Aguilar DB680 Response Graphs

winegamd · #1 06-02-2013, 06:22 PM

I made a thread on the Greenboy forum and thought I would post a link to anyone curious about the graphic representation of what a DB680 sounds like.

http://greenboy.us/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=3022

Verifies a lot of misconceptions about this pre.

Here is a link to the Pholobucket album as well.

http://s246.photobucket.com/user/win...680%20Response

vin*tone · #2 06-02-2013, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winegamd

...Verifies a lot of misconceptions about this pre. ...

... how can a misconception be verified?

You mean a reputation as being scooped?

Thanks for the plots BTW.

winegamd · #3 06-02-2013, 06:51 PM

Ha ha, I see them as misconceptions and verified, to myself, that they are others' misconceptions. If that makes sense.

The biggest one being that the DB680 is flat with all controls at noon. It is far from it, and my measurements show it (at least for mine).

Another is that it is hifi or transparent, but it is far from it.

Edit: this kind of sounds like I am bashing it, but I dont mean it that way. I love this pre. It is just right for the combination of features and tones I want.

But it is not hifi or transparent in the regards of a $6k studio pre. However, as far as tube bass preamps go, it is "crem de la crem". Best description would be "old school hifi".

vin*tone · #4 06-02-2013, 08:05 PM

People probably think that because it has bumps in all the right places.

winegamd · #5 06-02-2013, 11:11 PM

Maybe. I think a lot of people are probably put off by it because of the misunderstanding about how the tone stack works.

There have been quite a few threads where people have gone into the studio with one and have had issues figuring it out.

Most of which is caused by the bass at the normal flat/noon setting having a very round almost dark low end with the extremely sheeny clank of the treble flat/noon setting. It is as you say somewhat "scooped" and not the sound one expects or thinks of with Aguilar.

I just wanted something to help people have a flat, or as near flat as possible starting point. The flat setting has a very different character to the bass and low mids and the treble is more airy, and less in your face.

DrumsAndBass · #6 06-03-2013, 10:38 AM

I gig with my DB 680 regularly. I've spent some time practicing different knob settings in a rehearsal room without the band - listening to the preamp/rig. It retains strong mids (a little too much for me) with nearly every knob setting. Yet when I play it live with the band it sounds just right. Not only that it provides a very authoritative tone in the live setting. I get it to sound clean, round and warm. Sounds like I'm contradicting my own words - I don't quite understand why it sounds better live but I don't have any complaints. Aguilar hit a home run with this preamp.

I usually mention this when I post about this bass preamp:
Aguilar, please redesign a new all SS bass preamp. Call it the "Tone Hammer DB" or something like that. This time we could do without the crossover and instead expand the eq to a 3 band parametric (we can figure out how to use the extra band). And add a 1000 watt power section.