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Grant Fidelity Tube Processor

Spector_Ray

Spector_Ray

Aug 8, 2004
5,487
50
Texas
#1
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#2
Hmm... Looks dodgy to me. Note that the Ebay seller appears to be the 12stringbass dude. So my guess is he bought one, reviewed it, and is flipping it now. Either that, or 12stringbass is the same guy as the manufacturer, or his brother or something. Also, I observe that basically all they are selling is the idea that running your signal through a preamp tube will make your signal better. Manufacturers at every level have been duping consumers with that idea for over a decade. The reality is that some tube designs are good, some are bad, and some do nothing at all. And the fact that this unit runs in stereo means to me there is a possibility only one of those tubes is actually affecting any mono signal anyway.

I think if I saw a review from somebody else, who wasn't themselves selling the unit, I would be less suspicious. But I will admit the unit does look cool, and if it actually is designed well, I would be interested in trying it out. I do think my Summit TD-100 has the audio qualities they describe, such as a "livelier" sound or a "bigger sound stage" compared to my SS preamps, so it is possible they are telling the truth about theirs.
 
#3
The thing I don't get about these products is that the "offending" solid state device is STILL in the signal path and it's STILL introducing those awful artefacts that so detrimentally affect the sound coming out of the speakers! ...and the solution? Introduce more distortion with a tube based preamp - problem solved, right?

I saw the ultimate ironic product just last week: a tube iPod dock. I guess I'm supposed to believe that tubes are SO GOOD that they actually remove all the compression artefacts from mp3's and restore the sample rate!?

So even though the only analogue equipment between you and Gwen Stefani is the microphone, and the CD was produced on a DAW using a flotilla of DSP based devices and digitally transferred to a digital format on a digital playback device, it can STILL benefit from the touch of a vacuum tube. Remarkable! :eyebrow:
 
#4
Ian Grant here from Grant Fidelity, no Hans is not my brother, he is the accountant/manager at General Audio in Calgary, whose staff and ownership is a rock band called Roxon.

The B-283 was originally designed to sweeten the sound of CD's, one day I was programming a Berringer V-amp for the sales manager at General Audio thru my studio monitors and for the fun of it (and being a studio engineer type that can't leave well enough alone) patched in the B-283 on the V-amps outputs. The raw acoustic string sounds dissapeared, indicating something cool was happening. Mentioned that to Hans and he wanted to try it in his bass rig. I never got it back and the word started getting out in the local Calgary scene.

Myself and many have started using it in the studio with great results. The B-283 is pure fluke, but quite logical in it's concept, it adds some 2nd and 3rd harmonic info to the signal chain which is what our ears like.

Of course all sorts of ideas for improvement and proifying the B-283 have floated around, but for now, I'll leave well enough alone.

Ian
www.iangrant.ca
Invalid Link Removed
 
#5
Hey,
This is the "12stringbass dude". No I'm not the manufacturer or distributorof the B-283, I'm a bassist like you (except I also play 12string bass of which I own 4+ [ie more to come!]). I also have a number or 4 and 5 string basses and play regular gigs in blues and rock. I first saw the Grant Fidelity B-283 Tube Processor when Ian first came into the stereo store I work in with it, having had it firstly developed for stereo system use.
Hearing how well it performed with the sytems on which we tested it, I had several conversations with Ian about using it with my (12 string bass two amplifier) bass rig - which is all non-tube. I purchased some RCA to 1/4" adaptors and began using the B-283onstage. It made enough of a difference that I continue to use it to this day and as a result, I allowed Ian to use my review written for the 12 String Bass Community.
This unit basically allows the special characteristics of the vacuum tube to colour the output of a bass, guitar, PA (or stereo) giving it a "fatter" sound that digital amplification does not unless you are willing to spend a great deal of money.
If you're a bassist who likes the tube sound of an Ampeg, Mesa etc. but has a more pedestrian budget like I do, this tube filter works very well. I use it, I like it and the folks at www.12stringbass.net (check my profile - "Hans Edward Sahlen" under "players")wouldn't have allowed a review such as mine if it wasn't what it is supposed to be. Anyway that's it in a nutshell and, by the way for itchy feet - I recommend Gold Bond, it works like a charm! Keep on Rockin'!
Very "beast" regards,
Hans "The Thumb" Sahlen
 
#6
Interesting, no one had anything else to say.
I think this should work to get the old tube sound from my SS rig.
I always new that SS was more accurate but I miss the added element a tube gives.
I played through tube amps exclusively in the 60's and could not wait to get one of the new transistor types, but after i got it i was disappointed with how it sounded. I really miss the warmth. Hardly anyone was going backwards in those days so i just kept playing the ss.
I'm not sure if this will bring all that back or not?
 
#7
Tell you what, this product may be great on its own merits, and the price is reasonable, but it's got RCA connectors only, and as the maker notes above he had at that time no intention of making any changes. So noting those things, look at how many fantastic tube preamps there are on the market, ones which already have the 1/4" connectors we want, and many of which having EQ or the ability to be overdriven or any of a number of other qualities/features that are useful to bassists.

IOW I'm not slamming this product at all, but if you want "tube sound", why look to an obscure product with no reliable reviews that doesn't even have the right connectors?

Just search here on the words "tube" and "valve" for a plethora of well-reviewed options; and check out DHA pedals in particular. Look both here and in the reviews forum.
 

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