Genzler Magellan Pre... looks tasty

[Mojo34]

I have a Zeta electric bass with Piezo pickups, as well as a Zeta upright bass with Piezo pickups (and a Fender Jazz with Lollars). I love the sound of the Magellan so much that I don't even think about it any more, except that my sound is always smooth, controlled and rich. Play through a Two Notes Cab M and a powered speaker, with a Sushi Box More before the Magellan. I think the pre is fine with Piezos.

 

[Jeff Genzler]

Anybody using the GM pre with a piezo?

Im looking at something that will work double & triple duty with my upright and some other amplified acoustics in addition to my passive electric basses - thanks

@Jason Hollar ---Thanks so much for your interest in our MG-PRE-PEDAL. This is the idential circuitry from our Magellan bass heads, and many upright and doublers use our Magellan 350 and Magella 800 heads for their amplification needs. I think you'll be very impressed with the performace of this preamp, and the DI out to the mixing console, if that is part of your requirements as well.

 

[biobass]

Anybody using the GM pre with a piezo?

Im looking at something that will work double & triple duty with my upright and some other amplified acoustics in addition to my passive electric basses - thanks

See my post #230 in this thread for my comments on using the Magellan pre with my upright (‘39 Kay with Gage copper Realist p/u). Works wonderfully, in a music theater application. I’m now using it routinely instead of my older Fishman Pro Platinum bass preamp, although, I still bring that with me in case I need some of its other functions. So far, I haven’t. The Magellan pre is doing the trick, especially on doubling gigs.

 

[agedhorse]

Yes, it was designed to be compatible with most piezo pickups on the market. The input impedance is slightly above 1M which is good for all but the smallest crystals.

 

[Bradley Artlip]

Older thread, but I read through it multiple times before pulling the trigger. I received my preamp last Thursday, put it on my board and dialed in - took all of 5 minutes. Used it for rehearsal that night and then for a gig last night. I’m blown away - clarity, tone - amp and IEMs sound fantastic!
Signal path is tuner>Empress Bass Compressor>Night Owl Edison>Genzler Pre. Going to front of house from it and into effects return on my class D head. Used mostly Contour B, playing 80s thru current rock music.
This is a magical piece of gear!

 

[Mojo34]

I got mine a long time ago, and it put a stop my perpetual searching for a better preamp!

 

[GrowlerBox]

I have one of these on the way, choosing it, ultimately, over an API Tranzformer LLX. This may seem to be a fairly random sample, but we are a little starved for higher end stuff here in NZ; both of these have good local dealers and are very similarly priced here. I was (and remain) curious about the effect of the transformer output in the API pedal, but was won over in the end by the additional features of the Magellan, and in no small part by the contributions of Mr Genzler and Mr Horse.

I do find the relative dearth of online reviews, especially audio/video, quite odd for a preamp that’s been out for over a year, and from such a highly-regarded builder. There are certainly several decent reviews of the Magellan amps, although it’s more difficult to do “bypassed” comparisons of amplifiers.

For those of you who’ve had these, do you still, and has anything changed with the passage of time?

 

[Mark Ambler]

I have one of these on the way, choosing it, ultimately, over an API Tranzformer LLX. This may seem to be a fairly random sample, but we are a little starved for higher end stuff here in NZ; both of these have good local dealers and are very similarly priced here. I was (and remain) curious about the effect of the transformer output in the API pedal, but was won over in the end by the additional features of the Magellan, and in no small part by the contributions of Mr Genzler and Mr Horse.

I do find the relative dearth of online reviews, especially audio/video, quite odd for a preamp that’s been out for over a year, and from such a highly-regarded builder. There are certainly several decent reviews of the Magellan amps, although it’s more difficult to do “bypassed” comparisons of amplifiers.

For those of you who’ve had these, do you still, and has anything changed with the passage of time?

Had mine for quite a while now, not looking to replace it with anything. I use it with a GR Bass active 210 cab.
The Contours work great and the mute switch (and all other features) are very useful, a high quality piece of kit. I usually just use the contours, and a little bass boost from my active preamp. The API pedal looks interesting, but the Genzler more features, including a hpf and mute switch.

