Origin Effects DCX Bass: EQ or Drive?

[ics1974]

BTW I do really love the sound of this pedal. In OD mode I get exactly what I always wanted. I just wish I could get EQ mode to get into OD territory on its own.
I have a call in with Origin Effects to see what they think. I am waiting for them to investigate more.

 

[ics1974]

I still wouldn't be surprised if a replacement acts the same way. It's a very dynamic pedal, so if you are below the threshold of breakup you will get a clean signal. If you weren't able to get any breakup at all on EQ mode I'd be concerned, but if digging in or boosting works it could just be a combination of your playing style and the basses you use. Watching Nate Navrarro's demo of the pedal, he only really starts getting decent breakup at about 3 o'clock, and he is normally quite heavy handed (although in that demo he is playing a bit more subdued).

You might be on to something. I play with a light touch and when I dig in it might not be as hard as it needs to be for the dynamics of this pedal. When in EQ mode I tried digging in allot harder then I normally do and I was getting a nice edge of break up at around 3:00 to slightly over driven sounds at full gain. Again this was me digging in allot and playing very heavy handed. Is it supposed to be like this or should I still need to be concerned? How hard does everyone else need to dig in to get it to break up in EQ mode? I play finger style as well.
I don’t normally play with a pick but I tried again and got even more OD tone picking aggressively.

 

[musicmansf]

You might be on to something. I play with a light touch and when I dig in it might not be as hard as it needs to be for the dynamics of this pedal. When in EQ mode I tried digging in allot harder then I normally do and I was getting a nice edge of break up at around 3:00 to slightly over driven sounds at full gain. Again this was me digging in allot and playing very heavy handed. Is it supposed to be like this or should I still need to be concerned? How hard does everyone else need to dig in to get it to break up in EQ mode? I play finger style as well.

Idk if this helps at all, but are you running some sort of super high impedance device before the DCX? I have gain reduction happen with my Demeter Tube DI in passive applications. It has a 27Mohm input for massive headroom.

 

[Derek Williams]

You might be on to something. I play with a light touch and when I dig in it might not be as hard as it needs to be for the dynamics of this pedal. When in EQ mode I tried digging in allot harder then I normally do and I was getting a nice edge of break up at around 3:00 to slightly over driven sounds at full gain. Again this was me digging in allot and playing very heavy handed. Is it supposed to be like this or should I still need to be concerned? How hard does everyone else need to dig in to get it to break up in EQ mode? I play finger style as well.

I haven’t played through my DCX in a while, but I’m pretty sure I was fully clean with all knobs at noon in EQ mode (fingerstyle) and I don’t have a light touch. I’ll have to give it a try.

 

[ics1974]

Idk if this helps at all, but are you running some sort of super high impedance device before the DCX? I have gain reduction happen with my Demeter Tube DI in passive applications. It has a 27Mohm input for massive headroom.

I was testing just Bass -DCX - Amp.

 

[ics1974]

I haven’t played through my DCX in a while, but I’m pretty sure I was fully clean with all knobs at noon in EQ mode (fingerstyle) and I don’t have a light touch. I’ll have to give it a try.

Please do try and let me know how hard you have to dig in (finger style) to get overdriven sound in EQ mode. And at what settings. I would really appreciate that

 

[Evan J]

I play with two pretty low output passive basses and usually get some consistent breakup past 2 o clock. At noon it breaks up only at loud dynamics.

I do however play on the harder side.

What type of dirt are you expecting to hear? The harshness of the clipping doesn’t get super intense in EQ mode unless you feeding it a really hot signal. In my experience, EQ mode stays in a “subtle dirt” territory at most settings. Especially if your touch is super soft.

But if you are getting little to no dirt with the pedal dimmed in EQ mode, something funny is going on. Maybe tone suck somewhere in the chain or uniquely light playing.

 

[ics1974]

I play with two pretty low output passive basses and usually get some consistent breakup past 2 o clock. At noon it breaks up only at loud dynamics.

I do however play on the harder side.

What type of dirt are you expecting to hear? The harshness of the clipping doesn’t get super intense in EQ mode unless you feeding it a really hot signal. In my experience, EQ mode stays in a “subtle dirt” territory at most settings. Especially if your touch is super soft.

But if you are getting little to no dirt with the pedal dimmed in EQ mode, something funny is going on. Maybe tone suck somewhere in the chain or uniquely light playing.

Are you playing with a pick or finger style?

 

[Evan J]

Are you playing with a pick or finger style?

What I am referencing here is when I play finger style.

But I play with a pick often as well. If I am digging in with a pick I can stay at a consistent breakup past 1ish.

 

[Ian774]

Hey, people using the DCX in EQ mode, where do you set the Drive knob? Especially with passive P or J basses?

 

[wolffire99]

Hey, people using the DCX in EQ mode, where do you set the Drive knob? Especially with passive P or J basses?

Level at 11 o’clock and Drive at 1 o’clock is edge of breakup on my P bass at unity gain.

 

[Evan J]

Hey, people using the DCX in EQ mode, where do you set the Drive knob? Especially with passive P or J basses?

Depends on which voice switch I’m using.

If I’m using “flat” I’ll keep it a little below noon for a saturation effect. On the “Med” or “Dark” setting I’ll go a little past noon for edge of breakup or hair

 

[butterfingers1]

Fender passive precision into a boost at noon (Broughton BBA), Cali all at noon, DCX.

DCX in EQ mode at noon gives a subtle thickening, past noon a subtle breakup begins. Seems consistent with what everyone else is experiencing. After all the switch position is called EQ, intended as a clean-ish boost. The separate Overdrive position is exactly that.