New Zoom B3n multi effect

[tonyclaret]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1491610154' post='3274355']
Now available at Thomann, unless I bought the last one. Free shipping if you buy something else for one euro. As my Kinsman stool is falling apart, I took the opportunity to buy a replacement.
[/quote]

[tonyclaret]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1491610154' post='3274355']
Now available at Thomann, unless I bought the last one.[/quote]
Nope you didn't, I got one too!! :-)

[jimfist]

Here's some demo stuff I did over the weekend. Primarily focuses on the SVT amp/cab comparison between the B3 and B3n (I was able to get them to sound pretty close, although the settings are quite different, and the B3n SVT amp/cab have a TON more flexibility for tone shaping), and to demo the Darkglass OD (B3k) and Darkglass PRE (B7k). The sounds may or may not be your cup of tea (I'm into driven sounds, and favorite bands from the 1990s like TOOL, AIC, RHCP, etc.).

[url="https://soundcloud.com/jimfist/sets/zoom-b3nb3-svt_darkglass-tests"]https://soundcloud.c...darkglass-tests[/url]

[couldn't figure out how to embed the Soundcloud tracks...anyone help me here?]

Edited April 10, 2017 by jimfist

[Al Krow]

Hey jimfist - thanks for sharing those demos. They sound pretty good! My B3n arrived this morning and am looking forward to getting to know it over the coming days...

[jimfist]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1491835723' post='3275737']
Hey jimfist - thanks for sharing those demos. They sound pretty good! My B3n arrived this morning and am looking forward to getting to know it over the coming days...
[/quote]

Thanks! I'm hoping to do more demos of the amp models and effects, time allowing. I think the sonic improvements (esp. the drives and cab sims) are worth it, even though there's no XLR or USB audio. Still a great value.

[jimfist]

Here's another one, demo of the Acoustic 370 amp model with 18" cab sim. All sounds from the B3n into Audacity as my DAW, using my Zoom B3 (bypassed) as the USB audio I/O.

[url="https://soundcloud.com/jimfist/sets/zoom-b3n-acoustic-amp-sim-ac-370"]https://soundcloud.c...-amp-sim-ac-370[/url]

[dannybuoy]

Thanks for the clips Jim! I'd be interested to hear the envelope filters, the Z-Tron from the previous generation was excellent but I wasn't a fan of the rest. I had assumed they would use the same old models from before but if you say the drives have improved then maybe the others have too!

[jimfist]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1491930831' post='3276599']
Thanks for the clips Jim! I'd be interested to hear the envelope filters, the Z-Tron from the previous generation was excellent but I wasn't a fan of the rest. I had assumed they would use the same old models from before but if you say the drives have improved then maybe the others have too!
[/quote]

I'm with you re: the Z-Tron. I think the tracking on the B3n is improved vs. the B3 for octaves, synths, pitch shifters. I've got them side by side, and that will be next up for some demo recordings....when time allows. Will be interesting to see whether there is enough of a discrepancy between the two units to be obvious on a recording.

[paul_backskin]

I received one this morning. I set up the darkglass B7K effect into just the SVT 8x10 and it sounded much the same as the demo videos for the B3/7k for dialling in a metal tone. Very impressed. Such a shame no Di out on it though.

[jimfist]

[quote name='paul_backskin' timestamp='1491992307' post='3276974']
I received one this morning. I set up the darkglass B7K effect into just the SVT 8x10 and it sounded much the same as the demo videos for the B3/7k for dialling in a metal tone. Very impressed. Such a shame no Di out on it though.
[/quote]

Yes, the general feeling is that the XLR was a nice feature that will be missed on the B3n. It is too bad that the sacrifice for having upgraded modeling and more switches is no XLR, no USB audio. The only consolation to the XLR dilemma is that most bassists already own a direct box, or usually have one provided to them. There are also a few micro-DI pedal boxes available, if floor space is an issue.

I've avoided this problem by taking the (switched) PRE preamp XLR out from my GK head to send to FOH. In fact, with the original B3, I found the XLR connector to be a little dodgy, and not really a high quality chassis connector that didn't lock the connection into place. I'd rather have an XLR than not, but if ZOOM couldn't figure out a way to put a quality jack on the unit, I'd rather they just leave it off so I can provide a worthy DI of my own.

[paul_backskin]

[quote name='jimfist' timestamp='1491994680' post='3277004']

I've avoided this problem by taking the (switched) PRE preamp XLR out from my GK head to send to FOH. In fact, with the original B3, I found the XLR connector to be a little dodgy, and not really a high quality chassis connector that didn't lock the connection into place. I'd rather have an XLR than not, but if ZOOM couldn't figure out a way to put a quality jack on the unit, I'd rather they just leave it off so I can provide a worthy DI of my own.
[/quote]

Yeah. I know it would be more expensive, but if they made another model with a DI out, and perhaps a routing option to have the amp/cab sims routed to the DI only, zoom would be onto a hands down winner.

[jimfist]

[quote name='paul_backskin' timestamp='1492000657' post='3277053']
Yeah. I know it would be more expensive, but if they made another model with a DI out, and perhaps a routing option to have the amp/cab sims routed to the DI only, zoom would be onto a hands down winner.
[/quote]

Absolutely. I'd pay the extra cash for those features, no doubt. Evidently, ZOOM marketing research must disagree and thinks they'd have much more difficulty with profitable returns on such a pedal. So close....yet so far.

