Zoom B3 As Preamp Part 2

[Heisenbass]

Heya guys,

I'm more or less decided to go the fullrange way, as I can't seem to get a decent sound out of my current rig (Peavey Tour 450 + Peavey 4x10). Before I finally pull the trigger on a EV ZLX15p, I would like to ask, if anyone around here can share their experience in terms of performance in gig situations, what kind of venues they suit best and in terms of stabilty/reliability.

Thanks for all your advice.

 

[CharlieC]

Heya guys,

I'm more or less decided to go the fullrange way, as I can't seem to get a decent sound out of my current rig (Peavey Tour 450 + Peavey 4x10). Before I finally pull the trigger on a EV ZLX15p, I would like to ask, if anyone around here can share their experience in terms of performance in gig situations, what kind of venues they suit best and in terms of stabilty/reliability.

Thanks for all your advice.

I auditioned the B3 with a few different powered monitors, including the EV ZLX-12P and 15P. Both were great options, and the ZLX line in particular is generally well-reviewed. IMHO, the 15P has a little more tone girth, but the 12P is no slouch. Depending on your gigging situation and the volume of your band mates, you may find that one monitor alone is not enough to keep up, but YMMV.

Cheers!

 

[SemiDriven]

Agree with Charlie. A lot depends on the type of gig. The ZLX-12P is great for smaller venues based on personal experience.

A pair of the 12's or 15's would be sweet for mid-to-larger venues. Or you could go for the toys Charlie just got! (see previous page)

 

[Heisenbass]

Agree with Charlie. A lot depends on the type of gig. The ZLX-12P is great for smaller venues based on personal experience.

A pair of the 12's or 15's would be sweet for mid-to-larger venues. Or you could go for the toys Charlie just got! (see previous page)

Year, that Greenboy stuff is awesome. Already double-checked their web site. No builder here in continental Europe. Only UK. But I won't rule it out.

 

[Hammeken]

Year, that Greenboy stuff is awesome. Already double-checked their web site. No builder here in continental Europe. Only UK. But I won't rule it out.

You might wanna build yourself. Me and a friend are about to make the plunge. Most stuff you can get at thomann,
if you build the 12".
There's a list of european hardware suppliers at the Greenboy forum.

 

[Heisenbass]

You might wanna build yourself. Me and a friend are about to make the plunge. Most stuff you can get at thomann,
if you build the 12".
There's a list of european hardware suppliers at the Greenboy forum.

Cheers, mate. Will have a look.

 

[CharlieC]

 

[Heisenbass]

Pulled the trigger on the ZLX15p. Reason is that prizes are rising dramatically. My local dealer just raised from € 419 to € 569. This may be due to the Euro weakness vs the dollar, plus EV wanting to dry out price dumping, as my dealer said. Was able to mail order one for € 419, so I thought I'd better be quick.

 

[dannybuoy]

Hmm...

Invalid Link Removed

 

[CharlieC]

Hmm...

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Sorry to say, the product photo used on that site is simply my bogus Photoshop creation, but I still am flattered, LOL!

If you look closely at the 3 pictured effect screens, they are the exact guitar effect models as found in the original G3X picture I used from Zoom. Additionally, I clearly see all of my air brushing marks in the expected places.

Cheers!

 

[PilbaraBass]

still pushing, aren't you?

LOL

I've got a G3 (V2) AND a B3 ... put them together and I've got NINE simultaneous effects!

 

[TitaniumRx]

still pushing, aren't you?

LOL

I've got a G3 (V2) AND a B3 ... put them together and I've got NINE simultaneous effects!

Nice.I've got the G5 and the effect chain is eleven plus volume or expression control !!!

 

[TheBass]

Hmm...

Invalid Link Removed

This is so stupid. Yesterday I told them it's a fake and asked them to delete it from their website but it's still there. May be I should just order one

 

[monodark]

Hi everyone,
I own a Zoom B3 for about couple of months now.
I'd like to get a bright clicky tone, think of Fieldy or Adam Swan from Monuments
I find the default setting of Dual Comp and Agamp are pretty bright, but also noisy.
Using ZNR is helping but I can still hear "hiss" everytime I play.

Is there any tips how to get a pretty bright tone without getting too noisy using Zoom B3, do I need to lower the compressor level?
Your help is much appreciated.

Thank you

 

[CharlieC]

Hi everyone,
I own a Zoom B3 for about couple of months now.
I'd like to get a bright clicky tone, think of Fieldy or Adam Swan from Monuments
I find the default setting of Dual Comp and Agamp are pretty bright, but also noisy.
Using ZNR is helping but I can still hear "hiss" everytime I play.

Is there any tips how to get a pretty bright tone without getting too noisy using Zoom B3, do I need to lower the compressor level?
Your help is much appreciated.

Thank you

Very-audible hiss can be the result of many things: Over boosting, over EQ, an under-optimized gain stage, bass electronics, amplifier/cabinet.

In order to trouble shoot and potentially optimize what you have, I would suggest the following:

If I were in the bright clicky tone camp, for starters, I would run a bass cab with a full-on tweeter so that I would not have to over push the treble EQ. Next I would see if my amp/head was in itself contributing to the hiss. Next I would ensure that my active bass preamp (if I had one) was not contributing to the hiss and I would start by running it flat (without treble boost.) Only then would I put the B3 in the signal chain and then explore all it many LEVEL settings inside the B3, additionally running with zero effects on (innocence before proving guilty.)

