ped Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Villex passive rotary tone booster Review By ped – [[email protected]]Contact ped[/email] [[email protected]]Contact Villex Europe[/email] [url="http://www.villex.com/prtb.html"]Villex website[/url] Villex are a company who came over my radar when I heard their pickups in a Modulus bass some time ago. I didn’t have cause to investigate them further until I met Tigran, the European distributor, at the last bass bash in Northampton organised by Paul, one of our members. It was there that I tried the magic, and prompted me to further investigate what I felt was an extremely good sounding product. Tigran brought with him a Squier Jazz Bass with his Villex pickups and booster system installed, and frankly I was blown away with the sound. After trying an external booster circuit with my own basses I felt I would have to get one to review ASAP! So let me introduce you to the Passive Rotary Tone Booster (or PRTB for short!). The Villex passive rotary booster offers three different boost patterns, boosting frequency bands rather than just one frequency in order to achieve a natural, musical sound. Each boost pattern shifts the resonance frequency, which is determined by combination of pickups inductivity and cable capacitance. The booster is set to shift the resonance frequency towards fundamentals by a factor of 1.35 at each consecutive boost level. This offers some benefits to the bass guitar signal which I will discuss and hopefully demonstrate later in the review. I had the booster installed firstly externally, hanging out of the back of my bass, to see if it was worth installing for good. I hadn’t tried it with the Jazz Bass it was destined for yet, but I was very impressed with the boost it gave my Vigier bass at the ‘bash’ a few months before. A quick play with it revealed the same characteristics I remembered from the last try – it added some real girth to the signal without overloading anything or sounding muddy at all. It was a very musical sound, and the control seemed to be opening the door to release the potential of the electronics in my bass already. The bass is equipped with Bartolini BC dual coil soap bars and a TBMT pre-amp. The booster is usually installed in passive basses, however I wanted to keep the flexibility of the pre-amp and opted to install the booster before the EQ to allow me to use all at once should I need to. After installing the booster in the front of my bass, I recorded some samples which show how it affects the sound in this particular bass. As you will hear, the differences are sometimes quite subtle and sometimes fairly drastic. It is more noticeable through a live rig and using my in-ear monitoring gigging setup than comes across in the recordings, but I was pleasantly surprised at how the signal recorded with the booster engaged in various stages. Turning it off after some time playing takes something away which you instantly want back. Here are the samples I mentioned. The first is with the rear pickup only playing some fingerstyle. As you will hear, the bass line is split into four sections, the first is bypass, and then the next three the stages of boost one by one. [url="http://www.frozencloudmusic.com/~chrishiscocks/Villex%20RTPB/villex%20rear%20pup.mp3"]Rear pickup, fingerstyle[/url] As you can hear from this sample, the booster really adds some guts to the sound. The bass is still tight and the top end natural, but the sound is wider and more powerful. The volume increases slightly with each boost but I didn’t adjust the levels so you could hear exactly the difference it made to the clean signal. I use the rear pickup sound quite a lot and the booster makes it a much more useable sound – where I was boosting the bass and doing some EQ after recording before, the booster on board adds what is needed to fatten up the sound and, for want of a better term, make it more musical. The next sample demonstrates a similar riff but using both pickups and the EQ flat. In this sample you can notice again the signal fattening up and gaining that extra something, although I would say it is less apparent than before. [url="http://www.frozencloudmusic.com/~chrishiscocks/Villex%20RTPB/villex%20both%20pups%20finger.mp3"]Both pickups, fingerstyle[/url] This makes recording the classic Jazz Bass growl very simple. My bass is a little mid shy, which I like about it for playing through my amplifier which is mid heavy (an old trace v4) but for recording I wasn’t quite satisfied with adding some mid EQ boost to the signal. This booster however seems to get me there not by adding a dollop of mids but by squeezing every last drop from my pickups and lifting the signal no end. The final sample shows the affect it has on slap playing. Again, there are four parts, and you can hear the different sound in each position. This one comes across very subtly here, but I am looking forward to using the booster in a live situation to boost a slap part and help me cut through the mix or equally to bring out the ‘honk’ for funky fingerstyle tracks. Through my in ear setup at home I use the booster up one notch where it sounds very natural and great at low levels. [url="http://www.frozencloudmusic.com/~chrishiscocks/Villex%20RTPB/villex%20both%20pups%20slap.mp3"]Both pickups, slap style[/url] I am very impressed with the booster, and I am happy that now my beloved jazz can fit every situation it needs – the booster adds lots of versatility to the instrument and makes it even more of a pleasure to use in the studio. I should also add that the booster is silent – there is no added noise at all, adding to its usefulness in a recording environment. ped [i]If you are interested in any of the products Villex has to offer, get in touch via the email address. They are very nice people to deal with and can make pickups to fit any bass, and the booster itself is a doddle to install.[/i] Here is a final sketch using this bass in four ways to demonstrate the booster. [url="http://www.frozencloudmusic.com/~chrishiscocks/Bad%20Back.mp3"]Jazz bass jam[/url] The booster is supplied without a control knob so you can add your own. You can see it here as a small black knob near the output of the bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgie Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Great review! The bass sounds fantastic, I didn't think it needed improvement, but once again I've been proved wrong! Definitely a very interesting product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ngombe Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Thanks for that great review Ped. I've been interested in these guys since I tried a bass with their pickups in - couldn't believe they were passive. I'm thinking of trying out their P bass pickups - not sure if I need the tone booster as well. I'll email them and ask. