Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Akai Deep Impact


Thunderbird
 Share

Recommended Posts

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1381950509' post='2246019']
I tried one back in 2002. I wasn't impressed tbh and bought a Boss bass multi-fx for about the same money. What a great investment that would have been!

So... I don't know either!
[/quote] Bummer just out of interest how much were they new in 2002?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About £85 iirc?

It's just getting stupid now. A couple of owners will defend it's value and there isn't really anything out there like it but the kind of money they are demanding is just silly. I had one, thought it was a good synth pedal but nothing exceptional.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1381952339' post='2246059']
About £85 iirc?

It's just getting stupid now. A couple of owners will defend it's value and there isn't really anything out there like it but the kind of money they are demanding is just silly. I had one, thought it was a good synth pedal but nothing exceptional.
[/quote] Bloody hell £85 new 700ish used wow now that's some investment

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's an average synth pedal that commands a massive price as production wasn't run for long (didn't enjoy massive success what with it being average) and someone found out that Chris Wolstenholme from Muse used one on his board (as a very small component in a big signal chain) and such began the hype-train fuelled by the futile notion that this one average pedal was the key to his entire tone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't pay that much for mine but I do have to say that no other synth pedal I have used comes close to the sound you get from one of these. For me, all of the synth sounds that I was looking for are there straight out of the box with no faffing about required, which suits me well.

It's only downside is that live it tends to lose all of your bottom end so it is imperative to use a pedal or loop that allows you to mix in some of your dry signal too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1381949889' post='2246008']
Seen a lot of these for sale lately between 600-750 pounds now I have never used one or seen one in the flesh but I am just curious to know what is so good about them to command such a high used value?
[/quote]

As far as I know they're discontinued and this

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwhjlNvF-4Q[/media]

(other synth pedals are available)

Edited by toneknob
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic pops up every now and then and I think the simple summary is:

They have the potential to sound great.

People have tried to replicate them in one form or another but no-one has really nailed it yet.

They were discontinued and are now both rare and highly sought after.

Simple law of supply and demand means that they have shot up in value and continue to rise.


Are they 'worth' £700?
Depends entirely on your view of the value of things. If you want something that sounds like nothing else, isn't made any more and is wanted by lots of people then the answer is an unequivocal 'yes'.

If you're upset about little metal / plastic boxes rising in price and are happy to find something that does a decent job of replicating one for way less money then it's a resounding 'no'.

I'm voting with the former but unfortunately I can't justify this sort of money. I lashed out on a vintage Mu-Tron and love it but I don't really need a synth pedal for anything at the moment :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually regret selling mine.
I've used various synth pedals - but the Deep Impact nailed everything I wanted.

Got the MarkBass one now, with a the BSW also.

IMO as much as I love(d) it, the kinda money is mad. Saying that, I did sell mine for about 475 delivered. Not that long ago neither. I'm such a capitalist scumbag ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1382029889' post='2246949']
Don't get me wrong, I would quite like to own the pedal again, however I wouldn't be prepared to pay more than you would expect to pay for a fairly limited digital effects pedal.
[/quote]

I'd expect to pay about £600 for one as good as the Deep impact :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As an electronics dumbass, how difficult/expensive would it be to make an identical clone of these? As there not particularly old I assume all the components are still readily available.
Just an idol question before anyone jumps out my monitor and brands a Behringer logo on my ass :D .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1382031040' post='2246977']


I'd expect to pay about £600 for one as good as the Deep impact :D
[/quote]

Buy yourself a boutique analogue fuzz, envelope filter and pitch shifter for the same money and have a hell of a lot more :) or, if you want the cheesy sounds, buy a synth :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1382045162' post='2247317']
Buy yourself a boutique analogue fuzz, envelope filter and pitch shifter for the same money and have a hell of a lot more :) or, if you want the cheesy sounds, buy a synth :D
[/quote]

Or, buy a Deep Impact and swoon every time you hit the 'on' button :gas:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still have mine.

