The Tube Preamp List

anonymous122511 · #1 03-12-2011, 02:52 PM

I'm shopping for a studio quality unit. Price isn't an issue. The Jule Monique is hovering at the top right now but since I was unaware of it until recently I'm wondering what else is out there? I basically want the preamp section of an SVT to put in front of the SWR Amplite I'm pretty happy with.

So, what's out there?

**mikeddd** · #2 03-12-2011, 02:55 PM

Price no issue? This thread is going places. Expensive places. /hides Mister Mastercard
I've not played the Jule Monique but it certainly has gotten some respect here in a very short amount of time. But when you're getting into "tube pres, price no issue" you get into vintage, UA, Avalon, etc. A bit steep.

Hellbastard · #3 03-12-2011, 03:02 PM

Just a preamp or a recording channel with EQ, compression?

Hellbastard · #4 03-12-2011, 03:05 PM

Anyway if what you're looking for is an SVT sound look for a used SVP, not very expensive and you'll get the Ampeg pre amp tone. However a lot of people Love the SVT beacuse of the warm, compressed and gnarly tone they get from the power Tubes saturation.

Demeter and Pope designs are two if the best pre amp manufactures out there.

anonymous122511 · #5 03-12-2011, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellbastard

Just a preamp or a recording channel with EQ, compression?

Mostly for EQ/DI use live. No compression required (or wanted....)
See the Jule Monique as a benchmark for my needs. I'll be surprised if the Jule isn't what I buy but I need to explore all avenues.

bongomania · #6 03-12-2011, 03:13 PM

Tube preamp list? There are literally over two dozen choices I can think of off the top of my head right this second, and I bet within a hour I could name two dozen more, without ever reaching for the internet. Give me Google and I'll name you 200 tube preamps.

There are of course the Ampeg preamps like the SVP that HB mentioned, and a lot of people like those. Others miss the "power tube" sound of a full SVT head being driven hard, and those people tend to be disappointed by preamps that just contain preamp tubes. Many of them have abandoned "real" tubes altogether and go for the Tech21 VT Bass or other amp-emulating pedals. Others have gotten decent results from "mini power section" tube amps, i.e. a full amp that's only like 5 watts, into a dummy load, and attenuated, and then fed into a power amp or other amp head. But those tend to have diminishing returns, in terms of size, cost, and results, compared to like a V4B or U1011 or other medium-sized all-tube head.

Hellbastard · #7 03-12-2011, 03:16 PM

From what I see the Jule Monique is a DI with tone shaping capabilities, and aa very expensive one at that. For the price of that unit I would rather buy a Demeter HBP 1 which gives you a lot more of features than the Monique you're considering.

anonymous122511 · #8 03-12-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Tube preamp list? There are literally over two dozen choices I can think of off the top of my head right this second, and I bet within a hour I could name two dozen more, without ever reaching for the internet. Give me Google and I'll name you 200 tube preamps.

In the time it took you to give me sh!t for not googling "tube preamp" you could have just listed those couple dozen choices...no? I thought I was narrowing it down enough saying that the Monique was the benchmark. User opinions are a giant factor in asking here rather than just searching (which btw I did).

Quote:

There are of course the Ampeg preamps like the SVP that HB mentioned, and a lot of people like those. Others miss the "power tube" sound of a full SVT head being driven hard, and those people tend to be disappointed by preamps that just contain preamp tubes. Many of them have abandoned "real" tubes altogether and go for the Tech21 VT Bass or other amp-emulating pedals. Others have gotten decent results from "mini power section" tube amps, i.e. a full amp that's only like 5 watts, into a dummy load, and attenuated, and then fed into a power amp or other amp head. But those tend to have diminishing returns, in terms of size, cost, and results, compared to like a V4B or U1011 or other medium-sized all-tube head.

Understood and noted.

Rumblefisher · #9 03-12-2011, 03:32 PM

Try basstasters.com

That should help a bit.

bongomania · #10 03-12-2011, 03:38 PM

FWIW I wasn't saying you should have searched, but just that there are way too many options out there, just having the Monique as a benchmark. There are a couple of clips of the Monique up, but how many people here have used her--two? Are the clips really SVT-sounding to you--and would they sound the same through your Amplite and your cab--and again, how many user opinions of that can there be?

