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DI tube preamp into mic preamp

K

Kavakon21

Jun 1, 2024
12
15
#1
I'm thinking of getting a DI preamp to enhance the sound of my pbass for recording. Currently I'm plugging my p bass direct into a warm audio 73 eq preamp (neve 1173 clone). Sound is pretty good but requires a lot of post processing to dial in.

I'm thinking of getting a noble or kahn di box to plug into first and then send that to the wa73 preamp. Or maybe it would be better to plug the di box direct into the audio interface.

Curious what people think or have tried in an amp less recording setup. Also, I'm only using it to record

Also curious which would be better for this application, kahn or noble
 
#3
Jimmy has it right.

What kind of sound are you after?

I ask because, from my experience, the closer your input sound is to your desired result the better.

Example: you want a traditional dead thudding NRBQ kinda tone? Are you playing unmuted fresh rounds with a pick? Post pro is not going to do that well at all.
 
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#4
I’m with Jimmy and Stylee here.

What is the “a lot of post processing to dial in” that you are doing?

I’ve been DIing my basses forever and I don’t find I need to do much when mixing other than light compression and some EQ to taste. I don’t use amp sims or otherwise try to “color” the tone.

I don’t think of a Noble as a DI, it’s a preamp with EQ. Two preamps in series seems like overkill to me.
 
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#6
Mostly I’m going for a classic 60s pbass sound or a modern pop rock sound. Nothing aggressive or intended to really cut through. Usually finger picked or sometime palm muted with a pick.

For post processing I usually use amplitude amp sim, eq and compression. I typically find it to sound kind of lifeless without the amp sim. That’s where I was hoping the Kahn vtdi or noble would help.

I have tried overdriving the 1073 a little but have yet to find a sound that has good color without breaking up too much. Might be the fact that it’s not a true 1073, but a warm audio clone.
 
#7
Sushi Box has a very nice range of pedals with a DI output (XLR), all have a high voltage tube or two in them.
The Neptunium is the XLR part of the Noble and very popular, then there is the Finally V3, Grand Slampeg and Venuz Z as well.
You might just want one of his More pedals in the chain, just have a look at his website or on the forum here at TalkBass

kranahan

Thread 'The Sushi Box FX Secret Society'

It's finally time to start an official Sushi Box FX thread on Talkbass! @Sushi Box FX makes amazing little pedals at affordable prices! Let's use this space to talk all things Sushi Box FX. Feel free to ask questions, post pictures and most importantly, have some fun. Don't hesitate tagging @Sushi Box FX for any technical questions you would like to keep public. Otherwise, you can PM him for private matters. Check out Sushi Box FX's current pedal offering at
https://www.sushiboxfx.com/.

I'll start by posting a pic of my Particle Accelerator Preamp:

DCBEAFA5-DD8B-4912-9A55-FAE8A4E6F48B.jpeg


I'm...
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If you can make your own pedals he also sells PCB's to the DIY community or kits through Musikding.

c2celectronics.com

Conspiracy to Commit Electronics

Tube-based effects for the DIY community
c2celectronics.com c2celectronics.com

Sushi Box

Sushi Box: High Voltage Bausatz - Ambassador Bausatz - Bathtub Reverb Bausatz - Nobelium Bausatz - Bassdude Bausatz - Lab Rat Bausatz - Particle Accelerator
www.musikding.de www.musikding.de
 
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#9
That second tube in a Noble is only for the 1/4" output, it does not affect the XLR circuit at all so it makes sense to drop one tube if you only need the XLR.
I think the second tube stages was replaced with a high voltage MosFet stage to drive the 1/4" outlet in the Neptunium, both the XLR and the 1/4" output uses the first tube in a Noble or Neptunium circuit.
Nathan (Sushi Master) wanted a smaller pedal then the Nobelium (Noble) pedal he was making with 2 tubes so he designed the Neptunium to replace his Nobelium pedal.

All Nathans pedals run tubes at high voltages and still they can run on 9V-12V pedal power supplies, but they are power hungry and need a good power supply.
I'm addicted to them and I'm not alone.

EDIT: Don't forget to check the FInally V3 as well, no tone controls but it does have a variable HPF filter.
Read through some of the Sushi Box Secret Society posts to learn more.
Cheers
Mick
 
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#10
Tassieviking said:
That second tube in a Noble is only for the 1/4" output, it does not affect the XLR circuit at all so it makes sense to drop one tube if you only need the XLR.
I think the second tube stages was replaced with a high voltage MosFet stage to drive the 1/4" outlet in the Neptunium, both the XLR and the 1/4" output uses the first tube in a Noble or Neptunium circuit.
Nathan (Sushi Master) wanted a smaller pedal then the Nobelium (Noble) pedal he was making with 2 tubes so he designed the Neptunium to replace his Nobelium pedal.

