• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Genzler Magellan Pre... looks tasty

#121
Just ordered mine!

If it is even remotely close to the Starlifter (and I suspect it is), it will likely take the top spot on my board and help to shed over a full pound of weight off. I wasn't even the market to swap preamps, but this one has me really curious to see what it's design to do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wfrance3
#123
agedhorse said:
I have done a fair amount of cab sim analog modeling, it goes hand in hand with designing speakers once you go from an acoustic domain model to an electrical filter domain model. All the equations are more or less the same, just that the variables in the electrical domain are more familiar to me. Would there be any interest in an analog sim with user control over the variables... things like F3, F10, damping (or Q), HPF, LPF, excursion THD?
Click to expand...

As a user, I don't require cab simulation on a preamp pedal..as long as it features HPF and LPF.

I can see that the new Genzler preamp features HPF but no LPF. Based on reading the manual (I don't own the pedal yet), I think I could live without the LPF as I would probably use curve B for dirt sounds...

But tweakable cab sim might come handy, generally. I prefer analog simulation over IR-based simulation. What I would suggest as a user-controlled variable is resonance. I have been using Broughton RFE at the end of my signal chain recently (as a analog cab sim of sort) and I find the resonance function very useful.
 
  • Like
Reactions: el-zilcho and agedhorse
#124
Jeff Genzler said:
Hello @Wfrance3 --- Thank you for your purchase of the MG-PRE-PEDAL. What you're experiencing is not what we would expect.
This is an extremely clean signal path so there should be no wholly tone unless something is being overdriven or a power supply.

Lot depends on a variety of items, the power supply, bass output, input level, what you're driving at the output, etc.

If you'd like to send me a PM I'm sure we can get your set up the way you'd like it. Or you can email me directly: [email protected]

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Click to expand...

Thanks for reaching out Jeff - It's an honor to hear from you personally on my issue.
I have resolved the overdriven fuzz tone by isolating the MG-PRE. I didn't think to do that for some reason...
I also adjusted the input pretty low, around 9 o'clock actually. Sounds clean as can be now. I added back the other things in the signal chain systematically.
Sorry for the sloppy playing, I just did this real quick:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It's an awesome little preamp. Will be on my board for a long time to come.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Patchman777, Maxi Funkl, Mojo34 and 1 other person
#126
fauxtoe said:
Just ordered mine!

If it is even remotely close to the Starlifter (and I suspect it is), it will likely take the top spot on my board and help to shed over a full pound of weight off. I wasn't even the market to swap preamps, but this one has me really curious to see what it's design to do.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I've compared the two and think the Starlifter is on the same level quality wise, no question. Both are extremely clean quiet and have enough output to drive power amps. The Magellan has the HPF which the Nordie does not. Definitely keeping both.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fauxtoe and Zbysek
#127
Doug Parent said:
FWIW, I've compared the two and think the Starlifter is on the same level quality wise, no question. Both are extremely clean quiet and have enough output to drive power amps. The Magellan has the HPF which the Nordie does not. Definitely keeping both.
Click to expand...

Fantastic review! I've basically had no problems with the Starlifter since I put it on my board other than it being AC powered (had to get a new power supply), and weighing about as much as a brick (transformer?). The EQ parameters and its built in contour settings have been the best I've used so far. Any preamp that I use has to do two things - 1. Drive a power amp, and 2. The master volume can not be linked to the DI. I can not tell you how absolutely disappointing it is to find that on some other preamp designs that would have been otherwise fun to try. It just doesn't work for my needs whatsoever. The only other thing I mentioned above was a thru/unaffected out, but I can work around that with a splitter right before the preamp.
 
#128
Question about the power supply. The back of the pedal from the photo on the Genzler site, says that the power supply input is 9 - 18 volts, any polarity, 80 milliamps. I just looked through my assortment of wall wart power supplies (Fishman, AKG, Radial, tek); the 9 volt supplies had outputs of 250 -300 milliamps, the 12 volt, 500 ma. Do I need a power supply between 9 - 18volts with a specific 80 ma output, max 80 ma, or at least 80ma?

Also, I spoke with Mark Gollihur, of Gollihur Music, today. They now have the Magellan Pre/D.I. Pedal on their website.

