Switchblade 8F SALE!!!

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MarcoR

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Sound Sculpture is having a sale till the 28th on the Switchblade 8F at $599!

http://www.soundsculpture.com/products/switchblade8f.htm

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They have sold out of what's on stock but you can still order while the sale is on and they will ship before March 5th.

I just ordered mine!!!

I've been playing with the WinBlade application and have already setup my basic configurations.

Check it:

All processors are 100% wet, the 8F matrix handles splitting and mixing the signals.

Parallel - This is basically how I have things routed at the moment.
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Series - This is for my Whammy effect from the Eclipse 100% wet to everything else in the chain.
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Series Parallel - Lot's of possibilities here!
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Loop Delay - Delay after Infinity Looper for some freaky soundscapes.
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This little gadget will replace the Glab midi 2x I use for splitting the signal from my M4 and the RJM mini mixer I use to run everything in parallel. I'm so excited!!!
 
My Switchblade 8F finally arrived... time to make some cables. :?

I'll post a review once I get it set up.
 
Jaded Faith said:
Judging by the crickets, I think you may be the only one with this degree of MIDI-enthusiasm my friend! :lol:

I think you're right... :(

For me I guess it makes sense; I have an M4 that requires a midi controller to change channels so why not also use it to control my effects too?

Who wouldn't want to go from their perfect clean channel, wet with choice effects to a dry heavy rhythm channel then to a screaming solo with the perfect delay and maybe some micro pitch ala EVH? All with a click of a button?

Got tone suck and noise from running all your effects in series? Add a midi switcher/router to take them out of the signal path when not in use.

Love your Eventide Timefactor or Space but the lag when changing presets is killing your groove? Control a single preset with midi Control Change messages and have instant response without a glitch or drop out.

Did you know you could save $1500 dollars on pedals that mimic, copy or model classic sounds by just buying one of the classic rack pieces? Oh that's right... racks aren't in vogue anymore; you have to have the boutique pedals to be cool now. :?

You know what's cool? Getting a used Lexicon PCM 80/81 and going through the presets and hearing all the sounds from the great albums you grew up with and thinking... WOW! that's how they did that!

Or rather than buying an H9 and all the algorithms on a web store that you can only use one at a time, buy a used Eclipse and get all the algorithms and use any two in any combination of routings; serial, parallel, serial/parallel... oh and did I mention the converters are just a bit better?

Or even this... Be bold and find one of the Eventide "Big Boxes" and use Vsig to design your very own algorithms and let the sounds inspire you to play things you never imagined... create something that is your own.

Where is the creativity? Where is the innovation? There is so many more possibilities to be discovered!

Midi? Is a simple thing that is just a means to organize your creative ideas and allow your discoveries to be accessed at a click of a button. Nothing more. :idea:
 
I have actually PM'd Marco about this box and I'm waiting to hear his impressions and thoughts about it on this thread, I think I'm as excited about it as Marco, I just didn't make it public :D

Having existed since the early 80's I'm amazed that it has taken this long for amp heads to have MIDI implementation as a standard feature. While most multiFX units have had MIDI capabilities for a while, the late 80's / early 90's preamps with MIDI were ahead of its time; although they only allowed selecting between stored presets.

Only in recent years the MIDI foot controllers started having the ability to exploit the multitude of options that MIDI offers to control units and create sounds while integrating your favourite FX (processors or pedals) and your favourite amps.
Certainly it was about time for a box like the Switchblade 8F which replaces your mixer, switching/router/interface and is fully MIDI controllable.
 
I also think this looks really kewl. I sort of do the same thing with my rig, but just a slightly different way, and with different hardware. It's similar to this thing in the way that it probably works. I have 1 switcher that has 4 series (ONLY) loops for the preamps, and another switcher that has 4 series AND parallel loops for the effects, depending on how I set them. It's all midi. Plus I run a 100% dry unprocessed analog signal along side it all. I'm going to end up spending a massive amount of money on effects though by the time I'm done. I've messed with the lexicon verbs and stuff like that Marco. I think they are interesting, but I think I prefer some of the newer effects over that older stuff.
 
suphuckers said:
I've messed with the lexicon verbs and stuff like that Marco. I think they are interesting, but I think I prefer some of the newer effects over that older stuff.

The PCM80 that I have (that requires the dual algorithm and pitch cards) is quite difficult to edit which is why I keep it in my studio rack. When I want to get into some deep ambient sounds I can go into headphone land for hours with that thing.
If you have a chance, look up Italo de Angelis. He is a sound designer that used to work for Eventide. His preset library for the PCM 80/81 and Eclipse are legendary.

Here's his page: www.italodeangelis.com
Listen to the sound clips with good headphones, truly beautiful soundscapes.

What newer effects are you liking? I've been enjoying the Pigtronix Echolution and find it to be one of the best tape delay tone I've heard with every parameter midi mappable. That and the Infinity Looper are amazing and the Echolution compliments the Eclipse well as they each impart different colors.

