Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
I've been using a Red Eye Twin happily for years on numerous gigs. I play mandolin and guitar. On my Pedaltrain Nano I also have the TC Body Rez pedal (verdict still out) and a Earthquake Device Dispatch Master (reverb/delay) powered by a Cioks DC5.
For mandolin I turn the treble on the Red Eye all the way down and get a very good sound from my K&K. For guitar I turn treble all the way up and get a decent sound from the K&K in my guitar but sometime not enough treble.
I'm intrigued by the two band EQ on the Bix. Anybody have experience with both units and care to share their opinions?
Thanks
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Same with my K&K equipped guitars and mandolin when using the RedEye: treble down on mando, treble up on guitar. When using the Grace Felix I leave the treble nearly flat on both instruments. But unfortunately do I have no experience with the Bix, but I would suggest that it performs like the Felix in this particular subject.
Dunno if that helps a bit.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Interesting, I have no experience with the Grace, but on the RedEye I have the treble all the way up for guitar, all the way up for one mandolin, and half or better for the other mandolin. It sounds terribly dull with it down and mine aren't bright with the treble up half or better.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pops1
Interesting, I have no experience with the Grace, but on the RedEye I have the treble all the way up for guitar, all the way up for one mandolin, and half or better for the other mandolin. It sounds terribly dull with it down and mine aren't bright with the treble up half or better.
What kind of pick-up in your mandolin? My K&K sound very good through the Red Eye with the treble all the way off.....the tone bars in my Kimble were in such a way that the placement of the K&K transducers was not typical.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Perry
What kind of pick-up in your mandolin? My K&K sound very good through the Red Eye with the treble all the way off.....the tone bars in my Kimble were in such a way that the placement of the K&K transducers was not typical.
I am using a K&K also. Installation is slightly different, I glued two pieces of tape in between the pickup and top. Everything is glued, but the tape warms it up some. Taking the treble down ruins the G string, and leaving it up doesn't make the E bright. Sounds very much like my mandolin sounds.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Did some more A/B-ing of BiX vs. Red Eye. Very close and I need to do a live gig to truly judge but so far my observations:
They are very close in quality though BiX is slightly less noisy. Sound appears a little more clear and hi-fi in a good way on the BiX as well. Boost channel on both appear equally transparent. Having two EQ knobs instead of one is handy when you play guitar and mandolin. Mute function is dead quiet on BiX. Since I am using a small pedal board with power I like the fact that the BiX is running on 9V constant power and I don't have to worry about battery life in Red Eye.
I have not messed with the BiX dip switches which allow you to change the parameters of the bass and treble EQ knobs (also a ground lift).
As I mentioned in my OP I was happy with my mando sound in Red Eye but couldn't quite get enough treble on my K&K equipped guitar. This problem may be solved with the BiX.
Plus Billy Strings has one:mandosmiley:
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Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
FWIW, one of the things I like about my Red Eye is that it runs on phantom power. No need for 9 volts from an adapter or a battery.
That mute switch on the Bix is appealing.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BrianWilliam
FWIW, one of the things I like about my Red Eye is that it runs on phantom power. No need for 9 volts from an adapter or a battery.
That mute switch on the Bix is appealing.
I wired in a mute switch on my RedEye, love it. Daren from RedEye will make the boost switch a mute if you want. I wanted to keep the boost so I wired in my own mute.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pops1
I wired in a mute switch on my RedEye, love it. Daren from RedEye will make the boost switch a mute if you want. I wanted to keep the boost so I wired in my own mute.
Cool. I need the boost. Where did you place the mute switch?
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BrianWilliam
Cool. I need the boost. Where did you place the mute switch?
I have my pedal tuner on the RedEye effects loop, it serves as a mute [as it mutes while tuning]. I have found that effects loop really useful some gigs.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BrianWilliam
Cool. I need the boost. Where did you place the mute switch?
I put a micro toggle above the battery so it is on the top of the preamp right over the RedEye name. You could use the effects loop so you don't have to open it up, drill a hole and solder in wires, but it would mean carrying another pedal. It could be a simple stomp switch.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
I have a Red Eye Twin so would just switch to the unused channel and that would act as a mute since I onLy used one side.
