You just blew my mind - amazing! Which is the exact preset you used for the "Improving it slightly" post - that's the one that really nails it for me.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
source audio c4
- Thread starter drewphishesp
- Start date
You just blew my mind - amazing! Which is the exact preset you used for the "Improving it slightly" post - that's the one that really nails it for me.
- May 16, 2007
- 3,395
- 4,869
- Disclosures
- Volunteer developer/beta tester with Source Audio, Morningstar Engineering & MORTRIX
There are uses for them but they are not the main focus of the pedal. As Roger pointed out in the video, what’s going on in those poly pedals is not proper oscillators being produced at the individual pitches, rather they simply take your overall input signal and add some harmonic content to it to give an approximation of oscillators.
I tried a few of those products but I really didn’t like the core tone they produced and it’s why I’ve never bothered to check out the SY-1 or SY-1000 as it’s all the same engine.
- May 16, 2007
- 3,395
- 4,869
- Disclosures
- Volunteer developer/beta tester with Source Audio, Morningstar Engineering & MORTRIX
I'm considering selling my MXR M82 and Aguilar Octamizer to fund a C4 (or Spectrum), but only if it can do Envelope filter and Octaver as well as them (and them combined), 'nearly as good' would just annoy me because they are 90% of what I'd use the pedal for.
A couple of things are putting me off: I got an Aftershock but found it didn't quite do OD and Fuzz as well as my separate OD and Fuzz pedals, is it the same for the C4 with Octaver and Enveloped filters? Digital Octavers I've tried haven't sounded quite as good as analogue ones, I assume the same might be the same for envelope filters. Also, I guess there is loss of some of the on-hand controls that you have with two separate pedals each with individual foot switches (but could buy additional switches). So has anyone done the comparison and found the C4 to do Octaver and Enveloped filters just as well as having two separate analogue pedals? Done the exchange with no regrets?!
A couple of things are putting me off: I got an Aftershock but found it didn't quite do OD and Fuzz as well as my separate OD and Fuzz pedals, is it the same for the C4 with Octaver and Enveloped filters? Digital Octavers I've tried haven't sounded quite as good as analogue ones, I assume the same might be the same for envelope filters. Also, I guess there is loss of some of the on-hand controls that you have with two separate pedals each with individual foot switches (but could buy additional switches). So has anyone done the comparison and found the C4 to do Octaver and Enveloped filters just as well as having two separate analogue pedals? Done the exchange with no regrets?!
- May 16, 2007
- 3,395
- 4,869
- Disclosures
- Volunteer developer/beta tester with Source Audio, Morningstar Engineering & MORTRIX
I’d say try one out next to your pedals if you can and make a proper comparison. However, I you do need to sell in order to even be able to try one, then at least those two pedals are easily available used.
I absolutely love my C4 and Spectrum but still also have a couple of analogue octavers and filters. The SA pedals do get very, very close when trying to match settings. On their own, I can hear the difference between the C4’s OC-2 sound and my MXR VBO (mainly by the latter having a tad more prominent bass frequencies when playing right at the top of the neck and having a slightly more prominent 5th partial to the sound; these are things that could probably be EQd). That’s not to say one is better than the other, just I can tell them apart when being really focused on the bare sounds. Mixed in with other sounds, it’s difficult to hear a difference. I might post a comparison of the pure octave signals of the two.
As for filters, I’d say take a listen to this blind test I posted a while back and see if you can spot which is the C4 (the other three are analogue).
Last edited:
Here are my pedal board winners and losers right now. I would add that I prefer the M82 over the proton and I will likely take both off the board and just go with the C4.
My only hesitation about the C4 is that I want to be able to save master settings for each of my patches in the library so when I burn them they are good to go without any further adjustment.
- May 16, 2007
- 3,395
- 4,869
- Disclosures
- Volunteer developer/beta tester with Source Audio, Morningstar Engineering & MORTRIX
- May 16, 2007
- 3,395
- 4,869
- Disclosures
- Volunteer developer/beta tester with Source Audio, Morningstar Engineering & MORTRIX
@SumOne I’ve also got the MXR Bass Envelope Filter and love it (my second one) but listen to my patch “Purple Vice” for a patch that gets that vibe.
QM Purple Vice 2
Here’s the MXR for a not-so-scientific comparison (resonance is set higher on the MXR on this recording):
Wetter Than An Otter's Pocket (short 4) BEF SQUANCHY
It sounds very good but has not blown me away as I do not think there is anything special about it. The redwitch and some of the C4 patches sound a bit rounder to me, which I personally prefer. I definitely prefer it over the OctaBass. The buttons on the MKIII are too close together for practical use unless you're planning to hit both simultaneously and use it as just a sub-octave. Also, the finish is too slick to secure painters tape/velcro to.
I actually almost bought a bigger board because I feel like some of these pedals deserve to be on there, but the reality is that the C4 covers many of these sounds really really well and with a DMC-micro that cycles through them and many more, I decided to stick with the small board.
- May 16, 2007
- 3,395
- 4,869
- Disclosures
- Volunteer developer/beta tester with Source Audio, Morningstar Engineering & MORTRIX
How does the Octabvre MKIII compare to the MKII? I loved that one and only replaced it with the VBO as it tracked better but I preferred the sound and functionality of the 3Leaf. The Zeus has a lovely octave (just a shame the volume is on an internal trimpot).
