Audere preamps...

steveksux · #1 06-23-2006, 07:02 PM

Anybody try the Audere preams yet?

Thinking of hotrodding my Pedulla rapture fretless. It comes weith bass/treble, but the key to that mwah is in the midrange, figure it'd be better to have a bass/mid/treb setup for it.

Randy

westland · #2 06-23-2006, 07:04 PM

I've posted extesively on the Audere has has Jauqo-III and emjazz ... do a search. I've just purchased my second Audere preamp to placed in my Modulus Genesis to replace the Bart.

Excellent and versatile amps, and excellent value

Marcus · #3 06-23-2006, 07:45 PM

I just ordered the Audere 2-band pre.

I'm looking forward to when it arrives.

JAUQO III-X · #4 06-23-2006, 07:55 PM

Here's my thoughts.

my Audere preamp experience

If you decide to get the Audere preamp,make sure you get the optional caps(they will take an extremely well built and sounding preamp and make your tonal options endless).

**BurningSkies** · #5 06-23-2006, 10:06 PM

I'm sort of excited about this preamp too. I've got a PRS that's ACHING for a decent preamp. It plays like a mofo, but the electronics are appallingly unbalanced.

I've been casting about for a while for a preamp, but only have 3 spots for pots and 1 switch. This may be what I'm looking for. I'm a bit overwhelmed at the options on the non-Jazz preamp and what I really need.

westland · #6 06-23-2006, 10:16 PM

The Audere Z-modes provide a flexibility that no other amp provides. First, I should say that Dave Meadows underlying materials and circuits are first rate, on a par with Aguilar, Noll and other quality amps. But the Z-mode doesn't just provide static tone shaping like the tone controls. Rather its impact is different on the attack, sustain and decay of the note. I especially notice this on my Geddy Lee which is a bright instrument to begin with. High Z tends to be made for slap; low Z is deep. But it's not just a tone shaping ... it's a dynamic effect.

I'm purchasing my second Audere to put into my Modulus Genesis which is warm and woody, but could be brighter and more aggressive and punchy. I've purchased the second of Dave's new preamp with a passive tone control integrated (i.e., there is no A/P switch, rather the passive tone shaping is further downstream in the preamp) ... emjazz purchased the first as I understand. I'll report on this when I get it installed.

Anyway, Dave is great to deal with; I think he is one smart guy, and I think he really has pushed the envelope on bass preamps ... you definitely should have at least one bass with an Audere preamp.

JAUQO III-X · #7 06-23-2006, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westland

you definitely should have at least one bass with an Audere preamp.

I agree.

bongomania · #8 06-24-2006, 02:54 AM

I just received my FBB custom bass with a custom-featured Audere preamp, and will be posting a review soon. So far David has been excellent about communicating with me to see that I'm happy with the product, including troubleshooting some immediate technical glitches. The Jazz model preamp may be dead-simple drop in and play, but the wiring on the custom model is a bit more intensive and requires careful attention when installing.

Marcus · #9 06-24-2006, 09:39 AM

For the current Audere users, would you say that it enhances the sound of the jazz bass, or changes it?

JAUQO III-X · #10 06-24-2006, 09:47 AM

I have one installed in a Fretless Jazz with Barts and I can definitely say that it enhances it.The Bass growls more and it has a little more bite and definition as well.

bongomania · #11 06-24-2006, 07:44 PM

OK, here are some soundclips of the different z-modes of the Audere preamp in my FBB. Each one goes: passive, hi-z, mid-z, low-z, passive again. Please excuse the sloppy playing, I only got about four hours of sleep after a 13-hour work shift.

fbbaudereslap.mp3
fbbauderefinger.mp3

The pickups are Bartolini P/neck and MM/bridge. I set the controls (V/V/T for both active and passive, no EQ) to P-full on, MM-half on, tone fully open. I plugged the bass straight into the computer via Presonus Firebox, with no EQ, compression, etc. While recording I did not adjust any control anywhere except for the z-mode switch and the active/passive switch.

There is a white-noise hiss with the preamp on, which David says may be caused by the way the electronics were wired in in this case. It is similar to the hiss when using an active treble boost, and is not a ground hum (it goes away completely when the bass is switched into passive mode). David has indicated that he will be working with me in the coming days to diagnose and fix the hiss.

There are four tiny adjustment screws on the housing of the preamp (not the Jazz model). Two of the screws adjust the volume per pickup of the low-z mode (which tends to be louder than the other modes). The other two screws adjust the resonant frequency, per pickup, of the high-z mode. Mid-z has no adjustments. The low-z volume controls are fairly intuitive and easy to deal with once I figured out what they were. I still don't understand fully the high-z adjustments. The trimpots are multi-turn pots with no stops, so you can just turn and turn and turn all day long. I can't hear a difference at any point in that adjustment, but maybe it is too subtle for my ears. I find the high-z adjustment infuriatingly frustrating, because there is no indicator of what is happening, if anything. Just keep turning the screw.

