AMT Electronics BC-1 "Bass Crunch" Preamp review (video)

ejene · #1 08-31-2010, 08:26 PM

Hi guys,

I'd like to share with you my experience with new bass preamp from Russian guys from AMT Electronics. It's very functional preamp that has 2 mixable channels: Clean and Crunch and it sounds... well, watch the video and you'll get the idea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBjBM9j7edc

I would love to hear what you think about this new product.

ejene · #2 09-01-2010, 04:08 AM

Here are some of the description from the http://www.amtelectronics.com/produc...r_series/bc-1/

"The preamp has been built on the basis of the custom technology by АМТ using JFET emulation of the vacuum tube range clipping. The wide adjustment range in combination with rich functional possibilities that can only be found in a stomp box have considerably increased the preamp versatility.

«Bass crunch» BC-1 preamp is based on a two-channel circuit.

CLEAN channel shapes the classic bass guitar sound characteristic for «old» amplifiers and allows both velvet transparent sound and slight compressed overdrive depending on the position of Gain control.

DRIVE channel contains a number of over amplification stages and is intended for obtaining the modern sound from clean to totally overdriven one. The High Mode provides additional possibilities in terms of the range enrichment towards higher sound density and aggressiveness. The adjustable 3-position mid-range filter combined with deep adjustments along the frequency ranges offer a musician its rich possibilities related to shaping of the overdriven tone range."

CliftonBonney · #3 09-01-2010, 09:58 AM

Sounds pretty good to me. How much are the going for?

**TheMutt** · #4 09-01-2010, 03:09 PM

Sounds really good!
I just wish it weren't 18v and didn't have a daunting amount of controls.

I'd be interested to hear what it can do in front of different amps instead of wired directly to the power amp section or plugged straight into the sound board as this is how I'd be realistically be using it.

ejene · #5 09-01-2010, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CliftonBonney

Sounds pretty good to me. How much are the going for?

It costs a bit less then AMT SS-20 guitar preamp that is $350, so I'd expect it under $350.

ejene · #6 09-01-2010, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMutt

Sounds really good!
I just wish it weren't 18v and didn't have a daunting amount of controls.

I'd be interested to hear what it can do in front of different amps instead of wired directly to the power amp section or plugged straight into the sound board as this is how I'd be realistically be using it.

18v isn't that bad actually, 2x9v alkaline batteries work really really long. BC-1 uses energy very economically, so even with batteries it won't make you change batterries for a long time.
As for controls - yeah, it's a bit frightening for a first time, but they are quite simple:
independent volume, gain and EQs for clean and for crunch channel, then Blend knob to mix channels and master level knob to adjust correct amount volume for each amp or anything you run it through.

I've got a couple of examples how CAB.SIM. output sounds directly in my EMU USB0202 sound card with raw mix of my band's recording album:
Clean channel, finger play
and
Crunch channel mixed with clean - playing with a pick
All EQ set to noon on the record. So this how it would sound through PA.

Running BC-1 through input of a combo or amp isn't correct using of the preamp, though it can be done using CAB.SIM. output, but I'll try to do it to get the idea of how it may work

reddi · #7 01-24-2011, 02:41 PM

I just stumbled on to a couple of more videos. I definitely wanna try this pedal out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLchE...feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZPkK...feature=relmfu

aledeville · #8 01-24-2011, 05:20 PM

Where do I get this pedal?

CliftonBonney · #9 01-24-2011, 05:41 PM

I inquired about how to get the pedal sometime ago. If I can find the e-mail string, I will put up the information.

Kromwarp · #10 01-24-2011, 05:57 PM

I thought I was done with GAS for a while...guess not

ejene · #11 01-24-2011, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aledeville

Where do I get this pedal?

Northe America distribution is covered by http://amtelectronicsusa.com/

Europe is covered mostly by

Musikhaus Thomann EUROPE
Phone: +49-9546-9223-55
E-mail: international@thomann.de
WWW: http://www.thomann.de

or

Phone: 00.33.1.48.81.46.84
Fax: 00.33.1.48.81.46.87
E-mail: GNG2@wanadoo.fr
Retails: France

Contact them and they tell you where to buy AMT Electronic BC-1 bass preamp.

bongomania · #12 01-24-2011, 10:04 PM

So, ejene... what's your connection to AMT?

ejene · #13 01-24-2011, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

So, ejene... what's your connection to AMT?

For a long time I have been just happy user

Now I help AMT with communications and presentation of their products. So if you want to know anything about AMT Electronics from first hands, contact me

Badmuthaplucka · #14 01-25-2011, 10:02 AM

Does the "blend" work with the effects loop? If not this the effect's loop series or parallel?

ejene · #15 01-25-2011, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badmuthaplucka

Does the "blend" work with the effects loop? If not this the effect's loop series or parallel?

'Blend' works when you turn on the drive channel, it adds clean channel or remove drive channel to mix, so if you set it to 7 o'clock - you get just clean channel, 5 o'clock - only drive channel, noon - mix of clean and drive channel.

So blend knob doesn't touch effects chain and effect's loop is series.

Mark Latimour · #16 01-26-2011, 02:22 AM

Wow looks like the motherland is has knob surplus!

ejene · #17 01-26-2011, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Wow looks like the motherland is has knob surplus!

Yeah, musicians who love flexibility should love this preamp

bongomania · #18 01-26-2011, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talkbass Terms Of Use

Rule #9: Endorsed Artist / Remuneration Disclosure If you are an artist who endorses a music-related company, or if you receive remuneration (financially or in-kind) as the result of a relationship you have with a company, please disclose this via the "Disclosures" field in your profile. The text should be plain and clear, with no disclaimers, hype etc. For example: "Endorsing Artist: Joe Doe Basses" or "Affiliated with JD Amps" or "Discounted Gear: JD Amps", etc.

Also, please preface any relevant gear reviews on product you're affiliated with, with a brief disclosure in the post itself.

^^^^

Balog · #19 01-26-2011, 06:51 AM

Don't commercial users need to pay to advertise on here, and id themselves as such? I don't mind hearing about new products, but I'd like to know who it's coming from.

Edit: Oops, Bongo beat me to it.

ejene · #20 01-26-2011, 07:52 AM

Thanks for the information! Didn't know it. When I did this review I did it on my own, so I was just a user. Anyway I'll update my profile now

Also I did this video so that you could judge youself about how this preamp sounds, because that is the kind of reviews I like to watch myself. Honest and selfexplanatory kind

Upd: Just read the rules, it seems I violated some of them, sorry, will take any punishment I deserve