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My preamp bender: A Journal.
- Thread starter el murdoque
- Start date
This was easy. But it also came as a surprise.
I expected the swap from UA to Handwired UA to yield results that were so close to each other, it makes no real difference and having the premium version is just another form to express pedal snobism.
The Handwired UA offers differences that are not only visible to the naked eye, they are also extremely pleasing. The new one is more better! It rasps raspier when you let loose on the gain knob. The bass feels tighter, more focused and less washy, but still warm.
It feels like the Underground Accelerator on a sunny Sunday afternoon after it had a good nights rest, a healthy breakfast and spend a while in the sun chair on the porch with a good book and a second cup of coffee.
Instantly moar better. Easy choice.
Instantly moar complicated:
FEED ME v2.
This pedals holds some options.
Basically, as I understand it, it is a very simple affair. It's just a tonestack, with one volume and one tone control knob.
The other four knobs are just there to set up how the tone knob works.
I only rummaged around for a bit, by trial and error. I just used my ears and twisted one knob increment by increment and kept doing so for as long as it made it sound better. When the next increment made it sound worse, I went back one step and used another knob with the same method.
It instantly felt like a very useful tool and my mind started rearranging my pedal board to make it fit somehow - but I'd have to toss either the Mini, the BDPG or Ictineo from my board to do so.
FEED ME v2.
This pedals holds some options.
Basically, as I understand it, it is a very simple affair. It's just a tonestack, with one volume and one tone control knob.
The other four knobs are just there to set up how the tone knob works.
I only rummaged around for a bit, by trial and error. I just used my ears and twisted one knob increment by increment and kept doing so for as long as it made it sound better. When the next increment made it sound worse, I went back one step and used another knob with the same method.
It instantly felt like a very useful tool and my mind started rearranging my pedal board to make it fit somehow - but I'd have to toss either the Mini, the BDPG or Ictineo from my board to do so.
@el murdoque That UA hardwire looks great. I bet a green light in there would look tasty as well…
Pics don't do it justice. Green would have been a great choice, especially if red was already taken ;-)
Is that hardwired as well? The knob colors were limited to black or silver when I looked.
Yes, hardwired. I swapped the knobs: Anodized Aluminum Knob - "The Magpie" - 1/4" Smooth Shaft (12.5mm OD)
That site has many of the knobs used by Sushi and Broughton
Awesome and thanks for the link. Nice color choice you have.
How do you like the HW version?
I sold my SMD version before I received the HW, so never got a chance to directly compare. Absolutely no complaints though, I have a handwired UA, Slampegg, and Dr Wattson and they sound great. Unfortunately the Dr Wattson has gone back for repairs, but hopefully shouldn’t take long to have it back in action.Awesome and thanks for the link. Nice color choice you have.
Thanks, DW. And I hope your DW gets fixed quickly.
@Derek Williams What board are you using? Pedals are securely and cleanly mounted.
Just of curiosity, what needed repairing on the Dr Wattson?
I've got a HW Dr Wattson and it seems to be working fine (just making sure that I'm not missing something!).
It’s an Aclam top mount board. I don’t normally use a pedalboard right now, so don’t like putting Velcro on my pedals. The Aclam has its own mounting system.
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It cut out while using, then when I powered it off and back on I got constant crackling and pops. Tried changing tubes, but it’s something else that broke.
I’ve enjoyed reading this thread @el murdoque - and also you being in Europe too means you’re not talking about some random unobtainium stuff. I was looking at the Underground accelerator but I have the PCB to a Frog FX1 I’m going to build, you’ve inspired me to get the kit for a Vong filter at the same time. End of my chain I’ve got a JHS colourbox v2 that I like a lot
Have you had a chance to compare the Colourbox to the Q\Strip or some other pedal that is meant to emulate a channel strip of a mixing console?
I've always turned an interested eye towards that pedal but got scared away by the price tag every time.
Longer reply to this one.
Years back I had a Hellborg preamp - it was and is amazing. It has a lovely warm but clear tone, in a way I like. Even with the EQ off, just the input transformer in the circuit sounded lovely.
I have tried to find another one... but alas.
So my interest was more in the transformer in the signal train more than the "channel strip" idea, I got to try a few different high end preamps, the API transformer LX had a very different presentation, and urgh there was another one that I liked more but not enough.
The Q strip looks nice, and I'm sure it sounds lovely but for me it was the transformer in the signal chain that interested me....
The colour box v1 was one the long list but tbh I wasn't that interested, expensive and clearly aimed at guitarists...
V2 though had both transformers, multiple gain stages, XLR out and a nice EQ too - it still kinda is aimed at guitarists, there is a nasty fuzz sound thing going on if you want that I imagine must sound great on guitar, but at the lower gain settings, it does something, something small and subtle to my sound I like... The EQ is musical and broad brush strokes, it has almost too much low end on-tap, and forget the haters, the HPF with bass boost sounds good. I found it at a very nice secondhand price and suddenly needed a pedalboard and power supply and more pedals....
IMHO the Q\Strip is a very efficient tool that works great, but it lacks that certain something I can't really put my finger on, which makes it rather ... bland.
Like a plate of food that has everything to get you through the day, with carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and all that in a perfect balance, but someone forgot to season it. You will get by, and you will get by good - but it's no fun.
From your description I take it that the transformers in the Colour Box will do just that.
