Subharmonic Synthesizers vs Meatbox?

[Blackened Soul]

Has any one compared a DOD Meatbox against a dbx Subharmonic Synthesizer?
Does the reissue Meatbox fix the tracking issues of the original or is it just a copy?

[Chankgeez]

Are you also interested in comparison to a Mantic Hulk and/or Density Hulk? Because I am.

[qersty]

As I have understood the meatbox is like an octaver into the "epic trademark"-bass of a boom box to emulate subharmonic synthesis. I have never really understood what subharmonic synthesis is if it is not just a beefy octaver for disco soundsystems. Are the harmonics just static sines?

[coupleonapkins]

Maybe I had imagined Juan Alderete doing a comparison, but I think he just mentioned it in passing during one of the Meatbox reissue vids.

I would only argue that the relatively recent update(s) of the Meatbox would have better tracking than an extinct rack unit, especially since they are both Harman properties

Are you also interested in comparison to a Mantic Hulk and/or Density Hulk? Because I am.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHWmJ0o6-qo[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHWmJ0o6-qo

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIJsBdbJcrI[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIJsBdbJcrI

[Chankgeez]

[whoismarykelly]

Maybe I had imagined Juan Alderete doing a comparison, but I think he just mentioned it in passing during one of the Meatbox reissue vids.

I would only argue that the relatively recent update(s) of the Meatbox would have better tracking than an extinct rack unit, especially since they are both Harman properties

Are you also interested in comparison to a Mantic Hulk and/or Density Hulk? Because I am.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHWmJ0o6-qo[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHWmJ0o6-qo

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIJsBdbJcrI[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIJsBdbJcrI

I don't know of Tom & Friends made changes to the reissue but it likely uses the same Mitsubishi subharmonic synthesizer as the original units and would be subject to the same tracking issues. Its the kind of thing that sounds terrible played alone but huge when its in a band mix and you don't notice the tracking shifting around as much.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Yeah my experience playing with people using a meatbox is that I never notice the actual tracked note so much when it's turned on, just a massive wall of bass.

[K2000]

In my experience with the Meatbox, a 50-50 mix between wet and dry is best. Less than 50% wet, it's not that noticeable. More than 50% wet, it starts to replace your note and sounds dumb and muddy. With the right mix it enhances your note and makes it sound huge.

Add the Peavey Kosmos into the shootout arena if you're willing to consider rack gear. And there's another (newer) Peavey rack unit that includes Kosmos capability (it may be a crossover? or EQ?)

[qersty]

In my experience with the Meatbox, a 50-50 mix between wet and dry is best. Less than 50% wet, it's not that noticeable. More than 50% wet, it starts to replace your note and sounds dumb and muddy. With the right mix it enhances your note and makes it sound huge.

Add the Peavey Kosmos into the shootout arena if you're willing to consider rack gear. And there's another (newer) Peavey rack unit that includes Kosmos capability (it may be a crossover? or EQ?)

I had never heard of this! Really gotta look into peavey rack stuff more.

[Jwar]

Funny thing for me is I bought a Meatbox (new one) and was actually underwhelmed by it. I think it’s because my ears can’t tell the difference anymore in some frequencies. Everyone in my house felt it though lol!

The tracking is awful past noon or so but it also turns into a muddy mess that kind of sounds synthy but I’m afraid to amplify it too much. I’ve already blown a sub once with the Destoyer (Black Arts Toneworks), so I’m scared to do it again lol!


I will say though, it pushes a lot of air. Like a lot.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Yeah as I mentioned I find it's far more about flapping trousers with air than it is being an octaver. The notes it's pushing out are kind of incidental to what it's doing.

[greyscales]

I always found the Meatbox tracks about as well as an OC-2. It'll get glitchy between a couple notes but it has so much sub that you feel it more than hear it.

In live settings with a Bass VI I often used it without any octave down, just adding a lot of low end beefiness from the eq. Less chance of blowing speakers that way (which I've done on more than one occasion).

[PanicProne]

Perhaps not much input here but anyways. Not personally tried any of them but had a friend who always said the Mantic blew the meatbox out of the water in every possible way.

[D.o.S.]

Yeah as I mentioned I find it's far more about flapping trousers with air than it is being an octaver. The notes it's pushing out are kind of incidental to what it's doing.

Yep. It's a Make Better button. It makes your tone better.

[coldbrightsunlight]

That it does.