Quatschmacher

Quoted post:

Dear Friends,

I am happy to announce the most important step in the history of Future Impact, the FI4, with very significant changes in both hardware and software. While the production of FI3 has come to an end with all devices sold out, the new FI4 will be available at end of March. It comes with an optional cable set to connect to 1V/octave CV-Gate synthesizers, to benefit from the simultaneous sounds of the FI4’s virtual analog sounds and real analog synthesizers. We had to stop development of the FI3 software more than two years ago, as the processor had no more memory available for further enhancements. The new hardware and software structure of FI4 will allow the implementation of new synthesis models, effects and many more features, that we are already working on. Here is a preliminary leaflet about the advantages of FI4 at its release.

I would like to thank you all for the support and wholehearted enthusiasm during all the years of the existence of FI, and hope you will be just as enthusiastic in the future with FI4.

In particular, I would like to extend my warmest thanks to Peter Kenney, who provided irreplaceable help to the whole community by writing manuals, testing new features, creating sounds, and helping all of you with his advice.


The Evolution of the Future Impact 

The Future Impact is the subject of one of those heartwarming stories of the internet as a force for good. It began life back in late 2014 when an enthusiastic member of the Talkbass forum tracked down Andras Szalay to ask him if he’d be able to reissue the discontinued Deep Impact, which he had designed for Akai. However, Andras had much more ambitious plans: the Future Impact was conceived of not as a reissue, but as an entirely new and vastly-improved pedal. The project garnered tremendous support from forum members who funded the first batch of 100 pedals in late 2015. From there, the FI’s popularity and reputation grew; ever more people clamoured to own one, including notable players such as Chris Wolstenholme (Muse), Doug Wimbish (Living Colour, The Rolling Stones) and Bootsy Collins. Thanks to the generous input of members of the online bass-playing community, the FI continued to go from strength to strength. 

With each successive update, we gradually added more and more features and refinements. With the v3.60 update of June 2021, we had to admit that we had finally squeezed every last drop of juice out of the pedal: we had completely exhausted the available code space. 

In order to continue developing our ideas further, we have thus had to move to new hardware and implement a new firmware structure. While the FI4 can load patches from all the previous versions of the FI, unfortunately v3 users cannot run the V4 firmware or V4 patches on their device. However, the good news is that our new platform gives us the breathing space to develop well into the future. We already have big plans, so stay tuned! 

New Features for V4 

● CV/Gate output - Simultaneously play a 1V/octave analog synth using the pedal; 
● Detented Parameter dial with extended range - More variations on each sound; 
● Sturdier knobs - The potentiometer shafts are now made from solid metal; 
● Long Release - Audio-triggered sounds now use the full release time of the ADSR; 
● Oscillator sync - VCO2 can sync to VCO1 for more harmonically complex sounds; 
● Improved audio fidelity - Via an ultra-low-noise CoDec and noise-reduction coding; 
● Overwrite programs - On-pedal edits can be saved to patch data before uploading; 
● Superior pitch tracking - Greatly reduced latency and increased sensitivity to input instrument dynamics. Pitch detection can now be set to prioritize speed or accuracy; 
● Octave transposition - Two new MIDI CCs to transpose the pitch by ±2 octaves; 
● 63 new Flexi curves - Create a split point between any two adjacent semitones; 
● Robust firmware update process - Now any MIDI interface can be used; 
● Alternative quick access to Global Menu - Enter/exit menu without power cycling; 
● Better Global Menu layout - Items are repositioned and more meaningfully labelled; 
● Fresh Editor look - An updated color scheme with a clearer and more logical layout; 
● Onscreen Mod Wheel - Send out MIDI CCs or Aftertouch directly from the Editor; 
● midiBeam 4Control integration - MIDI signals from expression pedals and switches are automatically passed to the FI4 when connected to the Editor.

Andras Szalay

Well, here’s the exciting news I can finally talk about:

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/future-impact-now-available-was-deep-impact-reissue-interested.1115025/page-389#post-28252259

I’ll copy the text into a post. Just wondering whether I should start a new dedicated thread. 

56 minutes ago, itu said:

The first one was in line with the graphics.

Do you mean the colour of the knobs better matches the colour of the lettering? If so, I agree, though those knobs are really tall. The height of the newest ones are best, shame I couldn’t find these ones in purple. 

Third knobs option:

What firmware is the FI running? Shown at boot up. 

Great price on that FI. 

Actually, I can share this one:

On 23/02/2024 at 08:19, SumOne said:

Back once again, the funkiest paint job in the pedal kingdom:

 

 

To be quite honest though, it's not quacking as well as I remember - probably due to my dull flatwounds and the rest of my setup. 

