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Audre preamp for the SB5000?
- Thread starter LaBassGuy
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I assume you have an SB5000 and therefore you know it has an absolutly beautiful and versitle voice as is, of course you can do what
you want to do but why swap the preamp? I have Audere preamps in 2 of my basses and the new SB preamp outperforms the Audere hands down, Carvin really did their homework!
you want to do but why swap the preamp? I have Audere preamps in 2 of my basses and the new SB preamp outperforms the Audere hands down, Carvin really did their homework!
Well I am going to swap the pickups with the Nordy NJ5s and wanted to 'upgrade' the preamp as well.
- Aug 21, 2008
- 10,386
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- Disclosures
- Owner, SGD Music Products
The Carvin is a 2 band preamp. The Audere is a 3 band, plus the Z-Mode switch. How does the Carvin "outperform" the Audere?
How about they are both good, but different?
Well, what I'm saying is that Carvin has more R&D (Research and Development) resources than a great many others in the bass building business. Because of this, their ability to utilize specialized test facilities, frequency analysis, etc. tools to match their pickup construction with their frequency matched preamp and precise pickup placement, etc., you get the sonic result that made us buy the SB5000 in the first place.
Often times after we have lived with our basses for a while and our ears have grown accustomed to their voices, a type of boredom sets in and this is where we start mixing and matching electronics and hardware thinking we are "upgrading" our basses - I'm just as guilty as the next guy on this. As many of us have experienced, the next step in the process is to sell the bass and start the cycle over again. As I said in my original post, by all means, do what you want, but to to blend a bunch of mis-matched electronics together thinking you are getting a better result on an instrument of the SB5000 caliber might be setting yourself up for a waste of money and a huge sonic disapointment. If you must, please sell me that SB preamp (and pickups too, man, what a combination!!!)... it's hard to beat it!! Thanks, KT
- Aug 21, 2008
- 10,386
- 252
- 68
- Disclosures
- Owner, SGD Music Products
I think you are over analyzing this. Carvin makes very nice stuff. But it's a 2 band preamp. it's probably not all that different from any other 2 band preamp.
How many people do you think designed that 2 band preamp? I'd guess one. How many people designed the Audere preamp? One. That's all the resources you need.
All this other stuff you are talking about; "specialized test facilities, frequency analysis, etc." just didn't happen. They have no "specialized test facilities". They are not matching pickup construction with their preamp. They are making pickups and preamps like everyone else does. It's really not rocket science.
If you have been following Carvin for a while, you will see that not everyone likes their pickups or preamps, while others do. Tone is subjective.
Are you kidding bro? A major company like Carvin who makes speakers, amps, mics, amps, rack effects (including anylizers) indeed DO have specialized test facilities... You know that!! They don't throw components and instruments together and cross their fingers and hope that they work out. This holds true for the SB5000 as well. You suggest that a 2 band EQ is the same no matter who makes it. Bro, I'm afraid you simply just don't understand how these things work. A 2 band EQ might have 2 control knobs but under the knobs are targeted frequencies and Q points that differ from one manufacturer to another. And yes, Carvin indeed does design their pickups to match their targeted frequencies and Q points within their preamp. Again, mixing and matching electronics could be wonderful or disastrous. Good luck!!
I've owned 2 Audere's, they are nice but are a little polite compared to the Carvin. If that's the sound you are looking for go for it. If you wanted close to the same sound with more versatility I would do a J retro.
Audere makes a great pre but for certain applications. The jazz bass on steroids thing is not their forte in my experiences. Clean clear and transparent is where they shine.
Audere makes a great pre but for certain applications. The jazz bass on steroids thing is not their forte in my experiences. Clean clear and transparent is where they shine.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
Although I do not share all of your opinion/experience, I do agree that clean and clear are true.
Well, I think I am going to stick with the Carvin pre. The more I think about it, the tone control is really what I use most often anyway.
So, I'll just change the pups to Nordies and see how it goes with the Carvin pre. Hopefully they will have bit more bite over the SB5000 stock pickups.
So, I'll just change the pups to Nordies and see how it goes with the Carvin pre. Hopefully they will have bit more bite over the SB5000 stock pickups.
The short answer is "yes". It is a direct drop-in. I have one in my SB5000 and it is a great fit - in more ways than one.
Though you didn't inquire about tone, I will tell you that the Audere JZ6D is an excellent jazz plate. Very clean & clear, yes. But tonally very, very flexible - and especially so with the 6-position "Z" mode control - with fully-adjustable gain pots in the control cavity.
