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Worship Bass Pedalboards

Oh dear. You just opened up a can of worms, my friend. I'm gonna just sit over here and watch.

I will sum up my viewpoint this way:
- Because tone. It may be subjective to an extent. But to me my bass sounds better with a cab sim of some kind in the chain. Especially passive basses.
- Drive pedals - if you use them - sound like butt when running direct without a speaker sim to tame the harsh fizzyness.
- The HPF/LPF nature of cab sims tightens up your tone and gives you more control over what you're sending to the house.
- If you use an actual amp live and/or mic your amp, it may be a bit redundant. With the exception that when engaged it can maybe make your amp sound like a different amp. Most use a cab sim when running ampless to give your tone a more life-like, amp-like tone.
That kinda sums it up for me...
 
I don't have much more to add.

I have been using the Radial JDI (a REALLY GOOD DI) for a long time. I tried a REDDI and it just didn't do anything for me, the band or the sound guy. I know people love them (or Noble, or SansAmp or whatever) but it wasn't for me. I tried the OCSD and noticed IMMEDIATELY when using my IEM's via the OCSD headphone out. I brought it to church and received comments - good ones - from band and sound guy after 3 notes. They never say anything. I bring all kinds of stuff and no one says anything. The OCSD got noticed right away - and in a good way.

I use the same rig for my cover band. Same results.

I am not an effects guy at all. My big board lasted about a month. I am just a straight bass guy, hence my using the JDI. The thing with the OCSD is that it gives your sound - especially IEM's - more depth or air or vibe or whatever. I like that it doesn't just simulate specific cabs like the Sansamp is an Ampeg (more or less) simulator.

I don't go gaga for stuff unless I REALLY like it. I am gaga for Roscoe basses, Genzler amps and this pedal. I will praise them no end when asked - or even when not asked - my opinion.
 
I don't have much more to add.

I have been using the Radial JDI (a REALLY GOOD DI) for a long time. I tried a REDDI and it just didn't do anything for me, the band or the sound guy. I know people love them (or Noble, or SansAmp or whatever) but it wasn't for me. I tried the OCSD and noticed IMMEDIATELY when using my IEM's via the OCSD headphone out. I brought it to church and received comments - good ones - from band and sound guy after 3 notes. They never say anything. I bring all kinds of stuff and no one says anything. The OCSD got noticed right away - and in a good way.

I use the same rig for my cover band. Same results.

I am not an effects guy at all. My big board lasted about a month. I am just a straight bass guy, hence my using the JDI. The thing with the OCSD is that it gives your sound - especially IEM's - more depth or air or vibe or whatever. I like that it doesn't just simulate specific cabs like the Sansamp is an Ampeg (more or less) simulator.

I don't go gaga for stuff unless I REALLY like it. I am gaga for Roscoe basses, Genzler amps and this pedal. I will praise them no end when asked - or even when not asked - my opinion.
I wasn't aware of the headphone feature, that's cool. I use the parallel out of my b7k into a ehx headphone amp that I hardwired and Velcrod to the board. I'm getting sold on this ocsd
 
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I wasn't aware of the headphone feature, that's cool. I use the parallel out of my b7k into a ehx headphone amp that I hardwired and Velcrod to the board. I'm getting sold on this ocsd
Makes it a great practice amp. Run a 3.5 mini from your device to the pedal and then plug in your headphones and you are good to go.
 
I wasn't aware of the headphone feature, that's cool. I use the parallel out of my b7k into a ehx headphone amp that I hardwired and Velcrod to the board. I'm getting sold on this ocsd
Do it! Do it! Do it! Come on! You know you want to. All the cool kids are doing it. But seriously, I don't have mine yet to base any experience on, but watch a few videos online and I'm certain you'll be quickly convinced you need one. Not want one. NEEEEEEEEED one.
 
Man!! All this talk about the OCSD is making me really want one.. don't really need it, but it sounds amazing , from what I'm reading ..
@ExaltBass ... so you're not using yours with the OCSD, it's an either or type deal?

I'm using it as always-on almost always, except with the rock band through the amp. Then off for affect, or on for effect, depending how I'm running it. Going direct, depending on which pedalboard, I either go direct to FOH from the Noble on 'Big' - or, with 'Little' PB, I go direct from the OCSD's DI out. I just got the second OCSD yesterday, and won't be in a live situation until May 4th & 6th. It is SO versatile.
 
Anything else get close to the OCSD versatility? Looks great, but I'm on a tighter budget :/
I'm not aware of anything out there, matching all the features of the OCSD...which I believe contributes to the OCSD admiration.

Even the DG cab sim pedals don't include a 3.5 Mini input, battery option, and a 1/4" cab sim-effected output.

I also really enjoy the analog versatility/being able to quickly twist knobs to achieve virtually whatever result you want. I tend to ignore the cab size labels, etc...just adjust everything by ear.

I'd be even more thrilled...if it had a top notch transformer-based DI, and no right side jacks/controls. The OCSD DI isn't bad though...and I'm probably just being ocd pedal design/options greedy! ;)
 
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No cab sim, just a really nice parametric EQ

It can be used as such with a bit of fiddling, sort of.

My current setup (this week):



8B240D4A-FB98-417B-BC7F-C4DFB1275DB2.jpeg
 
Here's my initial reaction to receiving my OCSD yesterday, which I posted in the OCSD thread.
NPD DSM Noisemaker OmniCabSim

"The sky's a little bluer this morning. The sun's shining a little bit brighter. The birds are singing just a little sweeter. Can you hear it? No? Maybe it's just me. Maybe it's because my OCSD showed up last night, all unexpected-like. It somehow eluded the final stages of tracking and showed up at my door like a sneaky little pedal ninja! It is such a feeling of relief. I can now move on with my life. No more checking for tracking updates ever 10 minutes. No more watching videos on Youtube hoping my stuff will someday sound that good. It's here. And it does.

