Bass – Post-Metal Gear

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Post-metal demands atmosphere, depth, and crushing dynamics. This genre thrives on textured bass tones that evolve alongside layers of distortion, ambiance, and rhythm. These gear picks deliver power, sustain, and nuanced control, suited for sprawling soundscapes and tectonic shifts.

Recommended Basses for Post-Metal


Dingwall Combustion

⚙️ Dingwall Combustion — Overview

The Dingwall Combustion is a multiscale/fanned-fret electric bass designed in Canada and built in China under strict quality control. It offers premium tonewoods, exceptional hardware, and cutting-edge design features at a more accessible price point than Dingwall's Canadian-made models. With passive pickups, an active preamp, and trademarked fan-fret system, it's built for players who need tight low B, intense clarity, and effortless playability.

Available in 4-, 5-, and 6-string versions, it’s widely used by metal, prog, and funk bassists alike.

🧱 Construction and Design

🪵 Body

  • Wood: Swamp Ash — lightweight and resonant

  • Contours: Deep forearm and belly cuts for comfort

  • Finish Options: Gloss, matte, or satin finishes in bold colors like Matte Black, Vintage Burst, Laguna Seca Blue, and more

🪚 Neck

  • Neck Type: 5-piece Maple with carbon fiber reinforcement

  • Fingerboard: Maple or Pau Ferro (varies by finish)

  • Fretboard Radius: 240 mm (9.45”)

  • Neck Shape: Medium-slim “C”

  • Scale Length (Fanned Frets):

    • B string: 37"

    • G string: 34"

    • Tighter B, smoother G — improved intonation and string tension

  • Fret Count: 24 medium jumbo frets

  • Truss Rod: Dual-action with spoke-wheel adjustment at heel

🎸 Hardware and Electronics

🔊 Pickups

  • Dingwall FD-3N neodymium pickups (passive, linear humbuckers)

    • Hot, punchy, and extremely clear

    • Positioned using Dingwall’s proprietary pickup placement system for ideal string response

🎛️ Preamp

  • EMG 3-band active EQ (Vol / Blend / Bass / Mid / Treble)

  • Active/Passive toggle switch

    • Even in passive mode, the FD-3N pickups shine with tight low-end and bright highs

🪛 Bridge

  • Individual saddle bridges (Dingwall headless-style)

    • Improved intonation, reduced sympathetic resonance, and direct string-to-body energy transfer

🔩 Tuners

  • Lightweight open-gear tuners

  • Balanced for reduced neck dive

🔉 Tone and Application

  • Low B string (37") is tight, piano-like, and never floppy

  • Even frequency response across all strings

  • Ideal for:

    • Metal, prog, fusion, and modern gospel

    • Players using drop tunings or extended range

    • Clean, fast runs or slap-style playing

  • The EQ and pickup system allow for:

    • Punchy and aggressive mids

    • Scooped slap tones

    • Sub-heavy fingerstyle

    • Clear chordal voicing

🧠 Ideal For:

  • Bassists who want modern clarity and fast playability

  • Musicians seeking tight, articulate tone, especially in low tunings

  • Players ready to explore the benefits of fanned frets without the boutique price tag

✅ Strengths

  • Multiscale design drastically improves string tension and tuning accuracy

  • Tight, focused low-end even with a low B

  • Excellent construction and finish quality

  • Versatile tones for live and studio use

  • More affordable than custom Dingwall models

⚠️ Considerations

  • Fanned frets may take time to adjust to, especially above the 12th fret

  • Larger body size than some compact basses

  • Not ideal for vintage/retro tones — this is a modern bass through and through


Check Availability in Your Area

 

Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo 5 HH

🟣 Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo 5 HH — Overview

The Bongo 5 HH is a high-performance 5-string bass from Ernie Ball Music Man, featuring dual humbuckers, a custom 18V active preamp, and a distinctive body shape co-designed with BMW Designworks. This instrument is built for clarity, punch, and massive tone sculpting, making it a favorite among progressive, funk, metal, and studio bassists who value both form and function.

