James, for those of us who've never been around one, could you say just what it is about these things that guys invariably come back raving about them?
I'll try.............. Everything you do with it, sounds cleaner, tighter, more defined, more real, less distorted, clouded, obfuscated, than with other EQ devices.
it's interesting you've spent three weeks 'discovering' it, when I'd guess most new gear takes you about 5 minutes to figure out.
I understood all the controls within minutes, what I am discovering is the wide range of results that are possible with these controls.
I basically understand the filter concept, and that these things do not rotate phase at all. But just WHAT is it about it, WHAT does it do that's impressed you so much?
Firstly, I am using it in mono, tried both as a line I/O in an effects loop, and as an instrument preamp. So I am blending three signals, dry and two filters. I think you hit the most crucial aspect of this device with respect to PHASE, or timing of the combined signals. A digression. For the last couple of years, my company has been working with Plangent, a guy on the east coast who developed Clarity. Clarity is a highly precise digital process that corrects timing errors, wow and flutter, that have been induced by mechanical audio transfers. Start with a high sample rate digitization, analyze and correct the wow and flutter, then output a rock solidly timed version of the source. The results can be startling. The source can be a beautiful sounding three track stereo recording of an orchestra, that on first listen has very high fidelity. The Clarity track will sound like the orchestra has moved from a 5 foot deep stage, to a 40 foot deep stage, high percussive sounds seem to bloom out of nowhere. This process adds NOTHING to the signal, it simply retimes the samples. By correcting the timing/phase of the audio, everything becomes more defined, more real and less recorded sounding. Of course it also corrects gross wow that can be an issue with old magnetic film, but not important to this discussion.
So while a good eq can sound pleasing when engaged properly, most EQ's induce phase errors. Phase errors, cloud the definition and clarity of the signal. The SF-2 appears to avoid that. Rooms are real good at mucking up phase. We have all experienced a significant loss in low frequency definition,when the right combination of bass/amp/and room come together, so that you can't even tell what note is being played. With the SF-2, (so far only in my home, jamming next Saturday!) my Traynor Bassmaster, and a single EVM-15L, I can make the most bombastic, enormous, sternum shattering lows, that still sound clean and defined. I have never achieved this before. It sounds like Tony Levin with Gabriel in a huge room. He had some clean bigness going on.
So, to repeat myself, Everything you do with it, sounds cleaner, tighter, more defined, more real, less distorted, clouded, obfuscated, than with other EQ devices.
I'm at a dead end sonically at the moment. I can NOT find a neutral sound. Every amp/cabinet I run across is one of two things, either
1) That 'modern' bass sound, snarky, SWR-ish, all snap and roundwound bite, but not much warmth, or
2) Lumpy, Ampeg flip-top-ish, organ-pedal mush, Nyquil-like bass tone.
I just want something in the middle.
One thing you might consider, is a 15 with a broad response, and no tweeter. An EVM -15L plays out to about 6K, I've always loved that speaker. I haven't ever played one but I think there are some old JBL's that would fit this description
I hope this has been helpful, good luck,
JBY
