NPD: Trace Elliot Transit B

wvbass

wvbass

Mar 1, 2004
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11,290
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West Virginia
#1
I was impressed with this thing when I played it at the Peavey booth at Summer NAMM, so I picked one up when it became available. I've only been able to work with it in my living room through my SWR Baby Blue so far, but here are my quick impressions:
  • The tuner works. Not sure what else to say about a tuner.
  • The dual band compressor adds some punch, but I'm going to need more time to really form an opinion here. The hi-band can squash your top end out of existence if you crank it up.
  • The EQ section is good and boosting doesn't seem to add much noise. The boost seem gradual until you get to the last 20% of the knobs rotation, and I wish the knobs had detente positions for 0.
  • I like the drive section. The blend is an essential tool, IMO. The distorted signal could use a separate level control; the clean signal is the same level as when the drive is off, but when you engage the drive, as you blend towards the drive sound, the volume increases a little. Not a serious problem.
  • Pre-Shape. I haven't pushed this button. I assume this is the Peavey version of SWR's suck knob (Aural Enhancer) in stomp-switch form. I don't have much use for that.

Overall, I am optimistic that this is what I was hoping it would be: a good sounding, small preamp that can replace my amp when I need to have a small footprint on stage. It feels solidly built and it sounds good. I just wish bass amp/effect manufacturers didn't feel the need to make their gear light up like a Christmas tree.

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#2
wvbass said:
I was impressed with this thing when I played it at the Peavey booth at Summer NAMM, so I picked one up when it became available. I've only been able to work with it in my living room through my SWR Baby Blue so far, but here are my quick impressions:
  • The tuner works. Not sure what else to say about a tuner.
  • The dual band compressor adds some punch, but I'm going to need more time to really form an opinion here. The hi-band can squash your top end out of existence if you crank it up.
  • The EQ section is good and boosting doesn't seem to add much noise. The boost seem gradual until you get to the last 20% of the knobs rotation, and I wish the knobs had detente positions for 0.
  • I like the drive section. The blend is an essential tool, IMO. The distorted signal could use a separate level control; the clean signal is the same level as when the drive is off, but when you engage the drive, as you blend towards the drive sound, the volume increases a little. Not a serious problem.
  • Pre-Shape. I haven't pushed this button. I assume this is the Peavey version of SWR's suck knob (Aural Enhancer) in stomp-switch form. I don't have much use for that.

Overall, I am optimistic that this is what I was hoping it would be: a good sounding, small preamp that can replace my amp when I need to have a small footprint on stage. It feels solidly built and it sounds good. I just wish bass amp/effect manufacturers didn't feel the need to make their gear light up like a Christmas tree.

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Very cool! I've been waiting to hear about this! I would love to hear a demo if you get a chance?
Thank you,
Brent
 
#6
Received my Transit B last week and I agree with @wvbass had to say.

However, like @Driven Crane said I'm a big fan of the Pre-Shape. The PS is always engaged on my pedal and I use the EQ section as a compliment. For example, for genres that need more of a mid forward presence like rock or funk. I combine the PS, the EQ along with the Drive to get the sound I desire. The PS section is more mid scooped which is great for a pop genre or slap style songs. Mind you I'm in a wedding/cover band and have to cover a variety of music.

I've been using the Tech21 BFR for over a year now and my bandmates along with some wedding guests came up to me complimenting how great my bass sounded.

The compressor works just like the OP said. The one "feature" I haven't tried yet is the Bass Enhancer button. As per the demo video I saw, its supposed to simulate/"trick your brain" that the bottom is there when it's not. Since I play with in ears, I like feeling the ground and/or air move when I'm playing.

Hope this review helps anybody and congrats @wvbass on your new pedal!

Cheers,
Eddie
 
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#7
LowEndGroover said:
However, like @Driven Crane said I'm a big fan of the Pre-Shape. The PS is always engaged on my pedal and I use the EQ section as a compliment. For example, for genres that need more of a mid forward presence like rock or funk. I combine the PS, the EQ along with the Drive to get the sound I desire. The PS section is more mid scooped which is great for a pop genre or slap style songs. Mind you I'm in a wedding/cover band and have to cover a variety of music.
Click to expand...

