The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

[4Mal]

Not that anyone here is asking but... I had a question pop up relating to the Venus X I have posted in the GFS... The question is ... Does it get noisy at higher gain settings? I'm not a high gain guy so to be fair I had to test. The answer is a definitive no! It gets gainy for sure but the noise floor is excellent. Beyond Acceptable even with the gain wide open on the Boost channel. I was actually kinda suprised.

 

[mikeswals]

I'm thinking about getting either a Mesa Prodigy or B-15R to use as an optional tube power amp for my various tube pre amps.... anyone have any advice would be welcome (this is obviously Sushi Box related as I only use Sushi Box preamp pedals exclusively)

I owned both of those amps for many years and many gigs, both sold now, but I still have other tube heads.
I don't use my Sushi preamp pedals for my tube amps; only solid state amp, and my ampless gig.

You'll have to post your findings if you try it.

 

[bassbrad]

I'd be tempted to run the Bee Pre into the Bee Pre X just to see what might happen.

I have a minitube version of the Slampegg Bee and it has a delicious warmth and saturation that just misses going into overdrive.

 

[Rev_Slinky]

Something came up in another thread that made we want to ask about here. People were talking about dream pedal combinations and one thing that got mentioned was: Broughton RFE -> LB 23Fe -> SB Finally v2. That made me wonder, what about the Finally v1 that utilizes a Lightning Boy transformer? How does that compare with the 23Fe? I don't know much about transformers, so this might be a stupid question, but stupid doesn't get smart by NOT asking questions.

 

[RevOgre]

1. The newest More is... chefs kiss
2. The Tarantula is exceptionally fun!

That's it!

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Something came up in another thread that made we want to ask about here. People were talking about dream pedal combinations and one thing that got mentioned was: Broughton RFE -> LB 23Fe -> SB Finally v2. That made me wonder, what about the Finally v1 that utilizes a Lightning Boy transformer? How does that compare with the 23Fe? I don't know much about transformers, so this might be a stupid question, but stupid doesn't get smart by NOT asking questions.

Mike from Lightning Boy will have to answer that one, but my understanding is that the 23Fe was designed with a very different goal in mind than the MC15 D.I. transformer, so I doubt they're really apples to apples.

 

[Rev_Slinky]

Mike from Lightning Boy will have to answer that one, but my understanding is that the 23Fe was designed with a very different goal in mind than the MC15 D.I. transformer, so I doubt they're really apples to apples.

Thanks for the response. I didn't realize it was the MC15 in there. From the description on the Lightning Boy website, that certainly sounds like a different beast (or, fruit, if we don't want to mix metaphors). Whatever is going on inside that Finally, it sure sounds sweet!

 

[tidbits]

I think that also means that in addition to being something totally different and built for a different purpose, the Finally’s transformer is only in the XLR path and the 1/4” out doesn’t get any of the “flavor”

 

[GR7G5TER]

I have an Fe23 that I use just before my power amp to give some additional colour, it really benefits from being driven by a clean boost (I use an EP Booster clone) and this really brings out the colour.
I'll have my Pedalnetics DI soon which uses Nathan's transformer which I believe is "similar" in function at least to the LB that was in the older Finally.
From my point of view they are different products with different goals however my transformer knowledge is very low, unless we're talking about the toys I played with back in the 80s!

 

[Sushi Box FX]

I think that also means that in addition to being something totally different and built for a different purpose, the Finally’s transformer is only in the XLR path and the 1/4” out doesn’t get any of the “flavor”

That is correct. The purpose of the transformer is to take the unbalanced 1/4" signal and turn it into a balanced XLR signal. It happens to impart some mild coloration on the way, but its main goal is just to turn unbalanced into balanced, so it's not used in the 1/4" output.

 

[BaltBass5]

@Sushi Box FX

So this past weekend I made an interesting and puzzling observation. I have the Finally v2 as the last pedal on my board before going to my amp. I typically run it with the gain and the level set to about 9 o'clock and with the toggles down (So basically No HPF and the Pre-Out engaged.) The intent is just to add a little tube warmth to the input of my Quilter BB 803.