I like the Strymon stuff too but they made the decisions for you (albeit good ones) as far as what can be tweaked. Their midi implementation is not as good as would have liked and that's keep them out of my rig. I had an ElCapistan and it sounded great but I think the Echolution has just so much more. The Mobius? ahh, I'll stick to my analog pedals for that stuff.

It is a great time to be a gear junky though, lots of options.
 
Well currently I have a crazy array of pedals/effects. I have some empress stuff that I really like.

As an example of what newer effects I prefer... I think I like some of the reverb effects that I can get out of pedals like the supernatural better then the lexicon verbs. I think digitech now owns the lexicon stuff don't they? and a lot of those effects are based off of (and improved on) some of those original effects tho right? new/improved.

I do have the mobius on my short list. Have you actually had one?
 
MarcoR said:
The PCM80 that I have (that requires the dual algorithm and pitch cards) is quite difficult to edit which is why I keep it in my studio rack. When I want to get into some deep ambient sounds I can go into headphone land for hours with that thing.

I probably don't have that much patience. I just wanna turn it on and turn a dial or two and it sounds good LoL.

That's probably why I'm liking the Strymon stuff...
"I like the Strymon stuff too but they made the decisions for you (albeit good ones) as far as what can be tweaked"

I love the effects I get out of the Empress stuff, but the almost total lack of midi made it impossible to use those effects in a live rig. I'll be keeping those boxes for sure though.
 
I actually used to roll with MIDI until around five years ago. I found I was no longer able to be as spontaneous as I liked. I enjoy having a spark, reaching down to a knob or two and staying inspired. Diving into menus, deep editing and constantly having to program stuff became a major buzz kill. It nearly paralyzed my creativity. I forced a change and made myself do more with less. It was the right decision for me.

I'll never dispute the convenience or richness of features. I just crave spontaneity as a player.
 
Completely agree with you Rob. I think MIDI should help you do exactly that, to be spontaneous giving you the ability to tweak parameters on the fly by offering deep control of your rig, not only changing presets.

I didn't grew up in North America so I can only speak from what I've seen and most guitar oriented MIDI units only offered recalling presets or the option to on/off effects in some muti fx units, and although expression pedals have been around for a while I understand the difference between them and reaching for fx parameter knobs.
 
Well I think I'm somewhere between you and Marco Rob. I never liked the midi stuff. I'm not really into spending hrs staring at a screen and going through 50 menu's. That's what I was saying about not having the patience.

I like being able to twist a dial and find a decent sound/effect. I like lots of options and lots of dials at my disposal. What I like about midi is the idea to be able to save the dial positions. I want midi programmable digital over analog effects pedals, with dials on them. I looked at the Eventide pedals but I personally think they sound like junk. I didn't know about Strymon when I bought my Empress stuff.

My Empress Super Delay has 8 presets that do exactly what I want, save the dial positions, but it's a real pita if I simultaneously want to change from a dirty module to a clean module. It has NO midi. The same for my phaser. It's an awesome analog phaser. ...and the phaser has midi, but it only responds to CC msgs. I can't set a program/preset in it. It doesn't have any preset abilities. I can sit there and turn the dials and get a really awesome inspiring sound (like you were talking about Rob), but I have no way to save it. I'm left with pencil and paper to save my settings. That's just not going to cut it.

That's why I was asking you/Marco about the abilities of that LF pedal. Originally I was looking to find a pedal that I could program in the CC changes, and have it send them like a PC to the phaser. At the same time send the PC to the preamps and my looper etc.. I figure I could try to handle the pedal dance on the delay. It sounds like it might be able to do it, but it's still not an ideal solution. Plus I had my eye on the Strymon's, and I'm hoping that I like them well enough that I can do all this without the pedal dance for the delay.

Anyways I don't really like any of the digital rack effects that I've seen. I want midi controllable analog pedals with dials on them. They really don't seem to 100% make what I want. I think those Strymon pedals are probably close though. The 100% analog part is important, but it's not as important since I figured out how to run them all in parallel properly. Having that 100% dry analog signal going straight to the power amp makes the tone plenty organic enough. If I have a somewhat digital signal mixed in with it, it's not so bad.

...but now I need to find out what it is that Marco is talking about that he doesn't like. That's why I haven't bought any of them yet. Tired of buying the wrong stuff.

Edit: When I read what you /Marco said about them "making the choices for you" I took a step back, but how is that different from an old analog pedal with a single knob on it? Or are you talking about something different?
 
suphuckers said:
I think digitech now owns the lexicon stuff don't they? and a lot of those effects are based off of (and improved on) some of those original effects tho right? new/improved.

Huh!!! digitech taking over Lexicon was the end of an era! No they are not "new/improved"!!! You have a GSP1101, I can't even believe you would say that, LTFOL.

Yes, processors are better now without a question. The problem is there are no programmers to write the algorithms. There is no money in it for the companies to use better analog components like some of the old racks. All you have are cheaper ways to try and copy the old sounds.

