If the Juicebox and Evil Twin were the winners at what point in the video did we hear them?
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Noble Amps Preamp
- Thread starter IanMartinAllison
- Start date
At what time in the video did you least like the sound? Which DI was used at that point? Did you not like it because of the inherent tone of the DI or the particular riff he happened to be playing at that particular point in the video?
Scub thats why I sent this one because to tell from all the DI's non was so distinguished in pricing. Scub after reading all these threads of I have a Noble, I have a Reddi, I have an avalon etc etc. with very high price tags I tend to believe even the market is taking advantage of what the DI was originally meant for. Many young players are spending money they don't have on what is to believe will make their bass sound better. A DI or Mic Pre convert the high impedance single of a guitar, bass, or keyboard output to a microphone level signal. A DI should be rank as to how good it does that. Not based on the tone it can produce cause a good engineer can do a better job at that. As well as your tone controls etc. My opinion to those starting their own recording or to use a DI for live if your soundman does not supply one which 99.999999999 do.
Save your money and buy either a countryman or JDI and be good for the next 20 years without worrying or feeling that you need something better.
If we accept that point of view, might as well delete this whole thread and be done with Noble! (Good luck with that!)
But then I wouldn’t have one of the winners of the shootout.
Haha. I get what you are saying though. To some degree we are talking about different variations of great, different feature sets, and different configurations.
It’s all good. Carry on with the talk about the superb Noble.
With all due respect, showing a video of Tony looking at and turning over a bunch of DI boxes, then showing him playing something on his bass that does need even match the audio, then....bling, announcing a winner without any expelnation...is not IMO not a useful shootout in any sense of the word (neither does it demonstrate what a DI is meant for). I should/will leave it at that.
It didn't demonstrate what a DI is. We should know what a DI is for. I wanted to show most people can not tell which DI did the recording. People get angry. But If you recorded your bass through a recording studio with 4 or 5 DI's you would not know which DI was which. I say the best DI is more of a Mic Pre/ DI where the engineer dictates the signal. That's why I said someone who is doing Home Recordings and his budget is Countryman rather than a Noble he should not feel he had to have a Noble. Noble is a Good DI. You like to adjust the tone going to the board. If you are on a gig a and the soundman will go out of your amp DI 99% of the time it will be Pre rather than post. No question about it. Hey listen if the noble works better for you in maybe lower volume or little PA's etc maybe the Noble is better. Not saying in every environment the Noble isn't superior. But in the studio, and fairly louder live conditions I would not bet any money to say which DI the bassist is using. Will Lee used a JDI on the David Letterman Show. He could had used anything he wanted. The Bass still sounded great cause the engineer had good ears.
I appreciate that you did not get offended at my retort and I am now understanding your message. But I do think that many of us know that a Noble is an overqualifeid DI. As you say, there are many other less luxurious options that are perfectly fine in the role of DI, but some others can do more than that. If you can afford one, why not?
I still politely hold that the video was not the best choice and you did announce it as:
I still politely hold that the video was not the best choice and you did announce it as:
The Noble is first and foremost a PREAMP that also happens to act as a DI. So if you’re buying one just to use as a DI, you’re probably wasting your money. People buy the Noble for its sound, just like they have been doing with tube amps for decades. Thinking of the Noble as just a DI is like thinking of a Ferrari as just a car.
my 2¢,
my 2¢,
If you watch that shootout from YouTube (not the embedded video), you can find a link in the comments:
Dropbox - Ultimate DI Test 24 bit 96K Files - Simplify your life
Dropbox - Ultimate DI Test 24 bit 96K Files - Simplify your life
Here’s a pretty methodical one including the Noble: Tube Preamp/DI Sound Samples — Noble, Oracle, P-15, Super Stack, REDDI, Tonecraft, Fatboy...
I'm sure you know your own working environment(s) and I respect that everyone has an opinion about sound ... it's not a black/white right/wrong situation. There are various schools of thought around tracking and how to best influence that (clean/flat vs everything else). Even though this is the Noble DI thread and I own, and enjoy, one myself, I'm not here, or on TB in general, to tout any one piece of gear or approach over another. Everyone has to do what they think is best for their situation.
