Genzler Magellan Pre... looks tasty

[Calebmundy]

Probably nothing unless you have a very hot bass and need more headroom. About 90% of the basses out there work fine with 9V

Excellent! Sometimes gear promises something like wider frequencies or something for bass that really ruins the sound haha.

 

[EncoremMP]

Posted this in the main Genzler thread, but thought I'd share here too

Loving the Magellan pre!! I use it by bypassing my RB combos pre and going into the effects return for 100% Genzler goodness!

 

[Mojo34]

I am really spending a lot of time with mine... I think the only thing that it's missing is a tuner out. I like my tuner, but I don't want it in the signal chain. So I kept the Sadowsky that I have been using for 20 years just for that purpose. It's also a backup. Actually, with this setup, I've got three separate DIs! But my sound is Compressor > Magellan > Two Notes Cab M (I find that the Magellan really brings out great sound in a lot of different cab sims, especially with that Tech 21 Deuce Deluxe... what a great powered speaker!!). No regrets at all with my choice on the Magellan. Now I can get back to something other than "which preamp do I need to buy"!

 

[agedhorse]

Excellent! Sometimes gear promises something like wider frequencies or something for bass that really ruins the sound haha.

Naaah. No miracle bull crap marketing promises, just solid science.

 

[AmyTwonotes]

I am really spending a lot of time with mine... I think the only thing that it's missing is a tuner out. I like my tuner, but I don't want it in the signal chain. So I kept the Sadowsky that I have been using for 20 years just for that purpose. It's also a backup. Actually, with this setup, I've got three separate DIs! But my sound is Compressor > Magellan > Two Notes Cab M (I find that the Magellan really brings out great sound in a lot of different cab sims, especially with that Tech 21 Deuce Deluxe... what a great powered speaker!!). No regrets at all with my choice on the Magellan. Now I can get back to something other than "which preamp do I need to buy"!

View attachment 5015176

Great looking setup! We're so glad to see the C.A.B. M is working out for you!

 

[Mojo34]

Great looking setup! We're so glad to see the C.A.B. M is working out for you!

The Cab M is a great great tool!

 

[Wild Rice Chris]

I chose to use the Magellan Pre for an Easter orchestra. Loving it! Playing a Pedulla MVP-5 into a Mesa D-350 and Subway 112. Contour B is fantastic in this context.

Choir, piano, bass, drums, synth strings, two trumpets, and two trombones.

The stream will be at YouTube.com/c/fumcah. Services at 9:30 and 11:15.

 

[biobass]

I’ll be using the Magellan Pre/DI with my upright on a gig next Wednesday. It will be a concert featuring the music of Jeanine Tesori (Violet, Throughly Modern Millie, Fun Home, Shrek, Soft Power) with some Broadway stars doing the singing. I’ll be doubling on electric and upright. From what I’ve been trying at home, I think that the Pre/DI will replace the Fishman Pro Platinum Bass pre that I had been using. My plan at this point, is to run into the effects receive of my Shuttle into a Berg HT112 for stage monitoring, and to use Contour A and B for electric and upright, respectively. I’ll take the DI from the Pre out to the board. I’ll have to see if the sound engineer agrees at Tuesday’s rehearsal.

I’ll report back as to how it goes.

 

[Jeff Genzler]

Sounds like a great setup for your situation. Let us know how it goes.

 

[biobass]

Tonight was the concert of Jeanine Tesori music where I used the Magellan Pre/DI for the first time on a gig with my upright and electric. It worked great for both!

I went in thinking that I was going to use Contour A for my Roscoe Beck V and Contour B for my ‘39. Kay with a copper Realist. That was what sounded best to me at home. I spoke with the sound engineer at the rehearsal yesterday. He said to send him a post-eq signal from the Pre/DI, since the Contour settings reflected how I wanted the basses to sound. He said that he would prefer it if he had both basses into a single channel on the board. I had both basses going into a Radial A/B and adjusted the trim so that both were approximately at equal gain. Then the output went to the Pre/DI, which was plugged into the send receive of my Shuttle 6.0, into my Berg HT112 for stage monitoring.

