• 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.

JGR comes clean.... with his new "Studio" preamp design!!!!

#41
I just got the treble control dialed in. :)

Also working on a different take of the boost switch on my other preamps. Sounds yummy so far.

Need to go to bed, work comes early!
 
#42
I was measuring the available output last night and with EQ flat, I have about +25 dBu with clean tones (gain up to around 2:00) with the master full up. This thing has insane output!

Going to shoot a video with my BEAD 4 string into the 1810.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fuzzbass
#47
GOT ICE? :)

ImageUploadedByTalkBass1403739865.802368.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3rdcurve and kzr750r1
#49
Ok---2 1/2 hours with Radbass this afternoon. Comparing the Monique, Box-O-Tone (the basis for his current model mentioned here) and Sonic Farm 2di4. All going into the 1200 watt Ice module.Into one of my cabs.

Basses were--my Roscoe (only active)with Reed James pickups and an East preamp, a pieced together Pbass with a 70's neck and light aftermarket body (sounds like an old alder) and an 80's Tele with a Pbass p/u and flatwounds.

First--I tried the Monique with my Puma 900 going into the effect return and thought it was a bit muted, but very pretty and warm. Well---into the Ice 1000 it was an entirely different story. Much more mid attack and pristine highs.Gorgeous sound. But Randy and I preferred the Box-O-Tone and the Sonic Farm.(let's call it the BOT and the Sonic Farm the SF). If I hadn't heard the BOT and SF I could happily live the rest of my life with the Monique--it's state of the art and deserving of the reputation it has. It sounds much better with the 1000 than the other Ice modules. And I hear that it's killin' with the new Hypex. It's just that the BOT and SF had more clarity, impact and low end control--for my taste.

The SF being a tube/solid state hybrid had a touch less "width" to the notes than the BOT but if I boosted the upper bass just a tad---damn close. The BOT is the epitome of tube magic with control. The SF can get the tube complexity with just a tad more control than the BOT. The BOT had a little more "hair" on the notes but was still studio clean when wanted.

Rather than trying to compare with the "all controls at 12 o'clock" since even with gear without eq---there really is no 12 o'clock--I used the limited eq on the SF and my onboard on the Roscoe to try to nail a similar sound so that I could hear how either the SF or BOT handled attack, decay, harmonic complexity, etc.

On the Roscoe, the consensus went to the SF---but it was insanely close. We went back and forth about 20 times. The SF sounds like you took a Millennia and added the rich harmonic content of tubes. More "thickness" to the notes and richness than a Millennia but the same speed and detail. The BOT sounded more like a Manley Labs $3k tube pre. A tad more hair and grind--and thickness than the SF, but closer than I would have ever expected in speed and clarity. It was more a matter of taste between the two. Both sounded like great studio gear.

With the bastardized P bass with new DR roundwounds we kindof dug the BOT---again---super close. We both liked the fact that it had a bit more aggression but still thick and warm. Again--about twenty times back and forth---just a question if you wanted a bit more aggression--but still a studio quality sound.

With the Tele with a Pbass pup and 5 year old DR flatwounds---a slight edge to the SF. Mainly because (playing with a pick) it felt like we were in a studio listening to the playback through a Neve board of a Joe Osborn track. With fingers I imagined a perfect Duck Dunn studio sound. The BOT was just a tad more "up front" which might be better in a live mix. Again---both were very close.


If JGR can retain the quality of the BOT while adding the tone controls---he's going to have a 10 year waiting list!

A note to the mods---again guys--I'm sorry to always be doing this---I'm not in the amp business. I don't have ANY commercial affiliation with JGR , Jule, or SF. I'm friends with all of them---all great guys. I have been bugging JGR and SF to come out with practical amps with lighter digital amp modules and full eq. This is because I play bass for a living and would like to have the best amp I can get. I've actually purchased and am waiting for a Demeter VTBP201-800 because I had a great time trying one on the gig---and I have no commercial relationship with James D. I'm just selfish---I want the best gear possible so that I can have the most fun on my gigs! I'm also dying to try Passinwind's amp---I bet it's crazy good---he's one of the smartest guys in the room!
 