🧱 Construction and Materials

🪵 Body

  • Wood: Basswood — chosen for balance, warmth, and weight distribution

  • Shape: Sleek, futuristic design with full access to upper frets

  • Finish Options: Multiple (e.g., Stealth Black, Firemist Silver, Raspberry Burst, and more)

  • Weight: Moderately light, well-balanced to reduce shoulder fatigue

🪚 Neck

  • Material: Select maple neck, either roasted or standard

  • Fingerboard: Rosewood, maple, or ebony (varies by finish)

  • Frets: 24 high-profile, wide frets

  • Scale Length: 34"

  • Neck Profile: Modern, fast, and comfortable for 5-string playing

  • Neck Attachment: 5-bolt neck joint for stability and sustain

🎛️ Electronics and Controls

🔋 Pickups

  • Dual Music Man Humbuckers (HH)

    • Custom-wound ceramic magnets

    • Designed to capture a broad frequency spectrum: deep lows, strong mids, and crisp highs

🎚️ Preamp

  • 18V Active 4-band EQ

    • Volume

    • Pickup Blend

    • Bass, Low Mid, High Mid, and Treble

    • Offers enormous headroom and tonal flexibility

🎛️ Key Features

  • Independent EQ control for extreme tone shaping

  • Dead-quiet electronics with wide dynamic range

  • Blend control allows versatile combinations of both pickups

🔩 Hardware

  • Bridge: Custom Music Man hardened bridge with stainless saddles

  • Tuners: Schaller BM tuners with ergonomic clover keys

  • Nut Width: 1.75" (44.5mm) — wide enough for fingerstyle clarity, but comfortable

  • String Spacing: Slightly tighter than traditional Fender-style basses — great for fast runs

  • Finish: Black or chrome hardware depending on the model

🔉 Tone and Performance

The Bongo 5 HH is tonally aggressive, with:

  • Deep, powerful low end

  • Punchy, sculptable mids

  • Clear and cutting highs without harshness

  • Outstanding note articulation, even on the low B string

Whether fingerstyle, slap, pick, or tapping — the Bongo maintains definition and responsiveness.

🧠 Ideal For:

  • Bassists in modern rock, prog, metal, funk, or gospel

  • Session players needing precise tone control

  • Musicians who want a modern aesthetic and forward-thinking features

  • Players who value ergonomic comfort, especially for long sets

✅ Strengths

  • Massive EQ range — studio-grade flexibility onboard

  • Dual humbuckers offer huge tone and output

  • Unique ergonomic body minimizes fatigue and improves upper-fret access

  • Super-tight low B response

  • Built in the USA with premium craftsmanship

⚠️ Considerations

  • Aesthetic is unconventional — not for traditionalists

  • Active-only electronics (no passive bypass)

  • Slightly narrower string spacing may not suit slap-heavy players used to wider setups


Check Availability in Your Area

 

ESP LTD B-1005 Multi-Scale

🖤 ESP LTD B-1005 Multi-Scale — Overview

The B-1005 Multi-Scale is the top-tier model in ESP’s LTD B Series. It features a multi-scale (fanned fret) design, high-end tonewoods, and cutting-edge electronics, offering the kind of quality and tone normally reserved for boutique instruments. It’s a go-to bass for extended range and drop tuning players who want crystal-clear articulation, tight low-end, and player-centric design.

🧱 Construction and Design

🪵 Body

  • Top: Burled poplar top for a stunning figured aesthetic

  • Body: Swamp ash, known for brightness and strong attack

  • Contours: Deep cutaways and sculpted heel for upper-fret access

  • Finish: Natural Satin — showcases the beautiful wood grain

🪚 Neck

  • Neck Type: 5-piece wenge/purpleheart bolt-on neck

  • Fingerboard: Macassar ebony – smooth, dense, and fast

  • Frets: 24 extra-jumbo stainless steel frets

  • Scale Lengths:

    • 37" low B to 34" G string

    • Fanned fret design enhances string tension, intonation, and ergonomics

  • Inlays: Offset dot markers

  • Nut Width: 45mm

🔊 Electronics and Hardware

🧲 Pickups

  • Dual Fishman Fluence Bass Soapbar pickups

    • Active pickups with multi-voice technology

    • Toggle between:

      1. Classic active (tight, punchy)

      2. Passive vintage (organic, dynamic)

      3. Modern hi-fi (extended frequency response)

    • No noise, massive output, and tight clarity across all strings

⚙️ Preamp / Switching

  • 3-way mini toggle for voicing

  • Volume (push-pull for coil split)