This was a theater of about 800 - 850 seats. The band was on stage behind the singers. In total there were about 8 soloists and a chorus of 23. There were a couple of pretty well known Broadway singers as soloists, along with some rather talented college vocal majors in the mix. Everybody was mic’ed. The band was grand piano, keys, bass and drums/percussion, all very experienced pro pit players.

About halfway through the rehearsal I decided to try using Contour A for both the upright and the electric. It gave the upright a fuller sound on stage. At the end of the rehearsal the sound engineer commented that he also liked the sound of both basses in the house when using Contour A. We left it that way for the show. He also said that the DI was crystal clear, and the send level was very good. I noted that he had Contrymen DIs.

I used the upright (mostly pizz, but some arco) for the selections from Throughly Modern Millie, and The Girl In 14 G. Some of the tunes from Fun Home and Shrek called for both electric and upright I played electric on the pieces from Violet and Soft Power.

I’ll have to say that I continue to be impressed with the Pre/DI. The sound was clear, powerful and authoritative for both electric and upright. I didn’t miss my Fishman Pro Platinum Bass preamp, that I previously used for upright. The input impedance on the Magellan pedal was fine, working very well with the copper Realist pickup. I didn’t miss a phase selector. The settings on the Magellan Pre/DI were: Gain 1:00, Volume 2:00, HPF 9:00, Bass 1:00, Mid 1:30, Mid Freq 1:30, High 12:00, Contour A at 9:30. I had set Contour B at 11:00, but ended up not using it.

Afterwards, the sound engineer commented that he thought the basses sounded really good, and that he had no problem getting a good balance and mix for the upright, both arco and pizz, and for the electric. A bassist, who was in the audience, also came up to me after the show and commented how well the basses sounded.

All in all - thumbs up for the Magellan Pre-DI!

 

[agedhorse]

Tonight was the concert of Jeanine Tesori music where I used the Magellan Pre/DI for the first time on a gig with my upright and electric. It worked great for both!

I went in thinking that I was going to use Contour A for my Roscoe Beck V and Contour B for my ‘39. Kay with a copper Realist. That was what sounded best to me at home. I spoke with the sound engineer at the rehearsal yesterday. He said to send him a post-eq signal from the Pre/DI, since the Contour settings reflected how I wanted the basses to sound. He said that he would prefer it if he had both basses into a single channel on the board. I had both basses going into a Radial A/B and adjusted the trim so that both were approximately at equal gain. Then the output went to the Pre/DI, which was plugged into the send receive of my Shuttle 6.0, into my Berg HT112 for stage monitoring.

This was a theater of about 800 - 850 seats. The band was on stage behind the singers. In total there were about 8 soloists and a chorus of 23. There were a couple of pretty well known Broadway singers as soloists, along with some rather talented college vocal majors in the mix. Everybody was mic’ed. The band was grand piano, keys, bass and drums/percussion, all very experienced pro pit players.

About halfway through the rehearsal I decided to try using Contour A for both the upright and the electric. It gave the upright a fuller sound on stage. At the end of the rehearsal the sound engineer commented that he also liked the sound of both basses in the house when using Contour A. We left it that way for the show. He also said that the DI was crystal clear, and the send level was very good. I noted that he had Contrymen DIs.

I used the upright (mostly pizz, but some arco) for the selections from Throughly Modern Millie, and The Girl In 14 G. Some of the tunes from Fun Home and Shrek called for both electric and upright I played electric on the pieces from Violet and Soft Power.

I’ll have to say that I continue to be impressed with the Pre/DI. The sound was clear, powerful and authoritative for both electric and upright. I didn’t miss my Fishman Pro Platinum Bass preamp, that I previously used for upright. The input impedance on the Magellan pedal was fine, working very well with the copper Realist pickup. I didn’t miss a phase selector. The settings on the Magellan Pre/DI were: Gain 1:00, Volume 2:00, HPF 9:00, Bass 1:00, Mid 1:30, Mid Freq 1:30, High 12:00, Contour A at 9:30. I had set Contour B at 11:00, but ended up not using it.

Afterwards, the sound engineer commented that he thought the basses sounded really good, and that he had no problem getting a good balance and mix for the upright, both arco and pizz, and for the electric. A bassist, who was in the audience, also came up to me after the show and commented how well the basses sounded.