IOW, we may need more to go on, than just the Monique. I am giving you ****, yes, but it's with the aim of helping you ask the right questions in order to get the most useful answer.

anonymous122511 · #11 03-12-2011, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

IOW, we may need more to go on, than just the Monique. I am giving you ****, yes, but it's with the aim of helping you ask the right questions in order to get the most useful answer.

LOL. You're right.
Giving it the little more thought you've pushed me to give I realize what really attracts me to the Monique is the high quality DI. Maybe I'm over complicating things and should just get something along the lines of a REDDDI and continue using the VT and Raven Labs pre's I'm not especially unhappy with as preamps.

Rumblefisher thanks for the basstasters.com suggestion. Cool site.

Hellbastard · #12 03-12-2011, 04:08 PM

Them you should get a VT Deluxe, you get the VT sound plus 6 memory presets and a really good quality DI for a pretty low price. I for one love mine. A lot of people complain about the really bright character of the highs but if you don't use a cab with tweeters or know how to EQ, there's no problemwith The VT deluxe. Or if you want get a REDDI, excelent unit from what I've heard.

monkeyking · #13 03-12-2011, 04:08 PM

I'll vouch for the Demeter pre-amps. Love mine live and the Jensen transformer output is very nice and very clean. I don't know if it gets the Ampeg sound as I've never really stuck with the Ampegs I've had for very long.

Jim C · #14 03-12-2011, 04:13 PM

John K has posted some clips with an SVP-CL as well as UA tube pres; all sounded great, all sounded different

Art Araya · #15 03-12-2011, 04:20 PM

Quote:

I basically want the preamp section of an SVT

I have an SVT-VR head and an SVPCL preamp. The SVPCL is close enough for my needs. Got it used from another TBer for a excellent price.

Also have you considered a VT pedal? It might be close enough for you as well.

anonymous02282011 · #16 03-12-2011, 04:54 PM

If price is not a concern I'd at least check out the Millennia TD-1.

The EQ options can seem complicated, but if you try it dry (no EQ) you'll get a good taste of its character.

pbassnut · #17 03-12-2011, 05:14 PM

In my 40 year career as a bassist, I've heard many claims of non-SVT amps having the real deal SVT sound, but the reality always fell short of the promise. If you gotta have an authentic SVT sound ... get one. That said ... I have both the Ampeg SVP Pro and SVP Cl preamps and while they're not quite the same as an all tube SVT, they both sound plenty good to me w/SS poweramps and are good'nuff for me.

JimmyM · #18 03-12-2011, 11:48 PM

the demeter may be a tube pre, but it sounds nothing like an svt pre. the monique, however, does imho. i'd be all over it if i had any use for one, but nobody ever calls me to record anymore.

chadds · #19 03-14-2011, 03:16 PM

If the OP wants an SVT sound the SVT pres available used should suffice. It seems many folks find the VT pedals to be really strong emulations. How any of these will sound plugged into that micro is anyone's guess.

IMHO YMMV and has, the Dems have so much SS going on as to err on the side of very modern. What we've learned is that if you don't apply significant voltage to your 12ax7 you cheat yourself out of tube warmth.

Even an Alembic doesn't get near the SVT sound. That Ampeg sound is a combination of the pre, the tube output section and that non ported fridge. Subtract any element you start losing characteristics.

I will be reviewing the Monique here soon. My initial experience is that it is in another universe from a lot offerings out there. It can sound SVTish but it can do so much more. It's clean is Hiwatt like. Fully musical and transparent at the same time. What it's missing are those unwanted artifacts from spurious sources and or lesser quality components.

anonymous122511 · #20 03-14-2011, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadds

I will be reviewing the Monique here soon. My initial experience is that it is in another universe from a lot offerings out there. It can sound SVTish but it can do so much more. It's clean is Hiwatt like. Fully musical and transparent at the same time. What it's missing are those unwanted artifacts from spurious sources and or lesser quality components.

Funny you should mention Hiwatt too. An old 100w Hiwatt I used to get to use at a rehearsal studio was one of my most favorite sounds of all time.....
I'm not looking to get an SVT sound especially...if that's what I wanted using one would be the simple solution. What I'm really looking for is the harmonic complexity you get from tubes....like the sound only a hand carved can top give you from a double bass.....I guess some people call that "warmth" but I always have a hard time using words to describe sound and "warmth" doesn't say much to me. The reason I posted this thread is that I was surprised by the Monique and while it may well be what I buy I wanted to know about similar units before I did. The SAMAMP that was just referred to in the current Monique thread is the kind of thing I mean.