Boosts, what am I doing wrong?

  • Thread starter Thread starter peckhart
  • Start date Start date
Jayy":5vn85d9x said:
dooredge":5vn85d9x said:
I tell you what, the Empress ParaEq is a fantastic solution for rounding out one's sound. It also has a boost function which is great. Once I got it dialed in, I can't see taking it off my board.

Empress has their shit together, that's for sure. Pricey, but well worth it with regard to warranty and on-going support. Very responsive when I had questions related to their Buffer + Stereo pedal.

Glad to hear you say this. I have an Empress ParaEQ on it's way to me right now and I'm really looking forward to trying it out!

Definitely on my need to try list. I hear Para EQ is where it's at.

HNGD in advance. :rock:
 
the tone control is basically a High Pass Filter so turn it all the way down so its not cutting at all.

Grasping that should help you further dial in tonez because unless I'm wrong, the tone knob is literally cutting out all of your bass
 
maddnotez":148ybto8 said:
Jayy":148ybto8 said:
dooredge":148ybto8 said:
I tell you what, the Empress ParaEq is a fantastic solution for rounding out one's sound. It also has a boost function which is great. Once I got it dialed in, I can't see taking it off my board.

Empress has their shit together, that's for sure. Pricey, but well worth it with regard to warranty and on-going support. Very responsive when I had questions related to their Buffer + Stereo pedal.

Glad to hear you say this. I have an Empress ParaEQ on it's way to me right now and I'm really looking forward to trying it out!

Definitely on my need to try list. I hear Para EQ is where it's at.

HNGD in advance. :rock:

Thanks! :thumbsup: I'm hoping it will be all that and a bag of chips! It sounds and gets reviews like a great EQ pedal. I'm planning to use it for some slight bass cut that I can hopefully focus right in the frequencies I want it in, and also as a mild boost.
 
I'm gonna say what somebody else previously said...Tim/Timmy. EQ controls function as frequency cutters. So, if you have the bass and treble turned all the way down, it's not really affecting your tone. You're really hearing your amplifiers full range of frequencies coming thru. But, if you want to tighten up the bass a little, just turn the bass knob to the right a little. If, when playing at high volume, you feel you need to cut the highs off a little so you're not slamming an ice pick into the audiences ears, you just turn the treble knob to the right a little.
I never liked "adding" EQ. It's the same with recording studio engineers...they rarely boost frequencies in a mix, they do more cutting than anything.
I have a few different boost pedals, and I find that I don't really use them a whole lot. I have an XTS Tejas boost, and I like the color it adds to my lead tone, but I barley have any of the controls up. Just a little bit.
But the EQ on the Tim/Timmy is really a great thing.
 
I really want to checkout the VFE Dragon and Standout. They have a very different way with more control over the EQ than other boost and overdrives.
 
What users normally do is, that they opt for a darker fuller almost flubbier base tone before they boost their amp. When they hit the amp up front with a TS of some sort, it will compress the low end, but will get you to that 'full yet clear' waters. I've done the same mistakes trying to tweak an amp to a tone I like and then hitting it up front, it caused everything to thin out.
 
Run graphic EQ in the series FX loop of your amp. Sculpt things like you want them without compressing the front end of the amp.

Just say no to boosts
 
steve_k":18j79kup said:
Run graphic EQ in the series FX loop of your amp. Sculpt things like you want them without compressing the front end of the amp.

Just say no to boosts


then you are dealing with the EQ shift of the shitty loop manufactures just love to stick in their amps. some pretty funky things happen when you boost frequencies with a graphic..

boost done right doesn't slam everything in to compression. you'd be hard pressed to find a pedal that will push the front end into submission like compression that doesn't get ALOT of that compression from the pedal its self.

you shouldn't lose your dynamics simply because you turn a boost on, yet most players are ok with it.
 
Jayy":1zb2a8ls said:
dooredge":1zb2a8ls said:
I tell you what, the Empress ParaEq is a fantastic solution for rounding out one's sound. It also has a boost function which is great. Once I got it dialed in, I can't see taking it off my board.

Empress has their shit together, that's for sure. Pricey, but well worth it with regard to warranty and on-going support. Very responsive when I had questions related to their Buffer + Stereo pedal.

