The important thing is you just bought a great pedal with enough effects to keep you busy for a long time.
It’s a lot to figure out, so don’t stress about it. I recommended some software in the first few posts that makes it a lot easier to program.
It comes with a few amp and cab sim patches that work well out of the box without editing and they will give specific amp flavors to the sound without affecting the tone too much.
And if it is like the B3n and. B1on, one of the first patches will be a clone of the SansAmp Bass Driver with a pretty clean effects chain. I mention this because it will sound like the Behringer BDI-21 that @terb and I have been mentioning.
That’s how it is for me too. It doesn’t mean I won’t have an amp but it does mean I don’t need to use my crappy practice amp that made me sound (more) terrible.
Headphones. I have a couple really good monitor headphones that I use.
So, no bass amp, but some really nice headphone amps. In fact I have four - one on my Zoom B3n, one on by SCR-DI, one on my DAI, and a cheap audio-technica one I bought to drive one of my sets of headphones (high impedance, needs a dedicated headphone amp.)
@howard Now I get it. By using the pre-amp you’re freeing up both the amp and cab slots for other effects and your getting a real solid and versatile pre-amp. That’s pretty bad ass.
Thanks everybody for walking through all this. I had zero interest in using a multi effects pedal until reading this thread. I’m starting to see the possibilities even if you’re just using it as an inexpensive way to find out what you want to spend big money on later and that doesn’t even get into all the non pedal and sim stuff.
I was reading about the B1X Four @PamPurrs is getting and, apparently, it can act like a two track multitrack and do recording through the USB interface. Does that mean this is a DAI also?
EDIT: I can’t find anything about using the USB for recording now either. It must have been something I saw somewhere else.
Did they put the audio interface functionality back for the B1four? If so, awesome. They had that (and a DI out) on the B3 but took it out for the B3n. That would make the B1four kind of a steal.
Latest addition to Pam’s Bass Team. I just got the Zoom B1X Four and it sounds awesome right out of the box. It’s going to take me some time to figure out all the features, but so far I love it!
I don’t think it is an audio interface, the manual does not mention it. The USB is like on the B1on and B3n, just for patch editing. Unless I missed it.
Sweet!! When you’ve figured out many of the features over the next few weeks, please write a post about it - I’m pretty curious to know how a pedal newbie feels about it. It’s on my list - I’m even budgeting for gear each month these days - because I know, when the GAS hits, it can hit hard
By the way, the pedal sort of matches your bass, colorwise. Rockin’!
The patch they use as an example in the manual - SansClean - is a simulation of the SansAmp Bass Driver DI pedal, and sounds a lot like both it and the Behringer BDI-21 that @terb and I were bringing up in the other thread. Nice tone and drive, good one to start with.
Does anyone know if there’s a way to use the Zoom to record myself playing onto my laptop? I’ve got recording and editing software, I just need a way to get it from my bass onto the recording. I hate to spend another pot of money on equipment just so I can record myself playing.
@PamPurrs I thought it did but that information turned out to be wrong when I started reading the manual from their website. An older model did have this ability but they have left it out of the newer equipment. The reason for the removal could be sales or product related but could also be technical. Interference in the box may have caused problems with getting a clean recording. However, I’m just pontificating. I don’t really know what the answer is.
What you would need is a DAI (Digital Audio Interface). If you’re using a PC then a USB audio interface will work for you. If your using a Mac then someone else will have to chime in.
If you like the Zoom products this seems to be a good bet…
A rarity, but it’s the same in this instance: USB connection is default for the Behringer range and was a simple connection into my Mac. I have to check that it has seen it as a new input, but other than that it’s simple. One thing I’ve seen mentioned online is that the Mac has a built-in CODEC to handle the device so one less little job while setting up. Not sure if that’s also the case for other DAIs (also seen them referred to as Computer Audio Interfaces)
