So sorry about that! I never mess with the SVT model because I tend to go for clean sounds. I didn't realize there was a difference between the two models.
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Zoom B1 Four - better sounding than Zoom B1on?
- Thread starter fourstringbliss
- Start date
Nah you’re all good. I don’t know if the manual draws attention to that either. Upside is that amp models only take up one block instead of two.
Definitely try the Markbass sim into the DI5 sim. I left the DI model as is and I would have the Markbass one with both vintage and shape at zero and then add to taste.
Will do! Not what I'd use for my main sound but I'll give it a whirl
Well, after feeling free to start making eq adjustments to the b14 I managed to find a setting that's pretty much my old b3n patch, maybe even better. Sorry to derail this thread with the "b3n vs b14" subject.
But I will say this - there are subtle differences in eq adjustments, gain, and volume between the two units, at least using the SVT amp model, ep boost, and para eqs.
But I will say this - there are subtle differences in eq adjustments, gain, and volume between the two units, at least using the SVT amp model, ep boost, and para eqs.
Just curious if you wound up getting the four. If so, what are your thoughts?
I'm looking at the four myself. If I take the plunge, I'll probably just be practicing with it at home... using a few of the effects but mainly using the unit for the rhythms, the headphone out and maybe the tuner.
Thanks for any insight!
I'm looking at the four myself. If I take the plunge, I'll probably just be practicing with it at home... using a few of the effects but mainly using the unit for the rhythms, the headphone out and maybe the tuner.
Thanks for any insight!
I did and it's great! I wouldn't say it necessarily sounds better than the B1on (and I can't A/B them because I don't own one anymore), but it's a lot easier to use. Programming patches is easier and more intuitive. The four control knobs on the front act as bass, mid, treble and volume controls when the unit is in normal playing mode which makes it easy to make quick room eq changes. The unit itself is smaller and more sturdy. Everything is better and makes it definitely worth getting.
I have the B1X Four. It is so versatile and for the price point, you just cant go wrong at all. I was in the market for bass processors and emulators and this one popped up on amazon. I had an old zoom, about 15 years ago, it sucked. So I was very reluctant, with the reviews, I went with it and I was very shocked about how good it is.
You can program it manually on the pedal which is a pain in the ass, or link it via USB to your laptop and run the software. There are few more effects you can upload and do a firmware update. I use the Zoom software to edit but my primary software is a free download called ToneLib. Its easier to manage, buttons and dials are larger and it saves as you go. Moving patches is a drag and drop method on ToneLib.
One thing I do not like about the Zoom is the lack of memory and patch banks. The pre-loaded Patches that I found useless, I just deleted them since I will never use them. it gives me more room to create my own patches and store them. Another thing is the lack of memory, you will have to sacrifice an effect or 2 to down load the new effects. So just think about what you will never are going to use and sacrifice it. You can always regain it though but you still have to sacrifice another effect.
In all, is it worth it, IMO absolutely! for the money, you get a ton of high quality effects. You get a few map that equates the effects with the actual model of effect, cab, preamp, eq ect.
Also there is a thread here that is ran by
Crystalman85
b1 four | TalkBass.com
He has posted countless patches you can program your B1X Four
You can program it manually on the pedal which is a pain in the ass, or link it via USB to your laptop and run the software. There are few more effects you can upload and do a firmware update. I use the Zoom software to edit but my primary software is a free download called ToneLib. Its easier to manage, buttons and dials are larger and it saves as you go. Moving patches is a drag and drop method on ToneLib.
One thing I do not like about the Zoom is the lack of memory and patch banks. The pre-loaded Patches that I found useless, I just deleted them since I will never use them. it gives me more room to create my own patches and store them. Another thing is the lack of memory, you will have to sacrifice an effect or 2 to down load the new effects. So just think about what you will never are going to use and sacrifice it. You can always regain it though but you still have to sacrifice another effect.
In all, is it worth it, IMO absolutely! for the money, you get a ton of high quality effects. You get a few map that equates the effects with the actual model of effect, cab, preamp, eq ect.
Also there is a thread here that is ran by
Crystalman85
b1 four | TalkBass.com
He has posted countless patches you can program your B1X Four
FYI - my perspective on this unit aren't based on its use as a multieffects unit. I am really just using this for amp/cab modeling, EQ, headphone amp and tuner. The only "effect" I use is the ZNR noise gate.
As a small battery-powered amp modeler, EQ, headphone amp and tuner it's amazing, especially for the price! That being said I have two patches programmed - one for each of my basses.
As a small battery-powered amp modeler, EQ, headphone amp and tuner it's amazing, especially for the price! That being said I have two patches programmed - one for each of my basses.
The ZNR noise gate is by far one of the best features bro! I use a lot of the other effects to make patches. The filters are extremely nice, eqs, pre amps, ect.