  • Blend

  • 2-band EQ (bass, treble)

  • 9V battery powered (Fishman rechargeable packs can be installed optionally)

🔩 Bridge and Tuners

  • Hipshot Solo bridge with string-through-body option

  • Hipshot Ultralite tuners – reduces neck dive, maintains tuning stability

  • Hardware Finish: Black

🔉 Sound and Tonal Character

  • Low B string stays tight and focused thanks to 37" scale

  • High G remains silky and clean — no floppiness or tuning inconsistencies

  • Fishman pickups deliver:

    • Massive headroom

    • True switchable character between vintage warmth, modern hi-fi, and gritty drive

  • Perfect for modern genres where clarity, speed, and dynamic response matter

🎧 Ideal For:

  • Progressive, metal, djent, and fusion bassists

  • Players who use extended tunings

  • Bassists looking for high-end boutique performance without the boutique price

  • Musicians who want multi-scale ergonomics for comfort and precision

✅ Strengths

  • Multi-voice Fishman pickups offer huge tonal flexibility

  • Multiscale fretboard improves intonation and tension across strings

  • Top-tier hardware (Hipshot, stainless steel frets)

  • Stunning natural finish with boutique looks

  • Built for performance — from studio to stage

⚠️ Considerations

  • Fanned frets may take time to adjust for some players

  • Some might prefer a 3-band EQ for deeper sculpting

  • A niche aesthetic and tone — not aimed at vintage or classic-style players

🎒 What Sets It Apart

  • Combines modern tone shaping with high-end playability

  • Offers Fishman’s voice-switching technology — virtually three basses in one

  • Competes with instruments twice its price in quality and versatility


Check Availability in Your Area

 

Recommended Bass Amplifiers


Darkglass Alpha·Omega 900

⚡ Darkglass Alpha·Omega 900 — Overview

The Alpha·Omega 900 is a 900-watt Class D bass amplifier head with a built-in Alpha·Omega drive circuit, cab sim loader, and studio-quality preamp. Designed for touring professionals, recording bassists, and tone perfectionists, this amp is the flagship of Darkglass’s amp line and delivers both clean headroom and aggressive distortion with surgical tonal control.

🔧 Core Features

🧱 Construction

  • Chassis: Lightweight aluminum housing

  • Front Panel: Modern, clean black layout with white labeling and soft LED indicators

  • Size: Ultra-compact and rack-mountable

  • Weight: ~6.5 lbs (3 kg) — perfect for gigging or pedalboard integration

🔊 Power and Amplification

  • Output Power: 900W @ 4Ω, 500W @ 8Ω

  • Power Amp Class: Class D — highly efficient, powerful, and lightweight

  • Cooling: Intelligent fan-controlled ventilation

🎛️ Preamp and Tone Controls

🔲 EQ Section:

  • 6-Band Graphic EQ:

    • 80Hz

    • 250Hz

    • 500Hz

    • 1.5kHz

    • 3kHz

    • 5kHz

  • Allows precision tone sculpting across lows, mids, and highs

🔲 Drive Section:

  • Alpha·Omega Drive Engine

    • Blend: Mixes clean signal with drive

    • Drive: Controls distortion intensity

    • Level: Controls drive output

    • Bite Switch: Boosts presence in upper mids

    • Growl Switch: Adds low-end saturation

    • Toggle Switch (Alpha/Omega): Select between two drive characters:

      • Alpha – tight, punchy, focused

      • Omega – raw, aggressive, chaotic

🎧 Cab Simulation and Connectivity

Cab Sim:

  • Digital impulse response (IR) loader

  • Ships with Darkglass Suite software for:

    • IR management

    • USB cab sim updates

    • MIDI mapping

  • Selectable via push button

  • Headphone Out with cab sim enabled for silent practice

Outputs and I/O:

  • SpeakON speaker output

  • Balanced XLR DI output with:

    • Pre/Post EQ switch

    • Ground lift

  • Effects Loop (Send/Return)

  • Aux In (1/8")

  • Headphone Out (1/8")

  • MIDI In

  • USB Port for Darkglass Suite integration

🔉 Tone Profile

  • Clean channel is articulate, full-bodied, and punchy

  • Drive channel ranges from light grit to full-on distortion

  • EQ + drive + cab sim allows for complete direct-to-FOH or recording rig without extra gear