The low-z mode adds definite low end oomph to the tone, great for reggae etc., but it also seems to lose some clarity on the high end. The mid-z mode has razor-sharp clarity and brightness, but seems a little sterile. And the high-z mode just sounds bad to me. And as I flip through the settings, playing the bass, closing my eyes and forgetting which setting I have switched it to, I find that I like the passive tone best of all. I honestly think this particular bass (& pickups) sounds better with no preamp than with any of the active settings.

HUGE CAVEATS: I have only had this bass a couple of days. I am not a very experienced user of nice bass preamps. Heck, I'm not even an experienced bassist. David and I will be working to resolve the hiss, and it is highly likely that in that process over more days of playing and experimenting that I will learn how to get better tone out of the various settings.

I will definitely post more information and opinions as I learn more about using this preamp, and I will try to record some better samples soon as well.

**BurningSkies** · #12 06-24-2006, 08:50 PM

The Low Z setting has a bit of body to it...not bad.

JAUQO III-X · #13 06-25-2006, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

The Low Z setting has a bit of body to it...not bad.

The low Z setting has the boomiest(and clearets)low end of any onboard Preamp I have have ever encountered.It will seriously blow your mind.

Asaf · #14 06-25-2006, 03:39 AM

i own a 50th anniversary fender Jazzbass and i really dig the sounds, but i have some lack of Mids and Low end and a really low output.
from what i have read here, i understand that the audere will give me the sounds im looking for but will not add gain to the bass output - am i right ?

my sister is coming for a vacation in L.A. so im considering buying one and have it shipped for her...

bongomania · #15 06-25-2006, 04:04 AM

The high-z and mid-z modes do not add any gain to your output- in fact they may be slightly quieter than the passive bypassed output. But the low-z mode has a wide range of gain, and can in fact be quite loud if you choose. Low-z mode will also be perceived as louder just because of the frequencies it emphasizes. /EDIT/ Apparently this is mistaken; I thought I had read it somewhere on the Audere site, but now I can't find it. I must have imagined it, or mixed up different factors.

westland · #16 06-25-2006, 04:08 AM

As I've used my setup a bit more (the J-plate in a Geddy Lee Fender with Lindy Fralin single coil pups) I found that some settings give me hiss as well. It seems to vary by amp and Z-setting ... the mid-Z is always fine, but with certain amps or for example my Sansamp BDDI, I will get a hiss either on the low-Z or high-Z. I'm not sure if this is the pickup (I'm using a single-coil, so this is inherently noisier but worth it for the tone) but it seems more like the way the preamp interfaces with the amplifier. Anyway bongomania, I will be interested in knowing what steps you take to resolve this.

Asaf · #17 06-25-2006, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

The high-z and mid-z modes do not add any gain to your output- in fact they may be slightly quieter than the passive bypassed output. But the low-z mode has a wide range of gain, and can in fact be quite loud if you choose. Low-z mode will also be perceived as louder just because of the frequencies it emphasizes.

ok, too bad... i really thought this preamp will be the answer to the low output problem without changing the original character of the bass.

**BurningSkies** · #18 06-25-2006, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

The low Z setting has the boomiest(and clearets)low end of any onboard Preamp I have have ever encountered.It will seriously blow your mind.

You can understand how that would appeal to me.

BTW, digging Essence of the Groove...Haven't had enough time to really spend a lot of time with it yet, but I've gone through all the samples and your commentary is pretty much exactly my take on playing. Only had about 3 chances to spend any time so far, though!

JAUQO III-X · #19 06-25-2006, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

You can understand how that would appeal to me.

BTW, digging Essence of the Groove...Haven't had enough time to really spend a lot of time with it yet, but I've gone through all the samples and your commentary is pretty much exactly my take on playing. Only had about 3 chances to spend any time so far, though!

Again the low Z mode position is like dropping a low frequency Bomb(in a very versatile and good way).The Low Z mode output can be set for subtle enhancement or outright take no prisoners aggressiveness to anywhere in between.

And Asaf
The Z-modes switch and the preamp overall adds very very subtle gain.If you install the Audere preamp you will definitely hear a very pronounced difference in your Basses tonal output overall.Installing the system will guarantee you a big difference in the sound of your Bass compared to what it sounded like before the Audere preamp is installed.

I have yet to experience any hiss at all from my preamp no matter how I set it.

And I'm glad you dig and fing TEOTG helpfull.

Asaf · #20 06-25-2006, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

And Asaf
The Z-modes switch and the preamp overall adds very very subtle gain.If you install the Audere preamp you will definitely hear a very pronounced difference in your Basses tonal output overall.Installing the system will guarantee you a big difference in the sound of your Bass compared to what it sounded like before the Audere preamp is installed.

Hi Jauqo,
if the audere will add some sound options and i will be still be able to get my original sound i would be happy (when the preamp is bypassed) , but if it doesn't add gain and mids like my bartolini in my pentabuzz im guessing it's not for me.

if you have any other recommendations i would be more then happy to check them out.