  • Like
Reactions: bassvirtuoso
#50
I agree with Mike, the Monique really came alive into JGR's stand alone amp with the ICE 1000 module, very pretty, warm sound. We were using everything into one of Mike's 6x6 cabs, an amazing sounding cab. Sounds huge and loud, but very clean and articulate. The Monique sounded wonderful, but I prefer a more aggressive sound and the SF and the BOT delivered. The SF sounded to me like you plugged direct into a great sounding board, but more harmonically rich. I loved it. The BOT sounded to me kind of like my '66 B-15 at low volume settings, very rich, but clean. I never liked the Ampeg as much when it's cranked, too soft and slow, but the BOT through JGR's amp into the 6x6 maintained that clean, rich sound at insane volumes. I loved it even more! I can't wait to hear the BOT with the tone controls, because Mike's right, if we could have tamed the maple neck P with new High Beams, upper mids and treble a little it would have sounded better. I just finished working on a 1970 V-4 and was reminded how great that inductor based mid control sounded. If JGR's tone controls sound that good or better, look out!
 
  • Like
Reactions: bassvirtuoso
#51
Thanks guys, great feedback, and the BoT was definitely in good company. Glad to hear you guys dug it - it was something I did on a whim, but it has really inspired me to develop the new design which is coming along nicely if I do say so. I'm also really happy with how the standalone power amp demo turned out, and I'm going to pursue further development of that as well!
 
  • Like
Reactions: bassvirtuoso
#56
I just rebuilt the front end with a 12au7 and I'm really liking it. There's still enough output on the back end, and it has a beautiful sound. Some mild OD is available with higher levels of gain, but it stays clean, just thick and rich up to about 2:30. Still debating on weather to go with the 6SL7 front end which I know would also sound great. Hmmm.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kzr750r1
#57
Alright, ended up with a pretty unique configuration for the 12au7 front end and I'm keeping it. Huge range of clean, and some really nice subtle overdrive at the upper end of the gain sweep. Some nice aggression if you choose to unleash both of the mids as well. Very natural sounding. Gain aside, I really like the sound of 12au7's - smoother than the 12ax7's and maybe a bit punchier than the 6SL7's. They are all great tubes in the right design, and all three will work great as the front end of this configuration, but I'm gonna stick with the au7. Lot's of great ones to choose from, no need to buy NOS. Now I just need the custom inductors which should only make things better.... gonna start working on a 2U rack version and make sure it is kosher before I build the new design into the 1200 watt powered micro head....

Shot another long video through my original JGR rock cabs - I was running 1200 watts into both cabs so the camera was on the edge of clipping, but it will give you and idea.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Fuzzbass, kzr750r1 and 3rdcurve
#59
So if I have to pick one configuration of this new design to build some prototypes, I'm gonna stick with the 12au7 front end I just came up with because it's just plain yummy for the cleaner vibe I'm going for. They are beautiful sounding tubes - Charlie and I have talked about this in the past - it's surprising there isn't more done with them.

That said, the 12ax7 configuration (totally different circuit/topology, not just swapping tubes) sounded great and still had a lot of clean headroom. So I was thinking today that I might be able to do a switchable front end and go between the 12au7 and a 6SL7, which I have a very good idea of how would sound.

It is a lot of extra work, but I think it would be absolutely stellar - I'm pretty decisive when it comes to voicing and try to streamline everything as much as I can so that things are "dialed in", but every now and then I run into a design aspect that I can't decide on - that's when it's time to make it switchable for the user.

You see a lot of companies, mainly on the guitar side, that put a bazillion pull knobs and switches all over the place, and most of it sounds like ass even though it seems great in theory and looks great on paper.

Anyway, if it doesn't work out, it's easy to offer the different front ends. I'm gonna try to wire it into the current proto but the 1U trannies aren't designed to support a fourth tube, so we'll find out how robust they are ( they should be fine).
 
  • Like
Reactions: kzr750r1
#60
JGR said:
So if I have to pick one configuration of this new design to build some prototypes, I'm gonna stick with the 12au7 front end I just came up with because it's just plain yummy for the cleaner vibe I'm going for. They are beautiful sounding tubes - Charlie and I have talked about this in the past - it's surprising there isn't more done with them.
Click to expand...

Funny, I just re-did two gain stages of my Fender guitar amp using a 12AU7 last week! Which new production ones do you favor? I've mostly been using old Baldwin organ pulls, but I definitely want to try new ones in the 1RU hybrid preamp build I have slated for this fall. Drew up the computer model last night, largely thanks to your inspiration actually. That new clip sounds especially tasty Bro.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back