Does anyone make a simple onboard buffer preamp??

[CB3000]

Looking for a simple onboard, pre-no eq needed. Just to give me lo Z output. Dont want eq-I am fine with a tone knob.
I have seen the diy fet preamps and I have parts for it but I'd rather be playing than soldering!

[mgmadian]

EMG makes one... don't recall what it's called

[NickyBass]

http://www.creationaudiolabs.com/redeemer.html

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by NickyBass

http://www.creationaudiolabs.com/redeemer.html

+1

I love mine.

[CB3000]

Originally Posted by NickyBass

http://www.creationaudiolabs.com/redeemer.html

PERFECT! I just ordered one-seems like just what I need!
Thanks guys!

[PauliePower]

Noob question: what is it?

[bongomania]

A buffer is the central concept of a "preamp". It is what makes any bass or device "active", regardless of whether the active part is in the pickups, in the EQ or whatever else. A buffer is a device that changes a high output impedance signal into a low output impedance signal, and it requires a power supply to do so. Impedance is (roughly) a way of measuring/predicting how efficiently a signal will transfer from one device to the next, e.g. from your bass into the amp. An efficient transfer means more detail in the sound, better/clearer highs, and more energetic lows.

[punkanidea]

hahaha.. i made the buffer by myself. it just uses non inverting opamp configuration with gain 1. but i didn't hear the difference though! maybe because my pups are already active.

[neatobassman]

Holy hell...I never need an active preamp ever again. I normally just keep my onboard relatively flat, just use it for the signal boost, but with that, it's just the boost...

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by punkanidea

hahaha.. i made the buffer by myself. it just uses non inverting opamp configuration with gain 1. but i didn't hear the difference though! maybe because my pups are already active.

Right, they already contain simple opamp buffers. Adding one more would do nothing useful or audible.

[awelti]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Right, they already contain simple opamp buffers. Adding one more would do nothing useful or audible.

Usually, active pick-ups still have about 2K of output impedance so that they can be blended together - for example two pick-ups in one guitar dailed up simultaneously... if they were truely low Z at the pickup they would start shorting each other out... 2K is better than 8K to 16K passive pick-ups for driving long lines, however, passive pick-ups seem to blend better because they load each-other in interesting ways... Either way, putting an overall buffer like the Redeemer right at the output jack can lower the impedance to 50 ohms or so... which is especially good for driving long cables and for going direct to the line-input on a mixer...

With your opamp buffer and active pick-ups you might not hear a lot of difference going into an amplifier because they are usually very high input impedance, but if you were to plug direct into a low-Z mic or line input on a mixer, or use passive pick-ups, and then switch your buffer in and out I bet you would hear a big difference...

I am attaching a clip that Dan Schaffer, a pedal steel guy here in Nashville, did for us a while ago - just switching the Redeemer in and out... it's the same principle for guitars and basses...

skip

[awelti]

The clip was too big to upload, so here's the link instead...

http://www.creationaudiolabs.com/res...er%20Steel.wav

Thanks...

[CB3000]

Just a little follow-up:
I put the redeemer in my ash Jazz and it really brought it to life. That bass had been kind of dull and muffled. I ordered another right away for my P bass. I rarely use a bass amp-I usually just run direct or actually use a powered mixer as a head so having a nice low z signal makes
my life easier. So, BIG thumbs up!