 

[Mojo34]

I've been using mine with a Two Notes Cab M, and have been extremely satisfied with the preamp at home, rehearsals, and gigs. It's so clean and rich and I find that it brings out the best in my basses. One of the Piezo basses sounds best with just the Magellan going DI out the XLR into a powered cabinet. I'm always hunting for great gear, including preamps, but this one seems pretty high end and I haven't felt a need to change.

 

[GrowlerBox]

Thanks, guys — ongoing use is the best endorsement. The contour controls are a great feature in my book; one thing I’ve really liked about my old Markbass F1 is the pair of VLF and VPF controls that are often all the “tone management” required. The ability to use them in combination on the Markbass is more useful than might seem likely, given their functionally opposite voicings. I know this can’t be done with the Genzler, but the semi-parametric mid-frequency control will offer at least as much flexibility in this regard. It’s the thing I like best about my Tone Hammer (which will likely be retired by the Magellan), but I’m expecting more clarity and expansiveness from the new preamp.

Now I just have to save up for that mini Jule power amp, and I can run anything from my pedalboard

 

[EncoremMP]

 

[GrowlerBox]

Early impressions are highly favourable … The Magellan is at the end of my short and sweet signal chain from L1000 (usually OMG, sometimes single coil mode, almost never parallel, all controls near 50%) to Broughton HPF+LPF to old blue racecar Strobostomp to compressor (now old Seymour Duncan Doubleback, soon to be Mozztronics CO2) and an overdrive (almost never seen DMB Stellar Drive, 4 knob version adding a clean level) to the Magellan (replacing a Tone Hammer) into return effects of Markbass F1 for now (with the post-effect loop EQ set flat, fortunately achievable on the F1) and NY12 cab at home.

I have used the Tone Hammer for years, and I like it, especially without the AGS (hence the Stellar Drive), but it clearly does its own thing, and if you don’t want that thing all the time, you’re SOOL. I also find the EQ a bit frustrating — the bass is set a bit low for my taste, and the treble for me seems to function primarily as a hiss control. The sweeping mids are nice, but carry a heavy load when there’s such a big distance between the ends of the spectrum of control. The DI is good, pretty hot, and I like the ability to use phantom power, really handy live as a one-box rig (to desk with foldback monitor on EUB several times, super quick setup).

Enter the dragon Magellan. First, if you do sometimes want the Tone Hammer sound, it’s pretty easy to get with a little contour B and some minor EQ twiddling, but once you’re there, you will immediately want to open things up. Bumping the bass and the HPF provides a nice thick low end without mud and complaints from the speaker, leaving the mid controls to do what they’re intended to do (control mids, in case you were wondering, rather than compensating for the bass you’ve had to dial out when running normal cabs). And the treble really adds some sparkle and sheen. On paper, it’s set even higher than that of the TH (6 cf 4 kHz), but perhaps it’s the shape of the slope and where the “knee” is identified that makes it sound like it’s doing more work in the 2-3 kHz range. I don’t know, but it works for me. Finally on the EQ section, it also seems to me that the width of the band that you sweep with the mid-control is narrower than that on the TH, making identification and elimination of problem frequencies easier without losing too much.

I thought the HPF might be redundant in the presence of the Broughton (or vice versa), but it turns out that having an HPF at each end of the chain is pretty handy. I can set the Magellan 18 dB/octave filter fairly low (~40 to 50 Hz) and then set the Broughton for “musicality”, ultimately setting it a bit lower than I normally would (~65 to 80 Hz rather than 80 to 100 Hz), presumably because of the harder cut of the sub frequencies (total 30 dB/octave) with the filters combined.

And lastly, I found myself dialling up the compression a touch. I think that even without the AGS engaged, the TH adds some inherent compression, which the Magellan either doesn’t at all, or does to a much lesser extent. I happen to like playing with some compression, not (only) to compensate for my undoubtedly poor technique, but because, judiciously applied, I find I can coax more useful dynamic range from my instruments with the technique that I do have. Those that don’t like it (or think they don’t) will find the Magellan reproduces every damn thing they put into it, for better or worse!

That went a little longer than planned. Bottom line, come on in, the water is lovely .

 

[djett]

OK, a beginner question. I use the Aux In to have it supply music to play along with (usually from PC). On several other per-amp DI's they have a volume control for the Aux In to blend in the source volume, which this unit doesn't appear to have. Therefore, on this unit are you required to control the inputs volume from the source of the input? It seems to be a "nice to have feature" that is missing - perhaps I'm overlooking something.