Glad to hear you say this. I have an Empress ParaEQ on it's way to me right now and I'm really looking forward to trying it out!


Para eq is a great eq, start slow and make small adjustemnts it is powerful and can drive frequencies into ringing'
 
stephen sawall":1zvp0ncl said:
I really want to checkout the VFE Dragon and Standout. They have a very different way with more control over the EQ than other boost and overdrives.


Both pedals are excellent. I habe waiting for this design toppogy for years. When the doxus hit I used that, now inhabe a dragon and standout. Standout is perfect for me. Dragon is a lottle less suited for stacking over high gain but for all other purposes is stellar. A bit ragged for my tastes.

Expect improvements not niggt/day and youll be happy.

For rythyms ive had vfe rocket, para eq, tone job, tswhatever, focus and now standout. Standout is best for me thus far.

I swapped my standout chips for opa2134. Subtle but i felt like i recognized the signature "behringer tone" with the 4580 chips. Behringer gear is littered with them.
 
eternal_idol":2anvoh3b said:
steve_k":2anvoh3b said:
Run graphic EQ in the series FX loop of your amp. Sculpt things like you want them without compressing the front end of the amp.

Just say no to boosts


then you are dealing with the EQ shift of the shitty loop manufactures just love to stick in their amps. some pretty funky things happen when you boost frequencies with a graphic..

boost done right doesn't slam everything in to compression. you'd be hard pressed to find a pedal that will push the front end into submission like compression that doesn't get ALOT of that compression from the pedal its self.

you shouldn't lose your dynamics simply because you turn a boost on, yet most players are ok with it.

Extremely subjective.

"Boosts done right" are done differently depending on goals. The right tool used the right way for the desired outcome.

Every single input stage has a maximum headroom, after that point dynamics are lessened. By any boost with any amp.

I use boosts with high outputs specifically to gain this added compression for leads and tighter more even rythyms, there is nothing wrong with this teqnique unless a different result was desired.
 
moltenmetalburn":2e0iiauc said:
stephen sawall":2e0iiauc said:
I really want to checkout the VFE Dragon and Standout. They have a very different way with more control over the EQ than other boost and overdrives.


Both pedals are excellent. I habe waiting for this design toppogy for years. When the doxus hit I used that, now inhabe a dragon and standout. Standout is perfect for me. Dragon is a lottle less suited for stacking over high gain but for all other purposes is stellar. A bit ragged for my tastes.

Expect improvements not niggt/day and youll be happy.

For rythyms ive had vfe rocket, para eq, tone job, tswhatever, focus and now standout. Standout is best for me thus far.

I swapped my standout chips for opa2134. Subtle but i felt like i recognized the signature "behringer tone" with the 4580 chips. Behringer gear is littered with them.

Makes sense. Its an excellently spec'd op-amp that is cheap. well.. comparatively with the OPA stuff

It is also Found in Analog Man's KoT and PoT, but like the OPA's they change a little depending how you set them up.
 
peckhart":axiki3yb said:
If I wanted to try a Suhr Koko....the older 2 button version or the Reloaded one?

I have the old two button and used it to boost the front of my Ecstacy Classic. Neither side cuts low end. The left is a clean boost and the right side is a mid boost with a three frequency boost switch.

I found the trick with the Ecstasy was to not boost it too much or it gets muddy. Left side is at 9:00 and right side is at 10:00 with switch in far left position...
 
The KoKo is a great boost. I have the original and it def won't thin anything out unless you want that from the mid side at it's most mid pushed setting.

As others have mentioned, that is in fact the point of TS and other overdrives. Cutting a bit of the bass is what "tightens" the amp. If you like where the EQ is you could go the EQ route (as mentioned) or really, the old school approach of cranking the bass MORE on your amp to the point where it sounds a bit muddy and then kick in the OD as a way to dial that back while still having the oomph you want. This is why treble boosters for example, worked well on the older amps which tended to flub out when pushed to the max. Brought the cut back.
 
Speaking of VFE....Check out his Patreon...Some very interesting stuff going on over there.
 
peckhart":2qfct8ip said:
If I wanted to try a Suhr Koko....the older 2 button version or the Reloaded one?

