Boss LS-2 VS Radial Big Shot Mix Pedal

[attackbass]

Hi,

Basically which pedal would you recommend for blending a distortion pedal into my clean bass sound?

Obviously the boss is cheaper.. but it's a boss and I'm worried about the clarity of my tone with it.

In an ideal world I would get a barge concepts pedal from the states but time is a major factor in this....

Is there any real difference between the boss and a behringer?!!

[cheddatom]

I don't think Behringer do a blending pedal.

The Boss LS-2 has a buffer in it, and some people feel that this "sucks tone" or is noisy. I have one and it's fine.

I hadn't hear of the Radial pedal, just had a quick look on google and it seems to do what you're after. It doesn't give you the 2nd loop that the LS-2 has. It also has a buffer. Whether or not it's a better buffer than the LS-2 I wouldn't know.

I use my LS-2 for blending clean, compressed signal with distorted signal, which you obviously couldn't do with the Radial pedal.

[thisnameistaken]

I've had an LS-2 on my board for about a year, it's really quite good at what it does.

Haven't tried any of Radial's stuff, it all looks too expensive and their marketing pitch on their website smacks of trying too hard.

[tayste_2000]

I've got the LS-2, Custom Barge and Xotic all on my board at moment and I rank them like this

Xotic
LS-2
Barge

They all do a similar job and have their own pros and cons, well the Xotic's only con is cost other than that it's flawless.

LS-2 isn't noisy unless you crank the volumes and then you'd be boosting your signal and you don't really want to be doing that.

The LS-2 is always worth having around it's so useful and does so much stuff.

I've not tried the Radial but it's top notch stuff and while I'm not the biggest fan off boss there isn't really anything more roadworthy

[attackbass]

lol i think you just replied to my talk bass post!

Does the ls-2 not effect your tone at all?

I just have had bad experiences with boss...

you rate the boss over the barge concepts?




[quote name='tayste_2000' post='326020' date='Nov 10 2008, 03:53 PM']I've got the LS-2, Custom Barge and Xotic all on my board at moment and I rank them like this

Xotic
LS-2
Barge

They all do a similar job and have their own pros and cons, well the Xotic's only con is cost other than that it's flawless.

LS-2 isn't noisy unless you crank the volumes and then you'd be boosting your signal and you don't really want to be doing that.

The LS-2 is always worth having around it's so useful and does so much stuff.

I've not tried the Radial but it's top notch stuff and while I'm not the biggest fan off boss there isn't really anything more roadworthy[/quote]

[tayste_2000]

Also as I said on TB get the DHA, he does a Basschat discount. Even has a forum here.

[nick]

Have you considered the Moosapotamus' Paralooper?
Thread here about it, with comments from the designer & builder himself, with a lot of good feedback.
[url="http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=1903553"]Harmony Paralooper thread[/url]

One of the many things on my Christmas to-build list

Edited November 10, 2008 by nick

[attackbass]

[quote name='nick' post='326187' date='Nov 10 2008, 07:26 PM']Have you considered the Moosapotamus' Paralooper?
Thread here about it, with comments from the designer & builder himself, with a lot of good feedback.
[url="http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=1903553"]Harmony Paralooper thread[/url]

One of the many things on my Christmas to-build list [/quote]

I wish I had more time to get some cool boutigue thing... my mate works in a music store in london and has come up with the good for me... a solidgoldfx parablender.. should do the job!

thanks for your help!

[Gamble]

I'm looking to do the same thing as the OP, not affecting the tone is a big issue for me too. I do tend to think that it's unlikely to be a difference I'd notice without direct A/B comparison, but I'm looking at using 2 Ampeg preamps for my O/D and clean so I don't really want to cut corners with the switching/blending. Having the options on that Moosapotamus Paralooper might be nice if the price comes out the same as a simpler unit, but is all that clever tomfoolery going to effect the tone? Once the true bypass is switched off I mean.

Banzai have a dual looper pedal that might do the trick:

[url="http://www.banzaimusic.com/Banzai-Dual-True-Bypass-Box-pr-17667.html"]Banzai Dual Looper[/url]

Obviously it doesn't have the level controls on the unit, but I figure you can just set that with your effects units that are in the circuit, right? Also, can anyone tell me: Could I link the loop sends straight to 2 different amps (not back to the return) and use it as an A/B/Blend box?

They also do a single looper: [url="http://www.banzaimusic.com/Banzai-True-Bypass-Box-pr-17668.html"]Banzai Loop/Bypass[/url]
and a looper with an A/B output: [url="http://www.banzaimusic.com/Banzai-A-B-True-Bypass-Box-pr-17666.html"]Banzai A/B Looper[/url]

but correct me if I'm wrong, neither of them will blend the signal.

Can anyone point me (and anyone else who's interested!) in the direction of other options for clean/loop blending and A/B blending (preferably in one unit)? I'm just trying to weigh up all the options so I only have to fork out once! So far the names I've seen are:

Boss (LS2 / AB-2)
Barge Concepts
Xotic (X-Blender)
Radial (Big Shot)
Moosapotamus (Paralooper)
SolidGoldFx (Parablender)
Lehle (Little Lehle II / Lehle Little Dual)
Banzai (Dual True-Bypass)

I'm pretty sure a few of these don't blend the signal (Lehle and Boss AB-2 for example), which is primarily what I'm after so unless I'm told otherwise they're out for me. Just thought I'd put them in the list for everyone to have a look at incase they're of use to them.

