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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

#5,283
Turn Em Loose said:
I’ve got an Alix for sale if anybody’s interested. I’ve gone full in on the HX Stomp thanks to @chadhargis’s posts on the Pod Go.

Digging the Stomp quite a bit. It does not have that fat and pristine sound of the Alix. But IMO nothing does. And it’s not as quite, either. The Alix is dead quiet.
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Your Alix has been tempting me since you posted it, but I'm trying to sell my HX Stomp first, haha! I like to be able to make quick adjustments on the fly, and quickly see my current settings, so I ultimately decided the Stomp wasn't for me.
 
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#5,284
Poke said:
. . . I'm trying to sell my HX Stomp first, haha! I like to be able to make quick adjustments on the fly, and quickly see my current settings, so I ultimately decided the Stomp wasn't for me.
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That's the only think keeping my from trying a Stomp. I know it is highly regarded around these parts, but every time I try something digital I wind up going back to analog. I also like to quickly see my options and make adjustments on the fly as opposed to having to push buttons and scroll through menus, easy though it may be to navigate some menus. One of the reasons I parted ways with the Zoom B3. Plus, I don't care how good the digital modeling is. It never sounds as good as quality analog gear to me. I'd rather keep carrying around the 60lb pedalboard with everything on it than the small HX. Perhaps I'm old-fashioned. Or just old. Or both.
 
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#5,285
jacoby75 said:
That's the only think keeping my from trying a Stomp. I know it is highly regarded around these parts, but every time I try something digital I wind up going back to analog. I also like to quickly see my options and make adjustments on the fly as opposed to having to push buttons and scroll through menus, easy though it may be to navigate some menus. One of the reasons I parted ways with the Zoom B3. Plus, I don't care how good the digital modeling is. It never sounds as good as quality analog gear to me. I'd rather keep carrying around the 60lb pedalboard with everything on it than the small HX. Perhaps I'm old-fashioned. Or just old. Or both.
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You should probably try one to get it out of your system. It helped confirm I'm an analog guy. I would probably keep it if I had unlimited funds. There's a lot of versatility in that box. Most of the amps and other effects were pretty solid, but not quite as good as the real thing, in my opinion. And it took a lot of adjustment to get them to sound close. Lots of button presses.
 
#5,286
Poke said:
You should probably try one to get it out of your system. It helped confirm I'm an analog guy. I would probably keep it if I had unlimited funds. There's a lot of versatility in that box. Most of the amps and other effects were pretty solid, but not quite as good as the real thing, in my opinion. And it took a lot of adjustment to get them to sound close. Lots of button presses.
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I don’t have the patience or free time for that, lol.
 
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#5,288
scubaduba said:
Give up Talkbass for 30 days and I bet you’d have plenty of time. :D

Speaking to myself too.
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Five days of a forced Talkbass fast was bad enough. I had the shakes. I don't need free time THAT badly.
 
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#5,291
Poke said:
Your Alix has been tempting me since you posted it, but I'm trying to sell my HX Stomp first, haha! I like to be able to make quick adjustments on the fly, and quickly see my current settings, so I ultimately decided the Stomp wasn't for me.
Click to expand...

I get it. And I may go back to analog, too, at some point. I got sick of pulling out my small board and having knobs turned and having trouble finding my last fav setting. I can access the Stomp fairly quick if need be. Not as fast as something like a normal pedalboard, but pretty close.

I've already got a few settings I like on the Stomp. I've played most, or even all, of the real amps that the Stomp's amp sims are based off of, but it's been sooooo long I couldn't tell you how accurate they are. They sound good to me once you start tweaking them. So far I'm really happy with it.
 
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#5,292
Turn Em Loose said:
I get it. And I may go back to analog, too, at some point. I got sick of pulling out my small board and having knobs turned and having trouble finding my last fav setting. I can access the Stomp fairly quick if need be. Not as fast as something like a normal pedalboard, but pretty close.

I've already got a few settings I like on the Stomp. I've played most, or even all, of the real amps that the Stomp's amp sims are based off of, but it's been sooooo long I couldn't tell you how accurate they are. They sound good to me once you start tweaking them. So far I'm really happy with it.
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Start from the below, add HPF/LPF to taste, and play around...