All Nathans pedals run tubes at high voltages and still they can run on 9V-12V pedal power supplies, but they are power hungry and need a good power supply.
I'm addicted to them and I'm not alone.

EDIT: Don't forget to check the FInally V3 as well, no tone controls but it does have a variable HPF filter.
Read through some of the Sushi Box Secret Society posts to learn more.
Cheers
Mick
Click to expand...
 
#11
Awesome. Thanks for all of the great info. I think it’s def worth getting one and trying. Now just need to decide between the sushi box nobelium or the Kahn vtdi. I read the Kahn is a little more open and would allow me to use the eq on the 1073 eq still. But maybe the nobelium already has the eq how I would want anyways. Hard choice!
 
#12
Kavakon21 said:
Awesome. Thanks for all of the great info. I think it's def worth getting one and trying. Now just need to decide between the sushi box nobelium or the Kahn vtdi. I read the Kahn is a little more open and would allow me to use the eq on the 1073 eq still. But maybe the nobelium already has the eq how I would want anyways. Hard choice!
Click to expand...
Not tried the Khan but I tried the old SVT DI for a couple months and compared it to my A Designs REDDI. The Reddi is flatter response and is less compressed (and sounds astounding) but I thought the SVT DI sounded gorgeous with a slight low end boost in all the right places.

Not tried any Sushi Box gear yet, but he is a very cool guy who is doing very cool stuff. I’m all about Ampeg, so the Sushi Box Grand Slampegg I think is more comparable to the Khan/SVT DI than the Noble/Nobelium, which is based more on Fender’s tone circuit.
 
#13
Sushi Box is working on a SVT pedal and he keeps refining the sound of before it's final release, he even started winding special transformers for the tone stack that can replace the ones in the SVT if you need one.
He has just released a limited run on a smaller version of his Venus Z pedal (Gallien Krueger like) that has a DI transformer built in for the XLR output called "Per Your Last Email".(April Fools Day Release) I don't think this pedal will last all that long till it sells out.
I forgot to mention that all his DI outputs are fed by transformers and not solid state chips.

All his XLR outputs have different volume control then the 1/4" output
 
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#15
For outside sessions, I just use a tube DI and let whatever engineer take where he sees fit. If I'm engineering, I send to our Warm 73 Neve input channel clone and to track. It takes next to no post processing UA, but that works with the bass tone I'm going for.

I use a UA 1176 plug-in for some light compression, but that's about it. Folks have been happy so far.
 
#16
Kavakon21 said:
I'm thinking of getting a DI preamp to enhance the sound of my pbass for recording. Currently I'm plugging my p bass direct into a warm audio 73 eq preamp (neve 1173 clone). Sound is pretty good but requires a lot of post processing to dial in.

I'm thinking of getting a noble or kahn di box to plug into first and then send that to the wa73 preamp. Or maybe it would be better to plug the di box direct into the audio interface.

Curious what people think or have tried in an amp less recording setup. Also, I'm only using it to record

Also curious which would be better for this application, kahn or noble
Click to expand...
No need to send a line level signal from a preamp pedal into a mic preamp unless it has a line level option and an EQ or other feature that serves a purpose.

A direct feed into a 1073 should not need anything but maybe a little compression to sound killer
 
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#18
Kavakon21 said:
So much good info from everyone. I really appreciate it. I ended up going with the Kahn vtdi to be able to add a little tube coloring before going into the wa 73 eq for eq and hpf. Thanks for all of the help and insight! I always get the answers I need from this community :)
Click to expand...
"I never leave home without my Kahn VTDI" is a phrase I use often..... 😁

I used to say that about my REDDI Tube DI until I had to fly with my own gear in a single iPad backpack for carry-on luggage (IEMs, DIs, pieces, etc). But the REDDI wasn't going into the backpack too easily. That's when I discovered the Khan. Perfect replacement.

I still get to enjoy a REDDI at the church I play for.
 
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#19
First off, a DI and a preamp are two different things. Sometimes they are combined but that usually only happens when a preamp adds a DI as a feature.

I’ve recorded into Neve channel strips a lot; both 1073 and 1084. My typical signal path is a plain, uncolored DI (usually a Countryman Type 85, sometimes a Radial) into the channel strip. I don’t drive the input too hard into clipping but I hit it hard enough to saturate. From there I go to an 1176 compressor for rock or an LA-2a compressor for all other styles, usually around 4:1.

If there’s a Pultec at the studio and time to play I might put it between the Neve and the compressor for the “Pultec trick” but that only happens every once in a while.
 

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