Do I need a bass amp or is a preamp/cab simulator enough?

[Almakedvelo]

Hey,

my bass amp died and I'm not sure if i should buy another one or just a good preamp/cab simulator.

I'm playing rock (Arcosok Klubja on spotify if you're interested) and we only gig at places where there are FOHs and we usually also bring our own soundtech. Also during practice we use IEMs and the goal is to use IEMs on gigs too.

So wonder if I even need a amp and cab or just a good preamp? Or maybe should I buy an amp and use it's line out and if i need it I can use it as a amp too?

What preamp do you recommend if I decided to go that route?
I was thinking about getting a Darkglass because i have the alpha omicron distortion and I really like it.

Also I have a budget of around 500 USD.

Thanks for helping!

 

[JonathanPDX]

This sounds like a question you should be asking of the sound tech you already hire for your shows. He is going to have far more understanding of the venue, tech, and volume requirements than any of us possibly could.

 

[InkCow]

I'm on the fence with my answer here: I feel like it's important to always have some way to amplify yourself, just in case. That said, given your budget and current situation maybe it's worth deferring an amp purchase until you have enough of a budget to get something useful for your needs rather than "whatever is working for less than $500 that you rarely have a need to use".

Because of that, I would lean towards a preamp/DI for now. You could go with a Darkglass and eat your entire budget (maybe a Microtubes X Ultra or an ADAM, not an Alpha/Omega based one, since you already have that), but I think going with something less expensive and saving part of your budget for a future amp would probably make more sense.

Since there's no amp, you're going to want something with a headphone out: a used Revolt or ADAM would do everything and leave some money left over. An SGT-DI would be a good option too.

However, sitting on this fence, I would also encourage you to consider the NUX Melvin Lee Davis: it does everything you need, and well, for cheap. It has a Tone Hammer emulation, loadable IRs, and a drive that works well as an always on saturation. You should be able to get one with enough left over ($350 or so) for a used Rumble 100/200 or a Hartke Kickback for stage monitoring.

 

[Sparky Mark]

I think a decent preamp DI pedal is a good thing to take to any gig as backup in case the provided DI is rubbish or faulty. I've been bailed out a couple of times by my Sansamp Para Driver DI.

 

[Almakedvelo]

I'm on the fence with my answer here: I feel like it's important to always have some way to amplify yourself, just in case. That said, given your budget and current situation maybe it's worth deferring an amp purchase until you have enough of a budget to get something useful for your needs rather than "whatever is working for less than $500 that you rarely have a need to use".

Because of that, I would lean towards a preamp/DI for now. You could go with a Darkglass and eat your entire budget (maybe a Microtubes X Ultra or an ADAM, not an Alpha/Omega based one, since you already have that), but I think going with something less expensive and saving part of your budget for a future amp would probably make more sense.

Since there's no amp, you're going to want something with a headphone out: a used Revolt or ADAM would do everything and leave some money left over. An SGT-DI would be a good option too.

However, sitting on this fence, I would also encourage you to consider the NUX Melvin Lee Davis: it does everything you need, and well, for cheap. It has a Tone Hammer emulation, loadable IRs, and a drive that works well as an always on saturation. You should be able to get one with enough left over ($350 or so) for a used Rumble 100/200 or a Hartke Kickback for stage monitoring.

I was also thinking about selling my alpha omicron and buying a alpha omega ultra. that way I save some money but still get the same distortion im used to and a preamp.

 

[InkCow]

I was also thinking about selling my alpha omicron and buying an alpha omega ultra. that way I save some money but still get the same distortion im used to and a preamp.

Definitely a reasonable option. I've personally found "selling gear to pay for other gear" to be less than a sure thing, though.

 

[gtirard]

Definitely a reasonable option. I've personally found "selling gear to pay for other gear" to be less than a sure thing, though.

What about "buy the alpha omega ultra first", with a refund option.
If everything goes as expected, sell the alpha omicron.
If not, ask a refund for the ultra, and back to initial case to look for other option?

 

[InkCow]

What about "buy the alpha omega ultra first", with a refund option.
If everything goes as expected, sell the alpha omicron.
If not, ask a refund for the ultra, and back to initial case to look for other option?

An option! Also, if an aux in isn't important, go for a used V1, which would be considerably cheaper.

 

[brianrost]

What does $500 buy where you live? Here in the USA that's enough to get a decent used amp but more than enough for a preamp.

 

[Deloofs]

I say go with preamp+DI now and add a cabinet with PA power amp or powered cabinet in the future if you need it. A full-range cabinet would probably be a good idea since you'll be used to the full-range DI tone and also the sound you would hear out of a full-range cabinet would better approximate the sound that the audience would be hearing through FOH. I use a Sansamp RBI preamp, PA power amp, and fEARful cabinet with no tweeter. Whenver I use the XLR out into my full-range PA I'm always kind of taken aback by how harsh and bright it is. This is because I dial in in the tone using a cabinet with no tweeter so my cabinet attentuates frequencies over 5khz but the PA has response up to like 18khz and FOH hears all that high end that my cabinet is rolling off.

