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Tech21 prototype dUg pre-amp pedal.


Painy

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5 minutes ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

That's odd. I keep the lows around 1 and that's pushing it! I did suspect you would return to your trusty Para Driver, it seems to be very 'you'!

Agreed Ben, I love all the Tech 21 pedals I`ve tried but my ultimate fave is the Para Driver, it just "goes to 11" for want of a better phrase :lol:

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24 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I must say I`m surprised by the comments of lots of low-end. In order to replicate the sound of my Para Driver, where I have the bass on about 2 o`clock I`ve had to have the bass on the dUg on full, and even then it doesn`t seem to have the same "muscle" to it. Could be frequency difference I suppose. Not taking a pop at the pedal though, it`s a nifty little guy but ultimately I just prefer the Para Driver so dUg is taking a trip back to the shop.

Are you using the compression Lozz? Doing so adds stupid amounts of low end.

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5 hours ago, Tech21NYC said:

Usually the issue of brightness is exacerbated when going into the front end of an amp or using full range speakers. Going directly into a power amp as you are doing is the preferred method. Are you using an active bass or passive? Have you tried using the XLR out on the DP-3X? That output is a little darker.

Hi, thanks for coming back. 

All my basses are passive.  I haven't actually gone the XLR route yet and to be honest hadn't given it any consideration.  Just ordered an XLR cable (which Amazon tells me will be here tomorrow) to I'll give that a punt.

Thanks for the input!

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16 hours ago, Wolverinebass said:

Are you using the compression Lozz? Doing so adds stupid amounts of low end.

I was, only at about 9 o`clock though. I think in reality it`s not that I didn`t like the dUg, it`s just that the Para Driver is so spot-on perfect for me that anything else just doesn`t seem right. The dUg would have made flying gigs much easier due to less weight and less cables etc, but  carrying 2 pedals and 3 leads isn`t exactly a chore so I`m sticking with Trusty PD.

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17 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

...In order to replicate the sound of my Para Driver...

The tough thing is that it's not a PD nor is it trying to be. 

A few years ago I bought a racked VT Bass, fully expectant that I would easily be able to dial in the same tone as my trusty BDDI and expand on it.  I did one gig with it and sold it on.  Couldn't have been any more wrong.  

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A question for all you guys using the dug pedal; when the eq is flat and it's on the clean channel only with the compression backed right off, is the inherent tone more compressed than when the pedal is bypassed?

The reason I ask is that although I like what I've heard of the pedal on YouTube clips, having previously owned the BDDI and VT bass I found that they both had way too much baked in compression. The fundamental tone of each was great but no matter what I did with them the sound was just too squashed for my tastes*. I'm curious to know if this also applies to the dug pedal?

*I use compression as an integral part of my sound but even with my comp out of the signal path the sound was still too heavily compressed to my ear. I appreciate that drive adds compression but I've used other drive units that do not squash like this. Blending in more dry signal didn't seem to help either with the BDDI.

Obviously the dug has its own built in compressor but I don't want it adding further squash to an already flattened signal. But hopefully this is not the case?

I'm hopefully soon ditching my backline and moving over to IEM's and am looking for something like this to use as a pre-amp, tuner and compressor as it's everything I need in one box. 

What are your guys thoughts and experience of the inherent compression (or not) of the pedal?

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Yeah I was hoping to get as near to it as possible but I don`t look at it as a bad thing, it just shows that I`ve already got the right kit. I`m just surprised that given how flexible the Para Driver is, there aren`t more bassists using them. Still, I never said I was normal.....

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@Osiris you know my opinion on this! I think it is not overly compressed to my ears when its backed off, but the compression on this I think is slightly different to other units in that it is clearly linked to the low end as well, so just because the compression knob my be high doesn't mean that it is overly squashed, it means a tinker/balance between your Low and comp dial.

In addition you can get over the mid scoop you know it has/I like by choosing 325 or 700Hz and calling it up. I am pushing mids more than the dUg setting to my surprise.

It is a very organic sound which does sit really nicely, I think you would definitely get something you would like out of it

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Having said all that, and you thanking me (!) it is one of those pedals I put into the need to really try to find out categories, and also don't make a snap judgement without proper tinker time and use with a band if that is your mission, its the way the beast is. You may dial up a god awful sound in isolation, but actually it works in context

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Cheers @Cuzzie 

Yes, it has to work in a band context or it's no good to me. I couldn't get the BDDI to work at all with the band for some reason - and I'm quite happy to accept that the reason is me :lol:

I'm more than happy to give it a good going over (ooh err) but I do like gear that's quick and easy to use so that problem solving and EQ'ing to the room on a gig is a quick and painless as possible. Too much faffing about on stage invariably results in getting the look from Liberace in Keyboard Corner. 

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23 hours ago, Tech21NYC said:

Usually the issue of brightness is exacerbated when going into the front end of an amp or using full range speakers. Going directly into a power amp as you are doing is the preferred method. Are you using an active bass or passive? Have you tried using the XLR out on the DP-3X? That output is a little darker.

Just following on, XLR cable arrived and all connected up.  Definite difference from the treble perspective.  Whereas via the 1/4" jack output I rolled the treble back to the 10 o'clock position, with the XLR, the same treble response is closer to the 3 o'clock position.  Much better.

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Quick question re: the tuner - is the reference pitch adjustable or is the tuner fully chromatic? My band tunes down half a step so the tuner on my TC amps are useless.

I’m looking at the dUg as a replacement for my Zoom B3n which has a great chromatic tuner.

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1 minute ago, kevham said:

Quick question re: the tuner - is the reference pitch adjustable or is the tuner fully chromatic? My band tunes down half a step so the tuner on my TC amps are useless.

I’m looking at the dUg as a replacement for my Zoom B3n which has a great chromatic tuner.

It's chromatic.

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It’s bloody great mate, whatever people say for or against it are only minor gripes if you read between the lines.

You have a tweakable unit for clean or dirt weighing 12 Oz the size of a high school child’s pencil case with a compressor, tuner, EQ and an XLR out for under £300.

Whats not to like?!

It will be a great addition to what you have already built I am sure

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4 minutes ago, kevham said:

No excuse not to get one now since I’ve been seeking the dUg tone since 1989!

Now that:

a) has gotta get the BCers prize for patience!

b) is clearly someone who is after Cuzzie's own heart! (Anyone who is a dUg Pinnick fan will be welcome at Cuzzie's hearth).

But don't get rid of the B3n just yet though (and if you've not discovered the free ToneLib editing software you're in for a treat)...I suspect it may yet give the dUg a run for its money :) 

Edited by Al Krow
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