Best "tube preamp" for Markbass solid state amp

**pringlw** · #1 11-08-2011, 07:13 AM

Hey, I have a Markbass rig (CMD 102 combo amp + 151HR cab).

I love the the rig. It gives me massive tone and volume. It also is amazingly light considering how big it sounds.

But all that comes with a price. The solid state just doesn't give you that tube warmth. I know that getting an Ampeg head would deliver the tube sound, but i don't want to take that step right now.

To warm things up, right now I'm using the EBS Valvedrive as a preamp. It's not bad. My question is; what are the very best tube preamp/pedal options to get more of a tube sound?

ps: looking at the Markbass tube Compressore as an option - seems to have good reviews.

Oh! Henry · #2 11-08-2011, 09:02 AM

I tried the sans amp VT-bass, SFT, flipster, tonehammer, and DHA VT-1 in front of my markbass and my favorite one to date is the DHA, it gave me a very nice warm organic grit. Can't go wrong with tubes if you want a tube sound. Never tried the markbass tube compressore, sounds like an interesting option!

caeman · #3 11-08-2011, 09:38 AM

The de Lisle Eighty-Sixed has worked with my bass. It is a real tube-based preamp/overdrive pedal with 12AX7 and EF86 tubes.

Seymour Duncan has a tube-based pedal.

There is the ART Tube MP with its real tube.

**pringlw** · #4 11-08-2011, 01:11 PM

I ordered up a DHA VT-1 EQ. Reviews were amazing so lets see how it does. I especially liked that you could plug in a MP3 player and headphones and use it as a practice amp. Pretty cool feature. Thanks for the help.

naruki · #5 11-08-2011, 02:44 PM

caeman · #6 11-08-2011, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naruki

B3K!

An excellent tube preamp, yes, but probably out of the pricing requirements of the OP.

In looking at the prices of the various tube-based pedals, the DHA seem to be the most cost effective for a pedal. Even with the conversion rate for Americans.

bongomania · #7 11-08-2011, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naruki

B3K!

What a laugh. First you complained (a few days ago) that nobody here posts about Markbass, and you had a nice word for all of us about that. But here you are in the middle of a Markbass thread. Secondly you don't even own a B3K, you just posted that yours is arriving tomorrow.