Description

Darkglass Microtubes B7K Analog Bass Preamp, $279!

The Darkglass Microtubes B7K is a highly regarded bass preamp and overdrive pedal that has gained popularity among bassists for its ability to deliver a wide range of drive tones, from subtle saturation to aggressive distortion, while maintaining the clarity and punch of the low-end. Designed by Darkglass Electronics, a company known for its high-quality bass gear, the B7K combines the versatility of a DI box with the power of a bass overdrive, making it a favorite for both live performance and studio recording.

Key Features:

  • Preamp and Overdrive in One: The B7K serves as both a bass preamp and an overdrive pedal, allowing bassists to shape their tone before sending it to an amplifier or mixer. Its powerful EQ section, combined with a wide range of overdrive tones, makes it extremely versatile for various musical styles.
  • 4-Band EQ: The pedal features a 4-band active EQ with controls for bass, low mids, high mids, and treble, allowing for precise tone shaping. This EQ gives players full control over their sound, whether they want to enhance the low-end thump, scoop the mids for a more modern tone, or add brightness to the top end.
  • Blend Control: The Blend knob lets you mix the clean signal with the overdriven signal. This feature is crucial for bass players who want to retain the clarity and punch of their clean tone while adding overdrive for extra grit and power.
  • Level and Drive Controls: The Level knob controls the output volume, while the Drive knob adjusts the amount of distortion. This gives you full control over how much overdrive you want in your signal, from subtle warmth to full-on aggressive distortion.
  • Grunt and Attack Switches: These two switches provide additional tonal flexibility:
    • Grunt Switch: This toggle controls the low-end saturation, offering three settings: raw, fat, and thin. It allows you to boost or cut the low-end before it hits the overdrive circuit, giving more control over how much low-end is affected by the drive.
    • Attack Switch: This switch controls the high-end content. It offers boost, flat, or cut options, allowing you to either accentuate or smooth out the top-end frequencies for a more aggressive or mellow sound.
  • Direct Output (DI): The B7K includes a balanced DI output, making it easy to connect directly to a PA system, recording interface, or mixing console. This makes the pedal perfect for studio recording or live situations where you want to send a direct signal to the sound engineer.
  • Parallel Output: A parallel output jack allows you to send an unaffected, clean signal to another destination, which is useful for complex live setups or splitting your signal for further processing.

Sound Profile:

  • Transparent Overdrive: One of the most praised aspects of the B7K is its ability to deliver transparent overdrivethat retains the full tonal character of the bass. This makes it perfect for bassists who want to add grit and punch without losing clarity and articulation, even at high gain levels.
  • Versatile Drive Tones: The pedal can go from light, tube-like saturation to heavy distortion, making it suitable for a wide variety of genres, including rock, metal, punk, and fusion. The Blend and EQ controls provide further tonal flexibility, allowing you to dial in exactly how much drive and color you want in your signal.
  • Rich Low-End: The Grunt switch and the bass control ensure that the B7K delivers a deep, rich low-end that remains tight and defined, even when heavily overdriven. This is essential for maintaining a strong foundation in a band mix, especially for bass-heavy genres like metal and progressive rock.

Applications:

  • Live Performance: The DI output and parallel output make the B7K an excellent choice for live performances, as it can act as both a preamp and a DI box, sending a clean or driven signal directly to the PA while also feeding your amp. This versatility allows for a consistent tone on stage and in front-of-house sound.
  • Studio Recording: With its flexible EQ and high-quality direct output, the B7K is ideal for studio recording, allowing bassists to shape their tone with precision before hitting the console. Its ability to provide a mix-ready signal without the need for additional processing makes it a popular choice among producers and engineers.
  • Genres: The B7K is highly versatile and works well in genres like metal, rock, punk, fusion, and progressive rock, where a clear, punchy, and sometimes aggressive bass tone is needed.

Build Quality:

  • Durable Construction: The B7K is built with high-quality components and a rugged metal chassis, ensuring that it can withstand the rigors of live performances and regular gigging. Its compact design makes it easy to fit on a pedalboard, and the solid footswitches ensure reliability over time.
  • Premium Components: Darkglass is known for using premium-quality parts, and the B7K is no exception. This attention to detail ensures that the pedal delivers consistent, high-quality sound and performance for years to come.

 

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