Both sound about the same to me. Ive had both, have the reload now as it gives a bit more tweakablity. The momentary switch takes a little getting used to though. Either is a great box.
 
moltenmetalburn":1vl8jmrk said:
stephen sawall":1vl8jmrk said:
I really want to checkout the VFE Dragon and Standout. They have a very different way with more control over the EQ than other boost and overdrives.


Both pedals are excellent. I habe waiting for this design toppogy for years. When the doxus hit I used that, now inhabe a dragon and standout. Standout is perfect for me. Dragon is a lottle less suited for stacking over high gain but for all other purposes is stellar. A bit ragged for my tastes.

Expect improvements not niggt/day and youll be happy.

For rythyms ive had vfe rocket, para eq, tone job, tswhatever, focus and now standout. Standout is best for me thus far.

I swapped my standout chips for opa2134. Subtle but i felt like i recognized the signature "behringer tone" with the 4580 chips. Behringer gear is littered with them.

Peter lives by me and have meet him a few times. He certainly thinks outside the box. I have not tried either of the new pedals but guess the Standout would be better for my highgain amps. The Dragon would be better with my NMV amps. I really like the idea of the EQ he is using. I'm personally more interested in overdrive and boost for my NMV amps.
 
Jayy":1etais08 said:
dooredge":1etais08 said:
I tell you what, the Empress ParaEq is a fantastic solution for rounding out one's sound. It also has a boost function which is great. Once I got it dialed in, I can't see taking it off my board.

Empress has their shit together, that's for sure. Pricey, but well worth it with regard to warranty and on-going support. Very responsive when I had questions related to their Buffer + Stereo pedal.

Glad to hear you say this. I have an Empress ParaEQ on it's way to me right now and I'm really looking forward to trying it out!

You know it! I run mine in the FX Loop and it works perfectly. Hope you have the same results! \,,/
 
eternal_idol":hw4x02ph said:
steve_k":hw4x02ph said:
Run graphic EQ in the series FX loop of your amp. Sculpt things like you want them without compressing the front end of the amp.

Just say no to boosts


then you are dealing with the EQ shift of the shitty loop manufactures just love to stick in their amps. some pretty funky things happen when you boost frequencies with a graphic..

boost done right doesn't slam everything in to compression. you'd be hard pressed to find a pedal that will push the front end into submission like compression that doesn't get ALOT of that compression from the pedal its self.

you shouldn't lose your dynamics simply because you turn a boost on, yet most players are ok with it.

I agree with what you said about the FX loop. Even though I will run my para eq through the loop sometimes.

I feel like if you need to run an eq through the loop then you don't have the right set up for you (amp and/or speakers).. I was reading some comments from mesa on their YouTube channel and people were asking if you can run an eq through the loop of a tc 50 or a dual rec (for instance) and get the same results as a mark V's eq. Mesa said something along the lines of the mark v's circuit was engineered for that purpose and you can't just expect every amp to respond as well.

And a lot of people believe the FX loop can do nothing but suck tone
 
Maxon OD-820 is probably what you're looking for.

eternal_idol":3gh1xyzr said:
Learn2Mod..

the tube screamer topology is rather easy to work on, and a PLETHORA of free mods available.

the reason why your cusack is making everything thin, is that is high passing @ 721hz~ and low passing at 723hz~ so you are cutting frequencies above and below that point

if you widen those two filters (ps the High pass is the gain stage, and the low pass is just after the drive stage) it will no longer thin your sound out.

or try a non-TS type boost. Klone clones are normally the first go to for non-ts type. these pedals are bit more scooped and have larger bass and treble effects on the sound.

"Learn to mod?" Please. He hasn't even provided enough information to go on. If anything, a tube screamer will thicken the tone a bit since it adds midrange. I have a Helios and I hit it with all kinds of boost, overdrive, and distortion pedals. We're all assuming he's using good quality cables. Shitty cables will thin out your tone and affect the feel too.

Without knowing what his settings are, what speakers, pickups, and other gear he's using, it's a bunch of worthless speculation. Pedals tend to tighten the low end, but most newer pedals are designed to preserve the low end as much as possible. Not enough info.
 
Back
Top