Since the Noble DI was introduced there are a host of well known players who have adopted it and apparently their studio tracks and live sound are as good as they ever were. jondiener has already said that the Noble is not just a DI (like the Countryman 85). When I was considering grabbing one, one of the things I thought was pretty interesting were comments by users who did studio work and then toured that work ... they commented repeatedly that the Noble helps with consistency between tracking and live work ... as well as live recordings. Then there is also the very convenient power section that allows me to power my other pedals (mostly a Cali76CB) without the need for a separate power block.
You also seem to suggest that some kind of marketing is pushing these boxes, but in the case of the Noble DI, I'm thinking that it was originally mostly word of mouth because Jack Roan is pretty much a one man shop. He may have some additional help these days, but I'm guessing he does not have a huge marketing staff at his disposal.
Again, I'm not touting/pushing one piece of gear over any other (ha!, I don't really have the juice to do that anyway ... who would take my advice on anything?
) and I have not seen any of that on this Noble DI thread. Just TB users who like the box and what it does. You, on the other hand have already defined The Evil Twin as "probably the best DI around" .... so much for opinions given this box appears to be a .... wait for it ..... tube DI with built in fixed EQ curve options (flat, 3k and 9k).As I said before, I have a Countryman 85, Tech21 VTD and several very nice in-amp DI's on my Mesa Walkabout and WD800 (thanks @agedhorse). I will use any tool I have to get the best sound for the gig/session ... I just happen to really like what the Noble DI does in my own gigging and recording environment.
enjoy!
I'm sure you know your own working environment(s) and I respect that everyone has an opinion about sound ... it's not a black/white right/wrong situation. There are various schools of thought around tracking and how to best influence that (clean/flat vs everything else). Even though this is the Noble DI thread and I own, and enjoy, one myself, I'm not here, or on TB in general, to tout any one piece of gear or approach over another. Everyone has to do what they think is best for their situation.
Since the Noble DI was introduced there are a host of well known players who have adopted it and apparently their studio tracks and live sound are as good as they ever were. jondiener has already said that the Noble is not just a DI (like the Countryman 85). When I was considering grabbing one, one of the things I thought was pretty interesting were comments by users who did studio work and then toured that work ... they commented repeatedly that the Noble helps with consistency between tracking and live work ... as well as live recordings. Then there is also the very convenient power section that allows me to power my other pedals (mostly a Cali76CB) without the need for a separate power block.
You also seem to suggest that some kind of marketing is pushing these boxes, but in the case of the Noble DI, I'm thinking that it was originally mostly word of mouth because Jack Roan is pretty much a one man shop. He may have some additional help these days, but I'm guessing he does not have a huge marketing staff at his disposal.
Again, I'm not touting/pushing one piece of gear over any other (ha!, I don't really have the juice to do that anyway ... who would take my advice on anything?
As I said before, I have a Countryman 85, Tech21 VTD and several very nice in-amp DI's on my Mesa Walkabout and WD800 (thanks @agedhorse). I will use any tool I have to get the best sound for the gig/session ... I just happen to really like what the Noble DI does in my own gigging and recording environment.
enjoy!
Totally right my bad. I think the noble is a well put together DI. If that's what you like I say get it and enjoy it. Who am I to judge the likes and dislikes. But if you can't afford it then don't but it. Stick what you have. The noble is a instr/DI a lot of people like and they should.... This thread is a Noble DI thread and here I am acting like an ass. I apologize. To all.
thanks, great reply!
there are plenty of perfectly good DI's out there, and no one should feel like they need a 2nd job to get one that works.
Thats another thing I did not know "The Noble is first and foremost a PREAMP that also happens to act as a DI."
So again sorry for my comments.
No need to apologize!
Thanks I was going overboard a little. I just felt bad when I was reading some of the people who are starting out and maybe in Talkbass for a year or two and making their first marks and contribution to the bass world. I understand the noble has a waiting list and to be on that waiting list list is because there are many people before you .... waiting.
