Deep impact "reissue" - Not sure if this has had its own thread on here yet

[Geddys nose]

£322 on Thomann at the moment. £360 direct.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/panda_audio_future_impact_i.htm?ref=search_prv_3

[Kev]

[quote name='Geddys nose' timestamp='1482079969' post='3197452']
£322 on Thomann at the moment. £360 direct.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/panda_audio_future_impact_i.htm?ref=search_prv_3
[/quote]

That's a tiny bit better, still far over what I would want to pay for one (remember when Deep Impacts were £85??). Did the issue with the finish peeling off and the notchless pots get resolved at any point?

[bartelby]

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1484269467' post='3214300']
That's a tiny bit better, still far over what I would want to pay for one (remember when Deep Impacts were £85??).
[/quote]

I got mine brand new for £70. Several years later I sold it to fund the purchase of a Steve Harris P at 5 times what I paid for it...

Edited January 13, 2017 by bartelby

[HazBeen]

I have one from the 2nd batch ever built, no issues with peeling or knobs at all and I use it several times a week. It does all I expected and more.

At just over 300 quid it is an excellent value pedal that delivers, yes the Deep Impact was cheaper but was also made by Akai not a boutique company. At this price point it is simply the best synth pedal out there at the moment and by quite some margin. If mine got broken or stolen I would buy another immediately. You can spend 300 in many, many worse ways.

[Owen]

What he said. So often a product disappoints. This does not. It is actually all that - especially with the editor and people who are cleverer than me putting patches up for easy download.

[quote name='HazBeen' timestamp='1484311928' post='3214571']
I have one from the 2nd batch ever built, no issues with peeling or knobs at all and I use it several times a week. It does all I expected and more.

At just over 300 quid it is an excellent value pedal that delivers, yes the Deep Impact was cheaper but was also made by Akai not a boutique company. At this price point it is simply the best synth pedal out there at the moment and by quite some margin. If mine got broken or stolen I would buy another immediately. You can spend 300 in many, many worse ways.
[/quote]

[EBS_freak]

I'm still dithering over whether I get on or not.

[Owen]

Get it from Thomann. If you don't like it send it back. Distance selling is the bomb. But do not send it back until you have downloaded and messed with these patches - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B2_tqOG3lexBb0dMYTluOTczZUE

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1484314769' post='3214599']
[url="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B2_tqOG3lexBb0dMYTluOTczZUE"]https://drive.google...b0dMYTluOTczZUE[/url]
[/quote]

These are the ones that are references on talkbass right?

Yeah - it would be from Thomann anyway. I could do with making a trek over to tonyf really - as what I could do with is seeing if my basses track well... my GB basses didn't play that nice with the MarkBass Super Synth... (my Yamaha did).

I'm procrastinating really. I'll get it one day for sure... Although a Kemper is calling my name more at the moment (guitar playing side of me needs some more toys)

Edited January 13, 2017 by EBS_freak

[Owen]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1484318244' post='3214653']
These are the ones that are references on talkbass right?
[/quote]

Yep. Every clever pedal I have ever owned (Chunk Octavius Squeezer - I am looking at YOU) has freaked me out on the programming side so I have never really got to grips with any of them and just moved them on. However, this one has other people programming it for me and loading up is easy peasy.

[tonyf]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1484313771' post='3214588']
I'm still dithering over whether I get on or not.
[/quote]

DO ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!

;-)

[tonyf]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1484318244' post='3214653']
These are the ones that are references on talkbass right?

Yeah - it would be from Thomann anyway. I could do with making a trek over to tonyf really - as what I could do with is seeing if my basses track well... my GB basses didn't play that nice with the MarkBass Super Synth... (my Yamaha did).

I'm procrastinating really. I'll get it one day for sure... Although a Kemper is calling my name more at the moment (guitar playing side of me needs some more toys)
[/quote]

Shall I put the kettle on? Biscuits?