All in all - thumbs up for the Magellan Pre-DI!

Did he take the DI directly from the Magellan's XLR DI out, or did he go into a Countryman and then to the console?

 

[biobass]

Did he take the DI directly from the Magellan's XLR DI out, or did he go into a Countryman and then to the console?

Direct from the Magellan.

 

[Doug Parent]

Probably my 4th gig using the Magellan and it continues to please. Full thick punchy and authoritative. Had to push much harder than I usually like to last night at an outdoor venue, but the HPF feature really came in handy and I wasn't at all concerned with over excursion. Set my mind at ease so I could get the job done. Really happy with this purchase.

 

[agedhorse]

Direct from the Magellan.

Good to know, thanks.

 

[biobass]

Good to know, thanks.

One thing that I forgot to ask the sound engineer, because I was too busy packing up, was whether he changed the eq on the board between when I was playing electric and when playing upright. During the show there was usually a bit of a break when switching, enough of a visual to cue the engineer. However, there was one number, Fun Home Finale, I think, when there was only a few measures between (vamp for staging during a full production was eliminated) where I thought I could hear a brief adjustment in sound after I switched to electric from upright.

 

[ShadowGroover]

Can anyone please advise/help how to best utilize Magellan preamp as a "2nd" channel for a Mesa WD800?

Am using a single EBG, and need a clear, concise, specific, detailed instruction to devise the signal path:

-What type of cable to use
-What ouput to be used from Magellan pre
-What input to be used to WD800

Asking for a friend (that obviously has zero clue), haha

 

[Erik Turkman]

Can anyone please advise/help how to best utilize Magellan preamp as a "2nd" channel for a Mesa WD800?

Am using a single EBG, and need a clear, concise, specific, detailed instruction to devise the signal path:

-What type of cable to use
-What ouput to be used from Magellan pre
-What input to be used to WD800

Asking for a friend (that has zero clue), haha

Tell your friend to try running a line out of the Magellan preamp output into the aux in on the back of the Mesa head. I can’t tell from the Mesa website if the aux in is balanced or not, but a regular TS instrument cable should work.

 

[agedhorse]

Tell your friend to try running a line out of the Magellan preamp output into the aux in on the back of the Mesa head. I can’t tell from the Mesa website if the aux in is balanced or not, but a regular TS instrument cable should work.

This will work, need to use a TS cable and not a TRS cable. The aux is summing so a balanced signal will cancel out as the polarity on the ring is inverted. A TS cable eliminates this issue.

 

[odarellmc]

The 4OTF is really well done, but needs an eq to go with it...enter this preamp.

Also interesting that the aux in will go through to the headphones (everyone does that) but also though to the amp out, which is rare.
This is impressive in terms of features. If it had the 4OTF drive chain in it, it would be the only box i _need_.

The DI is for making adjustments to the room, the re/q is what's needed to push the 4OTF..

 

[bass12]

I played my first gig with the Magellan preamp last night. I bought the pre because I wanted a device that would allow me to refine my sound for my in-ear mix. My only concern was that my preamp fiddling might interfere too much with the FOH and I might then have to split the signal into EQed for monitor and pre-EQ for FOH. After speaking with our FOH man (one the best I've had the pleasure of working with) he assured me that my tweaking would not be a problem.

As it turned out I left everything flat except for the Contour knobs. I set the B curve at around 1:00 o'clock and used that for everything except songs where I slapped (for those songs I tried the A curve between flat and 1:00 o'clock - ultimately preferring the flat setting). The B curve at 1:00 o'clock gave me exactly what I was looking for: a pleasantly thick and punchy mid-forward tone with great definition. Every note I played was clear with a certain heft and it made playing way more fun than if I'd just been going through my usual Radial J48. During soundcheck I was experimenting with different preamp settings and I thought, "Wow, there's a lot of subtlety in these adjustments and everything sounds 'musical'". It was only afterwards that I took a look at the manual and saw that exact word ("musical") used to describe the controls.

My first impressions couldn't be better (aside from the use of plastic nuts instead of metal for the output jacks) and I very much look forward to seeing how this pre handles the various acoustic spaces I will find myself in. A very nicely designed piece of gear indeed!