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Help Me Choose a Preamp

goran

goran

Dec 17, 2002
761
668
Croatia
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: Bartolini
#1
Hi wonderful people of TalkBass!

I'm a long-time effects user, and I need your help in choosing the right preamp.

The main goal is to send a processed sound to the soundman, so I don't have to mic the cab. I will also be sending a pre-EQ signal from my amp, so phase matching will be up to the soundman.
That said, the preamp needs to satisfy the following conditions:
  • DI output to send a colored signal to FOH
  • Unprocessed output to send a clean signal to my amp (a must!)
  • Bass/middle/treble EQ at minimum
  • Speaker sim is a bonus, but not a must
  • Sub-300€ range

What I've Tried:
  • Two Notes LeBass – I don’t know why I thought I’d like it when all the reviews indicated the opposite. While I can get a usable sound, I feel like it shines more for aggressive tones. The EQ is limited.
  • Tech21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI – Haven’t used it in a long time, but I remember it being scooped, which doesn't necessarily has to be a bad thing. It didn't work for me as an overdrive pedal.
  • I've owned MXR 81 preamp - this was too clean, I want something with more character
  • When playing with amp/cab sims on the Zoom B1 Four, I liked the Aguilar and Ampeg SVT sims

Possible Options:
  1. Tech 21 VT Bass DI
  2. Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI V2
  3. NUX Melvin Lee Davis

TL;DR – My Ideal Preamp:
  • DI output for sending the processed sound
  • Unprocessed output for my amp
  • Neutral/warm sound (not ultra-clean, not overly dirty)
  • Bass/middle/treble EQ
  • Compact dimensions
  • Speaker sim & battery operation = nice bonus

Is there anything else I should consider?


Thanks!
 
#4
The Melvin Lee Davis preamp is pretty awesome for the money, and it got an Anguilar Tone Hammer amp emulation you can chose to use, along with 2 other amp emulations.

I personally use the Tone Hammer emulation, along with one of the 8 stock IR cab simulations (you got the option to load 8 more 3rd part IR files of your choise into the pedal. though personally haven't found anything that sound better to me than the stock Ampeg SVT-212AV IR cab simulation), and I am really satisfied with the result.

If you are willing to pay about double the price though, I have hard time seeing anything beating the Two Notes Opus.
 
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#5
Wow, I don't know how I missed the Two Notes Opus. And it's not double cost, it fits my budget.
The main question is: can I configure it to send processed sound through DI and unprocessed through line out?
 
#7
Laney Digbeth DB-pre is massively underrated.

Cheap, robust, sounds good (to me), all the inputs and outputs I actually need. I stopped using my Tech 21 VT Bass head DI, and use the Laney exclusively. I got it for £100. I was looking for a Sansamp, but that GAS is on hold currently.
 
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#9
I've got the NUX Melvin Lee Davis and it fits the bill. I'm about to sell mine as I'm going down the Sushibox Tube route, but it's worked well and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it as a less-scooped SansAmp alternative with more mids. The additional drive circuit is good too.
 
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#10
Mesa: The Mesa Subway DI has the features you are looking for. It find it to be VERY uncolored compared to my other DI's. Some prefer that, others don't. Unfortunately Mesa doesn't make them anymore, so you need to find one used.

Tech 21: The VT Bass DI also has the features you are looking for. I love the blend knob on the Tech 21 units so you can bend in/out as much of the Sansamp coloration that you want. Not sure about the BDDI V2. Maybe someone else can speak to that. My biggest gripe about the Sans Amp DI is that I would have preferred a 4 or 5 band EQ and less of the other features that don't seem as useful. Three EQ bands just isn't enough for my needs.

The Tech 21 Q/strip also has a parallel output AND has a much more flexible EQ AND a low pass filter. This is going to be the next unit I purchase. On paper it seems perfect, but keep in mind it does not have the SansAmp circuitry (not a big deal for me, but may be for you).

The Trace Elliott Transit B has all the features you want, plus a compressor, and a tuner, and 5 band EQ - all footswitchable. I've owned two of these over the years. IMHO, they are a near perfect all-in-one pedal, but for some reason they don't get a lot of love up here.

As others have mentioned the Tone Hammer is also a good fit for your needs. I'm sure there are others. These are just the ones I have used personally.

Good luck in your search OP......and let us know what you end up with.
 
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#12
That screams SansAmp ParaDriver to me. It’s got all the features you need; and it’s not as scooped as the BDDI V2. The semi-parametric mids are a great feature.

It’s got that SansAmp tone for sure, just not as scooped as the BDDI, and the overall tone is a bit less “baked in”. It’s more versatile.

I found it to sound a bit more “vintage” when the BDDI is a bit more “modern” with big, tight low end.
 
