llllllllllllllllllll wrote: Sun Jun 22, 2025 2:49 pm Thinking of maybe selling my AEA KU5A in exchange for a Coles. I’ve already got other ribbons I like on amps and would like something that works on almost every source with some eq.

I know that particular AEA mic is kind of rare, but what are the drawbacks to the Coles? They seem like they work on everything with a little precaution.

KU5A and 4038 are different beasts. I definitely don't use a 4038 for everything, but I wouldn't use a KU5A for everything either (much as I'd like to own one). The 4038 is a natural at overhead recording in the broadest sense. So drum set obviously but also anything you want to capture naturally in a broader sense from a few feet away, violin, tambourine, maracas, etc. It can be amazing on a guitar amp but it's fussier than most everything you usually grab and shove into the grill. It tends to work more at a greater distance on a lower wattage amp which rules out a lot of rigs, and as a figure 8 at a distance it rules out when you're keeping things tight with multiple loud sound sources in one room.

The 4038 can also work well on some vocals but it is usually beat out by something zingier in a condenser when trying out mics on someone.

The last drawback of the Coles is once you hear it on a drum kit you have to start saving $ for a second one.

Obviously a "me" problem, but "Wetter Box" makes me think of baseball's "wet guys" (or a porno sequel?):

https://deadspin.com/every-baseball-tea ... 837481219/

Can't believe there's only one blog at Roth's new place of business tagged "the inevitable wet guy":

https://defector.com/it-is-not-going-to-make-sense

I was using a 2-amp setup for a minute, and I guess I could still use the second output of my EHX Stereo Pulsar, but it felt like too much dragging shit around and plugging it in for the payoff.

W.L.Weller wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 12:46 pm but it felt like too much dragging shit around and plugging it in for the payoff.

Can't believe that is not where my mind went concerning the name....I must be finally maturing.
Otherwise, exactly....this pedal seems like a semi-legit 2-amp setup in a box, which makes it sound intriguing....because I would never actually make the effort to do it for real. Just the simple beauty of being able to "mix" dirt (and Reverb + Delay) rather than stack it, seems profound yet obvious. Again, I might be way overselling this thing, have not touched it. Also probably people just use amp-models instead and solve the same problem, but call me old fashioned.

The wetter box looks cool, but for nearly $300, surely there's another, less ridiculous solution?

cakes wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 2:12 pm The wetter box looks cool, but for nearly $300, surely there's another, less ridiculous solution?

Boss LS-2? Except I got 30 seconds into the video and when he started playing that Pedal Demo Reverb guitar sound I checked out.

Guys I think Youtube is the enemy. So much of that stuff is trash and just functions as commercials for gear no one is asking for. I know I am the asshole, people want to scroll around and look at gear when they’re at work and can’t play, I do that, but so much of that stuff is so bad I can’t handle it. Like I could be watching a Crazy Horse live set from the 80s but I’m watching some nerd talk about how this plugin he got paid to put his face on sounds just like an original minimoog. Ok man go with god!

llllllllllllllllllll wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 4:02 pm

cakes wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 2:12 pm The wetter box looks cool, but for nearly $300, surely there's another, less ridiculous solution?

Boss LS-2? Except I got 30 seconds into the video and when he started playing that Pedal Demo Reverb guitar sound I checked out.

That was exactly what I had in my mind, only because I've used them for this purpose before. Checked the price, you could get one for roughly a third of the price.

Shit, for the same price of the wetter, you could probably get an FX pedal that routes the way you want it to. Ah, analog nerds and their crazy ideas and holes in their wallets.

zorg wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 10:24 am Anybody tried this thing? It's an incredibly simple concept, but opens up a lot of new sounds with your existing pedals. When I see somebody wanting to do something similar they just go to a dual amp set-up. I'm a little surprised I've not seen something like this before unless I'm totally out of touch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwT-Z5gjHA&t=623s

There are a few similar units out there, and I've seen people rig up various splitters and mixers to perform the same function. Gigrig stuff seems kinda expensive for what they do, though they seem to be made from premium components so I'm sure it's somewhat justified.

cakes wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 2:12 pm The wetter box looks cool, but for nearly $300, surely there's another, less ridiculous solution?

Here's the cheapest one

https://www.sonicake.com/products/porta ... 1784470709

It's a sort of clone of this

https://oldbloodnoise.com/pedals/p/signal-blender
which is discontinued but they're putting out a stereo version.

There's also this:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... llel-mixer

Wounded Paw has been making a bunch of parallel blender pedals for a while as well.

mdc wrote: Fri Jul 04, 2025 6:21 am Wounded Paw has been making a bunch of parallel blender pedals for a while as well.

Do you know Preston? He/Murder Squad was intimidating - then I ended up at his place once as like an 18 year old punk kid, and he was so nice and inspiring as a ‘you can build things to make your disgusting music different”

losthighway wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 11:50 am

llllllllllllllllllll wrote: Sun Jun 22, 2025 2:49 pm Thinking of maybe selling my AEA KU5A in exchange for a Coles.

KU5A and 4038 are different beasts. I definitely don't use a 4038 for everything, but I wouldn't use a KU5A for everything either (much as I'd like to own one). The 4038 is a natural at overhead recording in the broadest sense. So drum set obviously but also anything you want to capture naturally in a broader sense from a few feet away, violin, tambourine, maracas, etc. It can be amazing on a guitar amp but it's fussier than most everything you usually grab and shove into the grill. It tends to work more at a greater distance on a lower wattage amp which rules out a lot of rigs, and as a figure 8 at a distance it rules out when you're keeping things tight with multiple loud sound sources in one room.

The 4038 can also work well on some vocals but it is usually beat out by something zingier in a condenser when trying out mics on someone.

The last drawback of the Coles is once you hear it on a drum kit you have to start saving $ for a second one.

Thank you! That’s about what I expected then - the KU5A (tho mighty) is basically an amplifier mic (over simp. but it is), where the Coles is more finicky to placement but maybe sounds classically better on a wider array of sources. I feel a little better about selling the KU5A now.

I’m setting up a xlr to Cat 5 breakout box and mobile setup so I can take advantage of having more space to record in. Except I’m finding myself with a couple expensive super tight ribbons that would be great if I were recording a rock band in one room but suffer on acoustic sources a little bit, which is more my bag. So maybe it is time for a Coles. Plus, can’t deny that it always gets used on records whose sounds I really liked.

If I sell both the N22 and KU5A I’m close enough to one Coles that maybe I can go for a 2nd once I’ve finished my big sell off for the Spectra upgrade. But that same money would go a long way with Beesneez, too.

Anyways can yall believe Glynn Johns recorded the Eagles?!