Cheers!

Edited November 11, 2008 by Gamble

[El_JimBob]

MonkeyFX seem to do something almost identical to that SolidGoldFX Parablender - website says it's only £75, although i've never seen many people talking about their products around here.... might be worth a shot tho, eh?

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Gamble' post='326607' date='Nov 11 2008, 11:29 AM']Banzai have a dual looper pedal that might do the trick:

[url="http://www.banzaimusic.com/Banzai-Dual-True-Bypass-Box-pr-17667.html"]Banzai Dual Looper[/url]

Obviously it doesn't have the level controls on the unit, but I figure you can just set that with your effects units that are in the circuit, right? Also, can anyone tell me: Could I link the loop sends straight to 2 different amps (not back to the return) and use it as an A/B/Blend box?[/quote]

No. The loops on that box will run in series: IN -> A SEND -> A RTN -> B SEND -> B RTN -> OUT. So if you send your signal into loop A but it never returns, send B won't get any signal (it will have left the building!).

A Boss LS-2 would do it though. Its loops run in parallel (the signal is split and sent to both) so you could use send A and B to fire the signal off to two amps.

[Gamble]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='326914' date='Nov 11 2008, 04:19 PM']No. The loops on that box will run in series: IN -> A SEND -> A RTN -> B SEND -> B RTN -> OUT. So if you send your signal into loop A but it never returns, send B won't get any signal (it will have left the building!).[/quote]

Not that I don't believe you, but how do you know the 2 loops run in a series? Is that just how that sort of unit works?

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Gamble' post='327236' date='Nov 12 2008, 01:22 AM']Not that I don't believe you, but how do you know the 2 loops run in a series? Is that just how that sort of unit works?[/quote]

Yeah, I sold one a couple of weeks ago.

If you've got two loops running in parallel and being mixed before your output, you'll have some control over the mix, for example on the LS-2 you get a level control for each loop. If all you see is stomp switches and one or more loops, they run in series.

You could run something like that to choose between two different outputs (well, three - A Send, B Send or OUT) but you could only ever get your signal to arrive at one of them at any given time.

[unimpressed alf]

my question would be - is there a cheaper alternative to the LS2?

i understand the functionality of the LS2 and really want one but cant afford to be spending over 50 quid on one at the moment (especially since the wife got her car clamped this morning...) if there is a cheaper alternative that doesnt compromise on quality too much, id be very much interested to hear about it

i should probably mention that its having 2 effects loops plus a clean channel that interests me - the effects blending side of things is a plus but not essential

cheers everyone

alf

Edited November 12, 2008 by unimpressed alf

[vegas_hooker]

Tonefactor Mobius? (though its only 1 loop)

I picked one up second hand from Tayste for less than £30.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='unimpressed alf' post='327484' date='Nov 12 2008, 12:21 PM']my question would be - is there a cheaper alternative to the LS2?[/quote]

No. Not that does what it does. They come up used pretty often though - keep an eye on eBay.

[quote name='unimpressed alf' post='327484' date='Nov 12 2008, 12:21 PM']i understand the functionality of the LS2 ... its having 2 effects loops plus a clean channel that interests me - the effects blending side of things is a plus but not essential[/quote]

Hmm. The LS-2 is just two parallel loops, it doesn't have an extra "clean channel", and the loops can't be run in series, you can either solo one of the loops or blend both.

[cheddatom]

The loops can be run in series actually.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='327597' date='Nov 12 2008, 01:57 PM']The loops can be run in series actually.[/quote]

Hehe. Sorry. That's the mode I skip on my way between A+B and A->Bypass. I didn't even know what it did any more!

The one thing I wish it did that it doesn't do is ( A or B ) -> A+B. 100% wet one channel, then blended both channels. I figured out a way to do it with the aid of a dual loop switch and some weird wiring but I think I'm just going to get someone to make me an LS-2 replacement instead.

Edited November 12, 2008 by thisnameistaken

[unimpressed alf]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='327594' date='Nov 12 2008, 01:56 PM']No. Not that does what it does. They come up used pretty often though - keep an eye on eBay.[/quote]


yea there were 2 on there recently - they may have gone now or are about to go in the next day or so - they were looking quite promising but then ended up going up to about 40/50 quid which was dissapointing...

i was hoping to pick one up for about 20-30 quid but it looks like thats not going to happen *BOO*

[Gamble]

[quote name='unimpressed alf' post='327740' date='Nov 12 2008, 04:34 PM']yea there were 2 on there recently - they may have gone now or are about to go in the next day or so - they were looking quite promising but then ended up going up to about 40/50 quid which was dissapointing...

i was hoping to pick one up for about 20-30 quid but it looks like thats not going to happen *BOO*[/quote]

Plus to the one-age.