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#14
A Sushi Box FX Grand Slampegg will do what you want, you can select the 1/4" and the XLR to have a dry or preamp signal.
It only has a Bass and Treble tone control and both outputs has its own volume control.
It is a bit more then what you asked for at US$ 400 but it is running a 6SL7 tube at high voltage so you get that nice tube sound as well.
It is based on the Ampeg B-15N
Check out the clip and read the reviews and you might get hooked.
The only problem is that once you buy one Sushi Box pedal you usually end up getting more and more and that can get expensive, they can be addictive.
kranahan

Thread 'The Sushi Box FX Secret Society'

It's finally time to start an official Sushi Box FX thread on Talkbass! @Sushi Box FX makes amazing little pedals at affordable prices! Let's use this space to talk all things Sushi Box FX. Feel free to ask questions, post pictures and most importantly, have some fun. Don't hesitate tagging @Sushi Box FX for any technical questions you would like to keep public. Otherwise, you can PM him for private matters. Check out Sushi Box FX's current pedal offering at
https://www.sushiboxfx.com/.

I'll start by posting a pic of my Particle Accelerator Preamp:

DCBEAFA5-DD8B-4912-9A55-FAE8A4E6F48B.jpeg


I'm...
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#15
goran said:
Hi wonderful people of TalkBass!

I'm a long-time effects user, and I need your help in choosing the right preamp.

The main goal is to send a processed sound to the soundman, so I don't have to mic the cab. I will also be sending a pre-EQ signal from my amp, so phase matching will be up to the soundman.
That said, the preamp needs to satisfy the following conditions:
  • DI output to send a colored signal to FOH
  • Unprocessed output to send a clean signal to my amp (a must!)
  • Bass/middle/treble EQ at minimum
  • Speaker sim is a bonus, but not a must
  • Sub-300€ range

What I've Tried:
  • Two Notes LeBass – I don’t know why I thought I’d like it when all the reviews indicated the opposite. While I can get a usable sound, I feel like it shines more for aggressive tones. The EQ is limited.
  • Tech21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI – Haven’t used it in a long time, but I remember it being scooped, which doesn't necessarily has to be a bad thing. It didn't work for me as an overdrive pedal.
  • I've owned MXR 81 preamp - this was too clean, I want something with more character
  • When playing with amp/cab sims on the Zoom B1 Four, I liked the Aguilar and Ampeg SVT sims

Possible Options:
  1. Tech 21 VT Bass DI
  2. Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI V2
  3. NUX Melvin Lee Davis

TL;DR – My Ideal Preamp:
  • DI output for sending the processed sound
  • Unprocessed output for my amp
  • Neutral/warm sound (not ultra-clean, not overly dirty)
  • Bass/middle/treble EQ
  • Compact dimensions
  • Speaker sim & battery operation = nice bonus

Is there anything else I should consider?


Thanks!
Click to expand...
GK Plex
Genz Magellan Pre
 
#16
I would go BDDI v2 or Laney Digbeth Pre. Can't go wrong with either of those. The only box not ticked would be the Digbeth not having a cabsim. Definitely listen to clips of the two preamps. They are both colored, but have different color to them. They both have a unique sound to my ears. The bonus with the Digbeth is the separate drive channel.
 
#18
NUX checks the boxes. The DI output is very hot by default, some sound people do not like it. You need to connect to a PC and turn it down. Cab Sims needs to be adjusted also. I use the free ones from the Olympic by Shift line.

Palmer Pocket Bass os better and the cab SIMs are analog, the whole pedal is. The drive is also much better than the NUX. Should even be cheaper from Thomann since it is a German pedal (maybe not made in Germany) Has battery
 
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#19
Second on the Sushi Box. I have the Grand Slampegg at the end of a board setup to sound as advertised, warm vintage goodness, with a Darkglass Harmonic Booster in front of it to step on when I need more articulation. That’s the “mellow” board(still has a rat and a hoof reaper) and my “aggressive” board ends in a Le Bass. The clean side fills out the “bees in a can” of my b7k and the “SVT” side eats up the excess volume off the Erupter like a dirty tube pre should. Cab sim is absolutely worthless on the Le Bass in my opinion. No di or tone controls, but I also really dig the Edison by Night Owl, I have a mini board that is: Edison>Fairfield Modele b>JHS Pulp n Peel v4.5. Sounds amazing and limits options which means more playing and less knob tweaking. Thats just the tube run down. I have or have tried most major manufacturers preamp pedals in some form. My one pedal and a tuner pre will always be the Pulp n Peel. Oh, JHS Clover can be an overlooked little gem. My first board ended in an Aguilar TLC into a Clover and I never did sell the Clover….. “Just in case”
 
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#20
goran said:
Wow, I don't know how I missed the Two Notes Opus. And it's not double cost, it fits my budget.
The main question is: can I configure it to send processed sound through DI and unprocessed through line out?
Click to expand...
The Opus is close to double the cost of the NUX, where I live at least.

Wouldn't know if the Opus got an unprocessed line out, but I strongly suspect so.
 

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