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12-02-2010, 10:36 PM
|  | Buyer of too much gear! | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Tacoma, Washington | | | Fabulous New Preamp!
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Today, the FedEx driver brought me a brand-new bass preamp! I tested it to make sure it worked, then removed the Sovtek 12AX7WA tube and replaced it with a smooth-plate Fisher 12AX7, made by Telefunken. I connected the preamp to a Stewart World 2.1, into two Bergantino AE212's and ... sonic bliss! Full-bodied three-dimensional sound with great girth and presence! The notes seemed to leap out of the cabinets and fill the room with tight, defined bass which I could completely control with either hand!
This brand new preamp is an Aguilar DB-659 that was delivered to New Jersey Guitar and Bass Center sometime in 2003. You're probably thinking I got a great deal because it was so old? Well, no -- I paid "full-pop" for it! So it must have be in perfect NOS condition? No, there were signs -- subtle ones -- that it had been racked before, and the top panel had some scratches. But when I opened up the top panel, the inside looked absolutely brand new. No dust, no discoloration, no sign that it had ever been plugged in, let alone used.
I called Marco at Aguilar, who confirmed that it had not been registered before. He also found me a new top panel to replace the scratched one.
Bottom line -- these preamps are really amazing! I couldn't be happier with the sound I'm getting. I have a big-room venue that my funk/pop/rock band is playing in a couple of weeks. I can hardly wait to put this thing through its paces. If I'm feeling buff, I might even use a DB-750 as the power amp.
Aguilar should never have stopped making these things! What a great sounding pre! 
- Greg
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Last edited by gregbackstrom : 12-02-2010 at 10:38 PM.
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12-03-2010, 05:34 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Crawfordville, FL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by gregbackstrom  Today, the FedEx driver brought me a brand-new bass preamp! I tested it to make sure it worked, then removed the Sovtek 12AX7WA tube and replaced it with a smooth-plate Fisher 12AX7, made by Telefunken. I connected the preamp to a Stewart World 2.1, into two Bergantino AE212's and ... sonic bliss! Full-bodied three-dimensional sound with great girth and presence! The notes seemed to leap out of the cabinets and fill the room with tight, defined bass which I could completely control with either hand!
This brand new preamp is an Aguilar DB-659 that was delivered to New Jersey Guitar and Bass Center sometime in 2003. You're probably thinking I got a great deal because it was so old? Well, no -- I paid "full-pop" for it! So it must have be in perfect NOS condition? No, there were signs -- subtle ones -- that it had been racked before, and the top panel had some scratches. But when I opened up the top panel, the inside looked absolutely brand new. No dust, no discoloration, no sign that it had ever been plugged in, let alone used.
I called Marco at Aguilar, who confirmed that it had not been registered before. He also found me a new top panel to replace the scratched one.
Bottom line -- these preamps are really amazing! I couldn't be happier with the sound I'm getting. I have a big-room venue that my funk/pop/rock band is playing in a couple of weeks. I can hardly wait to put this thing through its paces. If I'm feeling buff, I might even use a DB-750 as the power amp.
Aguilar should never have stopped making these things! What a great sounding pre!
- Greg | Congrats! Tonal nirvana is a nice place to be!
Kim
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12-03-2010, 06:15 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hour North of Columbus, OH | | | I'd love to try one of those someday. Congrats!
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12-03-2010, 08:04 PM
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Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: North central Ohio | | | |
12-03-2010, 08:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: YTZ | | | I thought the 750's front end is the 659 ...
if not, can you plz describe how they differ?
I've tried the 680 and really like it; but, for lack of a better word, "too delicate" for live gig, all the subtleties are masked in a live mix.
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Last edited by babebambi : 12-03-2010 at 08:23 PM.
