Fractal Audio DRIVE models: BB Pre (based on Xotic BB preamp)

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BB Pre: based on Xotic BB preamp

Xotic is an American company that is known for its quality effects (such as RC Booster, AC Booster, Robotalk) and also builds guitars and basses.

The BB preamp pedal is one of their overdrive pedals, well-known as a mainstay pedal on Andy Timmons' pedalboard.

Timmons also has his own signature edition of the pedal, released in a limited edition. Xotic actually manufactured several versions of the BB preamp, with varying amounts of compression, as described here. We'll stick to discussing the basic version.

The BB preamp can turn a pristine clean amp into a rock monster through its preamp gain stage, and/or add smoothness and compression to an already overdriven tone, as demonstrated in Andy Timmons' video below. It does this with the help of a built-in preamp gain stage, according to the company website. While the pedal doesn't sound like a Tube Screamer IMHO, it's partly based on that circuit.

If you like the Xotic sound, but want a thicker and warmer (darker) tone, for example for single note leads, check out the AC Booster. I often find myself alternating between the BB and AC, unable to decide which I prefer.

"BB" actually stands for "Bluesbreaker", Marshall's vintage 2x12 combo amp which was used by Eric Clapton in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.

Xotic:
"The BB Preamp offers a wide variety of sounds. It's capable of a 30dB+ clean boost with an adjustable ±15dB two band active EQ which adds a wide range of harmonic content to your ideal sound. The BB also utilizes a pre-gain stage which allows the pedal to go from a very pristine clean to a very smooth, compressed, overdriven sound."

Fractal's Audio BB Pre model was last updated in Quantum 6.0.

Cliff:
"Works just like the real thing here. Tons of gain, too much IMO but I didn't design it."
The real pedal has four knobs:
  • Gain: controls the amount of overdrive (model: Drive control).
    There's enough gain on tap to turn a clean amp into a stack with the help of the pedal's gain stage, even when leaving Drive at its default 12 o'clock position
  • Volume: sets the output level (model: Level control).
    The pedal has an enormous amount of output level available, and so does the model. Its not strange to have to set the Level control at a low value for unity gain.
  • Bass and Treble (active EQ): the two active tone controls on the real pedal are handy tools to sculpt the tone, cutting or boosting lows and highs (+/- 15 dB). While the model also provides active Bass and Treble controls, they visually don't exactly behave the same as on the pedal.
Clip Type in the model is set to silicon.

Of course the Drive block allows us to adjust far more things than the modeled pedal: Bias, Slew, Mix, Low Cut and High Cut and other parameters are available to us. But that's beyond the scope of this thread. Those parameters are discussed in the manual and wiki.

Personal notes:
While I don't own the BB preamp pedal anymore, the model truly sounds like I remember it.
The model is great for achieving authentic-sounding overdriven tones in combination with a clean amp model. And without changing its settings it also works well to boost an overdriven amp. That's why IMHO the BB Pre should be a prime candidate to choose from for Drive when using the AX8 with its single Amp block.

About CPU usage:
  • Fractal Audio's Drive models take up varying amounts of CPU. The BB Pre is one of those which require a lot.
  • When a Drive block is engaged, CPU percentage will rise during playing, because CPU usage is "amplitude dependent".











More Xotic BB preamp videos ...


Link to the list of published threads
 
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I've loved this model since forever. It sounds really excellent as a higher gain stage to a clean channel. For anyone wanting to run a really simple, CPU-efficient preset but have a clean and a gain setting in the preset, the BB Pre is an excellent choice for juicing a clean amp.

 
I love these articles... I got SO much more value out of my Axe with the amp series. Will keep a keen eye on these. The BB is a wonder, too. Gets a fantastic juicy lead tone out of any rhythm patch!
 
This is absolutely fantastic Yek. Thank you so much for doing this!

If this is to be a series, could I make one suggestion/request please? It would be very very handy to have a mapping of the knobs/buttons of each drive to the corrusponding model controls right at the top of the post, for those that are just quickly looking for that match up. This would be something like:

Gain -> Drive
Volume -> Level
Bass -> Bass
Treble -> Treble

The BB works out nice, but as we get into more pedals, this mapping may be the critical reference for many users and a quick reference at the top would be super helpful.

Thanks again for doing this Yek, you doth' rock!
 
One other thing that might make these threads even cooler ( if that's possible ) .... Would be if users share their favorite settings !

O.K., I'll start .... I use this in front of both the TX Star Clean & TX Star Lead. My guitar has similar pickups to Andy Timmons ( stacked singles ), so with the clean Amp it get a nice mid-gain tone ( Electric Gypsy ) and with the lead amp I get that extra push to take a nice rhythm grind up to a saturated lead sound.