I like talking about recording and sound in general. There is a sound engineer, Mixer (mostly) producer. His name is Andrew Scheps Adele, Ziggy Marley, Red Hot Chili Peppers etc etc. He mixes completely out of the box. Lap top, Apollo Twin interface and a 99 dollar pair of Yamaha 7406 ( that's the model number???) head phones. Now he doesn't start his mixers on this but starts and finishes with this set up. When he mixes that is He does have a recording studio. He travels alot and does a great job with this set up. I go on the different threads and hear people asking for which high priced interfaces, DI's, Basses, Amps, Cables, Octave pedals etc etc. I feel bad cause many can not afford them. Hey I am not talking without past GAS ATTACKS. Just trying to help some with may be a disappointing sale. The Noble is a great DI and sure the maker knows what he is doing. But this is what you want in a DI when you buy it. No questions asked it has everything you want. But a bassist who can only afford a JDI should not feel he is not keeping up with the jones's. Its still a great DI and some may prefer it. This goes with everything .... Basses, Amps etc etc. Basically you should play what you can afford and dont feel bad about it. Two of my many favorites is Anthony Jackson and Marcuse Miller. Anthony Plays a 15000 around bass ( sure he didn't pay for his own model) and Marcus Miller paid around 200 dollars (Ok it was 1977 but you can get generally the same thing less than 2000. Yea one is hand made and the other wasn't but they both sound great cause the player can make them sound great. So inside I was not Trashing the Noble and I am glad for those who really love them and can get the best out of them . Look what Andrew Scheps can do with a 2000 set up. Hey I know Im talking too much but it was made for the startup people (Musician, Engineer, etc) A lot of great players have the Noble so it requires respect in the DI world.
its all good Bassist30, seems like your heart is in the right place. But even you recognized that it was not so wonderful of an idea to come into a Noble thread, where people inevitably like what they have bought, and kind of throw some (however well intentioned) shade on that box that all/most of us in the thread actually own, use and enjoy.
Also, in one of your posts you unambiguously said that "the Evil Twin DI was the best DI" with the DMP1073 second best ... so clearly you do have a preference ... which is perfectly fine, but why come tout that on a Noble thread ? This is the thing I don't understand at all ... why not join (or start) another thread about the Evil Twin or the DMP1073, or even a general DI discussion where all sorts of DI's are discussed and dissected.
Out of curiosity I went searching for the Evil Twin and it appears that you can't buy a new one any more (?), so it's kind of unobtainium, and the only used one came up at $895 (pretty expensive ... no?) ... and the BAE DMP1073 will run you $1,145 new ... so pretty much the same as a Noble.
I don't think anyone here has ever said you can't make good music unless you have a Noble, or said it was the bestest anything .... just a nice sounding, well designed, useful tool for musicians/bass players. Yes, its not cheap, but neither is a lot of top shelf gear. Play what you like, like what you play.
enjoy!
Also, in one of your posts you unambiguously said that "the Evil Twin DI was the best DI" with the DMP1073 second best ... so clearly you do have a preference ... which is perfectly fine, but why come tout that on a Noble thread ? This is the thing I don't understand at all ... why not join (or start) another thread about the Evil Twin or the DMP1073, or even a general DI discussion where all sorts of DI's are discussed and dissected.
Out of curiosity I went searching for the Evil Twin and it appears that you can't buy a new one any more (?), so it's kind of unobtainium, and the only used one came up at $895 (pretty expensive ... no?) ... and the BAE DMP1073 will run you $1,145 new ... so pretty much the same as a Noble.
I don't think anyone here has ever said you can't make good music unless you have a Noble, or said it was the bestest anything .... just a nice sounding, well designed, useful tool for musicians/bass players. Yes, its not cheap, but neither is a lot of top shelf gear. Play what you like, like what you play.
enjoy!
Here's my testimonial: The sound guys at my church (my sole gig... it does not pay much... as in zero, but I love it) prefer the Noble over whatever other tools I've used. i really like it because the tone sounds great in my IEMs and my musical buddies say the tone sounds excellent in the room. The sound guys are not top-of-the-line engineers, but they work hard to make it all happen. If they keep asking for the Noble, that's pretty much good enough for me.
