Request for an SDD 3000 preamp sim (plugin)

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ZOLAIVE
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Post by ZOLAIVE »

My request is about a KORG SDD-3000 preamp sim...
This is what those who love the EDGE (U2) guitar tones dream of. This preamp is supposed to be one of the keys to the EDGE's tones. It can boost the VOX AC 30 and make it crunch in a special way. It adds some special colour to the tone (more mids). Lots of people say that it's not possible to emulate the sound of the SDD 3000 with a Compressor, a Treble Booster and/or an Equalizer.

Here' s what one of them was writing on http://forum.u2guitartutorials.com : "I had a good try at emulating the SDD3000 pre-amp in my POD HD Bean. I was messing about with Treble Boosts, Compressors and EQ (as well as Amp EQ). I'm not saying it can't be done, but I realised that the SDD3K preamp is not just a boost - it is adding a distinct musical character all of it's own (at least that is what I hear). Noone I know of has been able to describe what the SDD3K is adding. If you could describe it, that would be your first step to emulation. In my mind's eye I see the SDD3K as adding a very specific and complex EQ - certain narrow band frequencies boosted, others notched, and a tiny amount of chorus like modulation, perhaps caused by some kind of interference/phasing from the boosted Frequencies. I'd like to run one through a spectrum analyser to see exactly what it is adding. Another project for later."

So I was wondering if someone here could make the dream come true.

I wrote the request on guitarampmodeling.com but had no answer from developpers (http://www.guitarampmodeling.com/viewto ... 51&t=19285)

Cheers

ZOLAIVE

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roseblood11
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Post by roseblood11 »

The schematic is well-known, the tone filtering is very simple and nothing special at all.
In other words: it's not worth the effort. People who DECIDE to BELIEVE in mojo, will complain that nothing can beat the oiginal unit anyway... In my opinion, this whole SDD-3000 bullshit belongs to the nitwits at thegearpage. I had a clone of the SDD-3000 boost circuit and many other boosters, for example a Boss FA-1, MXR CAE-401, MXR Micro Amp and some others based on JFET's. What they did to my AC-15 was all very similar, the SDD-3000 circuit simple doesn't do anything that other boosters couldn't do. I sold it to a clown who plays in a U2 cover band for an exorbitant price - and he's sooo happy with it, because it MUST be good if it's so expensive. :roll: I use a lot of sounds that are inspired by The Edge and (more) by Daniel Lanois, many of them rely on a little boost directly before the amps input. I chose a high quality version of the FA-1, because with it's tonestack it's really flexible. (I used a OPA2132 and 18V supply with ICL7660S charge pump IC)
btw: it's very easy to copy that tonestack with a plug-in EQ!

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ZOLAIVE
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Post by ZOLAIVE »

Interseting.
I couln't test these SDD hardware emulation, I also don't have an SDD-3000 and I don't have booster stomp pedals. I don't have a real VOX AC30 neither. I only have softwares (VST plugins). I use Revalver The FOX to emulate the VOX AC30 (I also tried with VOX jamVOX emulation of the VOXAC30 TB) and I tried several OD plugs,several EQ plugs (I did EQ matching with izotope ozone) and several Boost plugs but I couldn't get the good crunchy tone.
I don't know why. Should I have a real VOX and a hardware booster ? Is that what makes the difference ?
Actually,my request for an SSD-3000 software emulation, was in order to see if it could do the job...
I'm a bit lost 'cause I can't really experiment real gear (I can't make my own opinion).
But, I guess you right maybe some U2 fans tell themselves the SSD-3000 preamp (or clone) is necessary while it's not.
Cheers

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roseblood11
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Post by roseblood11 »

ZOLAIVE wrote:Should I have a real VOX and a hardware booster ? Is that what makes the difference ?
+1!!!
...and a large room to play it loud.

Rock'n'Roll is all about leaving your bedroom, you can't simulate it at bedroom level...

But an AC-30 is too loud for most people. Think about an AC-15 or, if you only use it for recording or practising, an AC-4

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Mbas974
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Post by Mbas974 »

I'm a big U2-Edge fans too....
I built both SDD clone and FA1 and... ok both of these boost the signal but not in the same way.
FA1 is a great booster (I built the standard 9V, roseblood mod will be interesting too!!) but nothing compared with SDD3000 (+15V -15V).
There is big different in headroom ok so maybe not so much comparable...
but driving my AC30 SDD has more "brillant" tone while FA1 just boost the signal without "it" that make thesound so good.... This is my personal taste on the subject.
byeeeee

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