So far I understood that B1four might and might not be the same and/or better than B3n. What am I missing? 
Did anyone tried it on some stronger, louder surrounding, like with a band or a gig? I am really interested if this, smaller unit can be my always on amp sim, compressor, tuner in front of B3 that I am using for gigs, and loving it?
Did anyone tried it on some stronger, louder surrounding, like with a band or a gig? I am really interested if this, smaller unit can be my always on amp sim, compressor, tuner in front of B3 that I am using for gigs, and loving it?
I was very tempted to buy the B3n due to the more usable stomp buttons and scrolling options and extra slot to add an additional effect to your your effects chain.
It seems to be more user friendly with the ability to turn off effects on your chain without have to scroll through. The B3n seems to be the big brother to the B1X and B1X Four. The B3n seems to have more support and updates. One disadvantage of the B1n is that it doesn't have the expression pedal but it has the option of plugging one in.
As for the B1X Four, for the the money, you cannot beat it. The effects are great and both have the same sound. The B1X, B1X Four and B3n each have a couple different effects or cab Sims than each other. the lot of the presets are not usable in my style of playing. I rather create my own, use a few effects or come here and find new and seriously cool patches.
The more I look at it, the more I think I should have bought the B3n but I had a bad experience with Zoom and it's bass effects. So as to try out a new Zoom product 12 years later, I wasn't going to spend a lot of money. I was really surprised about how good it sounds. The B1X and B1X four has the hard plastic body and no XLR. I don't know about the B3n, I don't think it does either.
If you don't want to break the bank, then get B1X Four. Having a B1X Four, if I could sell it to someone, I would, then buy the B3n. Even though the sound is the same, the layout is more to my liking. I would still have to buy an expression pedal. I use it alot for volume, wah and some of the other options.
I don't gig nor in a band, so I don't know how well it sounds in a gig setting. If it sounds good on my amp/cab then it's good for me and I would use it
It seems to be more user friendly with the ability to turn off effects on your chain without have to scroll through. The B3n seems to be the big brother to the B1X and B1X Four. The B3n seems to have more support and updates. One disadvantage of the B1n is that it doesn't have the expression pedal but it has the option of plugging one in.
As for the B1X Four, for the the money, you cannot beat it. The effects are great and both have the same sound. The B1X, B1X Four and B3n each have a couple different effects or cab Sims than each other. the lot of the presets are not usable in my style of playing. I rather create my own, use a few effects or come here and find new and seriously cool patches.
The more I look at it, the more I think I should have bought the B3n but I had a bad experience with Zoom and it's bass effects. So as to try out a new Zoom product 12 years later, I wasn't going to spend a lot of money. I was really surprised about how good it sounds. The B1X and B1X four has the hard plastic body and no XLR. I don't know about the B3n, I don't think it does either.
If you don't want to break the bank, then get B1X Four. Having a B1X Four, if I could sell it to someone, I would, then buy the B3n. Even though the sound is the same, the layout is more to my liking. I would still have to buy an expression pedal. I use it alot for volume, wah and some of the other options.
I don't gig nor in a band, so I don't know how well it sounds in a gig setting. If it sounds good on my amp/cab then it's good for me and I would use it
The B1 Four is essentially the B3n in a smaller, battery powered package. The guts are essentially the same with the same chip. There are some different sounds and models, but they should sound the same for the most part. It's the total package for me because of batteries, smaller, aux in for headphone practice and the always available 3-band eq.So far I understood that B1four might and might not be the same and/or better than B3n. What am I missing?
Did anyone tried it on some stronger, louder surrounding, like with a band or a gig? I am really interested if this, smaller unit can be my always on amp sim, compressor, tuner in front of B3 that I am using for gigs, and loving it?
Agreed with you, only exception is no expression pedal for B1X and B3n. For the B3n, you can add an expression pedal if you want to. B1x doesn't, as far as I know, you cannot attach one. The B1X Four is the one that has the expression pedal, I have that one. It was a few bucks more but worth it.
B3n has a better layout for customization, as I said, if I had someone buy my B1X Four, I would definitely buy the B3n. due to the pedal layout and stomp button customization along with an extra slot for an effect in your patch chain.
Zoom has come a very long way. I'm very impressed with the DSP on them. All have same DSP chip, the layout is just different.
B3n has a better layout for customization, as I said, if I had someone buy my B1X Four, I would definitely buy the B3n. due to the pedal layout and stomp button customization along with an extra slot for an effect in your patch chain.
Zoom has come a very long way. I'm very impressed with the DSP on them. All have same DSP chip, the layout is just different.
