Anyone used the Zoom B1Xon ?

chrispy108

Seriously considering one for messing about with, I currently use my bass through a Zoom G3 and monitors, and it's fine, but I'd rather have proper bass amp models and the split function to play with the signal chain a bit.

From a bit of reading it seems like the B1Xon can do 5 effects rather than the B3s 3, and isn't really missing anything from the B3.

It's obviously hideous and looks like shit, but does it sound alright?

MrBump

Funnily enough, I'm sitting here at home today awaiting a delivery of one of these from GAK!  I'll let you know how good it is (or otherwise) later.

MrBump

OK, so first impressions are really positive.  Yes, it's fugly, but it's not actually as flimsy as the pics and demo's suggest.

I've not got to grips with the controls, but I've taken a spin through the preset patches, and there are some really nice sounds.  I'm playing my Yamaha BB425 into a relatively cheap and nasty Harley Benton 100 watt amp, and it's very much improved the sound (bass always sounded good, amp is crap).

Drum samples in the rhythm machine are fairy naff, but good as a basic metronome for practice.

My first multifx for guitar was a Zoom unit back in the late 1980's, and that was awesome.  This is a pretty cool basic pedal (as long as you're not really after great distorted tones, I suspect - the presets didn't sound that great, but I'd never use it for that anyway).

Overall - awesome for the price.

ROOG

I have one, I have been using it on AA batteries and I think it makes a great headphone practice device for £45. Effects are pretty good too, when used in moderation! 

The Drums are better (wider selection) than the ones on the more expensive G5.:o)

rpr

I have the guitar version- there was a recent-ish update available on the Zoom website to download. 25 more sounds. worth having a look to see if there's one there for the bass.

chrispy108

Cheers chaps, will have a look to see if I can find one to have a spin on in a shop I reckons.

chrispy108

So I forgot about this, but am looking at buying one again.

Anyone got any thoughts on it? Still enjoying it @MrBump ?

MrBump

Hi @chrispy108 = yeah, very much so.  TBH, I'm not much of an effects player, and my set up really uses the pedal to make my cheapo Harley Benton amp sound halfway decent.

However!!!!

Sometime today I take delivery of my new Fender Rumble 500!  

I've used the B1Xon mostly with the Mark Bass model and compressor - it'll be interesting to see if the Rumble "needs" any sort of processing - maybe just the compression?  I kinda like having the floor tuner, being a guitarist at heart.

I'll report back.

Kebabkid

Yep. I got one a couple of months ago when I couldn't find a Zoom B3.

I do use some of the models to bolster my live sound but it's main use is as a tuner, compressor and octaver.

I've yet to try it through a PA but we use a Bose L1 system at rehearsals and I may try that at the next one just to see if it's also suffice as a amp back-up.

I think it's excellent and has a lot of the sounds from the B3 plus some really useful synth sounds. The in-built drums are ok but the aux-in has made rehearsing/learning material easy on headphones with my Android.

It's a no-brainer for the money and battery life is good.

MrBump

MrBump said:

Hi @chrispy108 = yeah, very much so.  TBH, I'm not much of an effects player, and my set up really uses the pedal to make my cheapo Harley Benton amp sound halfway decent.

However!!!!

Sometime today I take delivery of my new Fender Rumble 500!  

I've used the B1Xon mostly with the Mark Bass model and compressor - it'll be interesting to see if the Rumble "needs" any sort of processing - maybe just the compression?  I kinda like having the floor tuner, being a guitarist at heart.

I'll report back.

OK, so I've had some time to play around with it with my new amp.

I'm not convinced - I liked it into the cheap Harley Benton 1x12, because that amp doesn't really sound good on its own.  However, I'm finding that it kinda sucks the nice tone our of my Rumble - to the point that I'm just not using it.  I can still get nice sounds out of it - the chorus models are great, and it sounds awesome with that engaged.  But even bypassed and still in the loop, it seems to suck tone a little.

So - if you're really into effects on bass I think that the effects are of a decent enough quality to use it.  However, in my experience having it in the loop is taking a little too much away from the basic tone for it to be used all the time if you're an occasional effects user.

Hope that helps.