Thinking of swapping my FM3 for an HX Stomp

I think turning the Jazz 120 into a bass amp through tweaking the advanced parameters is a noble effort, but not knowing which advanced parameters actually do anything, or if they do something exactly what, complicates it greatly. I think you’d need to start with a base line of what actually does what to avoid wasting hours tweaking controls that do nothing or not what you expected.

-Aaron
This is very true. But, this is actually also part of my process for learning the advanced parameters. Some are pretty well documented in the wiki. Others I have to guess at the specific effects more, simply because I don’t know how they are modeled. And, I understand that some of that is to protect the IP. Other things like Screen Resonant Frequency seem as if they could logically be one thing but don’t exactly sound the way I would expect. So, it may possibly represent one aspect of PSU filter capacitance that has been abstracted away from the complex array of things that happen with more PSU filtration. But, then again, one of the beauties of tweaking an amp model is that certain qualities become abstracted and can be adjusted discretely. For instance, a higher voltage quicker transient response or different tubes does not prevent or (possibly even change) the amount of amp sag that can be dialed in. That, to me, is worth the price of admission. Compression can be added discretely at the output of the amp. A transformer can be dialed in for any range separately from the transformer’s distortion qualities. I do wish these things were documented in greater detail. But, once again, I suspect part the vagueness is to protect the IP.

lol, I am all about wasting hours tweaking controls. Before this, it was LTSpice.
 
Few things...

The JC120 while a guitar amp was designed to be loud and clean with a lot of headroom. I owned and gigged one for the better part of a decade, and it was clean up to gigging volume in a 4 piece without needing to be miced up for smaller clubs. It had an additional distortion circuit (which sounded horrible), but I never used it (and doubt many do).

The PSU shouldn't mean too much in this case as we are in the virtual realm where we can dial in a clean Princeton to be the same volume as a 100 watt plexi. And again...we are speaking about a solid state amp, but I yield to your knowledge here.

Presence and depth...doubtful as my guess is these are tied into the tube power amp modeling which shouldn't have any effect here on a solid state amp, but who knows.

Regarding speaker parameters...sure mess with things, but really simply changing the tone stack to a bass option makes a very, very audible and immediate difference to me making the JC120 sound like a bass amp without much fuss.

These are good points. I had to be reminded that volume is not an issue in the virtual. But, there are other advantages to headroom created by higher voltage. Transient response is improved along with the punchiness. And, I agree having a tone control that works for bass is one of the big, quick improvements. And the rest may not interest most people. I always hear things that I wish were different. The beauty is that the more I work with these low level amp parameters, and the more I understand them, the easier it gets for me to have the sound I want when I want it.

And, actually yes, when the Presence Frequency and the Depth Frequencies are lowered, Presence and Depth are usable and active for the bass amp range. Also, using the 4x10 superverb Impedance Curve is quite a joy.

These are things that make me happy. And, of course, I wish they made other people happy too. But, different things make different people happy. And, that is fine. That is good.
 
Modern bass amps focus on a high output clean Class D poweramp. As an example, the Darkglass Microtubes 900 seems to be largely a Darkglass preamp paired with an ICEPower poweramp module. For reference, so do the Fender Tonemaster guitar amps or the Seymour Duncan Powerstage poweramps. Obviously different models of the thing but the point applies, these same poweramp modules are used by a lot of bass amps. How the signal is shaped going into it is what makes one sound better than another and a lot of bass amps go for that "tube goodness and overdrive from a real tube preamp" thing even today.

That's why I gave the idea that maybe a tweaked guitar preamp model into a parametric EQ (simply because that's what many bass amps have) or even more EQ blocks would work as the sound shaping tools.

You will find older SS bass amp models that do have more of a character of their own and maybe Tone Match would do for those.
Are you sure darkglass uses the ice models? I was under impression that the ice modules are used by small manufacturers without a full blown engineering staff to safe time and R&D money. I can tell you that the amps I have played through with the 170w and 200w ice modules have been extremely underpowered and underwhelming in headroom. Browsing through the icepower website I don't see a module that would be 500w @ 8ohm or 900w @4ohm.
 
Right on. I can't believe this question has generated 6 pages of comments. Get one of each, compare, and sell the one you don't want to keep.

To the other poster, the austin buddy bass pack is suitable for guys playing classic rock and metal but nothing in the arena i'm looking for. And in the 10,000 posts about axefx vs kemper you feel the need to come on here and complain about a 6 page thread? lol.
 
To the other poster, the austin buddy bass pack is suitable for guys playing classic rock and metal but nothing in the arena i'm looking for. And in the 10,000 posts about axefx vs kemper you feel the need to come on here and complain about a 6 page thread? lol.
No complaint, I'm just baffled. This isn't the first thread where someone poses this question. There have been different variations. The reality is that the OP, as posed, is useless. You've got to decide for yourself what works best and no one here can do that for you.

A more legitimate use of everyone's time and effort would be to ask for assistance in obtaining a desired result.
 
Are you sure darkglass uses the ice models? I was under impression that the ice modules are used by small manufacturers without a full blown engineering staff to safe time and R&D money. I can tell you that the amps I have played through with the 170w and 200w ice modules have been extremely underpowered and underwhelming in headroom. Browsing through the icepower website I don't see a module that would be 500w @ 8ohm or 900w @4ohm.
https://icepoweraudio.com/buy/as-series/1200as1/
 
@fcs101, I am afraid that I am the reason this is a 6 page thread. Most of my posts have been an effort to help create a SS bass amp foundation to build on. I think I actually might be responsible for 2-3 pages myself. I have been meaning to start another thread focused on that project alone. And, maybe a thread with a less onerous title that would attract more help. But, I keep getting caught up with a new response.
 