It's 2025 and I still have the ZOOM B1on on my board. It gets me constant compliments. Looper, Drum Macine. The Amp and CAB sims are great. You can combine just like I did in reality!! The SVT and MARKBASS are favorites for both fretted and fretless work. And the effects are stunning. Octave tracks well. Phasers, Flangers and Chorus's are great. Delays and Reverbs exotic, and the qualty is indestructable! 6+ yrs and running strong. MANY gigs!! Stepped on and spilled on by drunken fools. Keeps on tickin'!
I own both a B1 Four and a B1Xon, and personally I prefer the sound of the B1Xon.
Also much more flexible in terms of tweaking the effects, and unlike the B1X Four the expression pedal on the B1Xon can be set to control any 1 parameter of any effect in each single patch, at whatever direction and range you desire.
It's beyond me why they made the newer version less flexible, but I suppose most people might prefer simplicity over flexibility.
With the B1X Four you are limited to 4 parameters for by far most effects, on the B1on and B1Xon you have access to 6 or more tweakable parameters for most effects, and rather than being able to assign the expression pedal to control any parameter within each single patch, as you are able to with the B1Xon, with the B1X Four you are limited to about a handful of fixed expression pedal specific effects.
That said I wouldn't use any of these units for pitch, drive or amp/cab modeling, which in my opinion sucks big time (especially the pitch/octave effects are truly horrible, but I suppose these effects can still be used for special deliberately bad/digital special sounds/effects), but other than that the rest of the effects comes in the quality category from decent to genuinely excellent (with the right amount of tweaking), most are actually pretty good, and as said, some are genuinely great.
Generally the EQ effects are as good as any, most of the delay and reverb effects are great, as are the chorus effects, vibrato and tremolo models are a bit basic, but other than that actually pretty great, and there are a few great compressor models in these units too.
finally in favor of the B1on/B1Xon, firmware hacks exists, which means you are able to load any digital Zoom effect model from the same generation into the pedal (that is all the effects from the G1on/G1Xon, MS-50G, MS-60B and MS-70CDR) into the pedal, which is not, yes at least, possible with the Four series pedals.
Also much more flexible in terms of tweaking the effects, and unlike the B1X Four the expression pedal on the B1Xon can be set to control any 1 parameter of any effect in each single patch, at whatever direction and range you desire.
It's beyond me why they made the newer version less flexible, but I suppose most people might prefer simplicity over flexibility.
With the B1X Four you are limited to 4 parameters for by far most effects, on the B1on and B1Xon you have access to 6 or more tweakable parameters for most effects, and rather than being able to assign the expression pedal to control any parameter within each single patch, as you are able to with the B1Xon, with the B1X Four you are limited to about a handful of fixed expression pedal specific effects.
That said I wouldn't use any of these units for pitch, drive or amp/cab modeling, which in my opinion sucks big time (especially the pitch/octave effects are truly horrible, but I suppose these effects can still be used for special deliberately bad/digital special sounds/effects), but other than that the rest of the effects comes in the quality category from decent to genuinely excellent (with the right amount of tweaking), most are actually pretty good, and as said, some are genuinely great.
Generally the EQ effects are as good as any, most of the delay and reverb effects are great, as are the chorus effects, vibrato and tremolo models are a bit basic, but other than that actually pretty great, and there are a few great compressor models in these units too.
finally in favor of the B1on/B1Xon, firmware hacks exists, which means you are able to load any digital Zoom effect model from the same generation into the pedal (that is all the effects from the G1on/G1Xon, MS-50G, MS-60B and MS-70CDR) into the pedal, which is not, yes at least, possible with the Four series pedals.
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I would agree on the pitch effects but I can get a SVT tone that's just about the same as my VT Bass. I've also had good luck with some of the drives, in particular the Muff and Rat. In both cases, I've found that using the TS before them helps quite a bit. My B1Four TS/Rat into SVT sounds awfully close to my real Rat into VT Bass, using the same cabsim for both.
I bought the B1Four when it came out and I've always thought it was a great value for the price.
A favorite patch uses the 160 Comp-2 band Parametric EQ at 62hz and 3000hz boosted pretty well on both bands-Hall for a light reverb body-SMR AMP w/bass at 3/4 and treble 3/4 boosted and mids at 350 +1db. Phat. I add a Chorus to it for another sound one patch over!!
M-Comp - EXCITER - Mark Bass w either SVT or Mark cab sims. I add reverb, delay and chorus to this one too. Selectively added defret to one patch too. The OEM Defret patch is dayum good. Jaco, A Remark. Pretty good stuff for my fretless!! Make sure 60 to 200 cycles is PHAT w good tone!!! Be careful at 350 to 550, better to cut than boost unless soloing(Jaco). Be selective with 800 to 3000, shape it. Above that is just treble for us. "STAY OUT OF TREBLE!" - Rob Cop said that....I think.
Ya gotta admit, the technology is amazing. Bang for the buck? Off the chart.
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