PS. We're at Akamba tomorrow night. Come on over and have a fiddle if you want.

;-)

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='tonyf' timestamp='1484322831' post='3214712']
Shall I put the kettle on? Biscuits?

PS. We're at Akamba tomorrow night. Come on over and have a fiddle if you want.

;-)
[/quote]

Promised a weekend with the other half... but we should meet up at some point for just general bass geekery anyway.

[Kev]

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1484314769' post='3214599']
Get it from Thomann. If you don't like it send it back. Distance selling is the bomb. But do not send it back until you have downloaded and messed with these patches - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B2_tqOG3lexBb0dMYTluOTczZUE
[/quote]
That's a really good point, actually.

Damn you for planting that seed!!!!!

[tonyf]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1484324023' post='3214729']
Promised a weekend with the other half... but we should meet up at some point for just general bass geekery anyway.
[/quote]

Absolutely homie. Shout when you're free! ;-)

[Kev]

I snapped.

I blame whoever it was who suggested the Thomann return policy.

[Owen]

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1484668933' post='3217333']
I snapped.

I blame whoever it was who suggested the Thomann return policy.
[/quote]

It is a win/win situation. Get stuck into that Talkbass folder. Good times are coming.

[MacDaddy]

Anyone know if these are going to be at the LBGS?

[markstuk]

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1484668933' post='3217333']
I snapped.

I blame whoever it was who suggested the Thomann return policy.
[/quote]

Ohh.. can I come and play when you've got it? :-)

[Kev]

...I sent it back after a week or so's use.

I'm afraid all my own fears about the pedal were realised from the moment I opened the box. The pedal had quite a rough (on mine, anyway) white paint job with vinyl covering. The vinyl was not of high quality at all and the imaging on it was not as sharp as it looks in pictures on the inter webs. In fact, the finish of the overall pedal reminded me of an old clone pedal I had once, were the pedal was built in a cheap enclosure and a sticker replaced the silk screen of the original. Perhaps mine was a dodgy one, but at this price point the quality of the box was just unacceptable.

The knobs: I cannot for the life of me understand why the parameter knob isn't notched. It is difficult to select the parameter you want on the fly as you have to line it up almost perfectly with the line on the sticker. Worse still, if you don't turn it far enough, the display occasionally flickers between each parameter either side. In fact, it seemed to occasionally do this even if it was lined up. Most pots were also rather loose feeling, particularly the Parameter knob, so turning too far or simply knocking when adjusting another pot is very easy. The edit knob felt good though. Footswitches and jacks were fine.

Whipped the pedal open to have a look, as I always do. Lots of wasted space inside, it is clear that Panda wanted to keep it as Deep Impact esque as possible; The pedal could have been a good deal smaller. The Deep Impact filled its case entirely with the circuit board, whereas the board in the Future Impact covered less than half. Clearly components and/or pcbs have got smaller over the years, but I wish the pedal had gotten smaller with it.

The pedal sounded identical to the Deep Impact in its copycat settings. Not better, not worse, I couldn't notice any difference of note in sound quality. Perhaps default parameters were slightly different, but general tone the same as I remember mine being. On this basis, it would be questionable to own a Deep Impact instead of one of these pedals. You would have an extra couple hundred quid to play with too. You do have to live with a less impressive build quality and pedal interface, but its probably worth it.

The rest of the sounds? Well, it can do a lot, thats for sure. Tracking is pretty much the same as the Deep Impact, which I was disappointed by. Its an incredible sound engine though, for sure. You could spend hours and hours finding new sounds with the editor and still only scratch the surface. I wish you could do more from the pedal itself; not having a midi interface for your pc will rob you of an awful lot, as parameter changes on the pedal are very limited. Practically nothing has changed on that front from the Deep Impact. I'm not sure why time wasn't spent on this as a proper display and parameter control would take this pedal up a gear.

