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another thread asking recommendations for a specific preamp

#41
Dynacord said:
I have the MKIII (no experience with the MKII) and am surprised by the lack of saturation issue as I'm usually keeping the gain dialed back as it seems like it has a lot of it (of course, how hot the input signal is is a big factor with how quickly it pushes into saturation/overdrive). Makes me wonder if the 12AX7 might have been switched for a lower gain one like a 12AU7 (?)
True that the EQ range is fairly limited (though sounds very good IMO).
I have some of the others mentioned alternatives and prefer the Olympic but that's, of course, subjective.
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Gain on MKII is slightly different, although it can do that thing on (or even) behind the edge of brekup. But you cant alter it between songs, cause there is no footswitch and th gain added for saturation cannot be leveled by turning down a master knob, since this doesnt affect DI out.
 
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#42
el murdoque said:
The problem is to get a good preamp sound (highly subjective) mixed with a food drive sound (also highly subjective).

Have a look at the EBS MicroBass 2 and 3.
Both do what you ask for, but will you like the sound?
I love the clean sound of the MicroBass 3, but have no use for the drive sound because I don't like it.

What about a Sansamp Programmable Bass Driver DI?
Has DI, has three presets, does a decent tube emulation, comes with speaker emulation.
No mids knob, but the sound is not as scooped as it is on the Olympic - you can actually shape mids by cutting bass and treble and adding gain.
Click to expand...

I’m interested in the food drive sound. What pedals get that tone? Does it have a lot of weight and girth to it like a fat sack of canned green beans?
 
#43
cashpoor51 said:
If you like the sound of the current pedal could't you take the 1/4 in out into a stardard DI box to get the effected sound from the preamp or am I missing something here?
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Tried that once, didn't like it. It's pretty dificult to turn knobs in between songs to get different sound and same volume. Moreover it's such an ugly solution, adds another stompbox and a patch cable to my setup.
 
#46
valaka said:
Yes. It doesn't have to have a tube in it, but the overdrive channel should be able to emulate a drive tube.
Click to expand...

Off the top of my head: Orange Bass Butler, Walrus Audio Badwater, Tech21 DP-3x, EHX Battalion, Laney Digbeth, Darkglass Vintage Ultra, Two Notes Le Bass (I think it sounds better than the ReVolt in recordings I've heard), NUX Melvin Davis.

There are a couple of SGT-DIs used on Reverb, but they're in the US. If you really want the SGT-DI, I'd hold out. Otherwise all of the above sound pretty good.
 
#47
Obese Chess said:
Off the top of my head: Orange Bass Butler, Walrus Audio Badwater, Tech21 DP-3x, EHX Battalion, Laney Digbeth, Darkglass Vintage Ultra, Two Notes Le Bass (I think it sounds better than the ReVolt in recordings I've heard), NUX Melvin Davis.

There are a couple of SGT-DIs used on Reverb, but they're in the US. If you really want the SGT-DI, I'd hold out. Otherwise all of the above sound pretty good.
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The Le Bass has had problems you may not have heard. But those are some great examples that don't meet the requirements stated. Keep scratching...
 
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#48
PhatBottomBass1 said:
The Le Bass has had problems you may not have heard. But those are some great examples that don't meet the requirements stated. Keep scratching...
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Not sure why you're trying to bust my balls like this, but all of those are single preamp pedals with EQ, DI out, and tube or tube-emulated drive/distortion that can be switched on and off available for under $350, which is what OP said he wanted:

Obese Chess said:
You are looking for a single preamp pedal with a switchable (on/off) gain/distortion, preferably tube or tube emulation, with an active EQ and a direct out, available new or used for under $350 - is this correct?
Click to expand...

valaka said:
Yes.
Click to expand...
 
#49
Obese Chess said:
Not sure why you're trying to bust my balls like this, but all of those are single preamp pedals with EQ, DI out, and drive/distortion that can be switched on and off available for under $350, which is what OP said he wanted:
Click to expand...

I agree, the Melvin Lee Davis is a monster and worth looking at. The other, thinking about the Olympic and a reluctance to do the obvious for unexplainable reasons, the rest is :poop: relatively speaking.

I also had forgotten about the full-size Battalion, another pile by contrast and the smaller one has no DI.

:thumbsup:
 
#52
My experience (sounds like you've had some too) is that the preamp world is one giant rabbit hole. You have found something that works well for your needs for jazz standards/blues. If you want to move to something else (a single solution for what you need for everything) you're essentially starting over with finding something to replace what you already have figured out, plus adding the need to find something that will also work for rock, etc - more gain. If it were me, I'd stick with what I know works fo, and add something on top for more gain/OD. Sounds like you are resistant to adding another pedal but that's my honest opinion. Otherwise you are likely to spend more time and money finding a one-box solution that does everything you want. Just look at the replies you have gotten - there are dozens of different suggested approaches, any one of which might or might not work. My view - stick with what you know works and add something else if needed. Maybe turn it into a small pedalboard - current preamp, something you add for more "spice", and a pedal tuner.
 
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#54
I think that the biggest problem is locating something like a Source Audio After Shock (LA Lady-Kingmaker) and a Two Notes OPUS with his Olympic in the middle.

Reason: if you can't find an OD/Distortion/Fuzz tone you like in that Source Audio product...give it up!

Reason: everything else you could dream up is in that OPUS box or will be as it is expandable. (It has a tuner, too!)
Two-Notes-Opus-back-panel-1024x565.jpg


Reason: €350 is probably a bit light for everything this guy wants!

I found a pre-owned Kingmaker Fuzz for $100 and the OPUS is like €299/$299...so I'm thinking mission accomplished EXCEPT "I don't like that it's not all in one box..." Now, his location is a bit of a cramp, too.

I got a cool dude hooked up through Sweetwater, for a Mesa Subway TT-800 and SW115 to Poland, he took care of the rest.

I think this guy can figure it out...:thumbsup:
 
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#55
Another vote here for the ReVolt. I went through a lot of preamps over the last year and a half searching for something that could give me a good clean tone and a good moderate distortion/OD, and it was my favorite by a large margin. I use it in conjunction with the Opus as well. The Opus is actually very flexible and has several useable pre and power amp sections, and would do well as a standalone pre amp. The only downside to the Opus is that is not as easily tweakable on the fly. Two Notes is doing some good things right now.
 
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#60
InkCow said:
Going to bump this with a link, so it doesn’t get lost:
Mark Vintage Pre – Markbass
  • Tube preamp
  • Two drives
  • Boost
  • DI
  • 4 band boost/cut eq
  • Effects loop
  • Aux in/headphone out
  • Probably right at your budget
Click to expand...
I think we have a winner, winner chicken dinner .! :hyper:

There is one with the box in Warwick, UK at Bass Central for +/- $400 on Reverb.com and it's in one persons cart....but NO cab sim...:banghead:
 

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