🧠 Ideal For:

  • Modern metal, progressive, and experimental bassists

  • Touring musicians seeking power and portability

  • Players using pedalboards or modelers who want a DI amp solution

  • Studio engineers who want DI and cab IR options in one box

✅ Strengths

  • Massive 900W power in a compact size

  • Alpha·Omega drive engine built-in

  • 6-band EQ + cab sim + DI out = full control

  • Integrates with Darkglass Suite for deep customization

  • Built-in headphone amp for quiet practice

⚠️ Considerations

  • Drive tone is modern and aggressive — not for vintage purists

  • No built-in compression (external or pedal needed)

  • Requires USB/MIDI integration for deep editing and cab sim changes

Check Availability in Your Area

 

  • Clean: Deep, round, rich lows — great for bass or guitar

  • Overdriven: Thick, chewy mids and harmonics without excessive compression

  • Fuzz + Model T = iconic doom tone (e.g., Sunn O))), Melvins, Sleep)

🧠 Ideal For:

  • Doom, sludge, drone, stoner rock

  • Guitarists and bassists needing tons of clean headroom

  • Pedal-heavy rigs, especially fuzz and delay/dirt chains

  • Vintage amp fans wanting raw, uncompressed power

✅ Strengths

  • Massive, thunderous low end with tube richness

  • Pairs beautifully with fuzz, overdrive, and modulation

  • Dual-channel flexibility in a vintage-style head

  • Cult status with endless clone/custom support

⚠️ Considerations

  • Very heavy (~70+ lbs for head)

  • Not bedroom/practice friendly without an attenuator or load box

  • Loud even at “1” — sweet spot often unreachable without high SPL tolerance

  • Tube maintenance and road-case protection essential for touring

🎸 Pairing Recommendations

  • Cabinets: 4x12 (Celestion V30, Greenbacks), 6x10, or 8x10 for bass

  • Fuzz Pedals: Earthquaker Hoof, EQD Hizumitas, Way Huge Swollen Pickle, or the EHX Deluxe Bass Big Muff

  • Attenuators/Load Boxes: Two Notes Captor X, Fryette Power Station, or OX Box


Check Availability in Your Area

 

Ampeg SVT-7 Pro

🔷 Ampeg SVT-7 Pro — Overview

The SVT-7 Pro is a 1,000-watt Class D hybrid bass head featuring a 12AX7-driven tube preamp for classic warmth and dynamics, combined with a powerful and efficient solid-state power amp. It's designed for bassists who want SVT tone and punch without the size and weight of a full SVT-CL or SVT-3 Pro rig.

Perfect for touring musicians and serious giggers, the SVT-7 Pro packs massive headroom, clear articulation, and Ampeg’s signature voice into a 2U rackmountable chassis that weighs under 16 pounds.

🧱 Build and Design

  • Format: 2U rackmount

  • Chassis: Steel enclosure with side vents and active cooling fan

  • Weight: Approx. 15.5 lbs (7 kg)

  • Dimensions: 15" x 14" x 3.5"

  • Footprint: Designed for rack-based touring setups or compact head cabinets

🔊 Power and Amplification

  • Output Power:

    • 1,000 watts @ 4Ω

    • 600 watts @ 8Ω

  • Power Amp Class: Class D — lightweight, efficient, and powerful

  • Preamp: 12AX7 tube — provides natural harmonic richness and saturation

  • Extremely high headroom — handles 5- and 6-string basses and aggressive dynamics

🎛️ Front Panel Controls

  1. Input Gain – Controls how hard you hit the tube preamp

  2. Compressor – Onboard optical compressor (adjustable)

  3. Bass / Mid / Treble EQ

  4. Mid Frequency Selector – Choose one of 5 mids: 220 Hz to 3 kHz

  5. Ultra Hi / Ultra Lo switches – Classic Ampeg tonal shaping

  6. Master Volume

  7. Mute Switch – Silent switching for tuning or breaks

  8. Input Pad (-15dB) – For active basses

🔌 Rear Panel Features

  • Balanced XLR Line Out with:

    • Pre/Post EQ switch

    • Ground Lift

    • Level control

  • Effects Loop (Send/Return)

  • Tuner Out

  • Power Amp In / Preamp Out (patching or re-amping)