IMHO, it doesn't have to have the "Jazz Bass on steroids" thing - that's what my pickups are for. I've got a set of the Delano JMVC 5 FEs that give me all the souped-up Super-J performance I could ever need.
MM
The short answer is "yes". It is a direct drop-in. I have one in my SB5000 and it is a great fit - in more ways than one.
Though you didn't inquire about tone, I will tell you that the Audere JZ6D is an excellent jazz plate. Very clean & clear, yes. But tonally very, very flexible - and especially so with the 6-position "Z" mode control - with fully-adjustable gain pots in the control cavity.
IMHO, it doesn't have to have the "Jazz Bass on steroids" thing - that's what my pickups are for. I've got a set of the Delano JMVC 5 FEs that give me all the souped-up Super-J performance I could ever need.
MM
Well, to me the Carvin pre is very clean and clear too. So I don't know how the Audre can be any cleaner than that Carvin pre.
Or do you mean the Audre pre much sounds like your pickups in passive mode but with the ability to EQ that tone?
Um, the person you're talking (down) to designs pickups and other electronic components for a living. I'm afraid you simply just don't understand how not to be a douchebag.
A guy that puts out a statement like this can't possibly design pickups and electronics and be competent at it. I stand by my original statement, either he misspoke or he simply doesn't understand R&D and world class manufacturing.
I'm not an electronics expert but as an engineer for the finest aerospace company on the planet, I do understand the depth of effort it takes to bring quality products to light such as Carvin's product line. Thanks KT
"I]I think you are over analyzing this. Carvin makes very nice stuff. But it's a 2 band preamp. it's probably not all that different from any other 2 band preamp.
[/I]
How many people do you think designed that 2 band preamp? I'd guess one. How many people designed the Audere preamp? One. That's all the resources you need.
All this other stuff you are talking about; "specialized test facilities, frequency analysis, etc." just didn't happen. They have no "specialized test facilities". They are not matching pickup construction with their preamp. They are making pickups and preamps like everyone else does. It's really not rocket science.
If you have been following Carvin for a while, you will see that not everyone likes their pickups or preamps, while others do. Tone is subjective."
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
Ken,
You do realize that there is a possibility that Carvin's preamps are made by another company for them right? This is no big secret for other large companies, that they sub out electronics and pickups that become their "OEM" parts. I can tell you with confidence that they do work with graphtech quite a bit (especially for piezo circuits and perhaps more).
While they're not certainly going to tell you much of this, it does happen and once they have a company making them "OEM" parts, they can pretty much call it their own.
If you don't believe that, consider this: The Carvin branded strings are actually Labella strings, with Carvin's "specs", again this happens.
Furthermore, you might actually be surprised at this "R&D" or "testing facility" really consists of..............I'm not shooting down your claim, but this is speculation, unless you have seen it for yourself.
I lay no claim to being a "guru", but I do know this happens for a lot of bigger companies and their workflow.
You do realize that there is a possibility that Carvin's preamps are made by another company for them right? This is no big secret for other large companies, that they sub out electronics and pickups that become their "OEM" parts. I can tell you with confidence that they do work with graphtech quite a bit (especially for piezo circuits and perhaps more).
While they're not certainly going to tell you much of this, it does happen and once they have a company making them "OEM" parts, they can pretty much call it their own.
If you don't believe that, consider this: The Carvin branded strings are actually Labella strings, with Carvin's "specs", again this happens.
Furthermore, you might actually be surprised at this "R&D" or "testing facility" really consists of..............I'm not shooting down your claim, but this is speculation, unless you have seen it for yourself.
I lay no claim to being a "guru", but I do know this happens for a lot of bigger companies and their workflow.
I think you're veered off the track a bit. Carvin's preamps may very well be built by a supplier but keep in mind this VERY important fact... They are built to Carvin's strict specifications, period!
Do you think my company builds all 6 million parts that go into a Jumbo Jet? Of course not, but every part is built to OUR specifications to meet the needs of our design just like Carvin does with their products. Their preamp specifications were fed to an independent supplier only after extensive integrated electronics testing by Carvin (the SB pickups are rated at 8.25 ohms of resistance, in turn Carvin had to factor in and match things like preamp potentiometer ohm resistance, frequencies and Q slopes to get the voice they were after). The voice you hear from the SB is a result of engineering and testing, not luck, this is how we make airplanes fly too, this is how modern, world class engineering works. My friend, I'm afraid you might be the one surprised at the extent to which Carvin goes to make their magic happen at their testing facility. Thanks KT
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