Darkglass Element headphone amp…..and much, much more.

[ambient]

It’s not often that I’m blown away by something enough to post a review of it, but this pedal-sized gizmo is simply fabulous.

 

I’m a huge fan of Darkglass products, I’ve already got three of their pedals on my board. I wanted something for silent practice without plugging my bass into my interface and opening up Logic Pro. This obviously ticks that box, but it does so much more too, and it does it brilliantly.

 

I don’t like the sound of my bass on its own through headphones, that’s why I’d use Logic Pro, for the amp sims.
 

This little object comes with a comprehensive library of impulse responses from various cabs, preamps, power amps and microphones, that you can mix and match to suit your tastes. There’s also a library of pre-built rigs from Darkglass artists that make a great starting point. You can save up to five of your favourite rigs, that you simply recall using the touch-sensitive button - there’s an LED that lights up to show which slot you’re using.

 

There are also various EQ settings and a noise gate that you can select and drop into the signal chain.

 

I believe you can use third-party impulse responses too.

 

You need to download the Darkglass Suite to access the IR library, and to make adjustments to the settings on the Element. It’s available for Mac and PC from the Darkglass website. There’s also a very handy app available from the App Store and its non-Apple equivalent.

 

I found the app really useful and very easy to use. You simply connect the Element to your phone via Bluetooth.

 

Thanks to a recent firmware update the Element can also now be used as an audio interface for recording. Logic Pro recognised it straightaway, it sounds equally as good as my Focusrite Scarlett. I don’t think you can use the IRs from the unit when it’s used as an interface, which is a shame.

You can also stream music from your device to the element, again using Bluetooth, enabling you to play along with whatever your streaming. You use the centre of the three touch sensitive strips to adjust the balance between your instrument and whatever you’re playing along to.

 

The outer two strips are to control the volume level of the two headphones outputs.
 

I think it will really come into its own in the studio, or for live work where there’s no back line. The quality of the impulse responses is simply fantastic, so just use the DI output on the left-hand side of Element, choose your virtual rig, and you’re away.

 

There’s also an aux-in socket on the right hand side, which I believe can be used for a second instrument, though you’d need to use a jack to mini jack adapter.
 

 

 

[Cuzzie]

You are correct - it’s a great piece of kit.

Silent home practice is easier and a dream to listen to and having an ampless rig to your taste.

 

I am neither fan boy or detractor of DG - but this is genius

[ambient]

1 hour ago, Cuzzie said:

You are correct - it’s a great piece of kit.

Silent home practice is easier and a dream to listen to and having an ampless rig to your taste.

 

I am neither fan boy or detractor of DG - but this is genius

I noticed yesterday that they’ve added a tuner to it too with the recent software update.

[Cuzzie]

Wow - that is very cool

[castlemaine22]

On 17/03/2022 at 09:14, ambient said:

I noticed yesterday that they’ve added a tuner to it too with the recent software update.

 

This is very interesting to me! Do you know if engaging the tuner mutes the output? Or if there is the option to select this in the app?

[ambient]

17 minutes ago, castlemaine22 said:

 

This is very interesting to me! Do you know if engaging the tuner mutes the output? Or if there is the option to select this in the app?

I don’t know tbh, I haven’t used that particular feature. I’ll check next time I’m using it.

[milesBguitar]

probably a stupid but a quick question about the Bluetooth music streaming bit of this. Does it limit where you can access from as i had seen Youtube and Spotify mentioned. Can i stream content to the pedal straight from itunes on my phone?

 

[Supernaut]

Can you connect it via Bluetooth headphones?

[Cuzzie]

2 hours ago, milesBguitar said:

probably a stupid but a quick question about the Bluetooth music streaming bit of this. Does it limit where you can access from as i had seen Youtube and Spotify mentioned. Can i stream content to the pedal straight from itunes on my phone?

 

I think it’s anything your phone plays - like a speaker - you can also change settings on saved presets and change IR’s from the app

 

4 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

Can you connect it via Bluetooth headphones?

wired headphones into the unit

[Maude]

On 25/06/2022 at 19:58, Supernaut said:

Can you connect it via Bluetooth headphones?

 

The problem with Bluetooth headphones is the latency they introduce into the chain. 

 

A time lag from playing music via Bluetooth into unit won't matter, but listening to yourself playing via Bluetooth out of the unit is a real problem. 

 

Edit: That is any unit used for practice. 

Edited July 2, 2022 by Maude

[GremlinAndy]

Absolutely brilliant bit of kit.   I had the primitive Tascam bass trainer CD.   Then the almost equally primitive Tascam MP3 bass trainer, then the PJB big head…

 But with all its features the Elements is way and above the best thing out there for playing along and silent practicing.

Its not even a close race, there’s nothing else like it really.

[leos]

@ambient Did you have issues with noise on the Element? No matter how I connect the Element, there is noticeable noise both on the headphone output and when recording as an interface. My power supply is quite high-quality (a cooks 4). Curious to hear whether anyone else had any issues and how they went about it.

Edited October 17, 2022 by leos

[ambient]

4 hours ago, leos said:

@ambient Did you have issues with noise on the Element? No matter how I connect the Element, there is noticeable noise both on the headphone output and when recording as an interface. My power supply is quite high-quality (a cooks 4). Curious to hear whether anyone else had any issues and how they went about it.

No. It was always totally noise free.

[LeftyJ]

Does it also have an output for connecting it to a mixer, for home practice on a pair of studio monitors or an active FRFR speaker, or is it strictly headphone only? The former would be really interesting, since I play bass at my desk most of the time - where I have my KRK V4 Series II speakers and a simple 12 band mixer. 

[MIG]

I need help ok I can’t turn it on I have the the 9v power cord Bit it won’t turn on. Is there a Button pls help

 

[GremlinAndy]

I think they normally just come on when plugged in.   
Check your power supply.   My first one blew the power-input with a 12v supply, although they are supposed to be 9-12v.   (Darkglass repaired it for me)
It’s got to be a center negative supply, like boss etc.

 

The only button (other than the ground lift ) is the one in the middle of the front, but that’s to switch between cab sims, and for pairing with a Bluetooth device.

 

[GremlinAndy]

It has an XLR type DI output for sending to a desk.

[GremlinAndy]

On 20/10/2022 at 12:21, LeftyJ said:

On 20/10/2022 at 12:21, LeftyJ said:

Does it also have an output for connecting it to a mixer, for home practice on a pair of studio monitors or an active FRFR speaker, or is it strictly headphone only? The former would be really interesting, since I play bass at my desk most of the time - where I have my KRK V4 Series II speakers and a simple 12 band mixer. 

 

Yes.   It has an XLR DI out.