Origin Effects DCX Bass

The Origin Effects DCX Bass is a tone shaper and drive pedal for bass guitar that recreates the circuit of the Universal Audio 610 recording preamp in pedal form. The UA 610 was a console preamp designed by Bill Putnam in the late 1950s and used in its original form to record a long list of American musicians, and Origin Effects reimagines it here as a bassboard-friendly preamp pedal with a wide range of clean and overdrive tones¹².

Because it is a preamp rather than a bass-specific overdrive circuit, the DCX Bass covers a lot of ground: Origin Effects says its gain range runs from clean boosts and direct-to-console sounds, through edge-of-breakup and low gain drives, all the way to almost fuzz-like tones¹. It is designed and built in England¹.

A pedal version of the Universal Audio 610

The DCX Bass is not based on an existing bass-specific overdrive circuit. Instead, it takes the Universal Audio 610 studio preamp, designed by Bill Putnam in the late 1950s, and rebuilds it as a pedal². Origin Effects describes the 610 as the inspiration for the pedal, and says the recreation of the circuit in pedal form means you are not constrained to a certain signal chain order¹⁷.

The pedal launched alongside a sibling, the DCX Boost, in April 2023. Both are studio-preamp-inspired pedals: the DCX Boost is voiced for electric guitar, the DCX Bass for bass, and both can serve as a drive section, an EQ, or a tone-sweetening boost⁶³.

EQ mode and OD mode

The Mode switch selects between two gain settings⁵:

• EQ mode is the lower gain setting of the two, great for a clean boost or a very subtle drive tone⁵. In this mode, Origin Effects' Adaptive Circuitry lets the top end response stay completely flat with the pedal set clean, with a subtle treble roll-off gradually increasing as the tone begins to overdrive, responding to playing dynamics and volume knob changes¹.
• OD mode is where things can get more extreme⁸. Here the top end roll-off is always active, regardless of signal level or playing dynamics¹.

Adaptive Circuitry is the feature that sets the two modes apart: it is a treble response that reacts to playing dynamics, so the pedal cleans up and darkens as you play more gently¹.

The controls

The L.F. and H.F. knobs are the heart of the tone shaping: Origin Effects says they give precise control over bass and treble at frequencies specifically chosen for bass guitar, rather than the guitar-voiced frequencies of the DCX Boost¹. The H.F. control in particular can be used to tame the high end from an active bass⁷.

Power and connections

The pedal takes 9V DC through a 2.1 mm center-negative plug and draws 90mA¹⁵. It uses a high-quality buffered bypass rather than true bypass, with top-mounted jacks and an ultra-high input impedance, so it presents a light load to the bass plugged into it¹⁶. Connections are a standard input and a standard output⁵.

The DCX Bass and the DCX Boost

The DCX Bass and the DCX Boost share the same 610-inspired circuit and the same control set, including the EQ/OD mode switch and the Dark/Flat/Medium voice switch²⁶. The difference is the voicing: the DCX Boost is voiced for electric guitar and the DCX Bass for bass, with its EQ frequencies optimized for the instrument¹⁶. Both pedals offer a wide range of gain, from clean boost and direct-to-console sounds to break-up, low-gain drive and quasi-fuzz tones⁶.

What reviewers said

Guitar World's Joel McIver reviewed the DCX Bass and called it "a high-quality bass effects box containing a vast number of sounds," giving it a full recommendation for players with the time and patience to master it⁵. In Guitar World's best bass overdrive pedals guide, the same reviewer wrote:

That guide also lists the pedal's plus points as beautiful premium construction and tone and an interesting take on preamp-console overdrive, with the caveat that it is a specific sound, so players should try it to see if it is right for them². Guitar World's best bass effects pedals guide praised the build quality as "absolutely second to none," while noting the pedal sits on the pricier side⁸.

Premier Guitar's reviewer took a close listen to the EQ mode with the voice set to dark, and found the DCX Bass added perceptible extra warmth and a slower attack that made the bass feel bigger, like clean '70s direct tones⁴. The same review noted that Origin's offerings remain stubbornly analog and vintage in look and feel⁴.

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