New Darkglass Pedal

[Kev]

4 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Oooh I completely missed that! What changed?

I presume that Doug, however, has not changed the B3K engine in his M900 amp and this continues to be the original B3K (and VMT) engines in the amp head?

Well actually, that was the change to the pedal.  The B3K now has the tone knob used on the amp amongst other things, which for me is a huge improvement    It still very much has its place in the line up , for space and simplicity I have considered swapping out my B7KU for a new B3K as I use the AOU as a master preamp so technically its overkill, although certainly has its uses.

[krispn]

20 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Didn't they do that already with their SS?

Not sure it has particularly changed folks' minds about compression since they brought it out back in [2015?]

It seems to me that the TC Spectracomp gets way more "air time" on BC than the SS ever did, so question mark over how much impact DG 'getting into compression' has had?

Now that the SS has been superceded (in the same way that the B3K and VMT seem to have been overtaken by the more recent DG dirt pedals), a great place for it to find its way to would be a new edition DG M900 amp as an additional feature, which would set it apart from most other amps. Now that would be a statement about the importance of compression.

I’m sure many DG fans got turned on to trying a comp once the ss came out and maybe more will be drawn to the new features as the ss ceased production due to component shortages or maybe only the fan boi’s will upgrade. Not really that bothered either way frankly 😀

The TC might get more paragraphs and maybe for good reason. It’s cheaper and  quite editable and overall good value for money. 

I think the pedals in the range are still stand alone for what they do and again fan boi’s aside people will gravitate to the model which fulfills their sonic peccadilloes.

 

[Al Krow]

Not one, but two of these pedals in the FS, if anyone's interested in getting. Clearly it's sell DG Hyper luminal Day today! 

[Kev]

Buy one, anyone who is in the market for a high end pedal comp.  This replaced a Cali76 CB on my board, which replaced a Cali76 TX and DG SS.  It's a very good and flexible comp. 

[Al Krow]

13 minutes ago, Kev said:

Buy one, anyone who is in the market for a high end pedal comp.  This replaced a Cali76 CB on my board, which replaced a Cali76 TX and DG SS.  It's a very good and flexible comp. 

Are you preferring it to the Cali 76CB?

[Cuzzie]

Possibly so if it’s replaced it....

[RedVee]

I was considering buying one, but I ditched the idea after reading that a number of people have had problems with them. Problems with compatibility using some Power supplies seems to be the most common one.I am going to stick with my Spectracomp which I am happy with, and will be even more happier when they will soon sort out the updated Android app for it.

Edited October 15, 2018 by RedVee

[Kev]

As far as I know, they had a power supply issue for a small number of supplies on the initial run that, darkglass being darkglass, they instantly offered to repair for free, covering shipping. Not ideal but dealt with well. 

The FET mode does everything the Cali76 / CB did for me, just with more control in the Suite and the bonkers all buttons on mode of the 1176. The BUS is super transparent and the SYM is the SS.  Metering is excellent.  

Its cheaper that the Cali and offers much more, smaller footprint and better metering. Easy decision for me, but I don't pretend that my ear is as sensitive as some. 

[RedVee]

I don't think that I could really switch from a Multi band Compressor like the Spectracomp to the Darkglass. Don't get me wrong he Darkglass sounds good, but coming in at that price point and not being Multi band doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Kev]

11 minutes ago, RedVee said:

I don't think that I could really switch from a Multi band Compressor like the Spectracomp to the Darkglass. Don't get me wrong he Darkglass sounds good, but coming in at that price point and not being Multi band doesn't make sense to me.

 

i have never felt a need for multi band, certainly couldn't agree that it makes no sense otherwise.   Out of interest, how do you use this aspect?  The HPF is enough for me on the CB and HL.

[RedVee]

28 minutes ago, Kev said:

i have never felt a need for multi band, certainly couldn't agree that it makes no sense otherwise.   Out of interest, how do you use this aspect?  The HPF is enough for me on the CB and HL.

I have tested other single band compressors alongside my Spectracomp and I find tonally there is a huge difference. Though having a HPF and preferably a LPF will help, being able to compress low, mids and highs with a Multiband comp makes so much difference. I see that you only have access to a HPF on your HL which I was unaware of though I did know that there was a HPF on the Cali, but this will only filter out rumble and low frequencies.

[dannybuoy]

I feel the same after upgrading my Cali CB to a Spectracomp. I can really notice he multiband when I dig in aggressively and it’s reigned in by the upper band with a fast attack to catch the peak, yet the low end still pulses, with a slower attack to accentuate the thump.

[Al Krow]

12 hours ago, dannybuoy said:

I feel the same after upgrading my Cali CB to a Spectracomp.

"Upgrading" - love it!! 😄 

I've found compression way too subtle for any audience to notice and bottom line for me is that it's either gotta be a benefit to either me in terms of playing pleasure or the audience in improved sound, otherwise I struggle to see the point.

But I must admit the way you're describing the benefits of multi band compression combined with the simplicity of a one knob control is definitely tempting me to give the Spectracomp a try out. Particularly following the recent price drops on TC pedals. 

[Cuzzie]

@Al Krow The rate you are going through compressors it’s no wonder omnilabs is now defunct.

You can officially change your avatar to @King Comp

[Al Krow]

Haha!

But you know that some things can just seem right (even when they're not).

Not dissimilar to Mrs Krow in fact. 

Edited October 17, 2018 by Al Krow

[cattytown]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

I've found compression way too subtle for any audience to notice

I sometimes wonder though if this is the sort of thing that they don't notice, but it does make a difference to them. The sort of thing that leads to them preferring one local live band over another?

