Description
Darkglass Electronics Microtubes X7 – Mutiband Bass Drive/EQ/DI
Distorting bass is a very challenging engineering endeavour.
Achieving a punchy and aggressive distortion, that is also full and fat-sounding, creates two contradicting conditions that must be reconciled.
Attenuating bass frequencies before saturation gives tightness, but this results in a very thin signal.
Boosting lows also results in additional, unwanted fuzz. Audio engineers are solving this paradox using multiband distortions.
The solution is the Microtubes X7
The Microtubes X7 is our solution to this issue, but in a compact yet flexible form which is just right for any touring or home bass setup.
The audio is split by two variable low-pass and high-pass filters at the very start of the signal chain.
The high-pass signal (mostly the mid and treble tones) is distorted using CMOS circuitry, just like our other Microtubes pedal circuits.
The low pass-signal (all bass) is left clean and then is processed by the variable built in compressor because
this lets the high frequencies be all crunch, attack and full of rich harmonics.
All while mixing back in the undistorted lows to add gargantuan size to the overall mix.
The result is virtually unlimited fullness, size, aggression and definition, regardless of how old the strings are or even if your instrument is just boomy or thin sounding.
The Microtubes X7 is offering all of this plus a 4-band graphic equalizer with perfectly tailored mid controls because that is what gives maximum tonal flexibility.
In addition, with regular parallel, affected and balanced XLR direct outputs, you’re sure to find a way to hook up the pedal that fits your rig perfectly.
Plus when the pedal is engaged, it features a low pass filter to perfectly sculpt the distorted signal for direct applications.
Controls
- High-pass frequency: Controls the cutoff frequency to be distorted, ranging from 100Hz (for thicker, fuzzier saturation) or 1kHz for ultra-sharp definition
- High Drive: Sets the amount of distortion for the high pass side
- High Level: Sets the output volume of the distorted high-pass signal
- Low-pass frequency: controls the cutoff frequency to be mixed back to the high-pass side. Ranging from 50Hz (for only sub-bass) and 500Hz to preserve some clean mids
- Low Comp: Sets the amount of compression for the low-pass signal
- Low Signal: Sets the output volume of the low-pass signal
- Master Slider: Sets the overall volume of the unit
- Low-shelf Slider:+-12dB @ 80Hz
- 500 Hz Slider:+-12dB
- 1 kHz Slider:+-12dB
- High-shelf Slider:+-12dB @ 5 kHz
Specs
- Input: 6.5mm / ¼” Jack
- Main Output: 6.5mm / ¼” Jack
- Parallel Output: 6.5mm / ¼” Jack – hard-wired copy of the input
- Direct Output: Balanced output via XLR connector – with switchable ground lift
- Output impedance: 1k Ohm
- Powered by optional 9V PSU
(9V DC, centre -, 2.1mm, ~70mA current draw)
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