Thanks in advance.
Dennis
 
  • Like
Reactions: bluejack and Jeff Genzler
#129
biobass said:
Question about the power supply. The back of the pedal from the photo on the Genzler site, says that the power supply input is 9 - 18 volts, any polarity, 80 milliamps. I just looked through my assortment of wall wart power supplies (Fishman, AKG, Radial, tek); the 9 volt supplies had outputs of 250 -300 milliamps, the 12 volt, 500 ma. Do I need a power supply between 9 - 18volts with a specific 80 ma output, max 80 ma, or at least 80ma?

Also, I spoke with Mark Gollihur, of Gollihur Music, today. They now have the Magellan Pre/D.I. Pedal on their website.

Thanks in advance.
Dennis
Click to expand...
80mA is the maximum current draw. Any supply greater than 80mA is fine, but it should be a low noise (regulated) supply.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MaxSpinrun, bluejack, Wfrance3 and 2 others
#131
Really nicely thought out pre.

For the last 5 years or so I've created a pedal board that is my whole preamp, I run my board either into a simple amp (Hartke LH500) or clean power amp. All my tone come from the board.
I currently use an EBS Billy Sheehan Deluxe (OD and compression) into Aguilar Tone Hammer DI clean (no AGS) as my main "preamp", then into the Genzler Re\Q for EQ correction and HP\LP filter. Then my last pedal on my board is a dedicated Cab IR unit with an IR affected XLR DI (for FOH\mixer board) and unaffected 1\4 out if I also need to run to stage rig. Post COVID live band gigs ain't what they used to be!
This set up works for me perfectly, but I'd love to have the options of preset EQ curves (modern and vintage).

That a long way of saying this Magellan DI pre has caught my eye!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zbysek, agedhorse and fauxtoe
#133
jcburn said:
Really nicely thought out pre.

For the last 5 years or so I've created a pedal board that is my whole preamp, I run my board either into a simple amp (Hartke LH500) or clean power amp. All my tone come from the board.
I currently use an EBS Billy Sheehan Deluxe (OD and compression) into Aguilar Tone Hammer DI clean (no AGS) as my main "preamp", then into the Genzler Re\Q for EQ correction and HP\LP filter. Then my last pedal on my board is a dedicated Cab IR unit with an IR affected XLR DI (for FOH\mixer board) and unaffected 1\4 out if I also need to run to stage rig. Post COVID live band gigs ain't what they used to be!
This set up works for me perfectly, but I'd love to have the options of preset EQ curves (modern and vintage).

That a long way of saying this Magellan DI pre has caught my eye!
Click to expand...
I'm confused so you have two DIs (tone hammer Di>cab sim DI)??
 
#135
odarellmc said:
I'm confused so you have two DIs (tone hammer Di>cab sim DI)??
Click to expand...

Hey man - yup, 2 units with a DI. I like the preamp\tone shaping the THDI provides but it doesn't have the IR cab sim capability that I want so my IR cab sim device sits at the end of my chain. Said unit (Nux Solid Studio) can do cab and power amp emulation through the XLR DI, but also has an unaffected 1\4 out so I can send the XLR DI signal to the mixer, and unaffected signal straight to my onstage amp rig if need be.

Or, for ampless gigs I just send the XLR DI out to mixer with cab sim.

Even though the THDI has the DI out I don't use it for that function.
PXL_20230116_101706652.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: pisces_bass, odarellmc and Derek Williams
#136
jcburn said:
Hey man - yup, 2 units with a DI. I like the preamp\tone shaping the THDI provides but it doesn't have the IR cab sim capability that I want so my IR cab sim device sits at the end of my chain. Said unit (Nux Solid Studio) can do cab and power amp emulation through the XLR DI, but also has an unaffected 1\4 out so I can send the XLR DI signal to the mixer, and unaffected signal straight to my onstage amp rig if need be.

Or, for ampless gigs I just send the XLR DI out to mixer with cab sim.

Even though the THDI has the DI out I don't use it for that function.
View attachment 4958091
Click to expand...
Makes sense, thanks for sharing
 
  • Like
Reactions: jcburn
#140
First gig report. Phat. Hitched it to 1050 watts medium size club. Pumping funk. Clean machine. It's fatter on contour A than I thought it would be. I'm a Starlifter fan but this just does so much more. Muscular tone. A multi-trick pony. It was slamming hard and articulate. Band leader went out of his way to comment on my tone tonight. That's a first for him. My new "big rig" now I have to sling a power amp but it's so worth it. Oh by the way running at 18 volts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MaxSpinrun, bluejack, mikeGJ and 11 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back