My preamp bender: A Journal.

[el murdoque]

I am a P w. rounds player and I briefly had the 64 (and the SV as well). I only played them using the cab sim on the XLR out.
The Fender tone stack really confuses me A LOT and I struggling especially with "missing" low mids with pick playing.
I wish I had giving it more time to explore the amp out into a DI, though.

On the other hand I really enjoy my Empress ParaEQ Deluxe/Cali 76 combo.

The Bassrigs really only make sense when you can use them for EQ, DI and magic sauce at the same time.
I'm curious about their interpretation of the ampeg 8x10 cab, though.
The last time I played a vintage 2x15 cab I did not like it at all, but the last time I played a Fridge, I loved it.
So the XLR out on the Super Vintage could maybe be more useful. I would like to explore that route because I actually have need of a beefy tone that works well with distorted guitars.

 

[gillento]

I for both don't like the sound of the SVT + 8x10" fridge (except for overdriven pick sounds) AND the Fender 2x15" but your description of the 64 Amp out sounds makes me curious about trying it again.

 

[el murdoque]

The Fender tone stack really confuses me A LOT and I struggling especially with "missing" low mids with pick playing.

The Fender Tonestack is actually quite easy. Step one: Dime everything.
Step 2: Dial back bass and treble to taste.
Done.

 

[Luke the Fluke]

...the latter came out on top whenever I was using my Le Fay

oooh what's the Le Fay?
(Capone owner here )

 

[Maxi Funkl]

I cut my teeth on 2x15 cab or 2(2x15) back in the 80's Peavey Centurion head. Absolutely loved it. I also had the pleasure of.playing.2(8×10) all SWR in a empty Hollywood Bowl in 2002 or 2003. Both setups move a.ton of air. I couldn't tell you which one I liked more both were extremely pleasurable. In ideal world it would be cool to.both cabs Sims offered.

 

[Stellvia]

I’ve been really happy with the SV cab sim with P bass as my amp primary tone for pick and fingers. Recently got the Fake Plastic Trees which also sounds really good through the SV sim with the SV itself bypassed. Definitely prefer it over the 2x15 & 8x10 IR’s in the Shift Line Olympic as well as the IR’s in the Infinity (where I actually preferred the digital version of the X7 analog cab sim as it was the least coloured and most natural sounding to me!!).

 

[el murdoque]

oooh what's the Le Fay?
(Capone owner here )

It's the Karlsson.
In short, it's the best bass ever built and my desert island bass.

 

[gillento]

I’ve been really happy with the SV cab sim with P bass as my amp primary tone for pick and fingers. Recently got the Fake Plastic Trees which also sounds really good through the SV sim with the SV itself bypassed. Definitely prefer it over the 2x15 & 8x10 IR’s in the Shift Line Olympic as well as the IR’s in the Infinity (where I actually preferred the digital version of the X7 analog cab sim as it was the least coloured and most natural sounding to me!!).

In my opinion, analog cabsim/LPF in general sound better than any digital IRs.

 

[el murdoque]

I’ve been really happy with the SV cab sim with P bass as my amp primary tone for pick and fingers. Recently got the Fake Plastic Trees which also sounds really good through the SV sim with the SV itself bypassed. Definitely prefer it over the 2x15 & 8x10 IR’s in the Shift Line Olympic as well as the IR’s in the Infinity (where I actually preferred the digital version of the X7 analog cab sim as it was the least coloured and most natural sounding to me!!).

I absolutely have to agree with @gillento on this one. I have yet to come across a digital IR that I like. My normal reaction to any of these is that I feel limited by it.

IMO the ulitmate cab sim is the Broughton RFE, because it has all I need. Not only LPF and HPF, but resonant ones, plus a single parametric EQ to dial in a mid hump or mid scoop.

 

[gillento]

I absolutely have to agree with @gillento on this one. I have yet to come across a digital IR that I like. My normal reaction to any of these is that I feel limited by it.

IMO the ulitmate cab sim is the Broughton RFE, because it has all I need. Not only LPF and HPF, but resonant ones, plus a single parametric EQ to dial in a mid hump or mid scoop.

I own the RFE as well. Do you have some settings you would share?

 

[el murdoque]

I own the RFE as well. Do you have some settings you would share?

Surroundings:
I run my RFE into the Noble.
I boost bass and treble hard on the Noble.

Settings: Both the LPF and HPF upper knobs are set to about half past 10. The High Pass is at around 7 o'clock.
The Low pass is, I think, around 5 o'clock.
The mids are set to a slight boost (around half past one) at around 600Hz (7 o'clock).

 

[Zbysek]

IMO the ulitmate cab sim is the Broughton RFE, because it has all I need. Not only LPF and HPF, but resonant ones, plus a single parametric EQ to dial in a mid hump or mid scoop.

+ 1

 

[Luke the Fluke]

View attachment 5425844

It's the Karlsson.
In short, it's the best bass ever built and my desert island bass.

They are so so good - I’ve not played anything like it, and bought it by accident!

 

[el murdoque]

View attachment 5425897 They are so so good - I’ve not played anything like it, and bought it by accident!