Fullerton Nrm Amp

Drive Norm... 1.7
Drive Bright... 10.0
Bass... 10.0
Tone... 10.0
Treble... 10.0
Ch Vol... 10.0
Master... 10.0
Sag... 0.0
Hum... 0.0
Ripple... 0.0
Bias... 10.0
Bias X... 0.0
 
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#5,294
Turn Em Loose said:
Will do! Thanks!!

Do you pair this with a cab?
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Yes - not so much cabs which I find a bit muffled, but more IRs or EQ-simulating cabs - or an RFE :P. This my favorite base amp from "Dr ToneLab" settings (Link Removed - check his FB page as well). It's tubey, touch sensitive, is a bit bright as is but just great with IRs or "Cab-emulation EQs" that are also on his site. He also just published (FB page) a revised basic settings list for all bass amps on his FB page - good stuff.
 
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#5,295
Turn Em Loose said:
I get it. And I may go back to analog, too, at some point. I got sick of pulling out my small board and having knobs turned and having trouble finding my last fav setting. I can access the Stomp fairly quick if need be. Not as fast as something like a normal pedalboard, but pretty close.

I've already got a few settings I like on the Stomp. I've played most, or even all, of the real amps that the Stomp's amp sims are based off of, but it's been sooooo long I couldn't tell you how accurate they are. They sound good to me once you start tweaking them. So far I'm really happy with it.
Click to expand...

That's a great point, and something I hadn't considered. Huge advantage for the Stomp.

I agree, they all sound pretty good to me. In a live setting, I'm not sure anyone could tell a difference. You're making me want to keep it...
 
#5,297
Just gigged the Torpedo CAB M last night.
Ampless. Direct in. REALLY pleased. Sounded amazing FOH. Needed very little volume onstage to hear. I was in TOTAL control of the FOH tone for the first time EVER. Unless running sound myself :D Great to only need the sound engineer to do minor tweaks at the board to dial in for the room.

TL/DR OMG! :D
Think a sub-set of a DAW- focused on the guitar channel. Spatial imaging and speaker sim. Easy to use pedal form, with remote software interface. Deeper observations follow. *need to get a looper so I can tweak all parameters two handed :)

Bass signal path:
Input pad or boost, 12DB gain / 0DB / 12DB Cut . DEAD quiet when idle , due in part to the very 'invisible' noise gate as the first process.

Preamp model is somewhat intentionally vanilla (Silverface bandmaster) nice clean and warm. 3 band EQ, F*nder tone stack . Overdriving the preamp model (not overdriving input) for distortion is , MEH. I guess that makes it a really good model then *hiding*

Poweramp model simulates the sag, compression, and distortion of a driven poweramp convincingly.
Tube modelling and response curves for several types of tubes. Single ended, and P/P (Class A , Class AB) Triode and pentode modes. Feel is further alterable with 'Depth' and 'Contour' controls.
Playing with the tube topology is really enthralling.

Amp Sim signal is sent to the Cab IR's (I used the Mesa Subway 2x15 impulse)
Next: "Cab" is processed by Mic modeling . That is FUN! to play with. 8 mic models included, distance and axis adjustable. So like studio capture process, reminds me of re-amping or siting at the board with cans *see reverb below. Only available with the available with the Two-notes DynIR's , supplied ot purchased from the TN-store. 3rd party IR's are easily leveraged, with no enhanced mic processing though

Post process onboard:
Enhancer: Think BBE Sonic Maximiser: Body and Brilliance controls. One knob compressor - labeled Thickness
Reverb: Room, plate, pretty flexible. Very different application. The IR is placed into the 'verb as opposed to the 'speaker' or 'amp' re-producing the reverb.
Therefore: Spatial imaging can send you back to the mic placement- as this plays a role. the mics are ALSO in the space :) !
4 band Para-EQ : HPF, AND shelving EQ at highest frequency band (semi-LPF)
 
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#5,300
/\/\3phist0 said:
Just gigged the Torpedo CAB M last night.
Ampless. Direct in. REALLY pleased. Sounded amazing FOH. Needed very little volume onstage to hear. I was in TOTAL control of the FOH tone for the first time EVER. Unless running sound myself :D Great to only need the sound engineer to do minor tweaks at the board to dial in for the room.
Click to expand...
Well, crap. I can't hold out anymore. I've gotta try one of these. I've got a pre-order pending. Hopefully it won't take too long. Patience is not a virtue I possess.
 
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