 

It has no use in the bands I'm in. So I dunno, might sell it, or I might keep it until I invariably get a new Bass/strings and lust for the purple funkyness again. 

I use flatwounds and mine quacks plenty. 

On 22/02/2024 at 20:51, MrDinsdale said:

EAE OxEAE Fuzz, absolutely monstrous.

 

 

Not something I usually gravitate to as there isn’t so much room in the band for it but it’s a load of fun. 

 

That looks like a landing craft from a 70s sci-fi film!

On 22/02/2024 at 16:12, MM Stingray 62 said:

This is my latest pedal it’s one I’ve been wanting to try for a good while now. I have to say I’m not disappointed in the least with it. I already have the

3 Leaf Audio GR2 I’m not sure if the new one will replace the GR2. I think it will certainly give it a run for it’s money though.

 

Ah so that’s where that went! You beat me to this. I needed to sell some stuff first. How are you finding it?

Sadly I can’t post my latest pedal acquisition as I’m beta testing it and it’s not released yet.

.

Who says FI doesn’t sound like a “proper synth”?

Choices… (got one more set on order):

Jon bought a Mastotron from me, all done very smoothly, quickly and with friendly communication. Many thanks. 

15 hours ago, Quatschmacher said:

One of the white/purple ones is already on its way to me. 

It’s even more handsome in person.

Thanks, @GisserD!

I’m not sure I can resist this much longer!

1 hour ago, itu said:

I have that gold one, but you could have a cover for every season. Go for them!

One of the white/purple ones is already on its way to me. 

10 hours ago, thisisswanbon said:

Oh Wow!  Didn't expect you to answer EVERY question, thought I was pushing my luck!  That's awesome, thanks!

 

I'm half way between having a THIRD shot at an HX stomp, or giving the Zio a go... I know they do VERY different things, but £250 feels a lot for 4 knobs, 2 switches and a DI with no aux in.  That being said, I really like the look of what it DOES do, and I think it'll be more direct sounding than my Laney Digbeth pre.

 

With regards to the new thing... you tease! I have no doubt SA will hit it out of the park again... can you say if it replaces the C4 and Ultrawave, or is it run in tandem alongside them as they do with each other?

It replaces nothing. It’s its own thing. 

11 hours ago, GisserD said:

Production is running hot! 

So much goodness in that picture. There’s about 6-7 of those I’d love. 

On 17/02/2024 at 11:02, SamIAm said:

I'm toying with trying a physical pedalboard after a few years of multi-fx.  One of the things I like to do is split the paths so that low frequencies bypass octave/fuzz/chorus, the higher frequencies go through them.

 

How would one achieve this with a physical board?

 

Sam x

Source Audio Ultrawave could probably do this using the multiband settings and routing via the two outputs. 

1 hour ago, thisisswanbon said:

I'm made of questions!

 

How did you find the 2 band eq, any issue with mids?

 

In what way did it make you sound way better?

 

Is it majorly transparent, or does it sweeten?

 

Was this to your amp or through phones?

 

Oh, and what's the new thing? 😁

The lack of mid control didn’t bother me. The Fliptop also only has bass and treble, as does my Sadowsky pre. For reference I play a P with Labella flats. My other has Chromes on but I haven’t used that through it.

As to how it made the sound better, fattened it up nicely. Puts a bit more bottom into the low-mid-forward P sound.

Transparent vs sweeten? Not sure if I can tell the difference. It obviously changes the sound but my bass still sounds like my bass.

This was coming directly off the preamp into headphones.

Can’t spill the beans about the new thing, I’m afraid, NDA and all that. It is as adventurous as stuff like C4 and Ultrawave. It does some very neat things and nicely addresses some things people have been asking for. I think it’ll go down well. I’ve already made some nice presets today and have thought of a few feature ideas that I’ve fed back. 

On 17/02/2024 at 18:21, uk_lefty said:

The SY-1 is very good, it can actually track your playing. For a synth pedal that doesn't cost an arm and a leg that's not always possible! The EHX Bass mono synth has great sounds but is very limited in that you have to play very slowly and deliberately to get anything out of it, if only they'd upgrade it...

The SY-1 isn’t tracking pitch. The boss “synth” pedals just process and overlay the incoming audio to make it sound a bit like a synth, which is why there are no triggering issues. Contrast with stuff like C4 and Future Impact which do track the incoming pitch and output a digitally-generated oscillator waveform. 

On 18/02/2024 at 21:10, lidl e said:

Doesnt RaingerFX make this?

You beat me to that reply!

Well I got this yesterday evening and it’s really very nice indeed. Not sure it’s going to replace my Fliptop as it’s a bit cleaner sounding than that. Definitely makes my bass sound way better and the grit has a very nice quality to it.

Oh, and the new thing. 🤯 It’s brilliant!