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Tech 21 DP-3X Malfunction? Haven't read any posts reporting this...

HeavyGroove

HeavyGroove

Mar 18, 2006
739
601
#1
Hey all,

I just got a Tech 21 DP-3X pedal at a great price from Amazon Warehouse (I was asking for it, right?). It was listed as "like new" and looked like it when I took it out of the packing. It came in the Tech 21 tin and everything. I was super excited to give it a go but I've come across some "issues" I haven't seen mentioned on the TB forums.

Signal chain:
Bass -> DP-3X -> PreSonus audio interface -> headphones (also tested with headphones directly into the pedal)

Issues:
-XLR hotter than 1/4":
I know it's been mentioned that there is some sort of cab modeling on the XLR, but it is noticeably louder. The PreSonus has an input meter on the front which reflects this as well.

-Hotter on "clean" channel:
Many people have commented that they didn't like the pedal because kicking on the mix created such a volume disparity. I have the opposite experience - when I turn off the mix it's the same as above, perceived higher volume and I can see it on the PreSonus.

-Clipping the pedal while in clean mode:
If I turn one of the EQ knobs all the way up, I assume it's the pedal clipping. I did this last with the mids as the way up and even had the highs all the way down. It doesn't sound like the good distortion the pedal produces. It's that electronic almost farty kind of breakup.

Has anyone else experienced this?
 
#2
HeavyGroove said:
LR hotter than 1/4"
Click to expand...
This is likely partly a difference between how the PreSonus, like most interfaces, treats the XLR input differently than the 1/4" input. XLR being mic level and 1/4" being line level. There's no reason to expect the same level if your simply swapping cables and not adjusting the input gain.

HeavyGroove said:
Clipping the pedal while in clean mode
Click to expand...
How hot is your bass' output?

- John
 
#3
JKos said:
This is likely partly a difference between how the PreSonus, like most interfaces, treats the XLR input differently than the 1/4" input. XLR being mic level and 1/4" being line level. There's no reason to expect the same level if your simply swapping cables and not adjusting the input gain.


How hot is your bass' output?

- John
Click to expand...

Good to know. I actually had turned on the "line" option on the PreSonus because the signal coming from the pedal was clipping it (both XLR and 1/4").

The output on my bass is not hot at all. I have an older Ibanez SR1800, which I've been planning to replace the pre an on because of this. That said, the bad clipping sounds happen when the bass is in passive mode as well.
 
#5
Bumping to see if any owners of the DP-3X can replicate the clipping for me. I am able to replicate it consistently if I turn the mids knob all the way up on the pedal and play with a medium touch. If this is normal then that's fine. I just want to make sure I don't have a pedal in the process of dying.

Thanks!
 
#6
An XLR/TRS connection will be about 6dB hotter than the equivalent 1/4" connection on most mixers. The first thing the signal hits on the Clean channel is the compressor. The EQ is downstream. How is the pedal configured and gain staged to your interface?
 
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#7
tech21nyc said:
An XLR/TRS connection will be about 6dB hotter than the equivalent 1/4" connection on most mixers. The first thing the signal hits on the Clean channel is the compressor. The EQ is downstream. How is the pedal configured and gain staged to your interface?
Click to expand...

I tested it tonight with my actual rig to A/B and had the same experience.

Signal chain:
bass -> dUg -> Return jack on my GK head.

The master volume on my amp was at maybe 10%. I'm running a GK 1x15 cab beneath it and had my phone rest on the cab to record.

Bass settings:
passive mode, blend leaning towards the neck and volume at 2/3.

The picture shows my dUg test settings.
IMG_20200528_215619.jpg

I tried a different power source as well just to be sure and same thing. I also ran a cable from my send -> return to make sure it wasn't my cables or return having issues - pretty much silent.

I'm attaching two sound clips, one with the gain button on and one with it off.

Thanks!
 

Attachments

#11
@tech21nyc @todd burns

You were both right about the headphone button being in (it must have been bumped while moving the pedal), but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I did two recordings through my PreSonus so you can hear it through that as well. Here are the settings and levels while I played:
IMG_20200529_182219~2.jpg

Top left is the input level and bottom right are the headphones. This is exactly half way (one more yellow bar and two red after that) for the input signal. The "Clean" recording is with the dUg at the same settings in my previous post. The "Mix" recording is that + clank and drive at 3pm. It's better when the Mix is engaged but there is still something on the higher strings.

Thanks again!
 

Attachments

#14
toddsterbassist said:
I can only get that distortion if I increase my gain. Then it effects everything equally not just high notes.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I would have thought too. Oh well, I'll try it through my regular amp setup again and see if it sounds the same, but looks like I may be sending this back to Amazon. It just seems like either something isn't working right and/or a pre-cursor to future problems. Thanks for the input!
 
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#15
HeavyGroove said:
@tech21nyc @todd burns

You were both right about the headphone button being in (it must have been bumped while moving the pedal), but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I did two recordings through my PreSonus so you can hear it through that as well. Here are the settings and levels while I played:
View attachment 3848477
Top left is the input level and bottom right are the headphones. This is exactly half way (one more yellow bar and two red after that) for the input signal. The "Clean" recording is with the dUg at the same settings in my previous post. The "Mix" recording is that + clank and drive at 3pm. It's better when the Mix is engaged but there is still something on the higher strings.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Have you tried the pedal into your amp with both the headphone button off and the Gain switch off? Does backing off the mids make a difference?
 
#16
tech21nyc said:
Have you tried the pedal into your amp with both the headphone button off and the Gain switch off? Does backing off the mids make a difference?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I tried everything off and in passive mode on my bass. It is less but still present to a certain extent.

Re:mids - the problem starts creeping in after 3 O'clock and then obviously gets worse at max.

All of the above said, my bass output is naturally low, so if I want to actually get any of the grind the pedal is supposed give, I need to be in active mode and with the dUg's gain button on.
 
#18
Hi all, I recently bought one of these pedals and the volume is way out of control on the clean channel. I run all the eqs flat at 12 and the compressor at 1 quater up. If I boost the compressor anymore the signal distorts. The volume I have about at 10% and its way loud! I have to run my bass with the volume bearly on and right down. I run straight from my bass to the pedal into the effects return of my amp. Is this normal? Anyone else had this problem and figured a way round it?

I play a sR405eqm which is active but I don't think it has a gain control. I'm soon upgrading to Barts 2J Quads which do have a gain adjusment. I hoping this could fix it.
 
Last edited:
#19
Make sure you don't have the headphone button and Gain switch engaged. Also, when you plug into the effects return on many amps, the master volume is defeated and the amp is running flat out. You might be better off going into the front end of the amp and just set the tone controls flat.
 

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