@fcs101, I am afraid that I am the reason this is a 6 page thread. Most of my posts have been an effort to help create a SS bass amp foundation to build on. I think I actually might be responsible for 2-3 pages myself. I have been meaning to start another thread focused on that project alone. And, maybe a thread with a less onerous title that would attract more help. But, I keep getting caught up with a new response.
I'm not complaining my friend. You are awesome! I've seen your posts and I wish I had as much knowledge as you do!

I was more just making an observation that wasn't necessarily directed at this particular OP. As I said, this topic has surfaced more than once and I just think maybe the best thing would be to A/B both units in person. Take care. You're a very patient (and helpful) individual.

I think I was having flash backs to another poster that titled his OP something along the lines of "Convince me not to sell my FM3". I and others basically told him it sounded like he'd already made up his mind.
 
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Are you sure darkglass uses the ice models? I was under impression that the ice modules are used by small manufacturers without a full blown engineering staff to safe time and R&D money. I can tell you that the amps I have played through with the 170w and 200w ice modules have been extremely underpowered and underwhelming in headroom. Browsing through the icepower website I don't see a module that would be 500w @ 8ohm or 900w @4ohm.

Here's a design video and interview of the making of the Microtubes 900 confirming an icepower 700asx is incorporated.

https://pratabas.se/viewtopic.php?t=83401
 
I think I was having flash backs to another poster that titled his OP something along the lines of "Convince me not to sell my FM3". I and others basically told him it sounded like he'd already made up his mind.
+1 - not a fan of the "command" OPs ("Convince me...", "tell me why I should...", "sell me on"...)
 
I think turning the Jazz 120 into a bass amp through tweaking the advanced parameters is a noble effort, but not knowing which advanced parameters actually do anything, or if they do something exactly what, complicates it greatly. I think you’d need to start with a base line of what actually does what to avoid wasting hours tweaking controls that do nothing or not what you expected.

-Aaron

Yeah, no shit! Some of us have jobs, and families, and the hopes of a second wind for our sex lives. ;)
 
@Postretro here's a clip using your preset bass mods # 1. Very happy with this. Thanks!


@jzucker, Thank you for this. It sounded wonderful. I actually just shifted back in my chair, closed my eyes, and just listened to the whole video. It did my heart good. Your playing sounds great. It was nice to hear the patch being played so perfectly and so beautifully. This piece was clearly very deeply felt. Thank you, the beauty of this song is encouraging. And, I really needed the encouragement.

A big part of getting a sound right are the nuances and vocal expressions in certain riffs. @Iaxu, mentioned that my approach was academic -- which is correct. I can't know those Jazz touch/riff nuances unless I've lived that music and played it for at least a while. I can only approach the sound conceptually. You obviously tuned the patch in for those nuanced sounds. Very good.

I did learn quite a bit in this process about making specific changes in the sound. There were a lot of new insights for me. I don't believe I would have learned some of this without trying to tune in a nuanced jazz bass sound.

I will start a thread about this "SS Jazz Bass Amp version of a Jazz 120 guitar amp." I would like to explain how each parameter can be used to customize the sound -- and what to expect. I would like to make it easier for others to tune in their own specific SS Jazz/Funk/Fusion tone for their particular taste and style. Tuning in a guitar tone is only slightly different. I would be honored if you would post some videos and maybe even explain which specific adjustments work best for you, and why.

I would love to see the patch and the control settings you used for bsss on this song.

Meanwhile, have a great night. I will sleep well.
 
@jzucker, Thank you for this. It sounded wonderful. I actually just shifted back in my chair, closed my eyes, and just listened to the whole video. It did my heart good. Your playing sounds great. It was nice to hear the patch being played so perfectly and so beautifully. This piece was clearly very deeply felt. Thank you, the beauty of this song is encouraging. And, I really needed the encouragement.

A big part of getting a sound right are the nuances and vocal expressions in certain riffs. @Iaxu, mentioned that my approach was academic -- which is correct. I can't know those Jazz touch/riff nuances unless I've lived that music and played it for at least a while. I can only approach the sound conceptually. You obviously tuned the patch in for those nuanced sounds. Very good.

I did learn quite a bit in this process about making specific changes in the sound. There were a lot of new insights for me. I don't believe I would have learned some of this without trying to tune in a nuanced jazz bass sound.

I will start a thread about this "SS Jazz Bass Amp version of a Jazz 120 guitar amp." I would like to explain how each parameter can be used to customize the sound -- and what to expect. I would like to make it easier for others to tune in their own specific SS Jazz/Funk/Fusion tone for their particular taste and style. Tuning in a guitar tone is only slightly different. I would be honored if you would post some videos and maybe even explain which specific adjustments work best for you, and why.

I would love to see the patch and the control settings you used for bsss on this song.

Meanwhile, have a great night. I will sleep well.
Thanks so much. I am grateful that you took the time to help with this. I actually used the mod 1 version, for this just because I had already made some tracks and didn't want the sound to change. I will be upgrading to the mod 2 version very soon. :)
 
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