Simble Overdrive vs. Zen Drive

Simble Overdrive vs. Zen Drive - quick comparison

Рет қаралды 17,669

Күн бұрын

I had an opportunity to test the Simble Overdrive against my own Hermida Zen Drive. I only had time to video the rock style, but both overdrives are in fact perfectly suited to blues and fusion. My general impression is that Zen Drive is tighter at the bottom end, so it is easier to play complex chords. On the other hand Simble is slightly 'fatter' which feels nice playing lead.
The gear:
- Two-Rock Studio Pro 35 combo, no reverb
- Recorded into Logic X via Focusrite Safire PRO14 - no post production effects
- Mic RODE NT1

Пікірлер: 44

@christiaandemarezoyens4720 9 ай бұрын

First of all, brilliant playing! 👏🏼 These two overdrives are fantastic, you can’t go wrong picking either one. I think it’s a good parallel with the fact that two Dumbles even of the very same model or year are never the same.

@mygabrielle7477 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome playing!!!!!!! Had to listen to it twice

@MaciekHrybowicz 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@timwhite5562 Жыл бұрын

I like the Zendrive much more. I've never been a fan of that fuzzy lows that a lot of D style amps and pedals do that the Simble does. But I LOOVE the smooth long sustain that the Zendrive nails. I got one in a trade 12+ years ago. I remember bringing it home and plugging into my heavily modified DRRI (probably too modified but it was the first I ever did so it got EVERYTHING, but I digress). I hit an open A chord to dial it in, and my eyes went wide. I remember literally saying out loud "now THAT'S how an Overdrive should sound." It's amazing just how simple of a circuit it really is. Which makes it even more baffling as to why no one seems to get the clones just right. I sold mine to a friend 10 years ago and have been kicking myself. I've been looking for something that sounds just like it, and they don't seem to exist, including the Warm drive.

@michael_caz_nyc 6 жыл бұрын

I prefer the Mad Professor Simble. Both pedals are very close in what they can do.

@MaciekHrybowicz 6 жыл бұрын

Yo are right, at the end it is up to everyone's individual preferences.

@justinpaquette224 4 жыл бұрын

Simble sounds better to me

@jamiemorgan4146 3 жыл бұрын

I have the Simble .. You can’t go wrong with either one. I do hear a lot more harmonic content in the Simble. Is that what all Dumbles have? I don’t know..

@kimmolingonheimo 3 жыл бұрын

I have two Simbles, and toe MI Effects Cross Ove Drive ( V2s), and : I use them for jazz ..., for heavy soloing I have the ZOOM G2 and the Behringer VtoneGDI21 to tame it,

@GerryBlue 7 жыл бұрын

Nice demo, all other demos of these pedals are infinite licks, I for one wanted to hear some chords

@MaciekHrybowicz 7 жыл бұрын

I'm glad it was helpful Gerry!

@kimmolingonheimo 3 жыл бұрын

both pedals discontinued, just boyught my 4th Simble, my first in chain , just accentuiting my Yamaha 112V neck pup tone...

@MaciekHrybowicz 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing, time flies…

@loacoelhogroseil5620 7 жыл бұрын

i prefer simble ;)

@jamiemorgan4146 4 жыл бұрын

Zen sounds just a little more compressed...

@jay2xtremefy 8 жыл бұрын

I like the simble.

@MaciekHrybowicz 8 жыл бұрын

Can't go wrong with it, though I like them both!

@jay2xtremefy 8 жыл бұрын

Yes indeed. Im a dumble tone chaser. How bout bogner blue ecstasy?

@MaciekHrybowicz 8 жыл бұрын

I've never used that one, so can't comment. On my main board I use an old Wampler Ecstasy into my old Zen drive. Very happy with it...

@jay2xtremefy 8 жыл бұрын

I see. Oh thats euphoria now right? I always wanted that one. Haha Simble, zen, euphoria and gs124.

