Source Audio Spectrum and C4

[StrivingOn]

I read somewhere that all the Spectrum sounds are in the C4, more or less. If true, do I need to both?

 

[tonym]

The Spectrum is basically the filter/envelope section of the C4. Any sound you wanted to create on the Spectrum could be created on the C4. In fact Spectrum presets from the SA site can be loaded directly into the C4. You might want a separate Spectrum pedal if you're the type of person that likes to directly adjust the knobs a lot on your envelope filter. The physical knobs on the Spectrum are geared towards envelope filters so it's easy to adjust it on the fly. If you're interested in the C4, I'd suggest buyiing that and after using it see if you felt like you wanted that extra easy access on the pedal itself.

 

[bassbrad]

I read somewhere that all the Spectrum sounds are in the C4, more or less. If true, do I need to both?

You may not need both depending on your use case. I have both and use both on the same board simply because I like to keep button dancing to a minimum for live. This way I have 2 different sounds available, plus the additional options on each pedal. The C4 can do a lot more than the Spectrum but for some things the simpler Neuro of the Spectrum is a lot faster to create sounds on. I rely on my own presets live and don't do any on the fly adjustments. YMMV.

 

[PrestoZoom]

I have both and use both. The C4 can do all the Spectrum sounds but I like have a separate filter pedal because I am a control freak and also want the C4 to do synth/glitch/soundscape tones.

I've used a C4 solo (with an external midi controller) and that works fine, too. I bought the Spectrum first so, since I have both, I used both. I think the controls on the Spectrum are a little easier to tweak the filter tones also.

 

[StrivingOn]

Interesting responses, thank you to all. I have a midi controller on my board so my thinking is that I would load any Spectrum patches into the C4 and then set up a bank in my controller to select those. I don't want to do any tweaking on the pedal, just will rely on patches I've either edited or created in the Neuro app. Make sense?

 

[tonym]

That's they way I'm set up.

 

[StrivingOn]

After some thought, since I already have a Spectrum, I might hold onto to it and see how it goes using both pedals together. Just got the C4, used, for a good price.

 

[kleinduimpje66]

I too have a Spectrum, love it, but would like access to more synth tones of the C4.
Everybody says the Spectrum is easier to adjust the filter parameters using the physical pots on the pedal, but is it possible on the C4 to assign the same parameters to the pots?
If yes, then the C4 would be as easy to tweak as the Spectrum, right?
Then the C4 is everything the Spectrum is, just more sounds, minus the funky color

 

[bassbrad]

@kleinduimpje66 you can easily assign the Control 1 + 2 knobs any parameter in the Neuro app so that much is true. There are significant differences between how the 4 'voices' are set up and how the signal is routed through the processing banks. It helps to have some understanding of how synthesizers process signal.

 

[kleinduimpje66]

@kleinduimpje66 you can easily assign the Control 1 + 2 knobs any parameter in the Neuro app so that much is true. There are significant differences between how the 4 'voices' are set up and how the signal is routed through the processing banks. It helps to have some understanding of how synthesizers process signal.

Ok so only two of the four pots on the C4 are configurable. And with the shift button, the four knobs on the Spectrum control 8 parameters.
Hmmm.
I really like tweaking the Spectrum without the Neuro app.
Maybe I should buy a C4 anyway and then decide if I should keep the Spectrum or not.
Thanks!

 

[kleinduimpje66]

I had the C4 for a day now and it’s just amaaazing. The synth sounds are fantastic. I’ve tried a ton of presets. Almost all of them need some tweaking for my bass (Dingwall AB1-5), my playing and my amp/cab, but that’s fine. Waaay deep this thing.
Does require clean technique to not get strange synth squeaks haha.

I don’t miss the Spectrum one bit.
Well maybe one tiny bit: on the Spectrum, I could press the footswitch for a few seconds to re-save a patch after fiddling with the knobs (light would blink).
The C4 doesn’t seem to do that, no matter how I set the config option for the footswitch in Neuro.
Or am I doing something wrong?

 

[kleinduimpje66]

Not sure if this is broadly known, the latest version of the DoReMiDi FC-3 is also a USB host, so it can connect directly to the C4 (or any Source Audio One series pedal) with a simple USB cable.
No need for the SA Midi adapter, and a lot cheaper than the Disaster Area MIDI footswitch.
All I need is a super short USB cable

 

[WNRumfoord]

View attachment 7528936
Not sure if this is broadly known, the latest version of the DoReMiDi FC-3 is also a USB host, so it can connect directly to the C4 (or any Source Audio One series pedal) with a simple USB cable.
No need for the SA Midi adapter, and a lot cheaper than the Disaster Area MIDI footswitch.
All I need is a super short USB cable

I was NOT aware and had been spending the last hour and a half scouring the internet for a simple solution that was hopefully cheaper than the Disaster Area option. THANK YOU.

 

[kleinduimpje66]

Well that DoreMIDI FS-3 footswitch didn’t last long on my board.
The silly thing is, the three switches each have their own preset counter, independent from the others.
After stomping up from say preset 0 to 3 on the C4, pressing the down switch once, I’d expect it to go to preset 2. Instead, it would just decrement from whatever the last preset was when I’d hit the down switch previously. Too much thinking for my old brain, esp on stage.
It’ll be going back to Jeff Bezos.
Replaced by a used Disaster Area DMC Micro Classic, same price, just works.

For both footswitches, you don’t need the Source Audio dongle, just an ‘OTG’ cable with the correct USB connectors