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To be honest - neither can I. As amazing as the B3 is for $199 they had to cut some corners somewhere. I'm starting to see what some of the limitations might be but nothing at all that steers me away from what it's real strengths are.FWIW, I have never been able to confirm that the Active/Passive switch on the B3 does anything at all. If it were to attenuate the signal, to make hot input levels more tame, then I sure can't hear the difference
The XLR input on our board is mic level, however it has a button to pad or attenuate the input signal. That is another option I am considering. I was able to get the input level down to a usable state by reducing all the level settings on my B3 relative to the one patch I tried, (25-30 or so) but what I really would like is to leave them at around 100 like what most others do, and be able to tweak it at home and at practice without radically changing the level setting each time. But, I'll do what I need to do to make it work because I really do like the tone I was able to get!Is the XLR input of your board Line level or regular Mic one?The regular mic one is way too sensitive for line level devices.Look on your board manual to see what type of input you have.
I take with me every time this adaptor XLR-->TRS .Save me a lot of times when the board don't have line level XLR input.I use this in the TRS line ins of the board.Mission accomplished!!!
By dramatically reducing all the level values on my B3 (GLOBAL, TOTAL and each individual effect) to around 25-30 relative to the one patch I tried, I was able to tame it down to a usable output. I wish I leave them at around 100 like so many of you do, then be able to tweak it at home and at practice without radically changing the level setting each time. I'll have to experiment with our board and either find an alternative solution that allows me to do this or I'll reconfigure all of the patches I created to suit our board. I still have the pops and noise that reminds one of a problematic cable. This noise is not present without the B3 in the chain. My suspicion is that there is such noise not normally audible, but magnified greatly and now evident in my signal. This requires more investigation as well. Thank you Charlie and everybody, for your invaluable advice!
FWIW, I have never been able to confirm that the Active/Passive switch on the B3 does anything at all. If it were to attenuate the signal, to make hot input levels more tame, then I sure can't hear the difference
,for me is opposite.I like that living red/brown color more than the neutral grey or silver of my G5.
The input active/passive B3 switch is not like the input attenuators of some amps.This switch change the impedance of the input for correct connections between passive pickups and active circuits of basses or pedals.Other multis like the Line6 HD 500 have menus for that matter of input matching,very important for the correct pickup interaction.
This switch is very important when someone have his Whah or old type Fuzz in front of the B3.
No you are not deaf.I can't hear anything tooFunny thing though, even if this were an impedance change, one should hear at least a slight difference in tone between settings. I think I most certainly am deaf!
.But there is something witch change for sure.I thing the name of that button is incorrect.The VOX Satchurator distortion pedal,have the same button witch have the name PAD.Satriani itself wants that switch in his signature pedal to avoid problems between differed pedals and interactions.
No you are not deaf.I can't hear anything too
Take a look in that video,in 0:20 sec.Dany Gill says how that pad work.
Yes,i understand that
.I love him very much too.I use his signature overdrive ICE9 for my bass and it's awesome.
Just to be clear - I had everything set at unity (100) before I first tried my B-3 in practice. Using the direct out (XLR) it was waay too hot for our powered mixer. So are you saying the direct out is not an actual DI out and can't be used on my board channel's XLR in, and I must only use the 1/4" input? I can do that, but I didn't think it was necessary, as my belief was that the B-3 can be adjusted for instrument level, line level or mic level. I'm a little slow here, but I gather my best solution is to use either the "line" input on the board, or run my B-3's 1/4" out into my DI box and then use the "mic" input on the board. is that about right?I always try to keep all my levels in unity gain as possible.I start from the first one effect in the chain,then second,then third etc as i work with my chain and i keep always the total and global levels to 100 90% off the time.The reason is,maybe in the middle off a gig,my b3 fails or crash.Then if i remove the b3 of my signal chain,my volumes stays right with the others devices around me,like other pedals,DIs amps,PA speakers and consoles.I try to emulate a real one pedalboard.
Mind you that the levels in the effect level is not always unity at 100,and in case of amps or dirts there is a difference in volume and loudness.
The only solution for multis of any kind is to hook them in inputs that is made for them,not MIC ones.Always Line ins,whatever form they have,XLRs or TRS.
Zoom XLR output have 100Ω or 200Ω output impendance cable depended.
Cheers
I always try to keep all my levels in unity gain as possible.I start from the first one effect in the chain,then second,then third etc as i work with my chain and i keep always the total and global levels to 100 90% off the time.The reason is,maybe in the middle off a gig,my b3 fails or crash.Then if i remove the b3 of my signal chain,my volumes stays right with the others devices around me,like other pedals,DIs amps,PA speakers and consoles.I try to emulate a real one pedalboard.
Mind you that the levels in the effect level is not always unity at 100,and in case of amps or dirts there is a difference in volume and loudness.
The only solution for multis of any kind is to hook them in inputs that is made for them,not MIC ones.Always Line ins,whatever form they have,XLRs or TRS.
Zoom XLR output have 100Ω or 200Ω output impendance cable depended.
Cheers
