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dUg Ultra Bass 1000 - Tech 21

#101
I love dUg's signature tone. It's definitely not one that the other Tech21 preamps can do, and I don't believe I could get there using a pair of them: I often run two different Tech21 preamps at once in a parallel wiring configuration (I've done RBI+RPM, VT+RPM, and RBI+VT).

Just as Andrew said, I wouldn't try to clone dUg's tone for my gigs, but this amp can likely produce a range of cool processed OD tones. The key for me will be the ability to go from a killer processed OD tone to a nice cleanish tone and back again, with the flick of a switch and no other tweakage.
 
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#102
andrew said:
Unfortunately Tech 21's amps have always been quite expensive.

We havn't seen anyone demonstrate what variety it can do yet, I suspect it's not quite the one trick amp it's been shown as so far. But at the same time, it's design is pretty specific to giving some form of distorted top end so I doubt it'll be the amp for all types of music.
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Fair enough. I suppose I just had a pipe dream of my dream amp falling into my lap, as this is as close as I've come in a long time :roflmao:
 
#104
Lethgar said:
Ouch.
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andrew said:
dUg's tone hit you in the stomach? ;)
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yes!!!!

I would imagine this amp could do a lot more than just dUg's tone...I also don't think you could just stack a couple of tech 21's other preamps on top of a power amp and call it good...I bet a lot went into the design of it than putting two pre-'s together...the high and low pass filters with the compressor add a lot to the magic of this amp...I think it sounds awesome from the clips I've heard...I've seen dUg jam on a Yamaha attitude, it would be sweet to see billy Sheehan rock out on one of these bass heads...when I heard this concept, I have to admit Sheehan was the first thing that I thought of
 
#106
Wow, an extra mid emphasis circuit that's automatically engaged/disengaged when you switch in and out of single channel mode? That is some sophisticated poopie.

I really hope they do a pedal. I don't like Tech 21's solid state distortion emulation, but warming it up through some tubes might save it for me.
 
#107
Bumping this thread.

A lot of good info on this amp is now going into the thread criticizing/justifying it's price when imo it'd be better to have all the tech talk and first hand reviews, etc. in this one thread.
Hopefully we can get back to the amp itself and not it's price tag.
 
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#109
andrew said:
Were he still alive, I wonder if the dUg Ultra 1000 wouldn't have been the Ox Ultra 1000 instead. He was a Tech 21 user as well.
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For sure and I'm quite sure this amp could be the Squire amp, Geddy amp etc. I believe it's going to excel at "biamp" in a box. You'll notice from the pic I took of his settings that dUg used some pretty extreme settings but I think it's going to clean up and do everything from clean to mildly pushed tube to killing cats at 50 yards.
 
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#110
husky123 said:
I believe it's going to excel at "biamp" in a box.
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i kind of wonder why they didn't make it truly biamped, though (with lows coming out one jack and highs from the other). even if they didn't want to build two power amps into the unit, they could have provided separate preamp outs for the two channels. i'm sure it's going to sound great full-range, but it would have been a nice option.
 
#111
jacolyte said:
i kind of wonder why they didn't make it truly biamped, though (with lows coming out one jack and highs from the other). even if they didn't want to build two power amps into the unit, they could have provided separate preamp outs for the two channels. i'm sure it's going to sound great full-range, but it would have been a nice option.
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That'd limit it's single cab options.
 
#118
andrew said:
Assuming this amp lives up to everyone's liking in person, who here is planning to take the plunge and get one?
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Me. I played the Orange at NAMM and while awesome, lacked the overall agro snarl of the dUg.

The Orange was very smooth and "fuzzy" where the dUg was open, airy, more grindy and nasty.

Honestly not taking anything away from the Orange. It might be a better amp for days you don't feel like beating the crap out of the band mix.
 
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#120
andrew said:
Assuming this amp lives up to everyone's liking in person, who here is planning to take the plunge and get one?
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If I like it, I will definitely buy it. I've always wanted Ox/Geddy/Pinnick tones, but even a pair of SansAmp preamps (much as I like 'em) hasn't quite gotten me there. I'm confident the dirty tones will make me happy. Again, what's key for me is the ability to switch from a conventional blues/country/classic rock tone to a heavily processed OD tone and then back with the flick of a switch. Even in my hardest rockin' band, I need a conventional tone at least some of the time.



Munjibunga said:
On the other end of the spectrum, I'd go for Bergantino's B|Amp.
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"Other end of the spectrum" -- well yeah, that's for sure. As much as I love Bergantino gear, my "other end of the spectrum" amp will be the Reiner Studio 1200. The B-Amp has way cool programmable EQ and DSP, but the Reiner has 5 band EQ, and more importantly to me, a tube front end with the ability to dial in overdrive. Sure, the B-Amp would work with an OD pedal, but I prefer a one-box solution for clean and dirty tones. The Reiner won't get as dirty as the dUg, of course... I'd use the Reiner for my non-metal bands, and the dUg with my hard rock band.
 
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