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Originally Posted by 4-string  Thanks. That Focusrite does look quite interesting, but it looks like they are discontinued? |
Unfortunately yes, they doesn't make it anymore. That was almost instant reaction to John's post in classified forum. IMO, for used price, it is quite gem.. (as it's not so hard to buy something nice for lets say 1200EUR, but in lower budget sphere, which was our case, it can be
I think it is worth of it and your avatar always somewhat attracted me in other posts :-), so i'll try to write something about it..
Personally i found, that i like older platinum (budget) line by Focusrite for that purpose in studio, where we had their octopre eight channel mic pre. I wasn't particularly so impressed by it's performance as let's say mic pre for vocals, but it was great for guitars and unexpectedly good as clean bass DI with great headroom.
Older Platinum preamp (same as in Tone Factory) use Rohm bipolar transistors in its design (vs more standard ICs in later models), and i like it very much. I found that they did also Tone Factory, which seemed great option for my friend, who want something to pair with power amp for larger gigs. So I convinced him to wait and after few months, i luckily spotted it on eBay.
Soundwise it exceeded my expectations and we easily liked it much more than any tested channel strip in same price range (Presonus, DBX, ART..) and also it is much more practically designed. Variable Hi-Pass Filter starts at 20Hz, so it is possible to optimize low frequencies for particular speaker and avoid cone dancing and rumble. Insert point (FX loop) is placed after compressor and Fender tone stack and before two parametrics EQs with swichable Q, so when i use it for second balanced XLR out via transformer, it allowed to use stack for setting you basic tone and slight fattening of clean pre and use parametrics for room correction without messing with FOH line. Optical compressor is also exemplary, non-squashing, which doesn't destroy your tone. Finally, output section is powerful and allows high voltage swing without internal clipping, so it is not problem with feeding of any power amp. To be honest there is also few issues (IMO, minor) - plastic knobs (not pots) doesn't have any fixation on pot threads and you can accidentally pull them. It also doesn't have mute switch and tuner out, but i solve that with few switches and jacks around that second transformer DI and put everything front accessible on rack blank panel under preamp.
I haven't heard PB-1, but have Bass Buddy, which i also like, but definitely not so much as Focusrite. I don't know how much is same circuitry in PB-1 and BB, but for instance compressor with fixed ratio and release is another league than in
Time Factory. Also to me it sound slightly cleaner and effortless. But it could be quite subjective.. :-)
Btw, I also recorded bass with more expensive Focusrite ISA range preamps with transofrmers and it sound also great, it is harmonically richer, inherently more ballsy than Tone Factory pre, although doesn't have its practical features for gigging.
Michal
PS: manual -
http://www.focusrite.com/download/67...yuserguide.pdf