What a happy accident for you!
I agree that there seems to be nothing else like it out there.
That Karlsson is 3,7kg for a six string. The body is one massive piece of ash and the neck is the most stable neck I ever felt. Every single thing about it is just about as perfect (for me) as it gets.
Apart from the stupid VVT controls.

 

[el murdoque]

I am going against my usual pattern here - comparing the Effectrode LA-1A and the Doc Lloyd DLA-2A once more, now that I am less blinded by the much cooler look of the Doc, I found that I actually like the Effectrode better - mainly for a single reason: The Doc Lloyd only gets me to a certain point before it starts distorting.
My particular use case might be a bit mean for that unit - with me playing a flatwound low B string into a bass boosted EQ into a Pultec that boosts even more - but I feel like the Effectrode can handle that better.

My initial plan was to ditch the Cali76 and the Effectrode to gain more room on the board to get a Chorus on there, too.
Then I found that with the LA-1A being a bit wider than the Doc, I could squeeze both Cali and Chorus on there, and I also found that I want the Cali on there, if not as a comp, then as a tone sweetener.
Then I found out that while the Doc takes up less real estate on the board, it actually is not much, and with a little more squeezing, I can put the LA-1A in that place.
The LA-1A gets me that brutal dubby bass avalanche that I came to like just a little bit better and with a lot more headroom to spare.

If I was mainly playing a four string with rounds, there'd be no discussion at all, the DLA-2A wins hands down.
In my niche, though - LA-1A.

 

[T-boneParish]

This is valuable information @el murdoque. I am a big fan of the LA-1A, though I have not had the chance to try the Doc Lloyd. Everything I have heard and everything I know tells me I would love the Doc Lloyd. I often wonder how much better/worse/different the Doc Lloyd would be vs the Effectrode. The DL looks cool AF. But with such a steep price, I have never been willing to shell out that amount to try it for myself.

It’s a similar consideration in my brain as the Acme MTP-66 preamp vs the Noble.

I guess what I’m saying is, it’s comforting to hear from someone who confirms the choice I have already made: Effectrode. Still, DL curiosity lingers….

TB is hazardous to my bank account!

 

[Derek Williams]

I am going against my usual pattern here - comparing the Effectrode LA-1A and the Doc Lloyd DLA-2A once more, now that I am less blinded by the much cooler look of the Doc, I found that I actually like the Effectrode better - mainly for a single reason: The Doc Lloyd only gets me to a certain point before it starts distorting.
My particular use case might be a bit mean for that unit - with me playing a flatwound low B string into a bass boosted EQ into a Pultec that boosts even more - but I feel like the Effectrode can handle that better.

My initial plan was to ditch the Cali76 and the Effectrode to gain more room on the board to get a Chorus on there, too.
Then I found that with the LA-1A being a bit wider than the Doc, I could squeeze both Cali and Chorus on there, and I also found that I want the Cali on there, if not as a comp, then as a tone sweetener.
Then I found out that while the Doc takes up less real estate on the board, it actually is not much, and with a little more squeezing, I can put the LA-1A in that place.
The LA-1A gets me that brutal dubby bass avalanche that I came to like just a little bit better and with a lot more headroom to spare.

If I was mainly playing a four string with rounds, there'd be no discussion at all, the DLA-2A wins hands down.
In my niche, though - LA-1A.

Not sure if it helps in this case, but I’ve been using the Lowrider after the DLA-2A to get a bass boost after compression, to avoid over compressing.

 

[gillento]

I am using the following chain: RMI/Lehle Basswitch IQ DI-> VTBass-> Cali76 Bass V2 -> LowRider -> Broughton RFE (to keep the LowRider in check).
This works really well.

 

[el murdoque]

Not sure if it helps in this case, but I’ve been using the Lowrider after the DLA-2A to get a bass boost after compression, to avoid over compressing.

I guess this works, but I wanted the DLA-2A to be last in chain and used its balanced out to go out to FOH/IEM.

 

[el murdoque]

This is valuable information @el murdoque. I am a big fan of the LA-1A, though I have not had the chance to try the Doc Lloyd. Everything I have heard and everything I know tells me I would love the Doc Lloyd. I often wonder how much better/worse/different the Doc Lloyd would be vs the Effectrode. The DL looks cool AF. But with such a steep price, I have never been willing to shell out that amount to try it for myself.

It’s a similar consideration in my brain as the Acme MTP-66 preamp vs the Noble.

I guess what I’m saying is, it’s comforting to hear from someone who confirms the choice I have already made: Effectrode. Still, DL curiosity lingers….

TB is hazardous to my bank account!

As you surely have read earlier in the thread, I really like what the DLA-2A does in terms of compression.
It works well enough as a standalone unit for my needs - when using the Effectrode I need a quick comp earlier in the chain to catch the spikes, the Effectrode is a bit sluggish for that.

Since quite a few high dollar tube driven units went through my hands, I want to say the Effectrode is dirt cheap for what you get. If you're looking for the same league in terms of silent operation, DI signal quality and "tube magic added", you usually find four figure price tags.