I used the BiX at a gig and was very happy. My Red Eye Twin going up for sale. I am still keeping a Red Eye single in my arsenal.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
A little update. I like the sound of my mandolin better through the Red Eye then the BiX so I just ordered another Red-Eye Twin. I have a different guitar so am curious how it will sound through the Red-Eye now. The guitar has Brazilian rosewood back and sides which contributes to a very clear treble on the guitar.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
So what did you end up doing with your preop situation? Bix or twin? I’m currently looking at the same two for my d18 with my kk mini. I really want to have a mute switch. Never thought of using the other channel on the twin for a mute. I currently have a single red eye. But the Grace designs looks cool too. Let me know. Thanks.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
I’m interested to hear this, too. Also, anyone have comparison experience with a ToneDexter against the Red Eye or Bix/Felix?
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
NFI with this post. I paid full price for all of these items and have zero endorsements with them.
Hey all! I used a Red Eye for years, it sounds great! However, after playing a gig with a friend who had the Bix I plugged in after our gig a played for 15 minutes, I ordered one the next day. I felt the Bix gave it a stronger presence. It was also nice to be able to control your output level as well as boost. Also I almost always kept the low and high controls at 12. So I bought the Bix. I did sell the Red Eye but I did like it. I just had no use for it anymore. (If you have a K and K you will need an impedance adapter because the signal is hot )
But…..I did get a Tonedexter one week ago…. I’ve mapped 5 mics so far and have 12 hours of gigs with it under my belt. It sounds great too. When you A/B the difference between the pickup alone and then blended, the difference is pretty remarkable. I haven’t sold my Bix yet though. I want to spend sometime with them both on a day off.
BTW the pickup was a KandK twin. I’ve had one in my Gibson for 7 years and just put one in my new (to me) Duff, I absolutely love KandK.
PS The customer service for all three of these items had been top notch!
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Hey All
Sorry for not following up here. First off Daniel love your podcast.
I ended up selling the Bix. I just liked the way my mandolin (equipped with a K&K) sounds thorough the Red Eye. I also have a K&K equipped guitar and that sound great too.
True the Bix had more EQ shaping possibilities but I have come to love simplicity and the one tone knob on the Red-Eye does it for me.
The BIX doe require that little adapter plug for the K&K.
I feel the Red-Eye has more headroom then the Bix. I had a few moments where I heard a weird "artifact" coming the Bix almost like a clipping. Never with the Red-Eye.
I was pleasantly surprised that the current Red-Eye now has the ability to be powered from a power supply as well as a 9volt. There is also now a switch for mic/line level on input 1.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Thanks, Daniel and Perry! (Also a fan of the podcast, Daniel).
@Daniel, would you say the ToneDexter would still be worth it even if I just have a couple of mics? I have an Ear Trumpet Labs Josephine and a Shure SM7b (not really for instruments). Just curious if the IR piece is really the main point and if it'd be wasted if I have no arsenal of mics.
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Good to know Red Eye added the ability for a power supply!
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Quote:
Originally Posted by
withfoam
Thanks, Daniel and Perry! (Also a fan of the podcast, Daniel).
@Daniel, would you say the ToneDexter would still be worth it even if I just have a couple of mics? I have an Ear Trumpet Labs Josephine and a Shure SM7b (not really for instruments). Just curious if the IR piece is really the main point and if it'd be wasted if I have no arsenal of mics.
You could definitely try it out with just one mic. Especially with the Ear Trumpet. You can put it in different positions for each map.
Also, I’d recommend ordering from a music website with a 30 day money back guarantee to ensure you aren’t stuck with it if you don’t like it!
Re: Grace Design BiX vs. Red Eye
Quote:
Originally Posted by
danielpatrick
You could definitely try it out with just one mic. Especially with the Ear Trumpet. You can put it in different positions for each map.
Also, I’d recommend ordering from a music website with a 30 day money back guarantee to ensure you aren’t stuck with it if you don’t like it!
Great. Thanks for the additional insight!
