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New(ish) bass DI/preamp boxes

iomamo

iomamo

Aug 16, 2012
167
248
Wales
#1
Hi Justin,

In the past you've recommended the Radial JDI and Palmer tube DI, but I wondered if you'd had experience with - and found a use for - things like the Two Notes Le Bass, Ampeg SCR-DI or Palmer Pocket Bass Amp?

Are any of these all-in-one devices interesting or characterful enough to be useful to you in the studio (or live for that matter)?

Thanks.
 
#3
Thanks for the reply.

Will keep an eye out for a second hand SVT-DI. The Noble and Tonecraft both sound great from the examples I've heard, but neither are easy to get hold of in the UK/Europe for whatever reason (and would likely be way out of my budget if they were).

A separate question, if you wouldn't mind: After using the Fender TV-15 and Gallien Krueger combos for recent projects, are smaller bass amps something you've investigated further, or are those the options you've stuck with for non-SVT/big rig sounds?

By the way, this entire thread is a fantastic resource, so thank you for sticking around all these years and being so generous with your time and experience.
 
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#4
jmjbassplayer said:
I don't know any of these. The only other ones I can personally recommend are the Noble, the old school SVT-DI, the Reddi, and the Tonecraft. The latter being my most used and absolute fave.
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Whoa! Never saw that Tonecraft before. 6sl7 and n7 tubes are a nice touch. Gives me the vibe of a B-15 front end. Accurate?

So hey, I'm about to nerd out on you...sorry in advance...

Do you remember offhand what brand of tubes are in the Tonecraft? Wanted to know your thoughts on new 6sl7's vs NOS. I've yet to hear a new 6sl7 I like better in a B-15 than the cheapest NOS Sylvanias that Ampeg used. They also made a nice improvement in this DI/pre one of the guys on the Effects forum here makes called the Broughton P-15, which also does the B-15 vibe. On the other hand, new ones sound pretty darn good to me in the Jule Monique preamp. So have you done any tube swapping in the Tonecraft to see what happens or are you using it stock?

Side note...finally got to try a friend's SVT-DI and it crushes.
 
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#6
iomamo said:
Don't suppose you've tried the SCR-DI?

Then again, I've just seen a fantastic deal for a Portaflex PF-20T and as I see you're part of the Portaflex club, I take it you'd recommend that over a preamp pedal?
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Absolutely I'd recommend it over a solid state preamp pedal! I do have an SCR-DI and it's nice for a solid state box, but I'm all about the tubes.
 
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#8
iomamo said:
Thanks, figured as much! I'd initially be using it as a tube DI anyway, since I can't afford the cab right now. The deal is ~£50 more than the average price for a Two Notes Le Bass, so has to be done.
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I haven't played a PF-20T yet but I have a PF-50T and I put it right up there with any of this high end tube stuff for going to the board or micing a cab.
 
#10
iomamo said:
High praise. You've helped me make the decision!
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Well if you get it I hope you enjoy it. But this thread is like a multitude of really good choices, so you really can't go wrong with any of it. Nice to have all these great choices these days...I remember the days when it was not so for tube DI's, and us tube snobs got quite sad when the soundman insisted we plug into his $40 DI box he carried in a milk crate with other spare parts.
 
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#11
JimmyM said:
Whoa! Never saw that Tonecraft before. 6sl7 and n7 tubes are a nice touch. Gives me the vibe of a B-15 front end. Accurate?

So hey, I'm about to nerd out on you...sorry in advance...

Do you remember offhand what brand of tubes are in the Tonecraft? Wanted to know your thoughts on new 6sl7's vs NOS. I've yet to hear a new 6sl7 I like better in a B-15 than the cheapest NOS Sylvanias that Ampeg used. They also made a nice improvement in this DI/pre one of the guys on the Effects forum here makes called the Broughton P-15, which also does the B-15 vibe. On the other hand, new ones sound pretty darn good to me in the Jule Monique preamp. So have you done any tube swapping in the Tonecraft to see what happens or are you using it stock?

Side note...finally got to try a friend's SVT-DI and it crushes.
Click to expand...

Sorry JimmyM, I really haven't a clue about much of this. Tonecraft is stock.
 
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#12
jmjbassplayer said:
Sorry JimmyM, I really haven't a clue about much of this. Tonecraft is stock.
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That's cool...sounds like there no need to even care if it's crushing for you that hard out of the box. Anyway, just saw a pic of the inside of one and they're using new Tung Sols, which I haven't tried but I hear are a big improvement over anyone else's new 6sl7's and n7's. Just in case you or anyone was curious :D
 
#13
How about the BAE 1073 DMP? I heard Chris Chaney sounding great trough one of this... I love the possibility to use two amps instead of one, since the DI has two thru outputs. Have you ever tried this BAE model?
 

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