI as well as (or even instead of) a mic on your amp. That way, they get a solid low end, and can better manage bleed and/or feedback between the bass and kick.
Since the B3n offers the option of modeled mic and cab simulations, you would normally put the DI after it.
However, you should ideally communicate with FOH about this, in case they need you to adjust your EQ or the wet/dry blend in the cab sim.
The new additions to the N have been a game changer for me. The Glam has become my go to compressor and the High EQ has made its way in to every patch. This freed up 2 slots on the 60b, so I plugged in 2 of the ParaEQ’s in front of my amp sims. So the 60b is ZNR>ParaEQ>ParaEQ>Amp/cab sim. This gives me 4 bands of parametric EQ in front of each amp!
Having the LowEQ and the HighEQ (set to low pass and high pass) in each patch, let’s me dial in the powered speaker perfectly!
I’ve also gone to setting the B up so that it is in patch mode, so Instead of turning on and off an effect in any given patch, I have an effect or effects on in the patch, and I just switch between patches. This allows me more tone shaping opportunities for effect(s). I have my clean signal patch in the first slot of every bank so I can always get back to it easily.
Having the LowEQ and the HighEQ (set to low pass and high pass) in each patch, let’s me dial in the powered speaker perfectly!
I’ve also gone to setting the B up so that it is in patch mode, so Instead of turning on and off an effect in any given patch, I have an effect or effects on in the patch, and I just switch between patches. This allows me more tone shaping opportunities for effect(s). I have my clean signal patch in the first slot of every bank so I can always get back to it easily.