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 OK OK OK enough with the Villex thang. What's that funky mute thing you've got going on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted July 4, 2007 Author Share Posted July 4, 2007 Hi Owen, I have just mentioned it in this thread [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2533&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2533&hl=[/url] It is a great piece of kit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdavid Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Where can I get one and will it work with any passive pick ups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villex_Europe Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 [quote name='markdavid' post='27389' date='Jul 5 2007, 12:35 PM']Where can I get one and will it work with any passive pick ups?[/quote] Hi markdavid, You can get the booster directly from me, just email me at [email protected]. Yes, it will work with any passive pickups. Tigran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIM Basses Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 Hi Guys, Im going to be fitting a set of Villex J pickups and boost to my first RIM Jazz bass, so looking forward to hearing the bass. Sorry I haven't got back to you yet Tigran. Cheers, Robbie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toasted Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Ped, did your Bacchus come with Barts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 Aye Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toasted Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullrangebass Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 I feel that Villex pickups are really great pickups, if one desires a great full balanced tone (to start with). Even though i've coupled the Pickups with a preamp, I never reach to activate it. And the Villex Booster is something that I really love. I have reviewed it few months back in another forum, and I have nothing but good words to say about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullrangebass Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 It's no secret that I like Villex pickups and PRTB. Here is another project that materialized early this week. I have a Dingwall Zebra (Ash body, maple neck, pau ferro f/ that is loaded with two FD-3's, a 4 position rotary switch and a concentric 2-band Bart preamp. The Bass boost was making the sound muddy while the cut removed a lot of meat from the sound. The treble was voiced quite high making the boost/cut working like a presence knob (no use at all). So what did I do? I replaced the concentric Bart with the Villex Passive Rotary Tone Booster. The bass on the bypass mode is the very same bass that has always been. Thunderous and upfront with great highs. In position 1 the bass loses some highs but gets a very musical boost on the low-mids and mids making it more vintage and thicker sounding. In positions 2 and 3 the boosting of the low-mids and mids gets more pronounced while the treble gets attenuated. The bass never lost definition or sounds plastic or artificial. I am really amazed and happy!!! Fully reversible mod and fully PASSIVE too!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted October 12, 2007 Author Share Posted October 12, 2007 Excellent!! Got any recordings for comparison? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullrangebass Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 I will record over the weekend and I will post. I'm really finding the Villex PRTB more useful than the tone itself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullrangebass Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 My soundcard refuses to cooperate and goes back to the manufacturer (under warranty). Be patient for couple of weeks for the samples Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapp Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Hi Ped, just read your excellent review but for some reason the links to the sound samples aren't working. Any ideas mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 Hi Zapp, Sorry I didn't see your reply earlier. The place where they were hosted asked me to kindly bugger off so I will upload them elsewhere and get back to you! I will do it now in fact. EDIT: I don't have them on this computer so I will get them tomorrow hopefully ;0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 I found the last sample where I made a little jam using the booster in various positions, plus pickup pan and so on. You can check it out here: [url="http://media.putfile.com/Bacchus-02STRONG-EXT36-Jazz-Bass-sample"]http://media.putfile.com/Bacchus-02STRONG-...azz-Bass-sample[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapp Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Blimey Ped is that passive only?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 Hi mate, There is a bit in the review that says the bass is equipped with Bartolini BC dual coil soap bars and a TBMT pre-amp. The booster is usually installed in passive basses, however I wanted to keep the flexibility of the pre-amp and opted to install the booster before the EQ to allow me to use all at once should I need to. The recording was with the EQ flat on the bass and just pickup pan and the booster adjusted. Hopefully I can find the clips which demonstrate the positions of the booster... Cheers ped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapp Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Thx Buddy. I'm interested to hear a passive clip because I'm tempted to fit the Booster in my newly aquired CAR 75RI Jazz that I've just fitted a Badass II into today, (Yum)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 Tasty. You can always solder it up and try it before mounting it to the bass. If you don't like it you can probably send it back or sell it. Worth a try definitely. I would think the differences it makes would vary a lot depending on what sort of instrument you install it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapp Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Sounds like a plan . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesemt Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 [quote name='zapp' post='161092' date='Mar 20 2008, 09:55 PM']Sounds like a plan .[/quote] Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but does anyone have any experience of using one of these with a Precision? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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