BASIC:
Eff. Type:
BB Pre

Drive: 3.00
Tone: 5.00

Low Cut: 720.0 Hz
High Cut: 4999 Hz
Clip Type: Silicon

Bass: 0.00 dB
Mid Freq: 636.0 Hz
Mid: 0.00 dB
Treble: 0.00 dB

ADVANCED:
Slew Limit:
6.99
Bias: 0.010
Bit Reduce: 0
Sample Rate: 48000 Hz

Mix: 100.0%
Level: 4.00
Balance: 0.0
Bypass Mode: Thru
 
One other thing that might make these threads even cooler ( if that's possible ) .... Would be if users share their favorite settings !

O.K., I'll start .... I use this in front of both the TX Star Clean & TX Star Lead. My guitar has similar pickups to Andy Timmons ( stacked singles ), so with the clean Amp it get a nice mid-gain tone ( Electric Gypsy ) and with the lead amp I get that extra push to take a nice rhythm grind up to a saturated lead sound.

BASIC:
Eff. Type:
BB Pre

Drive: 3.00
Tone: 5.00

Low Cut: 720.0 Hz
High Cut: 4999 Hz
Clip Type: Silicon

Bass: 0.00 dB
Mid Freq: 636.0 Hz
Mid: 0.00 dB
Treble: 0.00 dB

ADVANCED:
Slew Limit:
6.99
Bias: 0.010
Bit Reduce: 0
Sample Rate: 48000 Hz

Mix: 100.0%
Level: 4.00
Balance: 0.0
Bypass Mode: Thru
In fact, this sub forum (and very cool) if handled well.
It can integrate with many details
Each specific product at a time (BB Pre)
Those who need to find information, here is the best place

Thanks friend, you have grasped meaning of this forum (for me);)
 
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A- @yek thank you so much for doing this. I will admit that I may have been at least slightly obsessed or addicted to your amp thread. I discovered models that I now love that I didn't give enough of a chance to before, and honestly it's a lot of fun for me to learn more about these things.

B- I love the idea of users sharing settings, something else I think would be cool to make a part of this is what other pedals you can emulate with this block and how, similar to the MOAEE.
 
The clipping circuit designs of the BB and TS are almost identical. The BB has a 1M gain pot, while the TS has a 500K gain pot. So, theoretically at least, the BB can get higher gain. The clipping diodes are different, but they both use silicone diodes so I don't know how much difference you'd be able to actually hear from the diodes. The tone circuits are way, way different between the two pedals.
 
Just tried it with the TX Star Clean - They certainly sound good together. I even like the BB with the gain all the way up
 
With how awesome the pedals are sounding these days I may not use a dirty amp anymore , just my div/13 normal clean patch and the BB or ruckus for the gain instead of switching to different amp via x/y . Not always, but every now and again.

I actually kinda want that Friedman BE pedal even though I have 4 versions of the amp in here.. it's just the best authentic sounding pedal I've heard in a long time. If we can get rid of that half a second of silence when switching to the other amp with x/y I probably wouldn't consider this.. but it's definitely noticeable enough to me that I'd use the Friedman pedal or one in the fractal instead of the x/y amp until that switch over is super smooth
 
With how awesome the pedals are sounding these days I may not use a dirty amp anymore , just my div/13 normal clean patch and the BB or ruckus for the gain instead of switching to different amp via x/y . Not always, but every now and again.

I actually kinda want that Friedman BE pedal even though I have 4 versions of the amp in here.. it's just the best authentic sounding pedal I've heard in a long time. If we can get rid of that half a second of silence when switching to the other amp with x/y I probably wouldn't consider this.. but it's definitely noticeable enough to me that I'd use the Friedman pedal or one in the fractal instead of the x/y amp until that switch over is super smooth

To get the equivalent of the BE/OD pedal, insert a 2nd AMP block (before your existing AMP block), select a Friedman model and turn Supply SAG to "0".
 
Yea that's been a consideration, I have a II and want to conserve as much CPU as I can,although I know the amps are all on one chip and effects are on the other .. but for a Zappa-Esque meets queens of the Stone Age prog rock band, i need as much CPU for effects as I can get. I'd love a XL+ obviously but the II gives me everything I need as long as I'm smart with my layouts.. I have an earthquaker devices afterneath in the fx loop, that's one damn unique reverb pedal. I didn't use a controller yet so it has trails and doesn't cut off abruptly, I'll figure that out today.. I know someone told me how to do it in another post.
I digress... the BB is probably my favorite drive in the axe fx, so tight and dynamic.
Thanks for those settings, I'll check em out when I get home. I'll post what I'm using right now on one of my main patches, sounds huge, at least with my g&l asat w/ piledriver bridge pup
 
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