I think something like a full-range 12" PA speaker with tweeter and a 15" PA subwoofer either internally powered or with a power amp and crossover would be really cool for you. You can almost certainly find all that stuff cheap used locally wherever you're at.

 

[SteveC]

I never had much luck finding a "full range PA speaker" that sounded great for this application.

 

[gtirard]

Maybe the Quilter Interbass could be a nice solution for both preamp to FOH and or small stage amp for self monitoring (external cab needed obviously).

You'd have to use a TRS->XLR adaptor to send the balanced signal to FOH.

It sounds awesome.

 

[Wasnex]

The only opinion that matters is yours. I love amps and have a basement full of them...that doesn't mean you should get an amp.

Based on your post, an amp is not needed to work with the band. So the question becomes, what other situation in your life would benefit from having an amp. So it depends entirely on your wants and needs.

You don't necessarily need a full-featured preamp DI. Usually pro-level audio techs supply a DI. You could set up a pedal board that is plugged into a regular DI. You could select a variety of pedals or use one or two.

The point of the preamp/DI or pedals is primarily to dial in your sound for the IEMs. The channels on mixing consoles have only one set of tone controls. If you are a pro, then IMHO these controls should be used to optimize your sound in the house mix. That means they are not prioritized to your needs.

Many mixers have the option of configuring channels to be pre EQ. Having a preamp/DI or pedals gives you controls at your fingertips that allows you to dial in your sound for your IEMs. Then the controls on the channel strip are used to dial in your sound for the house and they should not impact your IEM mix.

Keep in mind any changes you make to your tone will also impact other mixes derived from your signal. So try to dial in a good tone during sound check and then lock it down. Also, if you get to extreme with your settings, there may be a need to negotiate a compromise with the audio tech.

Some PA setups have IEM mix capabilities that allow the individual musicians to have considerable control over their mix. For example Behringer makes a couple of personal monitor mixers such as the P16-HQ. If you are using this sort of system and don't use other effects, then you can simply plug straight into a DI and your good to go. Alternately, you could run a rack based wireless with an XLR out...and no DI is required.

 

[RGerhart]

All of the gigs that I do are FOH supported, and are IEMs, too. Even though I'm fine just using IEMs and utilizing my Backbeat G2 (lifesaver!), I tend to err on the side of caution and almost always bring an amp, too. I figure if for whatever reason all of the subs at the venue fail (unlikely), I have a bass amp to at least make the bass present in the mix.

However, if your budget is $500 and you are pretty sure on your FOH support situation, then I'd say buy a preamp or DI first, then down the road get an amp. The bass pedal preamp market is flooded with great stuff. I've tried quite a few, and in your price range, I'd recommend:

Anything Darkglass--if you have the AO, maybe try the B7K, or the Vintage Deluxe?
Tech 21 Q Strip
Aguilar AG preamp, or Tone Hammer

 

[FightMilk]

I'd try a Jad Freer Capo DI. Sounds incredible and very flexible.

 

[gtirard]

I'd try a Jad Freer Capo DI. Sounds incredible and very flexible.

I love it too, but it exceeds OP's total budget.
By the way Jad Freer has teased a tube DI for early 2026…

 

[FightMilk]

I love it too, but it exceeds OP's total budget.
By the way Jad Freer has teased a tube DI for early 2026…

So they want to make it less reliable? Nah jk that's pretty cool. I feel like those are great for studios but maybe not so much for pedalboards. Hopefully it will be very rugged.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I never had much luck finding a "full range PA speaker" that sounded great for this application.

I have, as a cheap PA option, a couple of Samson Auro D12s. They have the same sort of roll off as a TC BC208, which is much leaner in the low end than, say, my Tech 1x15s. But they actually sound pretty good with a preamp pedal. Efficiency isn't so great, so one with the full 400W is going to be best as a personal monitor.

 

[shirojiro]

It sounds like you would be fine with a preamp/DI. There are many choices now. I have ended up with various analog preamps from Tech 21, Origin effects, Sushi box, and digital versions embedded in some Zoom multieffects. They all work surprisingly well.

One of the nice things about the Tech 21 Sansamp stuff is that they've been around for a long time and lots of sound engineers know how to EQ for them. The classic Bass Driver DI is rather colored in its voicing, but I consistently get a good tone from it both recorded and live.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

All of the gigs that I do are FOH supported, and are IEMs, too. Even though I'm fine just using IEMs and utilizing my Backbeat G2 (lifesaver!), I tend to err on the side of caution and almost always bring an amp, too. I figure if for whatever reason all of the subs at the venue fail (unlikely), I have a bass amp to at least make the bass present in the mix.

However, if your budget is $500 and you are pretty sure on your FOH support situation, then I'd say buy a preamp or DI first, then down the road get an amp. The bass pedal preamp market is flooded with great stuff. I've tried quite a few, and in your price range, I'd recommend:

Anything Darkglass--if you have the AO, maybe try the B7K, or the Vintage Deluxe?
Tech 21 Q Strip
Aguilar AG preamp, or Tone Hammer

Ideally, take a friend and a line selector pedal and have them swap between options without you seeing so you are buying with your ears not your eyes.