Alright, alright already! :laugh: I'll push the stinkin' button. Maybe I'll even like it. I am taking my Transit B to a rehearsal tomorrow. I'll have a much better idea of what I think about it after that.

Wedding band. Sounds fun! I generally have to play with a variety of bands to get to cover a variety of music.
 
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#8
LowEndGroover said:
Received my Transit B last week and I agree with @wvbass had to say.

However, like @Driven Crane said I'm a big fan of the Pre-Shape. The PS is always engaged on my pedal and I use the EQ section as a compliment. For example, for genres that need more of a mid forward presence like rock or funk. I combine the PS, the EQ along with the Drive to get the sound I desire. The PS section is more mid scooped which is great for a pop genre or slap style songs. Mind you I'm in a wedding/cover band and have to cover a variety of music.

I've been using the Tech21 BFR for over a year now and my bandmates along with some wedding guests came up to me complimenting how great my bass sounded.

The compressor works just like the OP said. The one "feature" I haven't tried yet is the Bass Enhancer button. As per the demo video I saw, its supposed to simulate/"trick your brain" that the bottom is there when it's not. Since I play with in ears, I like feeling the ground and/or air move when I'm playing.

Hope this review helps anybody and congrats @wvbass on your new pedal!

Cheers,
Eddie
Click to expand...
I use Pre-Shape in my TE 715 combo as always on. I will buy this pre as it is my ''signature'' tone for many years. This magic curve (Pre-Shape) does everything smooth and super clear!
 
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#10
No sound clips yet, but my practice got canceled so I've been playing with my Transit B through my live rig. FWIW, my live rig is a TC Electronic RH750 into a SWR Henry 8x8. I'm running the Trace into the "power amp in" on the TC, but the TC has that controversial "active power management," so you can decide how that factors in.

This thing is like a bass amp. It isn't really a "bunch of tones in a box," but it sounds really, really good. I ought to be able to dial in a good tone and use this thing as an amp replacement when I want to.

The EQ blankets the whole audible spectrum such that it controls a lot of your gain. I also find that, but the time the compressor lights indicate that it is engage, I've got it turned up to the point of squashing my signal. The compressor is definitely useful, but it starts affecting the signal well before the lights indicate it is active.The drive is probably going to be very useful. It only has gain and blend controls, and it isn't the most beautiful sounding overdrive I've ever heard, but it can give the super-aggressive rock tone that I am looking for.

Pre-Shape. I'm glad some of you find it useful. For me, at this point, it is every bit the mid-suck button I suspected it would be. I'm not writing it off just yet, but I'm pretty close.

Lastly, I have done some A-B'ing between the Transit and my Series 6 GP12 preamp. The Transit is definitely in the Trace Elliot family. I didn't really try to get the Transit to copy the tone of my GP12, but they are definitely very similar.
 
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#11
I received my Transit B last week and have been working on dialing it in. I'll be using it direct at church (no amp) with in ears. Tomorrow will be it's debut...

So far, I really like the Pre Shape but I do use the EQ section to adjust a little bit. I am using the Drive section as always on with just the smallest bit of grit. Beyond the tiniest amount of grit, I don't have any real use for it.

The section I am struggling with the most is the Compressor. I thought at first I had it figured out but the more I play with it, the more confused I am and the less I've liked it. Now I'll be the first to admit that I don't have a ton of compressor experience but right now it just seems to suck the life and tone out of the signal. Even with the knobs fully counter clockwise there is a significant volume drop and the tone gets much thinner. If I turn it up until the lights blink, per the manual, the signal is really squashed, especially the top end.

I guess maybe I just don't understand the compressor but right now I've got it shut off as it just kills the tone to me. I sent Trace an email describing the volume drop and thin sound to see if they had any ideas or suggestions but they did not reply....

Can any of you offer any insight on the Compressor?
 
