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Zoom B3 As Preamp

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Yes! Always a good thing. :) Charlie you wouldn't happen to have any clips with just the MXR M80 sim would you? I'm curious to how it stacks up against the "real thing" I wonder if it has the color switch on the B3.
Brent

The color switch parameter is indeed emulated, but unfortunately I have no clips to share at this time

As I do not use that actual pedal nor the sim on the B3, we will rely on you to later report back to us on its authenticity :D
 
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Hmm...downloaded the Zoom B3 manual. There are quite a few pedal models that I was considering too. Even if the GK model isn't close, if even a couple of the others are, the B3 would be worth the money.

Does anyone use the Aural Exciter/Big Bottom and Sonic Maximizer simulations? Any good? Also, several of the pre-amp models look nice too.

Anyone care to post pre-amp samples like CharlieC did with the amp sims. That was quite helpful.
 
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Anyone care to post pre-amp samples like CharlieC did with the amp sims. That was quite helpful.

Thanks, oldcatfish!

Since not everyone may be up to providing samples like I did, I will simply say that the B3 very much delivers on everything it purports to emulate. If I had an extra one, I'd loan it out, but for now I would suggest that if possible, you "borrow" one from your local music store and return it for a full-refund should you not agree with me :D

Cheers!
 
CharlieC and all
I think the B3 is pretty awesome just in the limited time I've spent working with it at home through a practice amp and with headphones on. I spent an hour the other night just jamming with the drum machine playing and with one of the Slap tones as my preset of choice.
Now I need to figure out which presets I will keep and modify because they are close to useable, and then which presets I will never use and can write over with my own creations. This leads to my question.....

Question: when I modify a preset into something I really like and want to save, I have to chose another preset to write over with my newly created preset? Is this correct? For example I like mostly the clean bass sounds, I will modify those type of presets like the SVT, Aguilar, Fliptop etc and perfect them and then save those over some of the presets that I will never use.

Thanks all and Best Wishes in this new year!

Dave
 
You can leave your modified presets right where they are or save them wherever you like. Everything is auto saved so any change you make in a patch will be saved, just like real knobs on a pedal. They stay where you put them until you move them again.
 
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Love the thread. Lots of good meaty info. Can't wait to dive in.

This thread does address one thing that always twigged in the back of my mind: How can you use an amp/cab simulation and then run it into a bass amp and hope for anything accurate? Using a power amp sounds like the way to go. I will try going straight into the PA mixer during practice.
 
...This thread does address one thing that always twigged in the back of my mind: How can you use an amp/cab simulation and then run it into a bass amp and hope for anything accurate? Using a power amp sounds like the way to go.

Most current SS and hybrid heads have an effects loop that allows you to access the output stage separate from the preamp. The Ampeg SVT-7Pro, Genz Shuttles and Streamliners, G-K MB series, anything Hartke, and the Peavey Tour series all come to mind.

If you plug something like the B3 into the effects return/power amp in jack, you can bypass the internal preamp altogether, and it will behave pretty much like a rack-mount power amp with the same power rating.

Assuming that you're using a typical 1*15, 2*10, 4*10, etc., the real issue is going to be your cabs, not the head. That's where CharlieC's suggestions about setting the mix between the amp and cab sims in the B3 become so important.
 
I'd be very curious to A/B an optimized B3 vs an iPad with a decent audio interface. Over on the various IOS threads, people are doing similar things (developing patches for recording vs live, DI vs backline amp, etc.).

As good as some of the IOS sims are starting to sound, there's still the problem that you're using delicate computer equipment on stage. Throwing a B3 and a power adapter in your gig bag could be simpler and less stressful than doing the same thing with an expensive iPad and an assortment of dongles, cables, etc.
 
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