dannybuoy

I have on occasion connected to my home network via VPN when away from home and played The Birdie Song on the Sonos to entertain the wife!

Check out the Yamaha THR10.

That's not Squire, it's Entwhistle!

If only @Bill Fitzmaurice was a member around here!

I just tried to recreate an Alpha Omega type distortion... First clip is Helix Native with 1.5kHz mid boost going into a signal split between a HiWatt amp + cab in parallel with the Facial Fuzz, then a clean channel on a separate path. Second is an Alpha Omega with the knobs mostly around noon, bite on and growl off. I literally only spent a few minutes tweaking and recording this so they're not EQ'd that closely. First clip needs a bit less 100Hz and a bit more 500Hz for example, but as a proof of concept I think it's not that bad! https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApKsVfvGwYkOiqVTIbX4oPNPwFxoig

It's been a while since I tried a Pork Loin but this seems much higher gain to me? Still pretty dirty with the gain all the way off.

Unless they are Barefaced 10" ceramic ones!

I continue to be impressed at how close the 'Obsidian 7000' cops a B7K, including its knack of making any other dirt pedal going into it sound awesome. Obsidian 7000 with a (real) Alpha Omega switched on half way through: https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApKsVfvGwYkOiqVRHNPDvmbDsfumow

If I didn't have about 10 basses that need selling, I would consider it!

Also I just had to show how good that HiWatt sounds! This is Brit Bass preset, stock settings except I switched the compressor off as it was overly squishy. https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApKsVfvGwYkOiqVQjGl-SOw6oxLorA

Any of you finding your sound for recording or FRFR rigs without using the amp models at all? I'm getting some usable sounds (into headphones at least) using the FX alone. Yamaha BB1025X into Obsidian 7000 (gain at minimum, boosts on, slight bump in 3kHz and treble) into the Low and High Cut (set to a 5.5kHz LPF): https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApKsVfvGwYkOiqVPRMRxwc46EjGvKg Precision with TI flats into Teemah overdrive (with the bass cut dialled off and the gain at 0.5) into a LA2A and Para EQ (for a slight bass and low mid boost): https://1drv.ms/u/s!ApKsVfvGwYkOiqVOE47tQO_Ecuvsng Didn't spend too long dialling them in but preferring those to what I can get out of the actual bass amp sims! That Hiwatt guitar amp does sound frigging good though. I reckon I could come up with a crossover patch based around either that or some other guitar amps that would give the Tech21 Geddy / Dug units a run for their money.

The Source Audio Manta can do a quick downwards filter sweep and has some fuzz sounds on board too, should be able to get somewhat close with one of those. Even if you can't get a decent 303 out of it got will find another purpose for it, it's great for all kinds of EDM.

No idea about year, but I sold my old several years ago and bought another used one a couple of years ago. The new one had 6 knobs, they added a blend control but got rid of the switch for some reason! It’s still a cool pedal without it, unique texture for a fuzz and even more usable on bass due to the blend, but those 303 sounds were nowhere to be found.

Copilot Orbit, but it has to be the older model with the switch as the new one can’t do the laser sounds. There was a great demo by John Davis on YouTube demoing the 303 style sounds but it seems to have disappeared!

Some more opinions after another brief session with the demo testing out my most used effects: Overdrives: The legacy ones are mostly lacklustre but the Teemah, Compulsive Drive, and Obsidian from the Helix set are all outstanding on bass. Definitely the best digital drive sounds I've heard, I would be happy using these for sure. Octaver: No classic bass octave down in the standard range but the legacy Bass Octaver is excellent. Doesn't sound anything like an OC-2 but is fat, sounds great blended with the dry signal, and tracks well with low latency. The simple/dual pitch from the Helix effects offers a decent POG-like effect. Filters: The Tron Up / Tron Down from the legacy range is pretty good but I've just found the Autofilter from the Helix range is my favourite. I can't get the Mutant one to trigger well, seem to sensitive. Still prefer my Fwonkbeta and Discombobulator though! Phasers: There is a Script Phase 90 on offer, but unfortunately not my two favourites the Block Phase 90 and Small Stone. Overall, not sure if the software trial version is limited compared to the full fat version but I expected a lot more FX models than what is offered.

The solo octave is sightly lower in volume than the clean tone, but it should be plenty loud enough with the dry mixed in. Is yours the old one that takes the 12V ACA adapter though? If so, either try it at 12V, or if you have a shared power supply / daisy chain, it will run fine at 9V when sharing power with another pedal due to some electronics wizardry I don't quite understand but can assure is correct!

As was mine!

It's not a valve amp, it's a valve pre mated to a Class D power amp. The impedance switch on the OTB will let you get the full power into am 8 ohm load instead of just over half that you would normally expect to get. Sounds like a similar concept to these newer amps except since these are mostly 2 ohm capable, the switch lets you get the full power out of a more common 4 ohm load rather then having to have 2 ohms connected.

My first P was a Squier VM (with the 'Duncan Designed' pickup) which I really liked. Traded it in for a USA P and didn't think it sounded as good; so fitted an 'Original' 62 pickup only to find it didn't make much difference. After fitting flats the stock pickup, I'm really happy with it now. But for a brighter roundwound sound I would go back to the old Squier VM any day! Which Squier do you have?

Not sure about the combo but the head does, but it's different to the ones mentioned here so far. It's designed to let you get the full amp power at 8 ohms, rather than to allow the amp to work at 2 ohms.

Going back to basics and forgetting the extended and complexity of the Helix for a second - if you were getting unintended clipping from the Sansamp, surely you just need to play with the gain structure to stop this. Either reduce the volume on the pedal, adjust the line/inst level switch on the pedal (unless yours is the old version that didn't have these switches), or play with the pad and trim controls on the desk. The Sansamp BDDI or VTDI are great little units, far simpler and cheaper to boot. No reason why you can't get a great stage sound from them. If you have an audio interface you can actually download a full 15 day trial of the Helix in plug-in format. I tried this out last night and I realise I've only scratched the surface so far but I tried all the amp models out and would prefer to use my VTDI than purchase a Helix to use as a bass amp modeller.

Had an hour or so with Helix Native this evening. Pretty impressed with the B7K Ultra sim, I'm used to practicing with the M900 preamp out direct to headphones and it gets pretty close (but not quite). Sure beats the model in the Source Audio Aftershock, would love to compare it to the model in the Zoom B3n. Also enjoyed the UK bass preset with a Hiwatt amp, great for nailing 'My Generation'. Octavers are decent, filters aren't great though (haven't tried the newly added legacy ones yet though). So far though I'm glad I did it this way with the software trial rather than buy the hardware just to try it out. I don't think I'm ready to give up my standalone pedals just yet!

I think Tech21 outdoes Ampeg when it comes to emulating an Ampeg amp... The SCR DI does clean Ampeg sounds and has an overdrive circuit that is just your basic od with blend. The VT Bass and the like do a great job of emulating the sound of an actual overdriven tube amp.