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

[MrClassicMetal]

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...

One of the reviewers mentioned that the distortion sounds fizzy. And he does have a point, it's not the best distortion sound and I expected more from it. It's as if the tube was added to it just for the wow factor.

 

[MrClassicMetal]

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.View attachment 4949647View attachment 4949648

Yeah, that one sounds great! Of course Nate is a beast, let's not overlook that bit, but the clean tone is very nice:



And it only costs $300

 

[Smurf-o-Deth]

I like using something such as a Tech 21 Q Strip, and running the DI out to something like a Rolls personal mixer for silent practice.

 

[semiprohooker]

As of now, here are my options (and opinions) considering your suggestions :

Original choice 1 : Two Notes - ReVolt Bass. Awesome looking. 2 bands Eq no the clean channel is weird though.
Original choice 2 : Darkglass - Vintage Ultra (V2). Looks high end, but I am curious about its clean tone.

Suggestions :
1. Jad Freer Capo : Nice but no headphone out. Average design for a high price.
2. Genzler Magellan : Nice discovery. I like it !
3. GK Plex : I have read a review that does not make me think I am going to like it.
4. EBS microbass 3 : Not crazy looking but it is an interesting suggestion. I will check it out.
5. DSM Humboldt bass simplifier : I really dislike the ergonomy of the preamp. It looks crazy busy.
6. HX Stomp : looks perfect but that LCD Screen ... Not my thing.
7. Palmer Pocket Bass : If I am correct, I have read on reviews that it has an always on configuration that alters the tone. I will check again but if correct, it's off the list.
8. Zoom B6 : typically the kind of numeric pedal I want to avoid
9. Shift Line Olympic MKIIIs : No switch to bypass it. Off the list.
10. Ampeg SCR DI : I would prefer a higher quality preamp, or have more features + I remember reading complains about the screamer tone and additional noise.
11. Darkglass BK7 : Awesome suggestion. I need to figure out the differences with the Vintage
12. Atomic Bass Box : Considering it. Complex looking but great tone !
13. Darkglass element : considering it. I just dislike the touch sliders.


As of now, here is my ranking :

1st Choice :
Two Notes - ReVolt Bass.

2nd Choices :
Darkglass - BK7 Ultra
Darkglass - Vintage Ultra

3rd Choices :
Atomic Bass Box
Darkglass element

I am considering the Genzler Magellan and the EBS microbass 3 although this last one doesn't look as good nor as high end as the previous one. It may be silly, but for the price, I want it to look NICE ahah.

One last note... You sound unsure if you will like the character on the dark glass and the revolt. If you do like them, they may well end up being amazing for you. However, if you don't like them, the search continues.

The Atomic Bass Box though, with the ability to work different amps and cabs as presets but not have to fiddle with electronics to work it will give you the flexibility to find sounds you like, and multiple at that. Add in that big EQ section, separate distortion and compressor.... Hard to beat for the $$.

 

[Bpb]

I don’t own one, but the copious amounts of video reviews I’ve seen on the two notes le bass, and now the bass revolt, have them sitting in the clear leader position on clean tone of the dozens of preamp/di pedals I’ve researched. Oddly way up there in the 2 or 3 spot is the tech 21 vt bass di. I am not into bass dirt. Just don’t care much for it. Even on metal and aggressive sounding music, I find clean bass just makes the sound bigger and deeper than adding crunch on top of crunch. The guitars have that covered. I can’t see myself ever spending money on darkglass gear. It’s not a sound I care for

 

[Phaidrus]

Markbass Little Mark Vintage Pre

https://www.markbass.it/product/mark-vintage-pre/

 

[semiprohooker]

I don’t own one, but the copious amounts of video reviews I’ve seen on the two notes le bass, and now the bass revolt, have them sitting in the clear leader position on clean tone of the dozens of preamp/di pedals I’ve researched. Oddly way up there in the 2 or 3 spot is the tech 21 vt bass di. I am not into bass dirt. Just don’t care much for it. Even on metal and aggressive sounding music, I find clean bass just makes the sound bigger and deeper than adding crunch on top of crunch. The guitars have that covered. I can’t see myself ever spending money on darkglass gear. It’s not a sound I care for

Tech 21 VT Bass DI is a phenomenal preamp/DI. The deluxe is sweet too. I played those as my entire rig for years before going to the Kemper. Fantastic variety of clean tones but can get pretty aggressive as well. They just don't have all the features he was wanting.

That reminds me, I need to list that Deluxe.

 

[Thegreatzambini]

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.View attachment 4949647View attachment 4949648

I too would like to try the genzler preamp pedal. However, I have the Magellan 800 already, would that be redundant?

 

[klattman]

5. DSM Humboldt bass simplifier : I really dislike the ergonomy of the preamp. It looks crazy busy.
.

That’s precisely why I like it. Everything is small but on the fly adjustable. No screns or menus to dive. Instantly change something if I need to. Split loops let you run seperate effects where they work best. Preamp channel can go from clean to SVT like aggressive but not to fuzz territory. Preamp also has selectable mids which is a requirement for me (I like the LeBass but dislike their revolt for that reason).

 

[silky smoove]

You stated that headphone use was a critical feature. Don’t buy the Revolt without reading through the Revolt thread and the issues that many of us had with its headphone output. Two Notes has issued a response to that, but it involves sending your pedal to them in France for modification, or buying directly from them with the modification made before purchase. The off-the-shelf models are basically unusable for many folks with the headphone output.

 

[SixtyCycleHum]

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.

We have to admit it about DG. We love the idea of it, but its meal ticket is its gritty side. The cleans are nice enough but not outstanding like other pres mentioned.

 

[MaxSpinrun]

I too would like to try the genzler preamp pedal. However, I have the Magellan 800 already, would that be redundant?

Output from pre into aux in of MG800. Like having a second input channel with all the flexibility of the pre.

 

[TFunkadelic]

GK Plex

 

[prowla]

I really like the EBS MicroBass 3.

 

[Captain Ray]

I would also recommend the Olympic MKllls. Geeat sound and versatile with the ability to load ir's. I ran Super 300 into it for the ampeg tone, and used it for a DI to FOH. The effects loop was great as well. I also have the Darkglass Vintage Ultra, but was retired after the Shift Line went on the board. I liked the Darkglass, but struggled setting it with all the knobs. Shift line has an unaffected through? That wouldn't work?

 

[krfoss]

Shift line Olympic iiis. It has all the things.

 

[getBAK]

There is a 200 page thread on this stickied at the top of the page .
For the feature set you are asking about, I’d be looking at Genzler’s Preamp. I run the ReQ and the DI preamp is basically that with more features. I run one of those into a Khan VTDI for the tube glow and it sounds incredible
Also
Take a look at the Arkham Oracle and the Broughton Messenger (but good luck finding one)

 

[Mk90]

Original choice 2 : Darkglass - Vintage Ultra (V2). Looks high end, but I am curious about its clean tone.

Just some good examples of darkglass clean/semi-clean tones.

 

[Captain Ray]

Just some good examples of darkglass clean/semi-clean tones.

That was the vid that originally sold me on the Darkglass. Something about the clean settings just felt sterile when playing it that way to me, especially after playing through a few different tube DI's. It sounds really good, but alot of the other ones mentioned just have a wider range of usable clean tones, instead of a wider range of overdrive tones, at least that's how I felt when trying to set it. The guys in those vids are good at dialing them in, and making me buy stuff.

 

[Nunovsky]

Laney Digbeth, Nux Bass preamp.