Schertler Pre-A-II

robobass · #1 05-23-2010, 03:52 AM

We had a discussion about this awhile back. I was getting all kinds of noise and said I'd try a battery instead of the wall wart. Well, it helped alot, but the white noise others complained about is still there. It really does suck, but it still sounds so much better than the original pre (with original dual capsule pickup) that I'm going to tolerate it. I get less noise if I raise the "gain" control and lower the "volume" knob, and interestingly, the noise is unchanged when I switch from the wet to dry out. I have a graphic eq on the amp, so I can lower the 8kHz slider and get rid of most of the noise, but it does degrade the tone. Perhaps I can rig up an lpf that rolls off from 10kHz. Incidentally, I calculate that fresh alkalines should run the pre for 50+ hours, so I'm happy to be rid of the mains adapter.

I just wonder what the guys at Schertler are thinking. The hiss wouldn't be a problem if I were playing through a vintage 2x15 cab, but if I were I wouldn't be investing in a fairly expensive pre. Also, the fact that there is no internal battery, and only XLR outputs is rather obnoxious. Well, the hiss notwithstanding, it's still by far the best sounding pre I've used.

Fdeck, can your pre be rigged to work with the original Schertler stat? Could there be a fix for this besides a LPF? If not, can you advise me on making one?

JtheJazzMan · #2 05-23-2010, 04:27 AM

Sorry you got screwed over too. At the moment my pre-a is just sitting in the draw and I am using a K&K pure pre.

If youre using the stat-b or another condenser mic, you can make a power source for it using this diagram:

http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/mi..._powering.html

Scroll down to "Battery powered electret microphone"

Im still searching for a better preamp, because I can hear some slight distortion in both preamps.

Eric Hochberg · #3 05-23-2010, 11:21 AM

Just for the record, I don't have the noise problem you guys are having with my Pre-A2. Maybe a faulty component in yours. I'd send them back to Schertler...

JtheJazzMan · #4 05-23-2010, 04:23 PM

I did. They sent back a less noisy one.

TinRoof · #5 05-23-2010, 09:43 PM

have any of you cats used schertlers regular pre instead of the fancy one? is it any more or less noisy? i am considering getting one of their pick-ups the stat-b vintage and it's not worth it if there's tons of noise.

robobass · #6 05-24-2010, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinRoof

have any of you cats used schertlers regular pre instead of the fancy one? is it any more or less noisy? i am considering getting one of their pick-ups the stat-b vintage and it's not worth it if there's tons of noise.

I used one for 15 years until I got the Pre A II. I did have to change the cable that went from the PU to the pre, which wasn't shielded. The box itself is quiet, but dark. I never realized how dark until I got the Pre A II. Still, I loved my sound all those years!

Eric Hochberg · #7 05-24-2010, 03:09 AM

I used the Stat Pre for many years until the volume control crapped out. It has a similar sound to the Pre A2, IMO. No noise problems with it.

robobass · #8 05-24-2010, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg

I used the Stat Pre for many years until the volume control crapped out. It has a similar sound to the Pre A2, IMO. No noise problems with it.

Interesting. The difference is night and day on my rig. I wonder if it's an issue of variability of component parts of the pre, or something to do with impedence issues on the amp.

Eric Hochberg · #9 05-25-2010, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robobass

Interesting. The difference is night and day on my rig. I wonder if it's an issue of variability of component parts of the pre, or something to do with impedence issues on the amp.

Odd that our experiences seem to be so different with this equipment. Yet we both like it and keep using it. I remember the first time plugging in the preA set flat and thinking it sounded very close to the statpre, maybe a touch less punch to the note. What was different about it to you?

robobass · #10 05-25-2010, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg

Odd that our experiences seem to be so different with this equipment. Yet we both like it and keep using it. I remember the first time plugging in the preA set flat and thinking it sounded very close to the statpre, maybe a touch less punch to the note. What was different about it to you?

For me it was a whole world of mids and highs that I'd never heard before. Now when I plug in the original it sounds like the PreII with the treble rolled off completely.