[tauzero]

It's sitting here ready for me to actually use it to play through but I haven't got round to it yet.

Sizewise, it's a centimetre or two deeper than the B3.



Looks like I can't embed an image from Dropbox any more. Photobucket works though.

Edited April 15, 2017 by tauzero

[Opticaleye]

I've only tried mine at home so far but first impressions of the B3n are that the quality of the amp,cab and drive sims have been improved over the B3. The other effects are also better quality but the 4 parameter limit (or 8 if the effect uses 2 slots) has made the control of certain effects less versatile. Some effects that had 5 or 6 parameters are now missing or cut down feature wise.
The lack of a DI and USB recording interface don't worry me too much as I have alternatives but some will be disappointed. I am keenly awaiting the next update but I am concerned that March's updates were only for the Zoom's guitar pedals.

[Al Krow]

I had a chance to unbox and spend a bit of time with the B3n today. First impressions are really positive: in comparison to the budget Zoom MS-60B this seems to be in a different league in terms of user interface and usability. Having a set of 6 footswitches and bank/scroll switches (vs just one footswitch on the MS-60B) makes mid-song switching of effects easy and fun. I'm already thinking about the tonal coloration possibilities on White Stripes' 7 Nation Army bass line (which, as you will know, is already a fun bass line that pub audiences seem to love)!

Ok the B3n is twice the price of the MS-60B but I think it is going to be worth every penny of the extra cost and I know that I am going to be using it for live performance a LOT more than I ever did the MS-60B.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Al Krow

[MarshallBTB]

My Zoom B3 is finally breaking down on me, done well for 5+ years !
Ordered the B3n today, not overly keen on the look of the footswitches Vs the B3 but will see how i get on with it.

[tauzero]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1492551165' post='3281220']
Ok the B3n is twice the price of the MS-60B but I think it is going to be worth every penny of the extra cost and I know that I am going to be using it for live performance a LOT more than I ever did the MS-60B.
[/quote]

The MS-60B is inherently limited by the form factor - I used to have a chorus and amp sim permanently on, and switch in one or the other of another couple of effects - scrolling one effect left or right between songs isn't hard, doing anything more complicated than that is a PITA.

One trick they've definitely missed is the ability to edit patches on the PC. Edit&Share for the B3 is great. Guitar Lab is far more restricted.

[tauzero]

[quote name='Opticaleye' timestamp='1492444133' post='3280280']
The lack of a DI and USB recording interface don't worry me too much as I have alternatives but some will be disappointed. I am keenly awaiting the next update but I am concerned that March's updates were only for the Zoom's guitar pedals.
[/quote]

Weren't they usable with the B3n as well? There were several highlighted so I loaded them on, or at least I think I did (as I didn't notice they were under the Gxn category).

[jimfist]

Haven't seen anything new since the Acoustic Bass amp & cab, and a couple other things. Zoom needs to get us a GK800RB amp model and a Hartke aluminum 4x10!!

None of the amps and cabs from the Guitar pedals (G5n/G3n) are shared with the B3n and vice versa. Although all the units have their own discrete firmware, Zoom has made it so that some of the effects and other processors exist on all 3 pedal platforms.

[Opticaleye]

[quote name='jimfist' timestamp='1492793075' post='3283309']
Zoom needs to get us a GK800RB amp model and a Hartke aluminum 4x10!!
[/quote]

My vote is for a decent B-15 and a Noble Pre

[Al Krow]

I've now had a bit of time to play through the pre-set effects. A couple of comparisons to share:

Octaver: 006 +LoOctave has the best tracking of the octave options (all the way down to an open E) and better than patches 035 hifi slap and 045 basic octaver - which both only track comfortably to a B on the E string (7th fret)

Synth: 026 HysterSyn has better tracking down than 008 MJ Synth for relatively clean sounds, and for me a better sound anyway. 016 Peachy adds growl and 017 Gremlin further adds rise and fall.

Of the amp sim patches, my fav is 030 SMR400 but I appreciate that is going to be purely personal!

I thought the chorus, phaser and tremolo were ok but I didn't find any set patches that grabbed me so I will need to tweak these to come up with something I like. And nothing really pre-set in terms of delay.

075 Explosion, is mad, a lot of fun and crying out to be used at the start of a set!

[Al Krow]

Had a look into why the +LoOctave patch seemed to be better at tracking than the Octaver patch. The former uses the BaMnPitch effect and not the Ba Octaver effect, so I'm going to be using the BaMnPitch effect going forward.

e.g. I have added it to a modified setting Tremolo effect (I've changed the "rate" to get something closer to the old Vox AC 30 tremolo sound that I had on my very first, second hand, guitar amp) to create a TremOct patch with greater depth.

For me the following BaMnPitch effect settings seem to work well: Shift -12 (one octave down) Fine = 0 Tone = 10 (full) Bal = 33 (1/3 wet / octave and 2/3 dry / original).

[petetexas]

Just got one , very impresed .........loads of usable clean pre set sounds .

Only scratched the surface !

Must spend time getting into editing !

[HazBeen]

I also bought one. I have never been a big dsp fan and buying this was in part to check up on how far modelling has come in recent years. To get to the point, so far I am quite impressed and I did not see it coming. Modelling really is getting to the point where it IS an alternative to loose dedicated pedals.

I still will not be using the drive models but the octavers, filters, chorus, delay and reverbs to me are perfectly useable in live and even recording settings for a price that is hard to beat.

Well done Zoom.

[jimfist]

+1