@MaciekHrybowicz 8 жыл бұрын

Yep, now Euphoria, very versatile!

@canberksayan 7 жыл бұрын

Zendrive looks like more organic than simble, zendrive little bit more incendiary, for me ^_^

@MaciekHrybowicz 7 жыл бұрын

I prefer Zendrive live: it reacts beautifully with my Two-Rock Studio Pro. However it is a question of feel rather than sound. Cheers.

@jamiemorgan4146 3 жыл бұрын

Looks ????? LOL .. Screw looks! It’s the sound ... DUDE...

@kimmolingonheimo 3 жыл бұрын

too short too little, just bought my third Simble ( having sold one stupidly...) Zen Drive..., hte Simble is finnish and Iam a Finn,.... with Yamaha Pac 112Vs, and chinese peds..., next thing Ill do is listen more Hermida Zen Drive and relaax: hi now bye now, Luv, K : )

@pcollenyt3683 4 жыл бұрын

They both sound the same, and neither sounds like the Dumble tone that I adore...thet Larry Carlton lead tone, or that of Robben Ford. Both of these sounded like Marshall's.

@MaciekHrybowicz 4 жыл бұрын

I'd agree with you for a couple of reasons. One, the sound is in the fingers, LC will sound like LC on virtually any old amp. Two, boxes simulating amps never sound and feel the same as amps (unless they are Kemper). Also I didn't set out to sound like LC (on my Strat), but to compare two boxes of course...

@koella2 6 жыл бұрын

Funny, i hear no dumble sound.

@MaciekHrybowicz 6 жыл бұрын

Good point Huub, I don't actually know how a Dumble amp should sound: never played one! I suspect it is more to do with the feel than the sound...

@koella2 6 жыл бұрын

Maciek Hrybowicz i of course never played a dumble too. What i miss in your clip is the typical mid-frequency. That is what attracts me. I saw some other clips and was sure to get me a simble. Now i think i'm first gonna test one in a shop. Thanks !

@MaciekHrybowicz 6 жыл бұрын

Good move, if you can test it on a gig - that would be best. I've had my Zen Drive for years and unlike Simble, it works for me live. However to a listener, there is barely any sonic difference between them, yet for me Zen Drive 'feels' right. In the shop, I get seduced and confused :)

@koella2 6 жыл бұрын

That's very interesting. It's all about feel. When it feels nice it plays nice. I agree. So, what is better with the zendrive ? Compression ? Straight in your face ? Cutting better through the mix ?

@koella2 6 жыл бұрын

Some people say simble is more like an amp on its own while the zendrive is more like a modded tubescreamer. Is that it ?

@HydroSchwall 5 жыл бұрын

Not really usefull test.

@MaciekHrybowicz 5 жыл бұрын

HydroSchwall What would make it useful for you?

@HydroSchwall 5 жыл бұрын

@@MaciekHrybowicz The video shows you playing always in "only" one genre, rock guitar - so, no varying musical environment. Then you play your song continuously, meaning I hear the first pedal over one phrase, then you switch and I hear the next pedal over another phrase. That doesn't help me to figure out what the difference between the two pedals is. Me sitting here in a "far" distance (via KZfaq and the quality of my local loadspeakers) - the Zendrive's strength is more in the R&B area while the Simble seems to have it's strength in Rock area. To me - and this is just a perception - you are trying to use the Zendrive as an overdrive - which it is definitely not for me. E.g. I play mostly Blues and I use it to "emulate" a specific tube amp behaviour, and not "just" distortion, where the Simble seems to be much better fitted. Then you keep the configuration at one position over the entire demo. So, I do not know the bandwidth both pedals offer, Yet, your guitar playing undoubted is outstanding! Txs for that!

@MaciekHrybowicz 5 жыл бұрын

HydroSchwall That’s really helpful, thank you! You are right, hardly a comprehensive comparison, I spent very little time on it. Simble was a loan from a friend and I found it very similar to Zendrive, though Simble seems to have a little more distortion.