In the process of tweaking a couple of other pedals I also just wanted to verify unity level so I switched the toggle from Pre-Out to Dry Passt and found that when in the Dry Pass position my signal was actually fatter and warmer than with the toggle in Pre-Out which seems very strange to me.

 

[tidbits]

In the process of tweaking a couple of other pedals I also just wanted to verify unity level so I switched the toggle from Pre-Out to Flat and found that when in the Flat position my signal was actually fatter and warmer than with the toggle in Pre-Out which seems very strange to me.

Just want to have you double check what you're saying here, b/c I'm a little confused on what you're describing - are you flipping both switches or just one of them? If just one, left or right?

 

[bassbrad]

Something came up in another thread that made we want to ask about here. People were talking about dream pedal combinations and one thing that got mentioned was: Broughton RFE -> LB 23Fe -> SB Finally v2. That made me wonder, what about the Finally v1 that utilizes a Lightning Boy transformer? How does that compare with the 23Fe? I don't know much about transformers, so this might be a stupid question, but stupid doesn't get smart by NOT asking questions.

There is a subtle but present mojo in those LBA transformers, I have one of each so far and try them in different combinations and always find some extra something. To my ear it is like adding just a drop or pinch of some secret flavor to make a dish pop. Some folks go a bit crazy by stacking multiples but that is just a bit too much like adding 2 extra pinches of cayenne pepper that makes it too hot for Mama. YMMV.

 

[BaltBass5]

Just want to have you double check what you're saying here, b/c I'm a little confused on what you're describing - are you flipping both switches or just one of them? If just one, left or right?

Just one. The Right toggle switch. Down is Pre-Out which should be engaging the tube etc... Up is Dry Pass which should just be a pass thru.
When I switch the right toggle UP to DRY PASS my tone is warmer and fatter than when the switch is down.

 

[GR7G5TER]

There is a subtle but present mojo in those LBA transformers, I have one of each so far and try them in different combinations and always find some extra something. To my ear it is like adding just a drop or pinch of some secret flavor to make a dish pop. Some folks go a bit crazy by stacking multiples but that is just a bit too much like adding 2 extra pinches of cayenne pepper that makes it too hot for Mama. YMMV.

That's exactly the right analogy for what the transformers does!

 

[Tassieviking]

Just one. The Right toggle switch. Down is Pre-Out which should be engaging the tube etc... Up is Dry Pass which should just be a pass thru.
When I switch the right toggle UP to DRY PASS my tone is warmer and fatter than when the switch is down.

It is very hard for anyone who does not have the same pedal answer that question, a lot of people would have to see the schematic to work it out.
I would love to see the schematic to all the Sushi pedals but if Nathan did release them then there would be copies of his pedals all over the place, especially in the DIY groups.
I'm sure Nathan will pop up here and set you straight in the not too far future, if someone else does not beat him too it.
Ok, this is gonna hurt, "Nathan, keep those schematics a secret as long as possible". .....I can't believe I wrote that.

 

[tidbits]

@BaltBass5 That is super weird. And that was at unity output on the Finally? I wonder if it needs more +gain -level. But I don't know enough about tubes to say that they would thin a signal at lower gains...

 

[mikeswals]

Maybe you don't have the knobs turned up high enough?
I have the Finally 1, but I installed the 12AU7 tube, and unity for me looks like this with a StingRay.
If I use a passive Jazz then I only goose the Level knob up a tad.

 

[mikeswals]

When this pedal had the original 12AX7 in it, unity gain was more like 9 o'clock range.

 

[BaltBass5]

Maybe you don't have the knobs turned up high enough?
I have the Finally 1, but I installed the 12AU7 tube, and unity for me looks like this with a StingRay.
If I use a passive Jazz then I only goose the Level knob up a tad.

View attachment 7070491

I play super hot Spector Euro’s and I run several different dirt pedals in front. I’m also running the Finally v2 at 12v and replaced the stock tube with a Millard 12AU7 as they are darker which makes it even stranger! The level is def unity but when I go to Dry Pass there’s not a volume drop but there is a fullness and warmth to my signal that comes in. If I crank the gain I do get overdrive so everything seems to be wired properly and the tube and switch are working.