Not a lot of tube pre-amps

**Coolhandjjl** · #1 01-23-2011, 06:37 PM

Not a lot of full featured tube pre amps out there for folks who want to do the pre/power set up. I was also considering bi-amping such as: Tube pre>>Active crossover>>Tube and/or SS power amp.

I find the folowwing:

BBE Sound Bmax-T
Fender TBP-1
Ampeg has a few.

Am I missing something?

Jazz Ad · #2 01-23-2011, 06:52 PM

All those you quote are actually discontinued and all others I can think of are discontinued too.

There was little to no market for such items and now that huge power sections became so affordable, it's gonna be worse. Who would want to bother with separate power/pre setups when you can cram a tube pre and 1000 W in book sized, 20 lbs boxes?

The only readily available tube preamps come in pedal form.

bThumper38 · #3 01-23-2011, 06:56 PM

those are chump change compared to maybe an avalon vt737, or the lesser expensive Universal Audio LA 610. though they weren't really built for bass players, they slam all the same. I had an avalon with a stewart 2.1. Talk about some serious bass

fish slapper · #4 01-23-2011, 06:58 PM

Demeter has 2. HPB-1 (I own) has one tube and a parametric EQ. VTBP-210s is a two tube pre but a much simpler EQ.

Mr. Foxen · #5 01-23-2011, 07:03 PM

Alembic are still doing their's, total classics. Think DHA still do them.

fokof · #6 01-23-2011, 07:12 PM

Alembic F1X
Summit audio TD100

In channel strip category from:

ART
Tube-tech
TL Audio
UA
DBX
Avalon
Presonus

Jazz Ad · #7 01-23-2011, 07:15 PM

Most of these brands used to make bass dedicated preamps, now they only do channel strips or mic preamps.

Joe.shaffer · #8 01-23-2011, 07:17 PM

I have an ART Prochannel I love. Tube pre, tube compression in one unit. Reasonably priced too.

BurningSkies · #9 01-23-2011, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fish slapper

Demeter has 2. HPB-1 (I own) has one tube and a parametric EQ. VTBP-210s is a two tube pre but a much simpler EQ.

+1

Both of these are on the top of my list right now.

Kirkowitz · #10 01-23-2011, 07:27 PM

There is that swank SWR Marcus Miller pre too.

srxplayer · #11 01-23-2011, 07:35 PM

I use a BMAX-T and love the thing. last I checked they were not discontinued.

kful · #12 01-23-2011, 07:38 PM

I have a Damage Control Womanizer I like very much. It's made for guitar, but I really like how it works with bass.

anonymous02282011 · #13 01-23-2011, 07:41 PM

The REDDI, the EVIL TWIN (eclair engineering) the Millennia TD-1 .... lots of tube pres out there ... only a matter of how much you want to spend.

SactoBass · #14 01-23-2011, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srxplayer

I use a BMAX-T and love the thing. last I checked they were not discontinued.

I believe the BBE BMax-T is still available new.

I had a BBE BMax-T and I have to say that it is one of the best bass preamps I have ever heard. The secret to a good sounding tube bass preamp is a high voltage circuit. The BMax-T has that. So does the Alembic F1-X and the Kern IP-777. That's why those preamps sound so good. I have a Kern loaded with NOS tubes.......it sounds fantastic. Kerns pop up now and then on TB and the Bay. But for the price, the BBE BMax-T is killer, especially when loaded with a high quality NOS tube.

LongHairFreak · #15 01-23-2011, 09:33 PM

Another one on the used market is the LowEnd True Voice...and yes, DHA still puts them out.

andymac62 · #16 01-23-2011, 09:33 PM

I used to own an Ampeg SVT2-P, the preamp from the old SVT2 in a 1U rack.
I got rid of it several years ago, but have since built my own.
If you can build electronics, and you know of the dangers of high voltage, i can send you the schematic, pcb details etc of the one i did.
andymac1962 AAATTT hotmail DDDOOOTTT com

johnk_10 · #17 01-23-2011, 09:42 PM

still being made:
Alembic F2B
Alembic F1-X
Demeter HPB-1
Demeter VTB-201S
Art Pro Channel

i've owned all of them, and IMO, they're all great preamps, but these are the two i now use the most ( and i really LOVE them

).

UA 6176:

Avalon VT737SP:

LongHairFreak · #18 01-23-2011, 10:07 PM

What am I thinking??? I've also owned these three, so I know they exist.

The Trace Elliot V-Type is very fat & tubey.
The Warwick Quadruplet Apparently is not very popular here on TB, but it's the first tube pre I owned and has some cool qualities.
The Peavey Max Bass is a dual channel--1 SS & 1 Tube--that also has some very cool features.

**Coolhandjjl** · #19 01-24-2011, 09:51 AM

I've heard about those UA's and Avalon's. A bit pricey for me unfortunately.

greenboy · #20 01-24-2011, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LongHairFreak

The Peavey Max Bass is a dual channel--1 SS & 1 Tube--that also has some very cool features.

Bought one as a backup to my Alembic F1-X. The Alembic never got used after that because the Max could do the Alembic stuff but a lot more besides. Alembic did sell for around $300 more than I paid for the Max. All in the name I guess.