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Boss eq pedal as preamp?

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by Hofbrauhaus, Jul 24, 2003.

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  1. Jul 24, 2003 #1
    Hofbrauhaus

    Hofbrauhaus

    Feb 10, 2002
    Upton, MA
    Ok...I had another posting on here about preamps for a QSC poweramp, but now I have another question. I heard somewhere that instead of a preamp you can use a Boss eq pedal instead and it will serve all the functions of a preamp (the tone shaping plus the extra boost you need to drive the poweramp). I was just wondering if this was true and if so if any of you have experience doing this and what your results were. If it works I think I will do this until I have enough money to buy a "real" preamp. Thanks!
     
  2. Jul 24, 2003 #2
    BassistGod

    BassistGod

    Apr 23, 2001
    Massachusetts, USA
    It should be possible, I don't see why not. I have one but have never tried. Next time I'm at practice I'll have to give it a try.
     
  3. Jul 24, 2003 #3
    kirbywrx

    kirbywrx formerly James Hetfield

    Jul 27, 2000
    Melbourne, Australia.
    It IS possible, but how it happens, i do not know...id also like to know :)
     
  4. Jul 24, 2003 #4
    GreyBeard

    GreyBeard

    Sep 5, 2002
    BARRACKVILLE WV
    It should work just fine. The only thing it will be lacking is a DI. I've used rack mount EQ's as pre-amps and they give you a true uncolored sound, all they do is change the EQ.
     
  5. Jul 24, 2003 #5
    Hofbrauhaus

    Hofbrauhaus

    Feb 10, 2002
    Upton, MA
    Maybe if I let you know how I will have my connections setup then maybe you'll know for sure if it will work or not. I was planning on buying an adapter cable for the poweramp which has a speakon connection on one end (to connect to the poweramp) and a 1/4 inch male connection on the other to go into the Output jack on the eq pedal. Then obviously I'll have your standard 1/4 inch to 1/4 inch cable for connecting my stingray to the Input on the eq pedal...and the poweramp will be bridged at 4 ohms into either a 2X12 or 4X10 cab (not quite sure if the 4X10 will handle the low B good enough). The eq pedal gives up to 12dB of boost, so it is to my understanding that it should be able to drive pretty much any poweramp. If I am correct on all of this, then I'm going to be able to put together a rig pushing 1,400 watts RMS for $750! I'm getting excited :)
     
  6. Jul 24, 2003 #6
    Petebass

    Petebass

    Dec 22, 2002
    QLD Australia
    Is someone has the gear, can you do a little experiment before he goes and spends the cash. I'm not convinced it will work, but will happily admit I'm wrong if that's how it pans out.
     
  7. Jul 24, 2003 #7
    BassistGod

    BassistGod

    Apr 23, 2001
    Massachusetts, USA
    I'll give it a try tommorrow.
     
  8. Jul 24, 2003 #8
    PhilMan99

    PhilMan99

    Jul 18, 2003
    US, Maryland
    Maybe not...
    ...I'm not an expert in this area, but if I understand correctly, the "line level" out of a stomp-box is much lower than the "line level" between preamp and poweramp. If I understand correctly, the line-level out of a stompbox is -10dB, whereas the line-level out of a preamp (or most rack-mount equipment is +4dB). For some thoughts on why you should care about such things, see this URL:

    http://www.advent1.com/support/audio101.htm
     
  9. Jul 24, 2003 #9
    Gibblets Romano

    Gibblets Romano

    Jul 20, 2003
    Minneapolis, MN
    But doesn't the Boss GEB-7 have a plus/minus 15db boost? You would think it would be able to be workable untill a proper preamp is purchased.
     
