Akai Professional Deep Impact SB1

got it used for a couple hundred bucks... also considered electro-harmonix synth. tried the digitech synth once and it's not too hot, to say the least.

the reason i chose this pedal is because it remembers 9 different settings that you can switch between in the blink of an eye. these 9 presets come with a certain sound, but you can tweak them as much as you want, you could even make them all the same sound if you wanted to. there are plenty of knobs to twist and turn to get just what sound you want. and it does sound good. it is also a true bypass, so they say, so i rest assured that when it's off it isn't inhibiting my sound. another great little touch is that when you switch between sounds, you can browse presets and pick the sound you want to switch to before you actually switch to it, so it's great to use live.

although it's good that it's so versatile, the fact that one could get so many different sounds makes it a little overwhelming at times. it's easy to use, though, so this isn't really a big problem. as far as sound quality and user-friendliness go, it's great. the only real problems i have with the unit are in quality and construction. read on.

it's pretty light-weight, thus feels a little flimsy. i know it's nice when a pedal doesn't break your back, but it's also nice to know that it's sturdy and solid. no problems with onstruction yet, though, so maybe it's ok. what i have had are problems with it not tracking correctly. it can be testy at times. under normal circumstances it's usually fine, but occasionally, when i turn it on, it comes on all messed up and everything i play comes out the same pitch, with some really wierd stuff going on. it's a glitch, so i have to turn the thing off and on again, sometimes several times, until eventually it will come on acting normal again. this can be annoying.

so i'm not convinced that it's the most well-built piece of equipment, but it does the job for a good price. i'd say it's one of the best valued bass synths out there. i still also want an electro-harmonyx, i think they'd be fun to play with together, but i'm glad i got this one first, i think it's more practical.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Synth bass pedal by Akai
1 output level 1 with LED input level of saturation
1 1 preset parameter
1 up program one on / off
Input power supply 9v battery compartment not
external pedal input for the program down
true bypass pedal

UTILIZATION

was nine parameters: note on, note off, attack, decay, envelope depth, dynamics, cutoff, resonnance, balance, preset level and spread over nine oscillation modes: dark bubble, hardcore, kitaroh bass, bright synth, brats, fat bottom, majesty, hot space, hiccups
No backup presets pedal remembers the last mods

SOUND QUALITY

The sound is clean, well defined, it has no problem tracking as digitech bass synth on, there's a good dynamic oscillation in different presets are really delusions can be quite a good thing with the settings must potash a little and it does it well, you can have a dark well well ... brilliant

OVERALL OPINION

The problem here is too expensive, 350 € occasion in good condition with the box, especially that at its output was worth it as this is not the limit foutage mouth, thank you to Chris Wolstenholme (Muse) for reassembling the cote d a product longer manufactured, but today I still have not found alternative as serious and better wait and see ... otherwise it is a purchase that I would do it, once you have explored the beast and well done with the con is like everything you get tired ... must have utility and abstain if need what is your larfeuille thank you for later

Stomp supposed to emulate a synthesizer from a bass guitar.
There are 9 types of synths spread over 9 presets that can be programmed and recalled easily.
The settings are many: note on, note off, attack, decay, envelope depth, dynamics, cutoff, resonance, balance, level.
This is an effect pedal format, in a solid metal case, digital sound processing, on the other hand it is true bypass.
There is one input jack, output jack, a jack for AC adapter (required: no batteries and it needs 180mA minimum), and a jack for plugging in an optional footswitch to decrement presets.

UTILIZATION

The general configuration is very simple, the manual is far from essential. The handling is intuitive thanks to the backlit display of the preset number and value of the parameter.
It controls the input gain and output volume by 2 potentiometers.
One of the 2 footswitch toggles effect, one increments the preset (only).
Editing sounds is easy: the 2 rotocontacteurs to select the setting, the other to change its value. When off the pedal, the values ​​remain in memory.

SOUND QUALITY

The effects have a good seed, it sounds almost like a synthesizer.
I use it with a bass guitar.
Some sounds are nice, the controls are fairly accurate but the pedal sounds too steep overall. The tracking is not great. We must push hard to get clear and good sound in the end, which excludes any approximation or rapid flow of notes. If we do not really pay attention, the sounds do not fire or it does not recognize the notes and plays well on the side.
What ultimately makes little sounds are actually usable as a group.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had two weeks.
Before, I had the Korg G5, and I still have the Octavius ​​Squeezer.
I read and heard so much praise on this pedal that I was finally disappointed overall:
The first reason is that it's a pedal (which dates from the 90's) who has grown old, I had to take him to an electronics for complete verification of welds etc.. In addition it is sensitive to food: a diet too just mA level will prevent him from functioning properly.
The second reason is that when I received it, I noticed a small gain entry with my Jazz Bass passive, too small to have equivalent levels between the bypass and in his treatise, apparently I'm not alone in this case. With an active bass, in a set of pedals, the pedal works better.
The third reason is that for me, sounds are mostly too sharp, there is a loss in the low to the point where only 2 or 3 sounds I really enjoyed and exploited.
Akai had long since stopped producing it, we only found used at very high prices for a single purpose (it's even worse if you want the pedal in excellent condition, with box, manual and power of origin)
Unless you're a big fan of this kind of effect or Muse, or even that you bought at a decent price when it was still produced, the price is borderline outrageous for a pedal unreliable, which has few usable sounds, all without technical support if problems arise.
Repeat this choice? She will soon take the path of eBay ... It is a middle pedal is not worth its price and that I was not impressed at all. I prefer the Korg G5 in the same range of effects pedal of this type has a much better tracking and reporting sound quality / price.