  • SpeakON Speaker Outputs

  • Cooling Fan and AC Input

🎧 Tonal Character

  • Warm and punchy, with tube character in the preamp and crisp Class D output

  • Extremely versatile: can do everything from vintage Motown to modern punch

  • EQ section and Ultra switches let you sculpt deep dub tones, midrange growl, or bright slap tones

🧠 Ideal For:

  • Touring bassists who want SVT sound without an SVT-CL stack

  • Players who want tube preamp feel with Class D power efficiency

  • Bassists using extended range instruments

  • Musicians seeking rack-mountable amp heads for live and studio work

✅ Strengths

  • Massive power (1,000W) in a lightweight, rackable head

  • 12AX7 preamp delivers real tube warmth

  • Built-in compressor

  • Ampeg tone stack + Ultra switches = signature sound palette

  • Full DI output with level and ground control for studio or FOH

⚠️ Considerations

  • No cab simulation or IR loader

  • No digital presets or MIDI control — this is a classic analog-style interface

  • Class D amp can feel different than traditional tube power section (less natural compression)

  • Some early units had reliability issues (now largely resolved in newer production runs)

🎸 Pairing Suggestions

  • Cabs: Ampeg SVT-410HLF, 610HLF, or 810E

  • Pedals: Works well with Darkglass B7K, Tech21 SansAmp, or traditional fuzz for doom tones

  • Bass Types: Excellent with active, passive, or extended-range basses

Check Availability in Your Area

 

Pedals and Tone Shaping Tools


EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath

🌌 EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath — Overview

The Afterneath is not your typical reverb — it's an atmospheric, multi-delay reverb hybrid that creates lush, mysterious trails and cavernous textures. Described as sounding like “a wizard in a cave,” it’s beloved by guitarists, bassists, synth users, and sound designers who want lush ambience, glitchy repeats, or modular-style modulation.

As of the Version 3 (V3) update, it also features 9 different "modes" of drag behavior, allowing CV/expression pedal integration and drastically expanded control over its unique “Drag” parameter.

🎛️ Core Controls

  1. Length – Controls reverb decay time

  2. Diffuse – Controls the spread of reflections:

    • Low = sharp, stuttery delays

    • High = smeared, ambient wash

  3. Dampen – Tone control for the reverb trail (more highs or lows)

  4. Drag – Adjusts the spacing between virtual delay lines:

    • Lower = tighter, glitchier

    • Higher = smoother, more spacious

    • Drag is the signature feature that gives the Afterneath its “wandering” pitch-shifting behavior

  5. Reflect – Regeneration/feedback of the reverb

  6. Mix – Wet/dry blend

  7. Mode (V3 only) – Changes how the Drag parameter behaves

🌀 Afterneath V3: Drag Modes

The V3 introduces 9 Drag Modes, altering how pitch/time shifts behave when Drag is adjusted or modulated:

  1. Unquantized – Smooth, continuous pitch shifts

  2. Unquantized w/Glide – Same as above, but with portamento

  3. Quantized – Steps through discrete pitch intervals

  4. Quantized w/Glide – Stepped intervals with pitch glide

  5. Major Scale

  6. Minor Scale

  7. Pentatonic

  8. Octaves & Fifths

  9. Octaves

This transforms the pedal into a harmonic processor, with arpeggiated or scale-conforming reverb trails, ideal for ambient playing or generative textures.

🎚️ Inputs and Outputs

  • Standard Mono In / Out

  • Expression Input – Assignable to Drag control (CV or pedal)

  • True Bypass switching

  • 9V DC center-negative power only (no battery)

🔊 Sound and Application

The Afterneath is not a typical hall, spring, or plate reverb. Instead, it simulates dozens of short delays interacting in unpredictable ways.

