SFX Sound Pedals - 3 quick reviews - ace's ten!

[bongomania]

Oh, it all depends. Sorry to be vague there, but it's like a certain size of screwdriver--very good to have in the toolbox, but whether it's useful will depend on everything else in the project.

For example, you'd have to examine (by whatever means available) whether the percussion thumps or sub-bass tones you like actually have a lot of content below 30 Hz, and whether they have enough harmonic content above 30 Hz for our brains to fill in the missing subs. This is especially relevant to the tube-amp chest thump question--you'd need to find out by experimentation how much of that thump was above or below 30 Hz.

To illustrate, I mentioned in a compressor review that a certain pedal sounded great on a low B note if I was using a bass tone with plenty of upper harmonic content; but if I used a bass tone that was almost all fundamental, the low B disappeared completely.

One great use for the Thumpinator on a pedalboard is if you have a preamp/boost pedal (with unbalanced output) that you want to directly drive a power amp. The Creation Holy Fire or Bogdan Polish Love are good examples. By converting their output to balanced, again you maximize the signal strength and s/n ratio going into the power amp.

If you're going into an amp head though, then an unbalanced output is perfectly fine. FWIW the output of the Thumpinator works either way--it is not "only balanced".

 

[SpankyPants]

FWIW the output of the Thumpinator works either way--it is not "only balanced".

I figured, but I was trying to figure if there would be any reason to go with the balanced-capable unit rather than the cheaper, unbalanced unit if it'll just be running into a preamp.

For example, you'd have to examine (by whatever means available) whether the percussion thumps or sub-bass tones you like actually have a lot of content below 30 Hz, and whether they have enough harmonic content above 30 Hz for our brains to fill in the missing subs. This is especially relevant to the tube-amp chest thump question--you'd need to find out by experimentation how much of that thump was above or below 30 Hz.

To illustrate, I mentioned in a compressor review that a certain pedal sounded great on a low B note if I was using a bass tone with plenty of upper harmonic content; but if I used a bass tone that was almost all fundamental, the low B disappeared completely.

Thanks! Okay, so if I record direct from the amp's output (the same signal I run to FoH), I can theoretically run the recording through some spectral analyzer? I guess I could also apply a hard HPF @ 30Hz and play the recording back to see if there are any differences. Or I could even apply a hard LPF at 30Hz to see how much content is being played below 30hz...

Right?

 

[warwick.hoy]

So you are suggesting that the Thumpinator would be a good unit to have hidden in a rack and in between a rack pre and a poweramp?

 

[bongomania]

Right?

Yep!

So you are suggesting that the Thumpinator would be a good unit to have hidden in a rack and in between a rack pre and a poweramp?

Yep! Again though, depending on the specific pre and power units you use. E.g. if your preamp already has a balanced line out (aside from the DI), and if your power amp already has a low-cut filter, then the only benefit to getting the [sfx] unit would be that you'd have a box labeled "Thumpinator" in your rack.

 

[silky smoove]

Say you had the Thumpinator on a pedalboard that plugged into the front end of an amp head. Would you put it at the beginning of the chain or at the end?

My gut tells me that it should go at the very beginning, but can't help but wonder if there would be some benefit having at the end, right before the amp.

 

[bongomania]

Yeah if you were running it unbalanced between bass, pedals, and amp head input, then i could see a benefit to cutting out the string thump in front of a compressor, envelope filter, or other dynamically-acting effect; or if there's a pedal that clips in an ugly way when you thump the strings.

 

[Swift713]

That way it wouldn't interfere with effect created subharmonics.

 

[silky smoove]

Probably going to pull the trigger on one of these next week. Will report back...

 

[FreaqyFrequency]

Looking forward to incorporating the μThump into my future Axe-FX rig. Even though the Axe itself has filters galore inside of it, there is no processing on the analog input, so the subharmonic frequencies created by string thump, etc. may be unnecessarily raising the signal level on those peaks and making the input approach clipping more quickly. Optimization FTW!

Also looking forward to having a buffer to put directly into the Axe. Even though I'll have a pretty short signal chain (Bass-->Line 6 G30-->μThump-->Axe-->Mackie powered cab), it will still help to achieve the ideal input signal, especially if I switch to a passive bass.

Really great concept, Max. I look forward to using it!

 

[Charley Umbria]

FWIW, I've got the Micro Thumpinator on my board after the effects that are most responsive when interacting directly with my pickups: Fuzz, envelope filter, and Catalinbread SFT. I've tried these pedals with the Thumpinator or buffered effects in front of them, and they just don't have the same dynamic characteristics. Following the Thump are compressor, phaser, and chorus. Seems to work pretty well...

 

[RichardFoggo]

funny seeing the pictures of mark's board from 18 months back - two pedals are now with me (Barge Concepts dual loop dual blender and Analogman). Anyway, great to see so much respect for Max currently on TB. This thread reminds me that a micro RD is next in the queue.

 

[bassboysam]

Question for the thumpinator users, in general, do you find there was a drastic reduction is speaker distortion when you added the Thumipinator to your rig. I am thinking of using it in between my effects and amp.

 

[gastric]

I vote for more controls. The micro boxes are cool, but IMO they only suit effects that have no need of control (e.g. Thumpinator, Splitter, simple overdrive). Distortion needs more adjustability. What could be very cool though is if you sold a dozen or more of the larger ones with 4 knobs, and then after a couple weeks asked each purchaser to tell you their favorite setting(s)--then use that data to create a micro version that is pre-dialed in to settings that match the "majority of favorites".

The issue is that manufacturers are trying to make micro/small sized boxes but still trying to use full sized knobs and controls. Simply use micro sized knobs like those tiny little guys on the Way Huge pedals (clean/curve on the Pork Loin). Super small, but still totally usable. As an added bonus you can probably then jam more controls onto the micro/small sized enclosures.

 

[bongomania]

Question for the thumpinator users, in general, do you find there was a drastic reduction is speaker distortion when you added the Thumipinator to your rig. I am thinking of using it in between my effects and amp.

It will only eliminate speaker distortion that was caused by subharmonic content. It won't do anything about distortion in the audio range.

So e.g. if you are slapping or playing aggro and you hear a brief abrupt clipping noise just at the beginning of each note, then maybe it is the "thump" of your playing that's the problem, and in that case yes the Thumpinator can help.

OTOH if you are hearing more sustained clipping, after the initial pluck/slap/thump, then it is probably not something the Thumpinator can help with.

 

[Oreomeister365]

Anyone able to comment on if the micro-fuzz is based on the tonebender? And if so, the standard 3 knob or the bass fuzz version?

I'm just thinking of how much more space my board would have without the tonebender...plus a mids switch!