Will a Zvex Super Hard On do this for me?

[Tommy el Gato]

I'm interested in doing a lot of playing direct to the board or FOH. I've looked at using a Bass Driver, which I really liked for doing some tube-grinding overdrives and may wind up purchasing it also, but I'd also like to be able to bypass it for a super-transparent clean tone. After researching a little about what's in the Zvex Super Hard on (0 capacitance, some circuit characteristics being similar to a simplified 60's recording dec, super-high input impedance resulting in super-clarity, etc.), I was thinking that I may be able to use that as a clean tone preamp with the volume (or "Crackle-OK") knob turned down. I don't really feel like I need much tone-shaping abilities since I like the sound of my bass and would like to preserve its natural fretless sound.

Any input? I've looked at just purchasing an EBS Microbass, since that'll do in one unit what I want for two, but I think I can get quite a bit more transparency out of the super hard on with a Bass Driver Bypassed versus the A channel on the EBS Microbass, plus the Bass Driver's coloration may be more necessary for the fretless in order to get tube grind. So please people, set me through my paces.

[maxvalentino]

I use a SHO with my basses (fretted and fretless Turner Rens). It is a very nice preamp...and it "should" do what you seek...one caveat being that it has no bal. output (i run mine with a Demeter Tube DI....nice sound)With the "crackle Okay" dial set low it will give a great clean sound....the high input impedence insures 'what goes in is what goes out" so to speak. it is true bypass...and all components are VERY top notch. Clever design and gret build (as is par for ZVEX). As with any device, there is some alteration of the signal. I would not address this as "coloration", tho. The "crakle okay" knob is not really a vol. or gain control. Rather it is a control to reduce the amount of negative feedback brought back into the circuit. Of course doing this does increase gain...and ampifies the 2nd order harmonics (thus giving the device some mild compression characteristics --in a good way). This control, used judiciously can help smooth and "define" your tone---it does not scoop out the mids as a SABDDI does, it tightens (and thus "focuses") the the lows and highs without altering their tone or relative vol. It is hard to explain...but it does sound good. I set it at about 7:30, which is just a touch over unity. It adds some nice warmth and a subtle but percievable "tightening" of the low end (with out any compresion artifacts). There is a quite famous and expensive mic pre which works similar wonders with bass...but I really don't wnt to draw comparisons (entirely different). But, my first reaction upon plugging into the SHO was of this very coveted pre..... It can also be used to drive another device or amp into overdrive (reducing the neg feedback CAN produce a lot of gain...). I bought it for this feature alone as I really like this similar feature in my Chandler Germaninum mic pre (or course, the SHO lacks any input trannies, inductors and such....), but it does "behave" in a similar fashion (albeit in a unique flavor)....and the overall "effect" is not at all unlike a high end mic pre. But, as I said it lacks a bal out...and one must be careful to keep its' one dial set low...cranking that produces 60x the input gain and soundboards and engineers do NOT want see that kind of signal! Hope that helps, Max

[Tommy el Gato]

It does help a lot. Thanks very much. The Super Hard On is now on my list of purchases that are soon to be made.