Finished my Matchless HotBox Build (Finally)

[RadioComm]

Hello Everyone,

Started this project about two years ago. Been casually working on it off and on, but it's finally finished

It's a nice box. The clean channel has no access to the tone stack. Only the dirty channel does. During the build, I made many corrections to my original layout.

I've tested this box as a pre-amp for direct recording. For the attached sound sample, it's just me doodling on the guitar going though the 2 channels, and fine tuning the dirty one. As seen in the picture, P-90s guitar (neck for clean & bridge for dirty) --> echo/reverb (used reverb only) --> HotBox --> cab sim (in bypass mode, used for ground lift only) --> audio interface.

Below are the attachments.

Take care everyone.

[RadioComm]

Continued playing this box as a pre-amp direct into an audio interface... Not too convincing... Not bad... But... At this point I really think Matchless designed this box as a pedal, not a pre-amp. If I get time, I'll plug this unit in front of an amp this week-end. I'll use the clean channel as a boost, and the dirty one as distortion. I'll let everyone know. More to come...

[xtian]

Continued playing this box as a pre-amp direct into an audio interface... Not too convincing... Not bad... But... At this point I really think Matchless designed this box as a pedal, not a pre-amp. If I get time, I'll plug this unit in front of an amp this week-end. I'll use the clean channel as a boost, and the dirty one as distortion. I'll let everyone know. More to come...

If you're using it as a preamp or distortion box, obv. you need a cabinet/speaker/mic emulator or IR to make it sound like we expect.

[RadioComm]

Continued playing this box as a pre-amp direct into an audio interface... Not too convincing... Not bad... But... At this point I really think Matchless designed this box as a pedal, not a pre-amp. If I get time, I'll plug this unit in front of an amp this week-end. I'll use the clean channel as a boost, and the dirty one as distortion. I'll let everyone know. More to come...

If you're using it as a preamp or distortion box, obv. you need a cabinet/speaker/mic emulator or IR to make it sound like we expect.

Hi Xtian. Thanks for the reply.

Actually, as I stated in my original post, I had placed a cab sim in the signal path. The reason why I bypassed the cab sim (using only the ground lift) was because after trying different mic placement and speaker type/config settings, it still sounded better in bypass. Probably what I needed was a power amp simulator. Something reactive needs to be put in front of this unit, whether a pre-amp or a power amp (real or emulated). The reasons why I'm saying this and why I think this unit is intended as a pedal:
* The clean channel has no tone stack as seen in the attached schematic
* The clean channel volume is clean from 0 to 10. Seems to me a good way to boost a signal from the front end
* The dirty channel is mid to max level of distortion. Can't seem to find a setting where my fingering and attack triggers a slight amount of distortion. The HotBox feels more like a distortion pedal imho.

I haven't gotten around testing the HotBox as a pedal, but as soon as I do, I'll provide impressions and sound clips.

lol. Even if I end up shelving the HotBox, there will be absolutely no regrets. I built it for the fun of it, not because I needed it. It was fun to build.

ttfn

[RadioComm]

Hello,

I decided to retire my old cab sim, and bought myself a cabclone IR. So as discussed plugged the hotbox in front of an amp. Signal chain is now LP -> hotbox -> subway blues -> cabclone ir -> audio interface to try out the hotbox as a pedal.

Big difference. Indeed the clean volume acts a as boost. Gives a player a lot of control via the guitar's volume. I really liked it a lot. Still trying to figure out the dirty channel though... Trying to get something I like... I've attached a brief sound clip of the clean channel.

Take care everyone.