 

[GrowlerBox]

OK, a beginner question. I use the Aux In to have it supply music to play along with (usually from PC). On several other per-amp DI's they have a volume control for the Aux In to blend in the source volume, which this unit doesn't appear to have. Therefore, on this unit are you required to control the inputs volume from the source of the input? It seems to be a "nice to have feature" that is missing - perhaps I'm overlooking something.

I haven’t yet used the Aux in, but the wiring diagram suggests to me (no expert) that you could adjust the relative volumes of your bass/signal chain and the Aux input via the Input and Master volume controls; the Aux input is wired in just before the Master amp. Possibly not a completely transparent solution, depending on how different the levels are. What input device do you have that doesn’t have its own volume control?

 

[bass12]

I have one of these on the way, choosing it, ultimately, over an API Tranzformer LLX. This may seem to be a fairly random sample, but we are a little starved for higher end stuff here in NZ; both of these have good local dealers and are very similarly priced here. I was (and remain) curious about the effect of the transformer output in the API pedal, but was won over in the end by the additional features of the Magellan, and in no small part by the contributions of Mr Genzler and Mr Horse.

I do find the relative dearth of online reviews, especially audio/video, quite odd for a preamp that’s been out for over a year, and from such a highly-regarded builder. There are certainly several decent reviews of the Magellan amps, although it’s more difficult to do “bypassed” comparisons of amplifiers.

For those of you who’ve had these, do you still, and has anything changed with the passage of time?

I don’t remember exactly when I got mine. Last summer? Anyway, long enough for me to have done a significant number of gigs with it. I’m completely happy with the pre, and my in-ear mix has never been better.

I should add: I use the Magellan Pre mostly with electric but I also really like it with DB.

 

[Doug Parent]

OK, a beginner question. I use the Aux In to have it supply music to play along with (usually from PC). On several other per-amp DI's they have a volume control for the Aux In to blend in the source volume, which this unit doesn't appear to have. Therefore, on this unit are you required to control the inputs volume from the source of the input? It seems to be a "nice to have feature" that is missing - perhaps I'm overlooking something.

"Therefore, on this unit are you required to control the inputs volume from the source of the input? "

Yes. Just as the Magellan has a master volume control your device supplying the music program should as well.

 

[Doug Parent]

I don’t remember exactly when I got mine. Last summer? Anyway, long enough for me to have done a significant number of gigs with it. I’m completely happy with the pre, and my in-ear mix has never been better.

I should add: I use the Magellan Pre mostly with electric but I also really like it with DB.

I use mine on all casino gigs (in ear only) and also in live situations from time to time. never ever disappoints.

 

[djett]

One more question. I noted in the owners manual that the Master Volume "does not affect the level to the Direct Out in either pre or post eq modes". Is this standard with all DI boxes? Therefore, the volume sent to the PA/FOH is only impacted by the Input Volume (gain) correct?

 

[GrowlerBox]

I’m not familiar with all DI boxes, but the Tone Hammer that I used until recently has a master volume that does affect the DI in post-EQ mode, which in my humble opinion is an error, and I think for fairly obvious reasons. If I want FOH to have my gain, tone and (perhaps most usefully in some places) HPF settings, I still don’t want to subject it to any changes I may need to make to the volume of my own monitoring. The Tone Hammer (my sole counter-example, there may be others) is all or nothing, which reduces its flexibility somewhat as a DI.

 

[djett]

I’m not familiar with all DI boxes, but the Tone Hammer that I used until recently has a master volume that does affect the DI in post-EQ mode, which in my humble opinion is an error, and I think for fairly obvious reasons. If I want FOH to have my gain, tone and (perhaps most usefully in some places) HPF settings, I still don’t want to subject it to any changes I may need to make to the volume of my own monitoring. The Tone Hammer (my sole counter-example, there may be others) is all or nothing, which reduces its flexibility somewhat as a DI.

Not obvious to me. If I need to send a stronger signal to the FOH through the DI and am only able to do this through the input/gain volume, by sending more gain won't I be creating more potential distortion? Thanks for enduring a learning novice.