🌠 Tonal Capabilities:

  • Spacious ambient swells

  • Alien pitch-shifted reverb trails

  • Glitchy slapbacks or stutters

  • Feedback drones and soundscapes

  • Reverse-esque ghosting textures

🧠 Ideal For:

  • Guitarists and bassists into ambient, shoegaze, post-rock, or doom

  • Synth users and modular musicians (with CV control)

  • Sound designers needing unusual reverberation

  • Experimental artists seeking non-traditional effects

✅ Strengths

  • Wild, distinctive sonic character

  • CV/Expression integration for performance or modular setups

  • Drag Modes create musical or chaotic pitch-shifting effects

  • Stacks beautifully with fuzz, delay, modulation, and synths

⚠️ Limitations

  • Not for traditionalists — no room, hall, or spring settings

  • Some settings can get chaotic or unpredictable

  • Mono only — no stereo version as of V3

Check Availability in Your Area

 

Darkglass B7K Ultra

🔲 Darkglass B7K Ultra — Overview

The B7K Ultra builds upon the original Microtubes B7K, combining a powerful overdrive circuit, 4-band EQ, cab simulation, and DI output into a single high-performance pedal. It’s designed to deliver everything from a clean tone-shaping preamp to aggressive overdriven growl, and can serve as the centerpiece of an amp-less setup.

The latest version (V2) adds impulse response (IR) cab sim support, USB and headphone out, and foot-switchable distortion bypass for enhanced live and studio versatility.

🎛️ Front Panel Controls

🔉 Drive Engine (Microtubes B3K core)

  • Blend – Mixes clean signal with overdriven signal

  • Level – Master output volume

  • Drive – Adjusts the gain level

  • Grunt Switch – Controls low-end saturation:

    • Fat / Raw / Thin

  • Attack Switch – Controls high-end presence:

    • Boost / Flat / Cut

🎚️ EQ Section

  • Bass (±12 dB at 100 Hz)

  • Lo Mid (±12 dB, selectable center: 250 / 500 / 1 kHz)

  • Hi Mid (±12 dB, selectable center: 750 / 1.5k / 3 kHz)

  • Treble (±12 dB at 5 kHz)

🎧 Inputs, Outputs, and Connectivity

🔌 I/O

  • Instrument In

  • ¼” Line Out

  • Balanced XLR DI Out

    • With Ground Lift

    • Pre/Post EQ selector

  • Headphone Output

  • Aux Input (for practice/play-along)

  • USB Port for:

    • Cab sim loading (via Darkglass Suite)

    • Firmware updates

🖥️ Cab Simulation

  • Load up to 3 impulse responses (IRs)

  • Select between them using a toggle switch

  • Bypassable for clean DI

🧪 Tonal Capabilities

  • Clean Mode: EQ and cab sim with no distortion — transparent and flexible

  • Drive Mode: Warm tube-like overdrive to aggressive metallic growl

  • Blend control allows your original low-end clarity to remain intact

  • Cab sim on DI makes it a full amp replacement for FOH or recording

🧠 Ideal For:

  • Bassists in metal, prog, hardcore, funk, modern rock

  • Studio musicians looking for quick tone recall and quiet DI

  • Touring players needing a portable amp-less rig

  • Musicians who want the power of a studio preamp and distortion in one box

✅ Strengths

  • Studio-grade EQ and tone shaping

  • Flexible drive circuit with wide dynamic range

  • Foot-switchable clean/drive

  • Cab sim with IR loading and USB integration

  • Built-in headphone out = silent practice solution

⚠️ Considerations

  • Drive tone is modern and aggressive — not designed for vintage warmth

  • Requires 9V power supply at 250mA — not battery-operated

  • No MIDI — preset switching is manual or via toggles

Check Availability in Your Area

 

Boss DD-200 Digital Delay

🔁 Boss DD-200 Digital Delay — Overview

The DD-200 is part of the Boss 200 Series, offering a middle ground between their compact pedals (like the DD-7 and DD-8) and the flagship DD-500. It’s designed for players who want easy access to professional delay sounds, deep editing, MIDI and expression pedal support, and top-tier audio quality — without sacrificing space.

🎛️ 12 Delay Modes

The DD-200 includes a diverse array of delay types suitable for every style:

  1. Standard – High-resolution digital delay (clean, clear, modern)

  2. Analog – Emulates BBD (bucket brigade) delays, warm and dark

  3. Tape – Vintage tape echo with subtle modulation and degradation

  4. Drum – Multi-head magnetic drum echo (Binson Echorec-style)

  5. Shimmer – Adds ethereal, pitch-shifted harmonics to repeats

  6. Tera Echo – Unique ambient delay with spatial modulation

  7. Pad Echo – Lush, ambient reverb + delay hybrid for atmospheric textures

  8. Pattern – Custom multi-tap rhythms; program up to 16 delay taps

  9. Dual – Two delays running in parallel for complex layering

  10. Reverse – Psychedelic reverse delays

  11. Lo-Fi – Degraded and filtered for gritty textures

  12. Duck – Dynamic delay that reduces repeats while you play, then swells after

⚙️ Main Controls

  • Time – Delay time (up to 10 seconds in Standard mode)

