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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

#6,023
chadhargis said:
As promised...here are some sound clips of the Khan.

Here's the signal path:

HX Stomp (SVT emulation) -> Becos Stella Comp -> HX Stomp outputs (one is connected to the Walrus Canvas LI and the other is connected to the Khan) -> A&H Zed 10i mixer (Channel 2 - Khan and Channel 3 - Canvas) - GarageBand

So the clips are recorded simultaneously with the only difference being the Khan and the Canvas. Both are level matched.

I'm not doing blind samples as the difference is pretty noticeable. The Canvas is more focused and has more mid presence where the Khan has a bigger low end and does seem to add some harmonics.

Samples

Canvas - Bass Only

Khan - Bass Only

Canvas - In the mix

Khan - In the mix
Click to expand...

Khan makes everything a little more special.
 
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#6,025
chadhargis said:
As promised...here are some sound clips of the Khan.

Here's the signal path:

HX Stomp (SVT emulation) -> Becos Stella Comp -> HX Stomp outputs (one is connected to the Walrus Canvas LI and the other is connected to the Khan) -> A&H Zed 10i mixer (Channel 2 - Khan and Channel 3 - Canvas) - GarageBand

So the clips are recorded simultaneously with the only difference being the Khan and the Canvas. Both are level matched.

I'm not doing blind samples as the difference is pretty noticeable. The Canvas is more focused and has more mid presence where the Khan has a bigger low end and does seem to add some harmonics.

Samples

Canvas - Bass Only

Khan - Bass Only

Canvas - In the mix

Khan - In the mix
Click to expand...

I like the Khan in the mix, special sauce.
 
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#6,026
chadhargis said:
Yeah...it does color the tone in a pleasing way.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. It's more than that fuller low register (which is fantastic in its own right). The difference is clear from the very beginning of the track. With the Khan, the opening low D has more presence but crucially that high D also has a richness to it that makes the Canvas sound almost anemic.
 
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#6,027
Erithon said:
Absolutely. It's more than that fuller low register (which is fantastic in its own right). The difference is clear from the very beginning of the track. With the Khan, the opening low D has more presence but crucially that high D also has a richness to it that makes the Canvas sound almost anemic.
Click to expand...

The Khan is a very "colored" DI where the Canvas is a "what you put in you get out" transparent DI/LI. The Canvas is designed to NOT change your tone where the Khan is designed to color whatever you run through it with it's signature sound.

It's not that one is better than the other. It really depends on what you are looking for.
 
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#6,028
chadhargis said:
The Khan is a very "colored" DI where the Canvas is a "what you put in you get out" transparent DI/LI. The Canvas is designed to NOT change your tone where the Khan is designed to color whatever you run through it with it's signature sound.

It's not that one is better than the other. It really depends on what you are looking for.
Click to expand...
That is why I have both! :)
 
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#6,029
Ugh, I've been watching for a Khan for months and nothing, so I finally just bought new last week. Now there was one on Reverb, and one here on TB. Such is life

My Khan is after a Helix LT, and that's it lately! Helix has been plenty for church, and the Khan mentally scratches the tube itch.
 
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#6,030
monkeyfinger said:
That is why I have both! :)
Click to expand...

Me too! :)

Pedalnetics said:
Ugh, I've been watching for a Khan for months and nothing, so I finally just bought new last week. Now there was one on Reverb, and one here on TB. Such is life

My Khan is after a Helix LT, and that's it lately! Helix has been plenty for church, and the Khan mentally scratches the tube itch.
Click to expand...

Yeah...the HX Stomp in front of the Khan is pretty sweet.
 
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#6,031
chadhargis said:
The Khan is a very "colored" DI where the Canvas is a "what you put in you get out" transparent DI/LI. The Canvas is designed to NOT change your tone where the Khan is designed to color whatever you run through it with it's signature sound.

It's not that one is better than the other. It really depends on what you are looking for.
Click to expand...
From a functional standpoint you are absolutely right. I get that and concur. But from a tonal standpoint--to my ears--it's the Khan by a mile :)
 
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#6,033
SteveC said:
I have yet to try the HXS into my REDDI. Best of both worlds maybe? Doesn't get me to a smaller rig though. And I'd still miss the visual aspect of the Empress Bass Compressor.
Click to expand...

I've never owned a REDDI, but the Khan is fairly compact. It could easily mount underneath something like a Templeboard.

You can see in the pic below the size compared to the HX Stomp. It's really no bigger than something like an RNDI.

IMG_0655.jpg
 
#6,034
chadhargis said:
I've never owned a REDDI, but the Khan is fairly compact. It could easily mount underneath something like a Templeboard.

You can see in the pic below the size compared to the HX Stomp. It's really no bigger than something like an RNDI.

View attachment 4907745
Click to expand...
Oh for sure. The Khan has size - lack of - and an effected 1/4" out over the REDDI. IF I were smart I'd grab a used Khan (probably not available any more) and try to sell my REDDI, or leave it at church. I could put the Khan on or under a new board with the Empress pedals and have a killer small rig. I guess there's just something about the REDDI the has me under it's spell.
 
#6,035
SteveC said:
Oh for sure. The Khan has size - lack of - and an effected 1/4" out over the REDDI. IF I were smart I'd grab a used Khan (probably not available any more) and try to sell my REDDI, or leave it at church. I could put the Khan on or under a new board with the Empress pedals and have a killer small rig. I guess there's just something about the REDDI the has me under it's spell.
Click to expand...

They are hard to come by used. I had my watch list on Reverb set to alert me if one popped up. I bought it as soon as it popped up. Wasn't dramatically cheaper than buying new, but probably saved me $100 overall. Enough that if I want to flip it I won't lose any money outside of what it cost to ship it.

I did see one pop up on here in the Classifieds a day or so ago, but my guess is that it's gone by now.
 
#6,036
chadhargis said:
They are hard to come by used. I had my watch list on Reverb set to alert me if one popped up. I bought it as soon as it popped up. Wasn't dramatically cheaper than buying new, but probably saved me $100 overall. Enough that if I want to flip it I won't lose any money outside of what it cost to ship it.

I did see one pop up on here in the Classifieds a day or so ago, but my guess is that it's gone by now.
Click to expand...

Still there it appears... (no affliation)

For Sale - Khan Di
 

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