My question is plain and simple,can you use a preamp pedal/preamp rack with your current amp to achieve a even greater tone ,or would the preamp replace your current amp?
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dumb noob question but need answers
- Thread starter reggie hall
- Start date
Also if a preamp can work together with my existing amp how would i hook up the preamp to the amp,forgive me guys im just a plug in play guy but lately i been exploring and curious thanks
Generally preamps do the same job as the preamp stage of your typical amplifier. There is usually no harm or danger in using both, but most don't, because you could double your efforts, or they could cancel each other out. Preamps are designed for going straight to a recording or to send a signal to a PA style amplifier.
If you want to try it out, go bass > preamp > amp.
If you want to try it out, go bass > preamp > amp.
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Generally speaking a pre-amp is only for tonal control so you would also need a power amp in order to run it through a cabinet. Most current generation amplifiers have both a pre-amp and power amp built in them. Read the instructions for your specific amp but in most cases you can plug the output of an external pre-amp/pedal into the effects loop. That will allow you to shape the tone using a preferred device while still using the power section from an existing amp to power a cabinet.
Use the effects return or poweramp IN jacks on your bass amp head to receive the preamp signal.
I think you dont' quite understand how the basic signal chain works.
Bass > Preamp > Power Amp > Speakers
Some guys use a pedal as a preamp and then into a power amp - and it works for them.
Some guys, I'm sure, use an active bass (with its own preamp) directly into a power amp - and that works for them.
Some guys use a preamp type pedal into a "amp head" (which is a combo of preamp & power amp)
Some guys just plug into some effects then into a "amp head".
There ARE "Rack mount" preamps and power amps. They aren't as fashionable today as they once were due to weight, cost and the improvements made in small, light amp heads.
Does that help?
Bass > Preamp > Power Amp > Speakers
Some guys use a pedal as a preamp and then into a power amp - and it works for them.
Some guys, I'm sure, use an active bass (with its own preamp) directly into a power amp - and that works for them.
Some guys use a preamp type pedal into a "amp head" (which is a combo of preamp & power amp)
Some guys just plug into some effects then into a "amp head".
There ARE "Rack mount" preamps and power amps. They aren't as fashionable today as they once were due to weight, cost and the improvements made in small, light amp heads.
Does that help?
Would ="B-string, post: 18652574, member: 131501"]Use the effects return or poweramp IN jacks on your bass amp head to receive the preamp signal.[/QUOTE
Would my current bass amp work together with the preamp?
Would my current bass amp work together with the preamp?
You can run a preamp into the input of a regular amp, you just want to watch the levels. This is done all the time with tube amps to saturate the input stage of the amp and generate a rich creamy tone. Too much level and it gets overly distorted.
A pedal plugged into the input is doing the same thing. A VT Bass pedal for instance can function as a stand alone preamp. They have enough output level to drive a power amp directly. Yet they are also used at the input of an amp. It is fine to do this.
If your amp has two channels you can bridge them with a Y cable and use each set of tone controls to give you a more complex tone, the channels sum so the signals are combined.
So, this implies OP's rig already has a great tone. Maybe head over the the effects forum and look into effects pedals rather than another preamp. B1on or B1xon is a great learning tool for this, and cheap.
This will bypass the EQ on your amp, yes. It is possible to configure things to run through multiple pre-amps (technically any pedal is basically just a pre-amp) but this can get complicated and shouldn't generally be necessary.
More knobs to control your tone by cascading preamps does not necessarily mean better tone.
Usually it means its more complicated to find a good tone because the eq points are not designed to work together. Also, it might mean more noise.
There's no harm in trying it, but what I find most useful is simplicity. 3 or 4 knobs and a switch or two is more than enough tonal control for me.
I had a peavey Max bass preamp that had two preamps, one tube with knobs and the other SS with graphic EQ and a knob you could blend each. It also had a crossover so you could bi-amp. There were a million ways to sound mediocre through it.
YMMV of course.
Usually it means its more complicated to find a good tone because the eq points are not designed to work together. Also, it might mean more noise.
There's no harm in trying it, but what I find most useful is simplicity. 3 or 4 knobs and a switch or two is more than enough tonal control for me.
I had a peavey Max bass preamp that had two preamps, one tube with knobs and the other SS with graphic EQ and a knob you could blend each. It also had a crossover so you could bi-amp. There were a million ways to sound mediocre through it.
YMMV of course.
What about when you just put the eq on your amp flat across the board and use the preamp pedal.... ? Does that effectively remove the amps eq from the equation the same way that using the return line would?
The question is whether or not your bass amp has an effects loop, poweramp in, both or neither. Going directly into your amps input will probably work but your will have two preamps working, not always bad or good. Using the effects loop generally does not cancel the amps preamp section so you're back to two preamps, again, not always bad or good. Going into the poweramp in bypasses the amps preamp. So, if you are using any other effects plugged into the amps preamp they too would be bypassed. Lots of guys run lots of stuff in lots of ways and make it achieve their sonic goal. As long as you are careful experiment and who knows what you may come up with.
And this my friend is why we have the technology of today, get you a class D hybrid or solid state amp throw it in your bass gigbag and your off to the races...
e.g..( GK MB Series, Mesa D800, Genz or Genzler, Fender Rumble etc. etc..)
e.g..( GK MB Series, Mesa D800, Genz or Genzler, Fender Rumble etc. etc..)