If you describe your bass, amp, cab, and signal path, I perhaps can be of more help.

Cheers!

 

[monodark]

Very-audible hiss can be the result of many things: Over boosting, over EQ, an under-optimized gain stage, bass electronics, amplifier/cabinet.

In order to trouble shoot and potentially optimize what you have, I would suggest the following:

If I were in the bright clicky tone camp, for starters, I would run a bass cab with a full-on tweeter so that I would not have to over push the treble EQ. Next I would see if my amp/head was in itself contributing to the hiss. Next I would ensure that my active bass preamp (if I had one) was not contributing to the hiss and I would start by running it flat (without treble boost.) Only then would I put the B3 in the signal chain and then explore all it many LEVEL settings inside the B3, additionally running with zero effects on (innocence before proving guilty.)

If you describe your bass, amp, cab, and signal path, I perhaps can be of more help.

Cheers!

Thank you Charlie,

I'm using Ibanez BTB with Bart pickups > MXR M80 (to add a lilttle bit of dirt, for me it sounded better than the one on B3 > GK 700rb with Bugera cab 4x10 and 1x15 (the tweeter is switched on).
I go straight to GK input, haven't tried to go to return in my GK though.

At home, when I try to simulate a specific tone from my fav bassist, I usually plug my B3 using USB direct to my computer, play the song through mp3 player, listen to it, and then pause the song, and play it again back and forth. I started with GraphicEQ, and then compressor and then amp sim.
I did this using only headphone and when I finally get the "bright" tone I like, the "hiss" is also there, or maybe I did it the wrong way?

Thank you.

 

[CharlieC]

Thank you Charlie,

I'm using Ibanez BTB with Bart pickups > MXR M80 (to add a lilttle bit of dirt, for me it sounded better than the one on B3 > GK 700rb with Bugera cab 4x10 and 1x15 (the tweeter is switched on).
I go straight to GK input, haven't tried to go to return in my GK though.

At home, when I try to simulate a specific tone from my fav bassist, I usually plug my B3 using USB direct to my computer, play the song through mp3 player, listen to it, and then pause the song, and play it again back and forth. I started with GraphicEQ, and then compressor and then amp sim.
I did this using only headphone and when I finally get the "bright" tone I like, the "hiss" is also there, or maybe I did it the wrong way?

Thank you.

The Ibanez BTB's pups and internal pre are of good quality, but they could contribute to overall hiss. Until the problem is fully diagnosed, I would run the bass knobs all flat, with volume full-up, during testing.

Connect the B3's 1/4" L-OUT to your GK's EFFECT RETURN jack, with the GK connected to your cabinets with full-on tweeters. Power-on the B3, but DO NOT yet plug in the bass.

Set the LEVEL under B3's TOTAL menu to 100, set the BAL under the TOTAL menu to 100, set the LEVEL under the B3' GLOBAL menu to 100. Switch OFF all 3 effect slots.

Power-on the GK. Turn the GK's MASTER volume up until you begin hearing operating hiss. Keep in mind now that whatever hiss is audible cannot be cleared any further. This is the operating hiss of the GK. Please now lower the GK MASTER to a sane low level and connect your bass to the B3.

Play bass and adjust the GK MASTER to a reasonable audio level. What you are hearing now is your clean bass signal from the B3. If the hiss level increased noticeably, this then additional hiss is from your bass.

Please advise of the results of this "noise floor" test. Let me know if the hiss is still within expected/acceptable levels before we continue.

 

[monodark]

The Ibanez BTB's pups and internal pre are of good quality, but they could contribute to overall hiss. Until the problem is fully diagnosed, I would run the bass knobs all flat, with volume full-up, during testing.

Connect the B3's 1/4" L-OUT to your GK's EFFECT RETURN jack, with the GK connected to your cabinets with full-on tweeters. Power-on the B3, but DO NOT yet plug in the bass.

Set the LEVEL under B3's TOTAL menu to 100, set the BAL under the TOTAL menu to 100, set the LEVEL under the B3' GLOBAL menu to 100. Switch OFF all 3 effect slots.

Power-on the GK. Turn the GK's MASTER volume up until you begin hearing operating hiss. Keep in mind now that whatever hiss is audible cannot be cleared any further. This is the operating hiss of the GK. Please now lower the GK MASTER to a sane low level and connect your bass to the B3.

Play bass and adjust the GK MASTER to a reasonable audio level. What you are hearing now is your clean bass signal from the B3. If the hiss level increased noticeably, this then additional hiss is from your bass.

Please advise of the results of this "noise floor" test. Let me know if the hiss is still within expected/acceptable levels before we continue.

I never thought of this before, thank you for your suggestion, I will soon try it and hope I can find the hiss source and make it less audible/acceptable.
Watching this thread surely give me many information

Thank you.

 

[CharlieC]

I never thought of this before, thank you for your suggestion, I will soon try it and hope I can find the hiss source and make it less audible/acceptable.
Watching this thread surely give me many information

Thank you.

Should the noise floor test pass your inspection, we can then continue with further tests and optimization.

Cheers!

 

[Johno Dunn]

CharlieC, you are "The Man!" Thanks for being on TB and sharing as you do. I have learned a great deal from your posts. If you ever come to Santa Barbara, Ca., I'd love to buy you a beer!

Johno!