#13
jmbjandfam said:
I received my Transit B last week and have been working on dialing it in. I'll be using it direct at church (no amp) with in ears. Tomorrow will be it's debut...

So far, I really like the Pre Shape but I do use the EQ section to adjust a little bit. I am using the Drive section as always on with just the smallest bit of grit. Beyond the tiniest amount of grit, I don't have any real use for it.

The section I am struggling with the most is the Compressor. I thought at first I had it figured out but the more I play with it, the more confused I am and the less I've liked it. Now I'll be the first to admit that I don't have a ton of compressor experience but right now it just seems to suck the life and tone out of the signal. Even with the knobs fully counter clockwise there is a significant volume drop and the tone gets much thinner. If I turn it up until the lights blink, per the manual, the signal is really squashed, especially the top end.

I guess maybe I just don't understand the compressor but right now I've got it shut off as it just kills the tone to me. I sent Trace an email describing the volume drop and thin sound to see if they had any ideas or suggestions but they did not reply....

Can any of you offer any insight on the Compressor?
Click to expand...
I don't see a volume drop with the compressor at minimum, but I agree that any compressor has the ability to "suck the life out of the signal." With this compressor, it seems that if you turn it up so that the lights blink as indicated in the manual, it is really squashed and high-end killing, as you described. I find the compressor to be useful, but at lower settings.

With all the knobs on this thing, I think it is still missing a couple. An output level for the compressor (so you can work with the upper range of compression and still switch it on/off, and a volume for the drive side of the overdrive would be nice. This pedal leans more towards "one great tone" than a multieffect where you have a bunch of different tones.
 
#14
Thanks for the review. I've had a pedal on order for months, and am looking forward to finally getting it. Regarding the compression, this comment from another thread may help.


jmbjandfam said:
When I first tried the compression, I wasn't very pleased but I decided to read the manual (novel idea). The key here was that I wasn't running the input hot enough. Followed the manual and turned the input up until it starting blinking red and then backed it off just a touch. After this, I went back and tried the compression and bang, it works great and sounds excellent. I've got the low and high bands set at very different levels which is nice to be able to do. Turns out gain structure is very important.
Click to expand...
 
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#16
DownWithTheDown said:
Thanks for the review. I've had a pedal on order for months, and am looking forward to finally getting it. Regarding the compression, this comment from another thread may help.
Click to expand...

I am still struggling with the compression on the Transit B. I thought I had it figured out but when I engage it, I get a distinct volume drop and the sound goes thin and almost hollow... It could be that I just don't know how to use it properly but right now I'm fairly discouraged with it. The overall tone of the pedal is great though... I just wish I could figure out the compression and to some degree the drive section....
 
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#17
#18
Question for those that have a Transit B: the manual is silent as to whether or not the instrument and line outs (1/4 inch outs) are pre or post effects and/or output level (or if it's mentioned, as it is with the two DI outs, I'm missing it...). I was presuming they would be post effects (for running to a head, etc.), but wanted to make sure by confirming with TE tech support. Here's their response:

"Touched base with my engineer who designed it and all 1/4" outputs are Pre EFFECTS. Thanx."

Can someone with one of these confirm this is the case (not sure what the point of this box is if it's only the DIPost out that sends the effects, and that output doesn't use the output level)?

Thanks!
 
#19
schadowrider said:
Question for those that have a Transit B: the manual is silent as to whether or not the instrument and line outs (1/4 inch outs) are pre or post effects and/or output level (or if it's mentioned, as it is with the two DI outs, I'm missing it...). I was presuming they would be post effects (for running to a head, etc.), but wanted to make sure by confirming with TE tech support. Here's their response:

"Touched base with my engineer who designed it and all 1/4" outputs are Pre EFFECTS. Thanx."

Can someone with one of these confirm this is the case (not sure what the point of this box is if it's only the DIPost out that sends the effects, and that output doesn't use the output level)?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I can confirm that both the instrument out and the line out are both POST EFFECTS. They are also both controlled by the output level control knob.
 
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