  • Feedback – Number of repeats

  • Effect Level – Wet/dry blend

  • Tone – Alters brightness or darkness of repeats

  • Mod Depth – Controls modulation applied to delay signal

  • Param – Context-sensitive control (differs per mode)

  • Memory – Access up to 4 onboard presets

  • Tap/CTL Footswitch – Tap tempo, expression control, or custom assignment

🔌 Connectivity

  • Stereo In / Out – True stereo processing and routing

  • Expression Pedal / External Footswitch Input – Assignable to delay time, feedback, level, etc.

  • MIDI In/Out (TRS) – Full MIDI control over parameters and program changes

  • Buffered bypass or true bypass (internally switchable)

  • USB-C (for firmware updates only)

🔊 Audio Specs

  • Bit Depth / Sample Rate: 32-bit AD/DA, 96 kHz internal processing

  • Latency: Extremely low — ideal for live performance and real-time feel

  • Power: 9V DC (170 mA draw) — Boss PSA adapter recommended

🧠 Use Cases and Applications

🎸 Guitarists

  • Rock, ambient, experimental, funk, and metal players can all find usable delay voices

  • Expression pedal support gives real-time control of feedback or modulation

🎧 Bassists

  • Ducking, analog, and lo-fi modes offer tonal space and groove control without overpowering the mix

🎹 Keyboardists & Synth Users

  • MIDI sync + stereo + long delay times = perfect for tempo-locked ambient effects or rhythmic delays

🪄 Ambient Artists

  • Shimmer, Pad Echo, Tera Echo, and Pattern delays offer expansive textures

✅ Strengths

  • Compact size with deep feature set

  • Excellent stereo operation and MIDI capability

  • Multiple delay voices not found in many pedals (e.g., Pad Echo, Drum, Duck)

  • Memory presets enable fast switching for live sets

  • High-fidelity, professional delay engine from the DD-500 series

⚠️ Limitations

  • Only 4 onboard preset slots (MIDI unlocks more)

  • No looper (unlike the DD-500)

  • Deep features require manual reading or online tutorials to unlock full potential

  • Mono IR loading or cab sim not available — delay-focused only

Check Availability in Your Area

 

Recording and Practice Gear


Shure SM7B Microphone (for Reamping or Room Capture)

🎤 Shure SM7B Microphone — Key Features

🧠 Microphone Type

  • Dynamic (Moving Coil)

  • Cardioid Polar Pattern

  • Requires no phantom power, but benefits from clean gain via a preamp or an inline booster (like Cloudlifter or FetHead).

📊 Technical Specs

Spec Value
Frequency Response 50 Hz – 20 kHz
Impedance 150 ohms
Sensitivity -59 dBV/Pa
Connector XLR (3-pin)
Mounting Integrated yoke with captive stand nut
Weight 765 grams (1.69 lbs)

🔄 Switchable EQ Options (Rear Panel Switches)

  1. Bass Roll-Off (High-pass Filter)
    Reduces low-end rumble and proximity effect.

  2. Presence Boost
    Enhances vocal intelligibility and brightness.

These switches allow the SM7B to adapt to reamping or ambient room capture by tailoring the response curve to the source.

🎛️ In the Studio: Reamping & Room Capture

🪄 Reamping Applications

  • Paired with a guitar cab and a reamp box, the SM7B captures amp tone with precision and no harshness, especially in high-gain contexts.

  • Unlike condensers, the SM7B can sit very close to loud speakers without distortion or damage.

🏠 Room Mic Applications

  • Excels in medium-to-loud environments where a condenser might pick up too much high-end or background noise.

  • Great for capturing natural room tone or ambience in drum sessions or band practice spaces.

