The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

[Sushi Box FX]

I'm pleased proud honestly a little disappointed to introduce the Silicon Accelerator. It's a solid-state preamp designed to emulate the general characteristics of UA but with easily procured parts. I have no idea what it will sound like, but I figure it's better than nothing as a backup plan, and it would be an interesting academic exercise to A/B it with a UA and analyze the sound. I put the tonestack bypass switch in so I can hear what a solid-state SH would sound like as well.

 

[NKBassman]

I'm pleased proud honestly a little disappointed to introduce the Silicon Accelerator. It's a solid-state preamp designed to emulate the general characteristics of UA but with easily procured parts. I have no idea what it will sound like, but I figure it's better than nothing as a backup plan, and it would be an interesting academic exercise to A/B it with a UA and analyze the sound. I put the tonestack bypass switch in so I can hear what a solid-state SH would sound like as well.

View attachment 4623072

Neat! So it is the same basic topology but with the tube replaced by FETs of some kind?

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Neat! So it is the same basic topology but with the tube replaced by FETs of some kind?

Yup, same basic circuit but opamp stages instead of tube stages, I'm using JFET-input as I expect them to have a better feel. It has a couple extra opamps because I'm trying out a power amp emulation at the same time, that's what the second toggle switch is for.

I'm hoping the tube thing gets worked out and I won't need to look into this any further, but hope for the best, plan for the worst. I have a tentative design for a solid-state Slampegg as well if this one works out and is necessary.

 

[bassbrad]

I'm pleased proud honestly a little disappointed to introduce the Silicon Accelerator. It's a solid-state preamp designed to emulate the general characteristics of UA but with easily procured parts. I have no idea what it will sound like, but I figure it's better than nothing as a backup plan, and it would be an interesting academic exercise to A/B it with a UA and analyze the sound. I put the tonestack bypass switch in so I can hear what a solid-state SH would sound like as well.

View attachment 4623072

Yup, same basic circuit but opamp stages instead of tube stages, I'm using JFET-input as I expect them to have a better feel. It has a couple extra opamps because I'm trying out a power amp emulation at the same time, that's what the second toggle switch is for.

I'm hoping the tube thing gets worked out and I won't need to look into this any further, but hope for the best, plan for the worst. I have a tentative design for a solid-state Slampegg as well if this one works out and is necessary.

Hopefully this will be a Pleasant Surprise IRL just as the Fluffy Kitten as well as an affordable alternative for those looking for amp in a box distortion tones. I might be interested in a budget priced Slampegg or SBVT even though I really don't care for those amps.

 

[jcburn]

Hopefully this will be a Pleasant Surprise IRL just as the Fluffy Kitten as well as an affordable alternative for those looking for amp in a box distortion tones. I might be interested in a budget priced Slampegg or SBVT even though I really don't care for those amps.

I like the idea of solid state versions. It's all just different flavours.

And if it sounds good Bassbrad has come up with a name - the Sushi Box Pleasant Surprise!!!

 

[Crawforde]

I must have waited like ten minutes too long.
I had a echosaurus in my cart. but I procrastinated for too long.
And now they are gone.
Actually, it’s better this way, maybe now I will be able to afford it when I get it.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

I must have waited like ten minutes too long.
I had a echosaurus in my cart. but I procrastinated for too long.
And now they are gone.
Actually, it’s better this way, maybe now I will be able to afford it when I get it.

I'm planning to open May ordering in a couple weeks, plenty more Echosauruses in the sea. Or you know, wherever it is they are.

Tubes are in short supply, but at the rate Echosauruses are ordered I easily have 2 years' stock of the processor that drives them.

 

[Crawforde]

Are there any bass demos with the echosaurus? I was looking for a delay, saw you had one. Liked the sounds I could find, but was hesitant… too hesitant.

 

[Killing Floor]

Are there any bass demos with the echosaurus? I was looking for a delay, saw you had one. Liked the sounds I could find, but was hesitant… too hesitant.

I have an El Cap that’s probably going to go on the block since I finally got an Echosaurus. It’s a 4 head tape sim, it’s not bass specific at all.