I've only had half an hour to play with it so far. But that's all it took to know that this pedal will forever change my direct-only setup for the better. I already have it dialed in on a great tone. The knobs are very intuitive and work well together. At the extremes it can sound a bit ridiculous (like if you max or min the knobs), but in that sweet spot, it is oh so sweet. And it does indeed make my drive pedals sound less farty and more like an actual overdriven amp. And as an added bonus, the headphone amp works like a charm, so I don't have to plug my pedalboard into my USB recording interface anymore to practice. I A/B'd it with the speaker sim on my VT Bass DI, and there is just no comparison. It makes the VT sound like a toy. I will say, though, that I don't think I can quite get rid of the VT just yet. I'm going to leave it in the chain - probably right before the OCSD - to use as a preamp and EQ, bypassing its speaker sim capabilities, because I still feel that my passive basses can benefit from the gain boost and external EQ control. There are other (maybe better) options for this purpose, of course, but I already have this one and don't have to buy something else, so it wins for now.

High response around 10:00. Cab size and resonance around 3:00. Punch at 10:00. Mid response at 1-2:00. Pure bliss.

The wait almost literally killed me, but it was totally worth it. I can safely say this is the most important pedal I have ever purchased. And I've purchased a heck of a lot of pedals over the years. Well, maybe my tuner was more important, technically speaking, but not nearly as fun. Well done, @Dsmnoisemaker!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go re-audition a few overdrive/distortion pedals I was on the verge of selling to see if this bad boy breathes new life into them."



The significant difference between the OCSD and other cab sims I have tried (ADA GCS-2, Tech 21 Sans Amp, VT Bass DI, Palmer PDI-09 [the direct box version], Digitech CabDryVR, Tech 21 Blonde, Aguilar Tone Hammer [AGS mode]) is the infinite tweakability the OCSD gives you. And the real secret to me is in the "resonance" knob. It gives you that "whump whump" sound (for lack of a better description) that simulates the movement of a speaker. At least that's how I'd describe it. It makes it sound incredibly life-like. I got close to that with the ADA GCS-2, but it wasn't nearly tweakable enough or bass-specific. The OCSD is an incredible beast. Worth every penny to me.
 
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Here's my initial reaction to receiving my OCSD yesterday, which I posted in the OCSD thread.
NPD DSM Noisemaker OmniCabSim

"The sky's a little bluer this morning. The sun's shining a little bit brighter. The birds are singing just a little sweeter. Can you hear it? No? Maybe it's just me. Maybe it's because my OCSD showed up last night, all unexpected-like. It somehow eluded the final stages of tracking and showed up at my door like a sneaky little pedal ninja! It is such a feeling of relief. I can now move on with my life. No more checking for tracking updates ever 10 minutes. No more watching videos on Youtube hoping my stuff will someday sound that good. It's here. And it does.

I've only had half an hour to play with it so far. But that's all it took to know that this pedal will forever change my direct-only setup for the better. I already have it dialed in on a great tone. The knobs are very intuitive and work well together. At the extremes it can sound a bit ridiculous (like if you max or min the knobs), but in that sweet spot, it is oh so sweet. And it does indeed make my drive pedals sound less farty and more like an actual overdriven amp. And as an added bonus, the headphone amp works like a charm, so I don't have to plug my pedalboard into my USB recording interface anymore to practice. I A/B'd it with the speaker sim on my VT Bass DI, and there is just no comparison. It makes the VT sound like a toy. I will say, though, that I don't think I can quite get rid of the VT just yet. I'm going to leave it in the chain - probably right before the OCSD - to use as a preamp and EQ, bypassing its speaker sim capabilities, because I still feel that my passive basses can benefit from the gain boost and external EQ control. There are other (maybe better) options for this purpose, of course, but I already have this one and don't have to buy something else, so it wins for now.

High response around 10:00. Cab size and resonance around 3:00. Punch at 10:00. Mid response at 1-2:00. Pure bliss.

The wait almost literally killed me, but it was totally worth it. I can safely say this is the most important pedal I have ever purchased. And I've purchased a heck of a lot of pedals over the years. Well, maybe my tuner was more important, technically speaking, but not nearly as fun. Well done, @Dsmnoisemaker!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go re-audition a few overdrive/distortion pedals I was on the verge of selling to see if this bad boy breathes new life into them."



The significant difference between the OCSD and other cab sims I have tried (ADA GCS-2, Tech 21 Sans Amp, VT Bass DI, Palmer PDI-09 [the direct box version], Digitech CabDryVR, Tech 21 Blonde, Aguilar Tone Hammer [AGS mode]) is the infinite tweakability the OCSD gives you. And the real secret to me is in the "resonance" knob. It gives you that "whump whump" sound (for lack of a better description) that simulates the movement of a speaker. At least that's how I'd describe it. It makes it sound incredibly life-like. I got close to that with the ADA GCS-2, but it wasn't nearly tweakable enough for me. The OCSD is an incredible beast. Worth every penny to me.
Mighty high praise. Seems in keeping with what everyone else has said about the OCSD. Glad that it was the revelation that so many have claimed it to be. Go forth and rock!
 
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And mine ?


Status
Delivery Attempt: Action Needed


April 26, 2018 at 12:01 pm

Notice Left (No Authorized Recipient Available)

Headed down to the post office to pick it up now :)
I hope you don't get down there, and find they've put it back on the truck "out for delivery" again!

Yup...I've chased more than my share of UPS, FedEx, and USPS trucks around our neighborhood. ;)