Sonuus B2M Bass-to-MIDI Converter Reviews 
2 / 5 based on 1 reviewsThe B2M is a compact (83mm × 58mm × 34mm) green and white plastic box, powered by one, 9V battery (included). Setup is simple: plug your bass into the 1/4' jack on the front, and run a standard 5-pin MIDI cable between the B2M's MIDI out port and the MIDI IN port on your keyboard or synth module of choice. In my case, I used the B2M to drive an Alesis Micron synth. A standard 1/4' output jack allows you to run your unaltered bass signal to your amplifier. Four top-mounted colored LEDs function as a MIDI signal indicator, clip light, low battery indicator and power-tuner. The power-tuner LED acts as an n electronic tuner for notes low B through high F, making it effective for even 7-string basses. The more out of tune a string is, the more the LED pulses. A 'Chromatic' slider switch allows the user to send notes without pitch bend information. The box is well made and includes a wrist-carry strap. Were I to use the B2M in live situations, I'd mount Velcro on the bottom or a cellphone anti-slip pad to keep the M2B from falling off the amp.
Acquired from Musiciansfriend.com for $99
http://www.musiciansfriend.com
It appears to be well made structurally, and I'm sure some thought and testing went into the design. The addition of a tuning function is nice. And the price is right.
It doesn't work very well. Although inexpensive, well-made and well thought-out, the Sonuus B2M Universal Bass-To-MIDI converter is not a plug 'n' play solution for bassists who want to jump right in to playing complicated synth lines on bass. To get the most out of the B2M, be prepared to alter your playing style and, probably, the sound of your bass to achieve accurate tracking. This means that you must pay close attention to attack, muting and cleanliness in your playing. Although this is a good thing, it's not something you're likely to achieve overnight.
The B2M worked best for me with flatwound strings. If you hate flats, be prepared to tinker with your setup to make roundwounds work. My advice for using the B2M live:
* Put an EQ pedals between your bass output and the B2M input and try cutting frequencies until you achieve good tracking.
* It is possible to double synth bass lines by running an unaltered signal to your amp. If you plan to do this, I'd recommend a second amp for the synth, or take it direct to the PA system.
*If you plan to switch between synth and bass, this can be achieved by using an A/B box or something like the Radial Engineering Bass Bone.
Well made although plastic. Some kind of anchoring system would help to keep the box from falling off am amplifier in stage playing situations.
Although the B2M seems like a good idea, I believe it will take most players some time to make it work effectively. Major adaptations to your playing style and adjustments to your bass tone controls may be necessary to make the B2M function at its best, and changing the sound of your bass to accommodate and effect is not a good idea. If you're interested in approximating synth bass lines with the least amount of effort -- but an a higher price -- you many want to look into one of the many bass synth stompboxes, including the new Mark Bass SuperSynth, which sells for around $250 USD.
Laklander rated this unit
on
2010-05-10.