 

[Killing Floor]

I'm pleased proud honestly a little disappointed to introduce the Silicon Accelerator. It's a solid-state preamp designed to emulate the general characteristics of UA but with easily procured parts. I have no idea what it will sound like, but I figure it's better than nothing as a backup plan, and it would be an interesting academic exercise to A/B it with a UA and analyze the sound. I put the tonestack bypass switch in so I can hear what a solid-state SH would sound like as well.

View attachment 4623072

Silicon’s got particles too.

 

[Crawforde]

I have an El Cap that’s probably going to go on the block since I finally got an Echosaurus. It’s a 4 head tape sim, it’s not bass specific at all.

It might not be, but I pretty much am. I liked the demo I heard. It seemed really flexible or adjustable or whatever word I’m looking for.

 

[Killing Floor]

It might not be, but I pretty much am. I liked the demo I heard. It seemed really flexible or adjustable or whatever word I’m looking for.

Right, lol, forgot I play bass too haha.
It’s slick. It’s not gimmicky. If you like tape echo simulation it’s as good as any normal priced pedal and it’s board friendly. And now they come with stickers and a box so…..

 

[bassbrad]

@Crawforde I really love the analog sound and feel of the Echosaurus, to me it plays like a Binson Echo or others of that oil can or tape type without all the unwanted noise. There are others that also do this but I love that @Sushi Box FX charges such a nice price. Some may find it a one trick pony but it does that trick flawlessly.
I find myself either using an ambient slap back or playing the delay/regen/age/mix controls for Doppler effects.

 

[Crawforde]

Thanks.
It looks like May is Echosaurus month this year. And if the tubes come in maybe something else.
I like the tones out of my Quilter Interbass but sometimes think it needs a little extra spice or something when I’m just noodling around.

 

[Ryan L.]

I'm pleased proud honestly a little disappointed to introduce the Silicon Accelerator. It's a solid-state preamp designed to emulate the general characteristics of UA but with easily procured parts. I have no idea what it will sound like, but I figure it's better than nothing as a backup plan, and it would be an interesting academic exercise to A/B it with a UA and analyze the sound. I put the tonestack bypass switch in so I can hear what a solid-state SH would sound like as well.

View attachment 4623072

Maybe now would be a good time to revisit the Hefty Unicorn.

Because clearly I need one.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Maybe now would be a good time to revisit the Hefty Unicorn.

Because clearly I need one.

Well the plan for the Hefty Unicorn was that I was going to add a tube in there. I don't know, I could go back to it and see how excited I get about the circuit tubeless.

 

[Ryan L.]

Well the plan for the Hefty Unicorn was that I was going to add a tube in there. I don't know, I could go back to it and see how excited I get about the circuit tubeless.

Oh crap, that’s right! I completely forgot that it was going to be a tube pedal.

 

[Pedalnetics]

Randomly came across this cool video that shows the dangers of (severely) overvolting capacitors

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Randomly came across this cool video that shows the dangers of (severely) overvolting capacitors

I did that a couple weeks ago working on my B25-B15N conversion. Grabbed the wrong tap on the power transformer and fed 800V into a 450V cap. It did not smell great.

 

[shoegazebass]

I was hoping someone else would jump in with their opinion but I can of course give mine. It's an interesting circuit, the first stage has a huge low end, but the second stage filters some of that out, and the tonestack is voiced a little bit brighter than the typical Alembic tonestack I used in Particle Accelerator/Underground Accelerator. It has a little more grit than Particle Accelerator due to the tonestack being at the very end rather than in the middle, so I would describe it as having a tight, focused low-end that's not overly warm but not overly bright. It has a nice punch in the low-mids, and while it doesn't have as much low end on the output as PA/UA it still has a nice fatness to it.

A common option was to get the Particle Accelerator tonestack added into the London Underground (which effectively makes it an Underground Accelerator) so if you could get a pic of the circuit board I could tell you if that has been done. It's a best-of-both-worlds thing in my opinion, keeps the grit of the London Underground with the rumbly low-end of Particle Accelerator.

Obviously I'm completely biased, but that's my view on London Underground.

BTW: I am the owner of the LU currently in the classifieds. I can confirm everything that's been said about the original version of the pedal. I'm only letting it go as it's been replaced on my board by a smoke signal.