🧰 Common Use Cases

Use Case Why SM7B Excels
Vocals Smooth, warm tone with reduced sibilance
Guitar Amps Handles high SPL; no breakup on distortion tones
Reamping Flat response and tight cardioid reject bleed or hum
Podcast/Broadcast Natural voice capture with off-axis rejection
Room Miking Retains clarity while rejecting excessive room reflections

✅ Pros

  • Natural, neutral sound — great for detailed tone shaping in post

  • Excellent rejection of background noise and off-axis coloration

  • Built-in air suspension shock isolation system

  • No phantom power needed

⚠️ Considerations

  • Requires a clean, high-gain preamp (at least +60 dB of gain recommended)

  • May sound dull if used with weak preamps or improper gain staging

  • Not ideal for very quiet sources unless boosted

🎚️ Gear Pairing Suggestions

  • Audio Interface: Audient iD14 MKII, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (with booster)

  • Preamps/Boosters: Cloudlifter CL-1, Triton Audio FetHead

  • Reamp Box: Radial ProRMP, Little Labs Redeye

Check Availability in Your Area

 

Audient iD14 MKII Interface

🎧 Audient iD14 MKII — Overview

The Audient iD14 MKII is a 2-in/4-out USB-C audio interface that blends boutique console-grade preamps with modern workflow enhancements. It’s a significant update over the original iD14, offering improved conversion, increased dynamic range, and USB 3.0 speeds via USB-C (no external power needed).

It’s ideal for solo artists, small ensembles, and content creators who demand high-quality input and output without stepping into higher-tier multi-channel setups.

🔧 Key Features & Specs

🔌 Inputs:

  • 2 x Audient Console Mic Preamps (XLR/¼” combo jacks)

    • Up to 58 dB of gain

    • Class-A design for transparent, low-noise performance

    • Phantom power (48V) for condenser mics

  • 1 x JFET Instrument Input (on the front)

    • Warm, tube-like feel — perfect for bass and electric guitar DI

  • Optical Input (ADAT/SPDIF) — Up to 8 additional channels

    • Expandable with external preamps (like Audient ASP800)

🎛️ Outputs:

  • 2 x Line Outputs (TRS) for monitors

  • 2 x Headphone Outputs (1/4” and 1/8”) with independent volume control

  • Total Outputs: 4 (including stereo HP + stereo Line Out)

📦 Converter Specs:

  • Dynamic Range:

    • ADC: 120 dB

    • DAC: 126 dB

  • Bit Depth / Sample Rate: 24-bit / up to 96 kHz

  • Latency: Ultra-low, suitable for real-time tracking with plugins

🧠 Unique Features

🔁 iD Button & ScrollControl

  • Turns the main encoder knob into a virtual scroll wheel

  • Can control plugin parameters, DAW faders, or automate automation lanes

🖥️ iD Mixer Software

  • Routing matrix for:

    • Monitor mixes

    • Cue sends

    • Loopback (available in MKII)

  • Works seamlessly with most DAWs and streaming software

🔂 Loopback Support

  • Route internal audio (e.g., Zoom, YouTube, DAW) back into your DAW or streaming software

  • Excellent for podcasters, YouTubers, streamers, or virtual jam sessions

🪵 Build Quality

  • All-metal chassis — durable and sleek

  • Detented gain knobs and tactile buttons

  • Large main volume encoder for monitor control

  • Clean, minimal desktop footprint

🎙️ Ideal Use Cases

  • Home studio vocal recording

  • Instrument DI tracking (bass, electric guitar)

  • Expandable for drum or ensemble recording via ADAT

  • Live streaming and podcasting (with Loopback)

  • Studio monitor control and headphone mixing

✅ Strengths

  • Console-quality mic pres

  • Expandable via ADAT — grow your studio later

  • Loopback + dual headphone outs = versatile for solo creators and collaboration

  • Ultra-clean DI input for instruments

  • No external power required — bus-powered via USB-C

⚠️ Considerations

  • Only 2 analog inputs on board (without ADAT expansion)

  • No MIDI I/O

  • Headphone output may be quiet with high-impedance cans

  • Requires iD Mixer for full control of routing and monitoring

🧰 Best With:

  • DAWs: Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Cubase, Reaper, Pro Tools

  • Microphones: Large-diaphragm condensers, dynamic mics

  • Instruments: Electric bass/guitar via DI input

  • Monitors: Studio monitors with TRS connections (Yamaha HS5, Kali LP-6, etc.)

Check Availability in Your Area

 

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