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Particularly following the recent price drops on TC pedals. 

£63!!!

I might give one a try for the hell of it!

P.

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, cattytown said:

I sometimes wonder though if this is the sort of thing that they don't notice, but it does make a difference to them. The sort of thing that leads to them preferring one local live band over another?

I'd love to believe that. But it's going to be sooooo much lower down what the list of what an audience is likely to notice , even subconsciously. In my simple mind, I'd order broadly as follows (be interested to see if others agree)...

Top 10 things to get right:

- great vocalists

- great material

- balanced sound / decent PA

- instruments playing tightly and with groove

- does the band entertain

- lighting

- how you look / image

- "in your face" effects on guitar

-  bass not boomy

- "in your face" effects on bass e.g. synth, filter, dirt, tremolo

The rest...

- subtle bass effects e.g. chorus, flange

- very subtle effects e.g. compression

1 hour ago, cattytown said:

£63!!! I might give one a try for the hell of it!

Kinda where I'm landing too. Just a tad cheaper than the DG hyper luminal!

...ok managed to get us back on topic 😂

Edited October 17, 2018 by Al Krow

[krispn]

I’d totally try out a the HL comp and if it works ‘ better’ than my Cali I’d consider the possibility of swapping. If a product is noticeably better or adds something to the whole then it makes sense to consider the options especially if it’s important to you to have the latest version of a pedal. 

I enjoy what my Cali does I like the sound so not actively in the market but if anyone wants to A/B one in Edinburgh with my Cali just let me know 😀

@Al Krow most audiences aren’t going to consciously notice a lot of what you list over and above the singer and the songs. I believe that unless actively out to scrutinise a band rather than just have a few drinks and a dance folks aren’t that bothered. I know we’ll disagree over that but playing a bum note or screwing up a passage might not even get noticed by many let alone some of the other stuff listed. I’ve hit the occasional bum note and no one on the dance floor stopped dead and eyeballed me with contempt for killing their groove... Ok maybe the drummer 😀

Recently doing our Ska ‘7 Nation army’ cover I didn’t bother with the heavy drive on one chorus but did in another and again there wasn’t any noticeable different in the crowds response to the song as they kept on singing along. Generally folks were more interested in their immediate friends and surroundings than my choice of note, technique or effect be it in their face or beyond the realms of their perception.

Ive said it before I’m not apathetic to the audience, I love gigging and a bit of banter with folk when playing. I understand that while many of us do understand where and how important a bass works in a mix a lot of the drunken hen parties we see don’t and would be bored to death if we tried to tell them. I’m happy that they remain as oblivious to my gear if it means they kee dancing and singing. 

[dannybuoy]

Using that logic, how you smell is not on the list, so don't bother showering before the gig as the audience probably won't notice!

But seriously, you have balanced sound at #3, compression helps there. Compression helps every note be heard and felt with equal punch, letting you dig in to get a different texture but without an accompanying volume spike (actually my main reason for preferring multiband, a single band comp can rob your low end when you dig in hard). It definitely helps get butts wiggling if you ask me, even if playing something simple like straight 16ths. The way that a compressor shapes the attack by letting the peaks through before clamping down just does something - I know I can tell the difference and it makes me want to move more!

 

Edited October 17, 2018 by dannybuoy

[Kev]

The audience can hear the difference, they just don't know they do

[krispn]

Lads I already feel bad for regurgitating it all over again. We can all just get along. The new bc rules should be no political chat, no religious chat, no compression chat! 

[Al Krow]

21 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

Using that logic, how you smell is not on the list, so don't bother showering before the gig as the audience probably won't notice

OK I'll bear that in mind, if I'm running late for a gig. Thanks for the advice. 

23 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

But seriously, you have balanced sound at #3, compression helps there. Compression helps every note be heard and felt with equal punch, letting you dig in to get a different texture but without an accompanying volume spike (actually my main reason for preferring multiband, a single band comp can rob your low end when you dig in hard). 

Or you could just learn to play more evenly. This is what I call "lazy man" compression. It has it's place I'm sure... 

26 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

It definitely helps get butts wiggling if you ask me, even if playing something simple like straight 16ths. The way that a compressor shapes the attack by letting the peaks through before clamping down just does something - I know I can tell the difference and it makes me want to move more!

OK now you're talking. If this elusive "sweet spot" / compression magic exists, it's worth having. 

[Al Krow]

3 minutes ago, krispn said:

Lads I already feel bad for regurgitating it all over again. We can all just get along. The new bc rules should be no political chat, no religious chat, no compression chat! 

So now new compressor threads then? 😄 

[krispn]

Indeed ...or recycling old tropes such as technique over compression. As a newly qualified 5 string player you may find compression useful... of course you may not but I hope to never read about it

 

Edited October 17, 2018 by krispn

[Al Krow]

3 hours ago, krispn said:

Indeed ...or recycling old tropes such as technique over compression. As a newly qualified 5 string player you may find compression useful... of course you may not but I hope to never read about it

Ok that's a deal. So I  definitely won't be able to confirm or deny whether I've splashed out £63 for a multi-band comp that's going to let me:

• dig in to get a different texture but without an accompanying volume spike (whereas a single band comp might rob my low end when I dig in hard); 
• shapes the attack by letting the peaks through before clamping down by providing a fast attack to catch the peak, yet the low end still pulses with a slower attack to accentuate the thump; and,
• according to some, represents an "upgrade" from a Cali 76CB;

[source: the legendary db ]

Plus:

• takes up precious little pedal board real estate;
• has just one knob for simpletons like me to worry about.

Edited October 17, 2018 by Al Krow