When I bought my C4, it kicked off my long term MXR BOD and BEF off my board. My BEF went a few months before in anticipation, but that's another story. So, answers:
1) Can the C4 replace / nail an analogue sounding octaver? Yes...totally.
2) Can the C4 replace / nail an analogue sounding filter? Yes totally and model a lot of types of filters...in fact this is probably the most featured filter pedal ever.
3) Can the C4 model both at the same time. Absolutely, it has 4 parallel voices. However, My fav OC-2 patch sounds best just as an octaver. The best sounding filters generally sound best when they are just filters and not a bundle.
4) You can't expect a 4 knob format to cover dual octave and filter functions as well as separate units. However, you can assign 3 further functions to external controls / expression pedals via midi (and a hub).
5) Will I want to use this just as an octaver & filter? No...within a hour of using this pedal and downloading patches, you will find that the synth and FM synth capabilities of this pedal far exceed your initial brief.
You get 6 patches on the front of the unit. I started with a variety of octaves and filters. My current selection is:
1) OC2 (with a fuzz on control 2, Dry / wet control 3 and expression dials in a punchy swell on the wet).
2) Pad patch
3) Usually a Blade Runner patch...however this week it's slotted up with Quatschmacher's fantastic Double Bass patch (seriously good).
4) A sweet 80's chopper patch
5) Fat synth that is also a killer filter (using the expression pedal).
6) a sequenced patch that is basically Donna Summers "I feel love" on a bass...patch.
So out of these patches...I have one octaver and a sort of filter...but mostly 5 synths.
One you have a C4 then you will find your need and want from it will grow in proportion to your ability to try out new sounds / things with it. You might prefer an Intelligent Filter instead. Or both!
Nice, those tunes sound great. Yeah I'm pretty much sold. Couldn't tell which one was the C4 in your blind test (3rd one at a guess). And actually, I usually use octaver with a drive and/or envelope filter after it- so it doesn't need to sound exactly the same as analogue because it's subtleties get lost.
I suppose what I might miss is the ability to have more hands-on (and foot) control of separate octaver and envelope filter pedals (9 knobs and 2 footswitches) rather than having to save octaver+filter presets and assigning just 4 knobs and I guess buying and programming additional foot switches. Plus losing the option of putting pedals between the octaver and envelope filter.
It's still a bit of a tough call for me though as selling the M82 and Octamizer will fund the C4, is it really an improvement? I guess the answer is mostly yes: it'll pretty much do what the other pedals did, plus additional synth sounds which will be fun to muck about with.
That's a nice nest of potential on your board. I just went through the process and I think I still like to have the option of OD or fuzz and modulation from analog, so yeah, making a bigger board. I've got the EQ2 with the neuro and C4 with that DMC switching it. I am also thinking of adding an analog octaver back to mine. Seems like the only time I have tracking issues is with a lot of octaves. Maybe it's in my head.
- May 16, 2007
- 3,395
- 4,869
- Disclosures
- Volunteer developer/beta tester with Source Audio, Morningstar Engineering & MORTRIX
Very good points. To expand on your point 4, you can get all the extra knobs and buttons you want by assigning parameters in the MIDI map. I had been considering getting a big knobby FaderFox controller to pair with it but there’s a new controller coming that I’m getting to be a beta tester for which will blow people’s minds.
I was about to shamelessly plug my double bass patch so now you’ve mentioned it, I’ll pop some clips here too in case people haven’t heard it on the C4 thread. Thanks for the mention. What bass are you using with it and have you managed to get it to sound like my clips? I’m waiting on my P bass coming back from the luthier and want to see how it sounds on that.
QM FM Upright Bass 7a
Last edited:
- May 16, 2007
- 3,395
- 4,869
- Disclosures
- Volunteer developer/beta tester with Source Audio, Morningstar Engineering & MORTRIX
Here’s the thing - with a modest external controller, you can have all the knobs you want: there are MIDI commands which allow you to changer on the fly what the two control knobs are assigned to, so you could have a patch set up with octave and filter and easily tweak from the pedal.
Oh, and you don’t lose the ability to put pedals between octave and filter: you can use the very clever internal routings of the two processors to create an FX loop which you can route in series or parallel. I have posted template patches for these kinds of things.
I'm sold!
Who wants to swop for an M82 and Octamizer
Who wants to swop for an M82 and Octamizer
- May 16, 2007
- 3,395
- 4,869
- Disclosures
- Volunteer developer/beta tester with Source Audio, Morningstar Engineering & MORTRIX
PS, I told you it was pretty tricky. C4 is the second one; the third is the Mu-Tron Micro-Tron IV.
- May 16, 2007
- 3,395
- 4,869
- Disclosures
- Volunteer developer/beta tester with Source Audio, Morningstar Engineering & MORTRIX
I do wonder how many C4s I’ve helped sell.I'm sold!
Who wants to swop for an M82 and Octamizer
I was GAS'ing for a MKII but was always too slow with the click on the classifieds so I never got to try it out and just pre-ordered the III instead.
Agree re the Zeus. Such a fun pedal.
I use your patches more than any others. I did not buy it because of you, but it's on my board and other pedals are not because of you.
