Latest clean-tone pb (SOL underneath)…
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Show me your compact pedalboard setup
- Thread starter garmenteros
- Start date
Para Driver, RPM Rack Pre, XB Driver. Def my Sansamp happy place
What pedal board is this? I like the size, looks like PT Nano with an extra row.
I’m really liking the Luce, way more than I thought I would. I didn’t love the capo and I’ve got a big old tube svt di (and I’ve had a number of others) and frankly none have made me want to give up my Countryman Type 10 ….. but the Luce is just smoothing out the edges and it sounds great.
The Mantle I’m still working on, it doesn’t have a bad sound in it, I love the gain structure and eq, it’s so natural and easy to dial in, every click just works and sounds great.
The output is a bit hot but also I think I’m setting the gain way too high so I’m padding at the Element which is serving as a headphone amp and an DI with irs if I so want.
The Luce and/or Mantle into the Cranborne Audio Camden is utterly stunning, it just seems not as good into the Darkglass element and I think currently that’s making me question keeping the Mantle
The Mantle I’m still working on, it doesn’t have a bad sound in it, I love the gain structure and eq, it’s so natural and easy to dial in, every click just works and sounds great.
The output is a bit hot but also I think I’m setting the gain way too high so I’m padding at the Element which is serving as a headphone amp and an DI with irs if I so want.
The Luce and/or Mantle into the Cranborne Audio Camden is utterly stunning, it just seems not as good into the Darkglass element and I think currently that’s making me question keeping the Mantle
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I didn't like the Capo either (had it twice, just to make sure). What makes you like the Luce?
I am still trying to find a REDDI-like DI with a smaller form factor.
Also had the Capo twice to make sure
So ultimately the Luce is still just a DI but compared to the SVT Di it seemed a little bit deeper and more refined which is likely a high end roll off (at a guess, I’m sure the scientists will be along shortly to correct me).
Compared to my Countryman type 10 It’s a lot more refined in the mids and the countryman has been my go to and staple for near a decade.
I prefer the Luce to the SVT Di and Countryman, both of which I prefer to all
The radial boxes and the Neve. The Neve sounded very flat and boring to me (and I owned the big and small version …. To make sure)
So with all of this you may feel very differently and that smoothness that I’m experiencing is muddy for you but all of this is super super subtle.
Have the Luce in my setup shown makes it about 2% better, but I wanted pre and post Di’s, so it does its job and makes it sound about 2% better.
So the TB answer as always is buy them all
I had the SVTDI twice as well and the (small) Neve RNDI "only" once. I did not care for any of them.Also had the Capo twice to make sure
So ultimately the Luce is still just a DI but compared to the SVT Di it seemed a little bit deeper and more refined which is likely a high end roll off (at a guess, I’m sure the scientists will be along shortly to correct me).
Compared to my Countryman type 10 It’s a lot more refined in the mids and the countryman has been my go to and staple for near a decade.
I prefer the Luce to the SVT Di and Countryman, both of which I prefer to all
The radial boxes and the Neve. The Neve sounded very flat and boring to me (and I owned the big and small version …. To make sure)
So with all of this you may feel very differently and that smoothness that I’m experiencing is muddy for you but all of this is super super subtle.
Have the Luce in my setup shown makes it about 2% better, but I wanted pre and post Di’s, so it does its job and makes it sound about 2% better.
So the TB answer as always is buy them all
In the meantime I resigned and don't expect any DI to add "the right" character I am looking for.
I am trying to build this with pedals and use a clean DI ...... although the OE Fifteen is quite something!!!!
Surprisingly the (regular seized) TC Electronics Spark Booster does a pretty good job there and can be very subtle but flexible sounding.
The current, and likely final pedalboard. So good…
An electric kalimba with spring reverb & is that a photocell?
That is sick
That is sick
So decided, signal chain is
Peterson Tuner - Jad Freer Luce - Kasleder Freaky Stone - Walrus Audio Mantle - Darkglass Element
Powered by a GigRig Generator into a . As the Peterson has a 9v out I can also patch in a pedal or 2 before the board if I’m experimenting.
This gives me a Pre (Luce) Di, that is also adding a bit of magic, it’s not a huge difference, you wouldn't notice it in the mix but it sounds 2% better having the Luce in the signal path and I wanted a clean DI as part of my setup.
The Kasleder is a ge based boost and fuzz, both very vintage sounding, it was a touch call and I’ll likely periodically swap it out for the Mojohand Cream Pie but at the moment theres a little more I want to do with fuzz. I’ve put a battery in the CPD and can just run it at the front when I feel like it.
The Mantle I’m going to cover in the main thread on it but in short this is (for now) the best preamp I’ve played, absolutely love it. So this sits as the Post DI where I’m going to assume the EQ I’ve applied is better than what the soundman intended and if not that’s why the Luce is there.
This then goes out to the Element which is my headphone and home practice amp, but it felt silly to not utilise the XLR out especially when the pedalboard has a cut out in the back. It’s unlikely I’d take a feed from this, but I can and it would/could have an IR applied. There is also the benefit it functions as an audio interface (but I’d have to pull the gigrig off to access it)
So it’s a lot on a very small board, it’s very heavy but it fits beautifully in a Pelican im2306 case with an IEC lead. Board is a Ghostfire mono clone, I can’t seem to find them for sale anywhere but they are taller so fit things like the Luce and Element under them beautifully. Doesn’t fit in the mono tick though when loaded up like this.
It sounds incredible, everything I’ve wanted from various pre’s (and I’ve tried pretty much everything) I now have in a super compact rig. It functions great as a studio board reference point for programming my Anagram up (or doing very specific captures), it would cover anything I’ve played for the past 10 years.
