BDDI Harshness

[Misdee]

I recently replaced my trusty Korg Pandora PX4b with a Tech21 BDDI V2 in my home recording set up. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts with the EQ, the BDDI sounds very harsh and trebly. With the treble and presence controls set at 12 o'clock (ie flat) the sound is very, very toppy, so much that if I am doing a bit of slapping and popping the twang is fit to burst my eardrums! 

I am having to roll back the treble and presence to about 10 o'clock and also have to use my Diamond BC1 compressor to get an acceptable sound with my main bass, a USA Lakland PJ. I should also mention that I am recording  onto my PC  via a Foccusrite Solo 3rd Gen into Audacity. I have not downloaded any of the bundled software included with the Focusrite, but plan to do so as soon as I can work out how to. As I have mentioned before on these pages, to describe my tech skills as remedial would be overly kind. Any help or advice on taming the sound would be gratefully received.

[Tech21NYC]

The presence control is already boosting at 12 o'clock. The Mid, Treble and Bass boost and cut from 12 o'clock. Maybe try starting with the Blend off (counterclockwise) and gradually increasing. Have you tried the sample settings. Try Fat Tube with less Drive, Presence  and Blend.

[paul_5]

You could also try blending in a bit of the ‘drive’ signal, as that also brings in the bass heavy cab sim, then back off the treble and presence and set the mid control too either boost a little at 500Hz or cut some of the 1kHz frequency.

I was playing about with mine earlier like this and had to cut some of the bass, at it was quite thunderous!

[Lozz196]

As per the good advice from Tech21, take a look at the Presence control, it really adds sharpness, pulling back on that, then adding on the Treble control gives a much smoother more pleasant top end.

[Misdee]

2 hours ago, Tech21NYC said:

The presence control is already boosting at 12 o'clock. The Mid, Treble and Bass boost and cut from 12 o'clock. Maybe try starting with the Blend off (counterclockwise) and gradually increasing. Have you tried the sample settings. Try Fat Tube with less Drive, Presence  and Blend.

Thanks so much for getting in touch, I am absolutely sure that the problem lies with me and how I am using the pedal. 

So, is it correct to think that the presence  control is boost only i.e. all the way off is flat?

[Misdee]

2 hours ago, paul_5 said:

You could also try blending in a bit of the ‘drive’ signal, as that also brings in the bass heavy cab sim, then back off the treble and presence and set the mid control too either boost a little at 500Hz or cut some of the 1kHz frequency.

I was playing about with mine earlier like this and had to cut some of the bass, at it was quite thunderous!

I usually have drive set at 11 o'clock, bass  at 1 o'clock, blend at 3 o'clock, mid ( 1khz) at 12 o'clock or slightly boosted to 1 o'clock. Cheers I will give your settings a go.

[Misdee]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

As per the good advice from Tech21, take a look at the Presence control, it really adds sharpness, pulling back on that, then adding on the Treble control gives a much smoother more pleasant top end.

Will do, thanks !

[Misdee]

My other thought is that it might be something to do with how the Focusrite interacts with the pedal. Maybe I need to add some EQ and/or compression at the interface stage to make it sound a bit more palatable.

[dannybuoy]

Sounds like you’re reluctant to cut the treble? Set the knobs where it sounds best, don’t worry about the o’clock positions visually.

Also worth noting, I think the presence control is before the overdrive, so you can boost that and cut treble to change the character of the overdrive. A bit like the character control on the VT, but affecting a higher frequency.

[Tech21NYC]

17 hours ago, Misdee said:

Thanks so much for getting in touch, I am absolutely sure that the problem lies with me and how I am using the pedal. 

So, is it correct to think that the presence  control is boost only i.e. all the way off is flat?

Correct. You should need no additional equipment to use the Bass Driver DI with your interface. The amp emulation of the SansAmp will contribute a certain amount of compression depending upon the Drive settings just like a tube amp would. Don't be hesitant to turn the controls and experiment. Once you get a handle on how the pedal functions it will become quite easy.

[Happy Jack]

Given my very agricultural playing style, I tend to keep a decent compressor in front of my Sansamp.

Having read all this, I may try fiddling about without a compressor in the chain and see what I get. 

Playing the first Rick I have owned in nearly 10 years means that I'm re-thinking all sorts of aspects of my rig.