Lexicon and Eventide had teams of scientists analyzing concert halls and studio spaces and going into immense detail to recreate those sounds using limited technology. There is no company that would even think about this kind of research now.

I could go on but what's the point? The huge rack days are over and will never happen again because of corporate greed...

suphuckers said:
MarcoR said:
I like the Strymon stuff too but they made the decisions for you (albeit good ones) as far as what can be tweaked. Their midi implementation is not as good as would have liked and that's keep them out of my rig.

What exactly don't you like?

I was considering a Timeline at one point and what I was reading on the forums indicated the midi implementation was "half baked". The other issue was it wasn't truly line level and people had clipping issues with hotter loops.

suphuckers said:
I love the effects I get out of the Empress stuff, but the almost total lack of midi made it impossible to use those effects in a live rig. I'll be keeping those boxes for sure though.
I just got the Empress Tremolo 2, I like it! They make great sounding boxes and the Super Delay demos sound fantastic. Their midi implementation is a bit weird as you have to use the Empress Midibox connected to the control port. The Empress Midibox converts midi CC messages to control voltage signals. Mine's on my pedal board and I have no need for midi control of its parameters.

Jaded Faith said:
I actually used to roll with MIDI until around five years ago. I found I was no longer able to be as spontaneous as I liked. I enjoy having a spark, reaching down to a knob or two and staying inspired. Diving into menus, deep editing and constantly having to program stuff became a major buzz kill. It nearly paralyzed my creativity. I forced a change and made myself do more with less. It was the right decision for me.

I'll never dispute the convenience or richness of features. I just crave spontaneity as a player.

I got out of midi for the same reason, I just had a midi controller and a rack with presets; convenient but lacked spontaneous creativity. I went back to a pedal board only, that grew, and grew, and grew and became noisy with miles of cable and really not fun live when I was lead singer and lead guitarist. I remember holding a vocal note looking in the eyes of a lovely female, while my foot is furiously trying to find all the switches for my lead sound, peek down at the neck of my guitar to make sure I'm on the right fret to start my solo... Not over yet... Still have to hit five pedals to get back to the clean sound with the tremolo and phaser for the bridge and...oh ****! what were the lyrics???

Now, I have the best of both worlds with my analog pedals in front of me, ready to be twisted, and the digital effects in a rack but having all the parameters I would need access to available from my controller via expression pedals or switches that can step through values. But most importantly, my sounds are click away... wait, what were the lyrics???

suphuckers said:
I looked at the Eventide pedals but I personally think they sound like junk. I didn't know about Strymon when I bought my Empress stuff.

Well, its subjective so I can't fault you for not liking Eventide but what did you try? Okay, the Modfactor is the yuck but the Pitchfactor, Timefactor and Space are pretty amazing. BUT, they need to be after the preamp and preferably in Killdry. In front of the amp, yes "they sound like junk" but so do a lot of things.

suphuckers said:
My Empress Super Delay has 8 presets that do exactly what I want, save the dial positions, but it's a real pita if I simultaneously want to change from a dirty module to a clean module. It has NO midi. The same for my phaser. It's an awesome analog phaser. ...and the phaser has midi, but it only responds to CC msgs. I can't set a program/preset in it. It doesn't have any preset abilities. I can sit there and turn the dials and get a really awesome inspiring sound (like you were talking about Rob), but I have no way to save it. I'm left with pencil and paper to save my settings. That's just not going to cut it.

That's why I was asking you/Marco about the abilities of that LF pedal. Originally I was looking to find a pedal that I could program in the CC changes, and have it send them like a PC to the phaser. At the same time send the PC to the preamps and my looper etc.. I figure I could try to handle the pedal dance on the delay.

The Liquid Foot controller could do exactly what you want because you can save a preset that has a combination of commands. Multiple CC messages and program changes all with a click of a button and still have individual control via instant access switches. My latest thing has been having the colors of the screen change based on the state, more than just On/Off; on my looper for example, there is a switch that has five possible states but I can't see them because it's behind me in a rack. Now I can tell where it is just looking at the pedalboard.
8)
 
Huh!!! digitech taking over Lexicon was the end of an era! No they are not "new/improved"!!! You have a GSP1101, I can't even believe you would say that, LTFOL

I don't like the reverb in the GSP1101. So far the only effect that I've liked in the GSP was the chorus. I do like the reverb in the Supernatural. The GSP and the Supernatural are NOT the same. Not even close.

Eventide all sound bland/flat etc to me. I really don't like them. Even those top of their line stuff you mentioned Marco sorry. I knew you had used them. I saw them on your board. The Empress stuff all sounds great, but I really want some way to create some presets. The Empress Super Delay has NO midi at all. Not even with the Empress Midi Box. It has 8 presets but no midi. I'm not sure I like the Timeline either compared to the Super Delay. That's how I find myself in this position. I do think I like the Mobius, but I haven't had one in my hand.
 
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