  10. Jul 24, 2003 #10
    BassistGod

    BassistGod

    Apr 23, 2001
    Massachusetts, USA
    I think my alemic F1-X puts out somewhere around only 1.5 dbu and it works fine with my plx1602
     
  11. Jul 24, 2003 #11
    Hofbrauhaus

    Hofbrauhaus

    Feb 10, 2002
    Upton, MA
    The Boss eq pedal has a boost of +/- 15dB, so I would think that as long as the level slider was up closer to the top then the pedal should put out enough signal to drive the poweramp. The poweramp only requires about 3dB to drive it, so if the Boss pedal has a boost of 15dB I don't see why it wouldn't work. I'm just looking for a possible cheap way to get by without a preamp until I have the money to add one to the rack, but I don't want to shell out the cash until I know it will actually work. Thanks BassistGod for offering to try it out, I'll look forward to hearing what the outcome was tomorrow!
     
  12. Jul 25, 2003 #12
    winston

    winston Supporting Member

    May 2, 2000
    East Bay, CA
    When my old Gallien Krueger 400RB had preamp problems I patched my Boss GE7B into the FX return jack and it worked fine as a preamp. Depends on your power amp sensitivity but it just might do the trick 4U 'til you can get the preamp you want.
     
  13. Jul 25, 2003 #13
    Andy Daventry

    Andy Daventry

    Dec 17, 1999
    No longer Ankara, Turkey. Now London, UK
    I tried it years ago. It was very noisy and didn't sound very good...not well voiced at all.
     
  14. Jul 25, 2003 #14
    Petebass

    Petebass

    Dec 22, 2002
    QLD Australia
    Noise was my main concern. It's one thing to boost something by 15dB, it's another to do it cleanly.
     
  15. Jul 25, 2003 #15
    socalpyropunk

    socalpyropunk

    Jun 13, 2000
    Orange County, CA
    Its late and I may be wrong but I don't know of a QSC power amp that uses a speakon connector for its input. only XLR and 1/4". I'm pretty sure you'd be plgging into the output of the poweramp doing it this way probably causeing some damage to something. Your going to want the speakon cables to connect the amp to your cab
     
  16. Jul 25, 2003 #16
    Hofbrauhaus

    Hofbrauhaus

    Feb 10, 2002
    Upton, MA
    It may be easier if I forget the idea...I probably don't need 1,400 watts anyway. 500 watts probably would be plenty in my case, so I think I may just mate the cab to an Ashdown Mag 400 head instead. It will cost about 100 dollars more than the setup I was thinking of, but it will probably sound better and at least I know it will work! Thanks for all your help though

    (Oh and about the QSC poweramp and the speakon input...I was mixing it up with the Behringer Europower amp that I was also looking at, sorry!)
     
  17. Jun 11, 2006 #17
    SteveC

    SteveC Moderator Staff Member Gold Supporting Member

    Nov 12, 2004
    NE ND
    I did this with a Boss Bass EQ into a Focus SA power amp. I wanted as small a rig as possible, and all my "preamp" stuff and the power amp fit in a briefcase. I thought it worked fine. You don't need to boost the pedal all the way. I am currently using an Eden 550 because I just didn't like the Focus amp.

    I debate all the time about "needing" a "traditional" rig. I'm not a big "tube" guy, so that makes it even less important. I really like the sound of my bass through the PA. Think about when you go through a PA. It's a DI into the board. What does the board have - EQ. Yeah some effects, etc., but basically EQ. Basically, your preamp is an EQ.

    I'm not TOTALLY convinced that the Boss Bass EQ is the right pedal, but it worked OK when I tried it.
     
  18. Jun 11, 2006 #18
    SteveC

    SteveC Moderator Staff Member Gold Supporting Member

    Nov 12, 2004
    NE ND
    A small mixer would work as well.
     
  19. Jun 12, 2006 #19
    socalpyropunk

    socalpyropunk

    Jun 13, 2000
    Orange County, CA
    3 yr old thread dude.
     
  20. Jun 12, 2006 #20
    SteveC

    SteveC Moderator Staff Member Gold Supporting Member

    Nov 12, 2004
    NE ND
    You never know who's looking for info on a topic, dude. I was searching and found this. Maybe someone else will search and find it as well.
     
    hatred aside likes this.
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