Overall, I found it to be far too expensive for the product it was. If it was built in a good solid enclosure with a quality finish and quality pots/knobs, with a modern display and usb connectivity, you may be getting close to what would be worth the asking price. The whole feel of the pedal for me was a cheaply made version of the Deep Impact with upgraded functionality. I worry that the Talkbass thread (surely the main drive for this pedal even happening) and the constant pressure from members there may have caused this to be more rushed than it should have been. Or, perhaps Panda just didn't want to change the original recipe too much. Would I choose this over a Deep Impact at the same price? Absolutely, as it can do so much more. But I sold my Deep Impact because it was worth FAR too much for what it could do, for me at least. Hell, it sold for £80 odd new after all.

All in my opinion, and I appreciate that the problems with mine (poor paint job, poor quality printing on the vinyl, flickering screen, loose pots) may have been a one off, and I did pass these comments on to Thomann to see if I get any feedback. I so wanted to like it

[Westenra]

Doesn't the original deep impact go for like £800+?

Edited January 26, 2017 by Westenra

[Muppet]

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1485386967' post='3223686']

All in my opinion, and I appreciate that the problems with mine (poor paint job, poor quality printing on the vinyl, flickering screen, loose pots) may have been a one off, and I did pass these comments on to Thomann to see if I get any feedback. I so wanted to like it
[/quote]

The pots on mine are ok, but I agree with the lack of notches on the parameter knob. I'm not overly keen on having to press one of the knobs to change bank as I can see this failing.. The artwork is still just a blurry printed label and I think that if it didn't replicate the DI so well in the sound department I would think I had been duped.

That said, I can't actually find a use for it so it's sat in it's box. I take it out every now and then to compete with the wailing of our cats then put it back. You would have thought that having owned three original Deep Impacts and sold them all on I would have learned my lesson. I just know that if I sell this I'll end up buying another even though I will never have a need to replicate the fella from Muse who I'm sure is mainly to blame for the astronomic prices of the original.

[Kiwi]

I love mine after 6 months of use. But I agree with the points about the parameter knob - maybe they couldn't find one that was indented and offered the momentary switch functionality too. I think the comments about staying similar to Deep Impact are pretty fair and I was a little surprised by the footprint given the size of the PCB.

BTW if anyone has a box for one that they don't want any more, I would be very grateful for it. Mine got destroyed and thrown out by our domestic "help".

[EBS_freak]

Hmm, well the latest posts seem to echo what I worry about it with these things. It struck as a bit of an electronics project from the finish point... and the tracking is still something that I worry about. Still yet to try one in anger though.

[Owen]

Every pedal I have ever tried has had tracking idiosyncracies somewhere along the way. OC2 has to have clean damping, Octavius Squeezer was pretty fussy about how I attacked the note and the G5 was more forgiving on some patches than others. I have come to the conclusion that chucking a "synth" pedal in a signal path is like playing a slightly different instrument so technique has to be changed in some way. I have never touched the knobs becuase I can only mess with parameters when they are on a bank of named faders on a screen in front of me - and even then I am happier just loading other peoples patches. That is how much of a technophobe I am. It is a big box and there are guys on the TB thread who have discussed reboxing them but I don't know what came of that. I can see the attraction of a momentary switch. For me (and it is the fact that everyone feels different about so many things which makes life interesting) the sounds it makes are the kinds of things I have been wanting to make with a bass guitar in my hands for a very long time and that for me makes it worth the outlay. But each to their own and I am totally cool with that

[Ghost_Bass]

Rotary step-by-step adjustment pot with momentary switch? Sure it exists, i've bought one not long time ago to replace the on/off/volume button on my car's radio. They just need to find one with the same value and number of steps.

Edit:
As for the box, yes it would be nice to have the pedal in a smaller size. Another thing i don't get around is why haven't they added the much needed "program down" footswitch? Is a must have for using the Deep Impact live,

Edited January 27, 2017 by Ghost_Bass