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12-03-2010, 08:36 PM
|  | I dreamt I was an old dog, stuck in a honey pot. | | Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Madison, WI | | Quote:
Originally Posted by tombowlus | How do you feel the 659 pairs with the 728 vs. the 680? |
12-03-2010, 09:40 PM
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Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: North central Ohio | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jasonbraatz How do you feel the 659 pairs with the 728 vs. the 680? | While the 680 is a beautiful thing with the 728, and I am sure that it floats many a boat, I personally prefer the 659 with the 728. The 659 gets a more raucous and rowdy tone that brings out the visceral aggressiveness of the 728. The 680 plays more towards the middle of the road, and while it sounds good, I feel like it moves the 728 a bit away from what it does the best.
Now, with an amp & cabs that are more aimed at a balanced, even response - like, say the Berg IP series - the 680 works its own kind of magic.  |
12-03-2010, 10:30 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Fort Worth -- that's my hood. | | | Congratulations!
When I got my first serious bass rig, I auditioned the DB659, the Alembic F-1X, and the Demeter VTBP-201S through a Bergantino HT322 as well as a HT310.
I really liked the DB659 the best, but it was the most expensive of the three and the price of the whole system put it out of my range.
Of the remaining preamps, the Alembic sounded the best with the HT310 and the Demeter sounded the best with the HT322.
The low end of the HT322 won me over so I went home with the 201S and the HT322.
Knowing what I know now, I wish I had just bought a used DB659.
You got a great preamp, Greg!
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12-03-2010, 11:31 PM
| | Buyer of too much gear! | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Tacoma, Washington | | Quote:
Originally Posted by lo-freq Congratulations! ...
...You got a great preamp, Greg! | Thanks guys! Tom, I agree with your assessment of this preamp. I also have a DB 680, and while I love how elegant, luxurious and refined it is, the DB-659 seems to have the grunt and growl to cut through in a mix.
Interestingly, when I replaced the Sovtek (I think) input stage tube of the 680 with the Telefunken, I didn't notice much of a difference. But in the DB-659, it seems to open up the preamp, making the highs more "airy," and tightening up (or defining, maybe) the lows. I've read about this in other posts, but it's neat to actually hear it.
It's interesting how improvements in one aspect of the amplification chain affect others. For example, I'm having lots of fun "rediscovering" the merits of the Eden TT 405 with Bergantino AE212's.
Good times for bass players!
- Greg
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12-04-2010, 09:17 AM
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Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: North central Ohio | | Quote:
Originally Posted by gregbackstrom Interestingly, when I replaced the Sovtek (I think) input stage tube of the 680 with the Telefunken, I didn't notice much of a difference. But in the DB-659, it seems to open up the preamp, making the highs more "airy," and tightening up (or defining, maybe) the lows. I've read about this in other posts, but it's neat to actually hear it. | Yup, my DB680 came with EH's, and I tried a bunch of NOS tubes in there. None of them made any real difference, so I stuck with the EH's (which are a fine tube, IMHO). In the DB659, though, you can definitely hear differences between tubes. |
12-12-2010, 11:05 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: DFW | | @gregbackstrom, would you be so kind as to tell me where you bought the tubes and exactly what model # you chose(ECC83, 5751, etc) I've really been wanting to do this with my used DB659/IP310 combo.
A great match for the IP310 BTW, I have been using this rig happily for the past few years. I've looked around quite a bit for something I liked better, but just haven't found anything preamp wise that made me wanna sell the Aggie 659. Its versatile enough for: Country, Blues, Rock, Pop, Jazz. I've used it quite successfully in all those applications and have not been let down yet. 
Last edited by kglas4bass : 12-12-2010 at 11:14 AM.
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12-12-2010, 07:02 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Nanuet N.Y. | | Congrats on the score I absolutely love my DB659-QSC PLX1804-GS410 rig and rolling a NOS smooth plate Tele made a world of difference in mine as well...So much of a diff I added a second for the bass boost switch... 
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Tekefunken 12AX7 smooth plate is the way to go there's lots on eBay try to find a NOS and be sure it has the diamond on the bottom...
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Last edited by jonno1707 : 12-12-2010 at 07:27 PM.
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