"Best" Preamp around ? ReVolt ? Darglass Vintage ? Else ?

[Romain909]

Hi everyone.
I am currently looking for a preamp for these uses :

Play without my amp :
- Play with headphones only (late at night)
- Record myself with an interface (late at night)
- Play live without bringing my V4B and 212

In other words :
-I need a DI out
-I need a headphone out
-I want to fully bypass the preamp when needed ; and a True bypass.
-I want a ground lift switch

-Cab sim is a plus to simulate my V4B
-parallel output is a plus
-tuner output is a plus
-Eq and/or Comp integrated is a plus
-Effects Send/Return is a plus

-High current draw is not an issue (Thanks to DESS MP10. Marvelous)
-I would like not to exceed €/$ 500ish (no Noble for instance).

About me :
-I play clean most of the time (Funk, Soul and Jazz). A very light distortion may be interesting but I don't need an integrated death fuzz.
-I dislike LCD screens and ipad looking pedals. Knobs are fun and easier !

My choices :
-As of now, I like the ReVolt a lot (AMAZING look!!) clean channel is an SVT and cab sim a 810... Perfect as an Ampeg player. I just dislike the 2 bands EQ on the Clean channel. Weird choice.

-But I also like Darglass Vintage Ultra V2. Is it really meant to be played solely on the clean channel ? No distortion ? It looks like Darglass preamps are mostly engineered to be played with the Drive ON. Maybe, Marketing is leading me to think this way and this is absolutely wrong.

Questions :
Any preference between the ReVolt and the Vintage Ultra for a clean use ?
Any other preamp suggestion the would fit my needs ?

Thanks a lot !

 

[gtirard]

Did you check the Jad Freer Capo? I don't have one, but it seems to receive a loooot of love.

 

[Romain909]

Did you check the Jad Freer Capo? I don't have one, but it seems to receive a loooot of love.

No Headphone out but my guess is that the parallel output can be used for headphones provided the signal is not too strong ?
Hmm

 

[Derek Williams]

I don't think true bypass is a thing if you want a DI, since you need the signal to go through a transformer. Unless you want the DI to cut out when you bypass?

 

[Romain909]

Interesting question !

I think if I play with my amp, I will use the V4B Di out instead to have my amp head color instead. Maybe not.

I could be totally wrong willing to have a true bypass. As long as the pedal does not suck the tone when bypassed, I am fine with it.

 

[Derek Williams]

HX Stomp would be my top choice for those features and price, but I feel like you might have a strong opinion against it

 

[Romain909]

I feel like you might have a strong opinion against it

ahahah Yp I am not a fan of that screen, but it looks nice and appears to tick every other box.

Similarly, the DarkGlass Elements is very nice, much more affordable and small, but I am afraid I dislike the touch screen.

 

[javi_bassist]

I don't think true bypass is a thing if you want a DI, since you need the signal to go through a transformer. Unless you want the DI to cut out when you bypass?

That's exactly what the Markbass Vintage Pre. Which I recommend, even though it doesn't have the cab sim

 

[Romain909]

That's exactly what the Markbass Vintage Pre. Which I recommend, even though it doesn't have the cab sim

Thanks for the suggestion !
Its design is very bad IMO but I can put that aside.
However, the reviews on Thomann about it are not very encouraging...

 

[SixtyCycleHum]

I have no experience with the Two Notes Revolt. It does look really cool! I'm going to do some vidya watchin.

As for Darkglass? It has long been regarded as the pedal brand to get insane grit. They *are* that, it's their meal ticket. Yet, they are also capable of sounding great in genres that aren't metal. Clean power with a little crunch on top? Edge of breakup! Does them nicely. Smooth? Can do it, but the front end of your amp does it better. They're definitely the best pedal for metal tho..lol.

Have you any interest in the Two Notes Le Bass? I saw one for a nice price on the used market.

One outsider suggestion woud be the Humboldt Simplifier. That thing is ridiculously specific lol. Palmer also makes a very good DI with cab sim, yet no personal experience.

 

[javi_bassist]

Thanks for the suggestion !
Its design is very bad IMO but I can put that aside.
However, the reviews on Thomann about it are not very encouraging...

I have it and I love it. It has more features that I use. I only like its clean channel. Overdrives are not that good. FX loop... Since it's parallel and it has no blend, not very useful (something I don't use either). The filters are a good idea, but I'd have preferred the VLE.

ahahah Yp I am not a fan of that screen, but it looks nice and appears to tick every other box.

Similarly, the DarkGlass Elements is very nice, much more affordable and small, but I am afraid I dislike the touch screen.

If you don't like screens, that would be a problem. Even though it sounds pretty good. I love mine.

 

[misterCRUSH]

I have the Darkglass microtubes B7k ultra v2. It's an incredible preamp. Has Di out, cab sim, headphones, aux in, great controls for eq, and I play jazz, so have only engaged the overdrive once or twice just for fun. Works great with my Darkglass hyper luminal compressor. They are the only pedals I use. Well, tuner. lol.

 

[Romain909]

I have the Darkglass microtubes B7k ultra v2. It's an incredible preamp. Has Di out, cab sim, headphones, aux in, great controls for eq, and I play jazz, so have only engaged the overdrive once or twice just for fun. Works great with my Darkglass hyper luminal compressor. They are the only pedals I use. Well, tuner. lol.

Why the B7K and not the Vintage Ultra ?

 

[el murdoque]

EBS Microbass II
EBS Microbass III

 

[MaxSpinrun]

I just purchased the new Genzler Pre/DI. Love it. Think it ticks most of your needs. It replaced a TC Electronic Spectradrive, which would work as well.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

GK Plex

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Of your two choices, I'd get the ReVolt. I've purchased DarkGlass products several times and quickly flip them. I'm just not a fan of their baked in sound. If you used the distortion sound more often, I recommend DarkGlass. But you prefer clean, so I'd avoid DarkGlass.

 

[misterCRUSH]

Why the B7K and not the Vintage Ultra ?

Not really sure, just picked one over the other.. I did get the squid edition, so the art is cool lol. I am really happy with the way it sounds.

 

[brstma]

I've been very happy using the EBS microbass 3 for the last 8 months.

Clean channel with parametric mid, hi and lo boost, eq bypass
Distortion channel with hi or lo gain,series or parallel
Effects loop
DI
Tuner

And the knobs don't turn too easily like others I've tried so I can put it in a bag with other stuff and settings don't get changed.

 

[Alban]

Either an EBS Microbass 3, most versatile preamp ever; or an Arkham Oracle for tubes goodness. I own both