I bought it for 90 quid in 2003.

It tracks better than anything short of Steve Chicks revamped Industrial Radio MIDI synth system...particularly loves single pickup basses such as P's or stingrays. However a potential competitor is the Chunk Systems Octavius Squeezer although I have not bought one yet and have been discouraged by a two knob interface and no USB programmability.

The SB1 was never overhyped by Akai - it has a limited range of sounds but most of those sounds can be slotted straight into a song that someone has recorded in the past and they sound warm and fat. This makes the pedal UTTERLY fantastic for function bands and funk/disco covers. I Feel Love ? Right there. Rubber bandy synth bass from a Chicane tune? It's right there.

Is it worth 700 quid? No, absolutely not, it's stupid money and I'd happily sell mine for that given its more than an Octavius Squeezer now. But I haven't tried a Squeezer yet to know how it stacks up to a Deep Impact to make that choice. So in the meantime, it's still a great pedal.

I think Akai should do a re-release. I think Eventide could use the tech in their Pitchfactor pedal to do a pedal that is better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not true - I went down this route and yes you can get some interesting sounds but it is not that excellent synth sound that you can get from a Deep Impact, it is pretty unique on that front!

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1382045162' post='2247317']


Buy yourself a boutique analogue fuzz, envelope filter and pitch shifter for the same money and have a hell of a lot more :) or, if you want the cheesy sounds, buy a synth :D
[/quote]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Squeezer is something I considered strongly before buying the Deep Impact but it looked far too complicated for someone like me to use! Also tried the Mark Bass Super Synth and that was the same, too feature heavy and tricky to edit sounds.

What I love about the Deep Impact is that you have some great sounds in it, which for me nail that 70's synth bass sound at the touch of a button and with no messing around required and for that reason alone it gets my vote every time. Yes I wish I had one that cost me £85 but it didn't and for the money I spent on it I am very happy.

If you want that sound you have to get the Deep Impact!!

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1382051803' post='2247447']
I still have mine.

I bought it for 90 quid in 2003.

It tracks better than anything short of Steve Chicks revamped Industrial Radio MIDI synth system...particularly loves single pickup basses such as P's or stingrays. However a potential competitor is the Chunk Systems Octavius Squeezer although I have not bought one yet and have been discouraged by a two knob interface and no USB programmability.

The SB1 was never overhyped by Akai - it has a limited range of sounds but most of those sounds can be slotted straight into a song that someone has recorded in the past and they sound warm and fat. This makes the pedal UTTERLY fantastic for function bands and funk/disco covers. I Feel Love ? Right there. Rubber bandy synth bass from a Chicane tune? It's right there.

Is it worth 700 quid? No, absolutely not, it's stupid money and I'd happily sell mine for that given its more than an Octavius Squeezer now. But I haven't tried a Squeezer yet to know how it stacks up to a Deep Impact to make that choice. So in the meantime, it's still a great pedal.

I think Akai should do a re-release. I think Eventide could use the tech in their Pitchfactor pedal to do a pedal that is better.
[/quote]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought mine new for £70 and then sold it about 5 or 6 years later for £350.
I hadn't used it for about 2 years and it helped fund the purchase of my lovely Fender Steve Harris P.

Do I miss it?
Not really

Would I like another?
Yes, if I found a boxed and working one for £70

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having owned most synth pedals on the market. The SB-1 is pretty hard to beat. Is it worth £700..... to me yes as there is no other pedal or pedals that can re-create that sound. If you don't use synth sounds very often the probably not so much.

When Mark Bass brought their synth pedal out I had high expectations.... but it just didn't work for me. The tracking was dreadful and the sounds were thin. I was lucky enough to acquire two of the SB-1. One lives as new in its box..... just waiting for the market to peak ;o)

The other thing to mention with the SB-1 is the tracking..... even tracks great on the low B so you get super sub from that if needed

Edited by crez5150
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...