Best Bass preamp?

[TomB]

An enthusiastic additional endorsement for the Kern. I'll include a Read Purity on the same level, which is to say top of the heap.

+1 ...have had both, and prefer the Read, ....the one I still have.

 

[Baird6869]

+2 as I just ordered my 2nd Monique.

Best bass pre I have ever played.

 

[bgavin]

I have no experience with the boutique preamps.
That said, my thoughts lean more toward servicing a pricey unit that becomes out of production.

I saw on TB the Mike Pope products are no longer produced.
It would really suck to have a pricey unit that cannot be repaired.
Thoughts?

 

[BurningSkies]

I've enjoyed my Monique as well. For my use it took a bit of setup tweaking to get everything just right, but it really is a great sounding unit. I have one of Jule's original rack mounts. I've been my most pleased with an RCA JAN Blackplate in the V1 slot, but currently have a Sylvania JAN in that position which doesn't have the same feel in the low end.

The Kern for me is the "other" tube sound. Its big and full and soft and smooth, but it doesn't have the punch and definition that the Monique has. In some ways it can be a bit 'prettier'. It also doesn't have the huge solid substantial feel in the low mid and lows that the Monique provides.

 

[tombowlus]

I should probably also throw out a nod to the Millennia TD-1. Man, that thing sounds great.

 

[Jools4001]

I have a Trace Elliot GP12SMX which is OK but these days I prefer my ART Pro Channel. I bought my Mk 1 version just as the Mk 2 version was released which made it an absolute bargain, but it would still be very impressive at full retail price (or even twice the retail price).

 

[Baird6869]

I should probably also throw out a nod to the Millennia TD-1. Man, that thing sounds great.

+1.... And it looks completely bada$$!

 

[cnltb]

I'd say Glockenklang, where 'bass' preamos are concerned.

 

[Brad Johnson]

It would be helpful if people would write the brand and the name of products, instead of just model numbers.

"My GP12SMX is good to me"
"I picked up a DB680 and it rocks"
"look no further than HBP-1"
"my favorite: UA 6176"

Some of us don't know what you are talking about, so it doesn't help us learn about preamps if you only put a model #. But thank you everyone else who included more information. Sorry I don't know a lot about gear, obviously, that's why I'm here!

That would be helpful. If the meantime if you search any of those model numbers + "preamp" it'll nail it down post haste.

My favorite is my Michael Pope Designs Mitre Box. Great sound and connectivity in a tiny package. I still have my Yamaha PB1 pair, still workhorses. Had an Avalon U5, the only setting I really liked sounded identical to my Amplified Music Products BH420 head. I also used Ashleys back during my triamp period, great pre. Haven't tried anything that really allowed my basses to sound any better than the Pope.

 

[Oobly]

Still looking for the "best" for me, but I have a good idea of what it should sound like.

I want one of the preamp channels and the phase inverter from a vintage Ampeg B15N, with an output transformer. I know this part may be controversial, but I'd be happy with a solid state power supply as long as it's well designed and gives full plate voltage. That'll give the tone I want and still be relatively light. Not asking for much, right?

2nd choice: Monique....

 

[SirMjac28]

My Meatsmoke pre is the best of the best it's a three tube monster and he can make you a rack mount version and customize it anyway you like it even has a record out I love it and I'm a preamp junkie.

 

[Jim C]

This thread motivated me to use my SVP-CL lastnight and now I remember why I haven't sold this pre and it's super heavy poweramp. It will go warm and clean and loud, which I like.

Edit: My pre has 4 tubes; making it 1 better!

 

[SirMjac28]

Those are sweet also if you can find one?.

 

[thepontif]

I have no experience with the boutique preamps.
That said, my thoughts lean more toward servicing a pricey unit that becomes out of production.

I saw on TB the Mike Pope products are no longer produced.
It would really suck to have a pricey unit that cannot be repaired.
Thoughts?

Wrong. completely wrong.

I'm not building MPP preamps anymore because they are too expensive to produce and there's no money in them for me.

Nobody (nobody with any actual information) ever said they weren't going to continue to be supported.

If there is a problem with one, I will gladly support it.

I can say, however, that except for a couple units that had mysterious issues right out of the gate, I have never had a single one come back for repair, ever.

 

[thepontif]

And the FlexCore internal preamps are still in full production and going strong.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Wrong. completely wrong.

I'm not building MPP preamps anymore because they are too expensive to produce and there's no money in them for me.

Nobody (nobody with any actual information) ever said they weren't going to continue to be supported.

If there is a problem with one, I will gladly support it.

I can say, however, that except for a couple units that had mysterious issues right out of the gate, I have never had a single one come back for repair, ever.

I can attest to this. I had an issue with my Mitre Box, Mike was happy to look at it and it was caused by inadvertent effects loop switch activation in the bag I carry it in... aka user error.

 

[bgavin]

Wrong. completely wrong.

I'm not building MPP preamps anymore because they are too expensive to produce and there's no money in them for me.

Nobody (nobody with any actual information) ever said they weren't going to continue to be supported.

If there is a problem with one, I will gladly support it.

I can say, however, that except for a couple units that had mysterious issues right out of the gate, I have never had a single one come back for repair, ever.

I'm not flaming you or your products, but only noting when a one-man shop becomes incapacitated, dies or goes bankrupt, so goes the support.
I fully understand leaving markets burdened by high production cost and low profit.

 

[Growly Lytes]

Sansamp RPM

I 2nd that ^.
Also the RBI rips it.

 

[nanymoa]

I'm just entering the preamp-poweramp world.

Just got a Joemeek sixQ preamp which I use for my basses, with a Crown XTI power amp. I really like this preamp, has a real nice hi-fi clean sound, lots of headroom, friendly EQ and a nice optical compressor. I like the caracter of the gear, it has a slightly coloured sound that becomes a more coloured sound when you engage the "Iron" transformer coupling button. Sounds vintage but clean. Fattens the lows without mud. Zero noise, unless you push the treble too much on the EQ.
Now i'm planning on a Sansamp RBI for OD sounds, tried a Sansamp Bass Driver not too long ago and loved it. Right now I use a Korg AX3000b for distortion, but that gear is noisy, even in bypass mode.
About the RBI, is it a "quiet" piece of gear? I kow a lot of you folks use it. Recording experiences?
Greetings to all from the south of the world.

 

[MJ_Sotti]

I love this RBI I have now, but I'm really waiting for the VT rack mount. I think the VT's have a little more deeps. As far as bang for buck, Tech21 is great.

BUT...I would love a SVPCL, very very hard to find, and when they are they're gone like that.

Any out there?