Sarno Black Box

seriesnuns · April 23, 2016, 05:10:35 PM

Anyone use one? I just picked one off eBay. Believe the hype, the very cool buffer. So far it is making my sound very tube sounding. Hard to describe but that's what i'm hearing now. Very cool box.

Heady Jam Fan · April 23, 2016, 05:32:00 PM

Quote from: seriesnuns on April 23, 2016, 05:10:35 PM
Anyone use one? I just picked one off eBay. Believe the hype, the very cool buffer. So far it is making my sound very tube sounding. Hard to describe but that's what i'm hearing now. Very cool box.

I had one many years ago, just before Brad added the Z-matching. It was really nice, especially for cleans. IIRC, adds some nice harmonic complexity.

connor117 · April 25, 2016, 02:46:55 AM

where do you put it in your chain?
first after guitar?

seriesnuns · April 25, 2016, 06:27:15 AM

Yea it out it first into wah, overdrive, and compressor. I run all my effects in a loop and it has an effect throughout the chain. Although I'm debating running some effects into the front of the amp now that I have this buffer.

I've been keeping the z matching in the middle, if you do go extreme left or right it adds or takes away noticeable treble and bass.

I highly recommend. I didn't mess with my settings at all after adding it, only lowering my compressor level a bit.

Heady Jam Fan · April 25, 2016, 07:14:53 AM

I think Brad says something about how pickups work best when they see a tube immediately after them - not transistor-based circuitry. It would work as any buffer down the line, but its designed to be the first the your pickup sees, IIRC.

Buffered · April 27, 2016, 02:18:28 PM

How does it react to the volume knob? 50's wiring in an LP

seriesnuns · April 27, 2016, 07:41:25 PM

I've been using my compressor consistently lately so it's pretty much the same feel. I think there is a little boost in the level I turned my compressor back initially.

Poster · January 04, 2019, 10:32:58 AM

nobody uses the black box anymore. its huge. great studio tool - several around TRI, but on a board, you better be touring hard otherwise -> that cheap ass MXR buffer boost works great. Just hit the bass cut mini toggle and boost as needed. Trey uses several these days. They sound good, are cheap, and tend to work well for driving envelopes, output lines to amp inputs, or really anything. Have a couple under one of my temple boards to balance a Kimock guitar from a Hi output jerry guitar and back archtop hollowbody again. Also use one to drive my custom designed dual mutron III.