Tony
2004-12-07 01:02:33 UTC
Just got my B4D controller. I am still playing around with it. Some first
impressions (since no one who previously posted about it really wrote much
about it)
The drawbars are what I hoped. This is a matter of opinion, but I did not
want 'midi fader feeling' drawbars. (like a drawbar was stuck on the end of
a common midi fader) These drawbars are made like the drawbars in a clone,
for example, the Korg CX3. They have a ratcheting feel. A quality push and
pull feel, in my opinion.
The wood seems rubbed and the finish is pleasing. This has lots of mdi
control buttons. The buttons have a quality rubber feel with LEDs that show
the position of the button. Press the same button and the upper left or
lower right LED goes on. The LEDs look cool. It has some test features also.
Within about 2 minutes after pulling it out of the box it was controlling
the B4 perfectly with NO mapping (obviously it is already mapped) - I
cleared one of my Midiox maps so it would work correctly through my Midi
Yoke ports, Naturally, though it holds a lot of preset buttons, the finer
tweaks of the B4 to your liking, you do (mike distance, etc) manually as
there are only two fader knobs.
Now the fun starts with Midiox mapping. I will put the B4 on channels 4, 5,
6 not to interfere with the EVB3 Midiox map I am going to make for this.
Patch mapping is also used with Midiox to press a B4D preset button that
*automatically* load another Midiox map (ie: going from the EVB3 to the B4).
Midiox does not affect any latency running in the background THOUGH win.ini
editing is needed so the EVB3 does not grab all the ports <see archives>
I will try later the 'update' on a CD that comes with it for the B4 later
and check for further V1 updates. The product literature seems to be
suggested that it is needed to run the B4D - I believe a Pent 4
hyperthreading fix is in there, but it is NOT needed . Most probably it is a
'cracked version' disabler, disabling and preventing an illicit version to
be installed. So if you *bought* the B4 but use a cracked version on gigs
without the protection hassles (read frequently) you may want to consider
that.
The midi chords seem to plug in a *tiny* bit abruptly not a smooth 'push in'
like my other stuff. Not a problem though. The power unit is 9 volts and
some of the literature suggests that perhaps at one time it took a 9V
battery with disposal instructions, though the power supply is 9 V *AC*. One
power unit will run two drawbar units if connected via the serial-like
connector ports.
The owners manual is funny with mispelling and easy to understand
Germanlish. If you took 3 pages of inkjet paper, folded it in half - it
would be heavier than this *copyrighted* owners manual. "This publication
may not be reproduced . . "
Here is one example: quote concerning linking two B4Ds
"the possibilities are manifold<----- . ." Manifold?
There are mispellings on almost every page. "waterfal" keyboard. The
swell pedal is the "sweller"
"At the rear panel are two ports for two foot pedals and one foot sweller,
otherwiese <------the device could be damaged."
I might add *not one umlaut was missed with Bohm spelling*, The manual also
suggests the Bohm has single and dual "waterfal" controllers. I will have to
look at their site again - never saw them except the B3-like MD42.
It is a quality, low profile, unit and I am quite impressed with it. Another
quality product that one seems to expect from Germany.
Now the mapping . .
To each his own, but it is so nice, quality and cheap I do not know why
anyone would want to make one, spend almost the same money on parts, be
hassled, and may turn out inferior, especially without all these control
button plus the 'clone feel' of the drawbars . other opinions may differ
. obviously. It has a 'pro MI' appearance and neatly engineered.
This is a '2 minute' solution. <and nice>
Tony
impressions (since no one who previously posted about it really wrote much
about it)
The drawbars are what I hoped. This is a matter of opinion, but I did not
want 'midi fader feeling' drawbars. (like a drawbar was stuck on the end of
a common midi fader) These drawbars are made like the drawbars in a clone,
for example, the Korg CX3. They have a ratcheting feel. A quality push and
pull feel, in my opinion.
The wood seems rubbed and the finish is pleasing. This has lots of mdi
control buttons. The buttons have a quality rubber feel with LEDs that show
the position of the button. Press the same button and the upper left or
lower right LED goes on. The LEDs look cool. It has some test features also.
Within about 2 minutes after pulling it out of the box it was controlling
the B4 perfectly with NO mapping (obviously it is already mapped) - I
cleared one of my Midiox maps so it would work correctly through my Midi
Yoke ports, Naturally, though it holds a lot of preset buttons, the finer
tweaks of the B4 to your liking, you do (mike distance, etc) manually as
there are only two fader knobs.
Now the fun starts with Midiox mapping. I will put the B4 on channels 4, 5,
6 not to interfere with the EVB3 Midiox map I am going to make for this.
Patch mapping is also used with Midiox to press a B4D preset button that
*automatically* load another Midiox map (ie: going from the EVB3 to the B4).
Midiox does not affect any latency running in the background THOUGH win.ini
editing is needed so the EVB3 does not grab all the ports <see archives>
I will try later the 'update' on a CD that comes with it for the B4 later
and check for further V1 updates. The product literature seems to be
suggested that it is needed to run the B4D - I believe a Pent 4
hyperthreading fix is in there, but it is NOT needed . Most probably it is a
'cracked version' disabler, disabling and preventing an illicit version to
be installed. So if you *bought* the B4 but use a cracked version on gigs
without the protection hassles (read frequently) you may want to consider
that.
The midi chords seem to plug in a *tiny* bit abruptly not a smooth 'push in'
like my other stuff. Not a problem though. The power unit is 9 volts and
some of the literature suggests that perhaps at one time it took a 9V
battery with disposal instructions, though the power supply is 9 V *AC*. One
power unit will run two drawbar units if connected via the serial-like
connector ports.
The owners manual is funny with mispelling and easy to understand
Germanlish. If you took 3 pages of inkjet paper, folded it in half - it
would be heavier than this *copyrighted* owners manual. "This publication
may not be reproduced . . "
Here is one example: quote concerning linking two B4Ds
"the possibilities are manifold<----- . ." Manifold?
There are mispellings on almost every page. "waterfal" keyboard. The
swell pedal is the "sweller"
"At the rear panel are two ports for two foot pedals and one foot sweller,
otherwiese <------the device could be damaged."
I might add *not one umlaut was missed with Bohm spelling*, The manual also
suggests the Bohm has single and dual "waterfal" controllers. I will have to
look at their site again - never saw them except the B3-like MD42.
It is a quality, low profile, unit and I am quite impressed with it. Another
quality product that one seems to expect from Germany.
Now the mapping . .
To each his own, but it is so nice, quality and cheap I do not know why
anyone would want to make one, spend almost the same money on parts, be
hassled, and may turn out inferior, especially without all these control
button plus the 'clone feel' of the drawbars . other opinions may differ
. obviously. It has a 'pro MI' appearance and neatly engineered.
This is a '2 minute' solution. <and nice>
Tony