I've been eyeballing the EBS Fafner for some time now, but I find this dragon of an amp quite expensive (I'm not saying it is or isn't worth the cash) so I was wondering: suppose I buy a preamp and a poweramp (whatever brands and types) would this solution be at least as good as a single head (for instance the EBS fafner, or an Ampeg SVT pro III or...)? Would it be better, is this something you can't compare...? Would it be cheaper or should I dig deep in my wallet to get a preamp and poweramp to match the quality(I'm not even talking about tone here).
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Does preamp + poweramp => head?
- Thread starter Kheos
- Start date
I've never had separate preamp and power amp units. However, one advantage I can see is that if you're unhappy with one unit only in the future (say you need more power or would like a different preamp) you can change that unit only.
It depends on the Pre & Poweramp you get and which Heads you're comparing them to.
You can definately combine a pre & power to be better than many types of heads and have the flexibility to upgrade to a more powerful power amp if you need more juice.
It depends on what your needs are for a powerful rig?
You can definately combine a pre & power to be better than many types of heads and have the flexibility to upgrade to a more powerful power amp if you need more juice.
It depends on what your needs are for a powerful rig?
The only disadvantage that I see with going the pre + power route is space & portability. You will need a rack and a back to carry it. Otherwise there are no downsides, IME.
scottbass
Bass lines like a big, funky giant
+1, with the following exception: If the tone you really want is an all-tube tone, then it might be better (and cheaper, and lighter) to buy an all-tube head (such as an SVT classic) rather than buying an all-tube preamp and an all-tube power amp. The rest of us, however, are satisfied with driving our chosen preamp with thousands of watts of MOSFET (solid state) power amp.
Can you put together a pre-power combination with the sound and power of a Fafner for less money than the Fafner? You can probably put together a really good sounding powerful pre-power combination for less money but, it won't be a Fafner. Big power is pretty cheap these days if you don't mind the weight. QSC makes a line of amps (RMX) and so does Crown that will provide you with really big power for not a lot of money. Pre-amps can be had for a few hundred bucks up to a couple grand. So, what I'm saying is that there just isn't a simple answer. It's hard to know the difference between what we want and what we need.
The rest of us, however, are satisfied with driving our chosen preamp with thousands of watts of MOSFET (solid state) power amp.
Someday you, too, will see the light.
If you want all tube, you ARE much better off with a all in one tube amp. All tube power amps are rare and expensive. (Demeter, (used Aguilar))+1, with the following exception: If the tone you really want is an all-tube tone, then it might be better (and cheaper, and lighter) to buy an all-tube head (such as an SVT classic) rather than buying an all-tube preamp and an all-tube power amp. The rest of us, however, are satisfied with driving our chosen preamp with thousands of watts of MOSFET (solid state) power amp.
yep, that's what I feared and at the same time hoped for. I don't know any places around here where you can try preamps and poweramps and what not so it would have been a plunge in the dark. I'll guess I'll have to save my money and get that fafner and a good cab.
Kheos, there is a backissue of Bass Player magazine from about 10 years ago (it has Darryl Jones & Keith Richards on the cover) that did a very good preamp review. It helped me narrow down my choices. While it wasn't a scientific test it got me pointed in the right direction and I couldn't be happier with my choices.
IMO, you won't go wrong with the Fafner either.
IMO, you won't go wrong with the Fafner either.
Sooo, can anyone recommend some good preamp/poweramp combinations? Not for any particular sound, just curious what other people are liking/using.
Pre-amps and power amps - when buying them separate - typically give you the clean version of that brand's tone.
SVT 3 Pro has Driver tubes in it to give the unit a little bit of growl when you turn it up all the way. While I have yet to find pre-amps that can give you that kind of growl.
If you want a clean tone when turned up really loud, going the separate power amp and pre-amp route is the way to go. If you want the tube growl tone of all tube amp, or that hybrid style style bass amp tone - you need to go for that particular head. There is no way around it.
You can add effect pedals to that separate pre-amp and power amp gig, but in the end, you will not achieve the exact tone you are looking for. I should addd though, you may just get what you want by doing that. I tried it myself and hated it - that's why I went all Tube and I am not looking back.
SVT 3 Pro has Driver tubes in it to give the unit a little bit of growl when you turn it up all the way. While I have yet to find pre-amps that can give you that kind of growl.
If you want a clean tone when turned up really loud, going the separate power amp and pre-amp route is the way to go. If you want the tube growl tone of all tube amp, or that hybrid style style bass amp tone - you need to go for that particular head. There is no way around it.
You can add effect pedals to that separate pre-amp and power amp gig, but in the end, you will not achieve the exact tone you are looking for. I should addd though, you may just get what you want by doing that. I tried it myself and hated it - that's why I went all Tube and I am not looking back.
I use a SVP-Pro (discontinued Ampeg) -> QSC-Plx 1202->Whappo Jr. I am very satisfied with this setup. The SVP-Pro is the pre-amp section of the rack mount all tube SVT. It has a drive tube and a drive knob. It can get pretty gritty if that's what you want or, you can turn down the drive and it is rather smooth. I also have a Alembic F1-X. Smooth and creamy tube tone. The QSC-Plx line is a high power lite weight line of power amps that are rock solid.
