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Preamp --> Power Amp --> Cab Rigs?

#2
Separate preamp, power amp, cab rigs are quite common. I use a clone of an Alembic F2B preamp that I built myself, a QSC Powerlight power amp and an EV TL606 cab. Soon to be replaced with an Emi 3015LF / B&C 6PEV13 cab. I love the sound of my rig and I'm sure I'll love it even more once I get my new cab finished.
The pros are that they are very flexible rigs. You can use different preamps and different cabs as the need arises. The cons are that it can be quite expensive and it seems to exhibit a kind of "big rig" attitude that sound guys look down their noses at. "Oh crap, here comes another bassist with a big rig." Just make sure that whatever preamp you choose can properly supply enough juice to the poweramp you will be using. Different preamps have different levels of output, and some poweramps are more sensitive than others. I have no problem driving my QSC with my preamp, they match well.
 
#4
SalmonCubes said:
Anyone out there use a preamp (such as a MultiFX or SansAmp Pedal) to generic power amp (such as a Crown XLS1000) to bass cab setup?

IF so, how do they sound? What are the pros, and what are the cons? What rigs do you have? etc.
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Sounds like you are talking about a preamp *pedal* + poweramp?

Yes, I often use the Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal + QSC2402 and it works very nicely.

The Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal is one of the few pedal sized preamps that works to properly drive a poweramp as it uses an 18volt power supply. As mentioned the input sensitivity of your power amp is crucial to determine if you are going to get all the juice required.

Plus the Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal is also an excellent DI and has a very useful mid sweep. Excellent tone too.
 
#5
Downunderwonder said:
There's loads of threads with preamp power amp in the title.

There is only one pitfall. Input sensitivity of some power amps is low.
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In which case a 1U line mixer can be your best friend. Also good for running more than one preamp. Adding a buffered splitter upstream is a good idea if you are going down the multiple preamp route.
 
#7
I'm running a Basswitch IQ/DI on my pedalboard into a QSC GX-7 power amp into either a Mesa Boogie PH1200 or a Mesa PH410(depends on the size/volume requirements). I have an Aguilar Tone Hammer pre, which sounds great, but the Basswitch sounds just that much better and it has 2 f/x loops!

My whole rig just sounds huge! Very clean, very loud, just the way I like it. :hyper:

On the other hand, I'm over the Mesa cabs. They sound good, but a 410 that weighs 96lbs! (And that's the small cab!):scowl:
 
#8
I am having great success with this recent combination:

Full details here --> http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f36/zoom-b3-preamp-936505/

Cheers!
tb_zoom_b3.jpg
 
#9
I have been using this BMax-T/ GX5 rig for several years now with great success. I love this thing and I haven't found a rig that I like better so I have no GAS for a new rig. Well maybe a little GAS for a lighter power amp but I'm not playing out much now so it sits in my bedroom but I still play it all the time at home. If I start playing out this summer the GX5 will probably get replaced with something lighter. 1364684326368.jpg

I have also run my Sansamp directly into the GX5 and it worked great. I use them together a lot but I prefer the BMax-T as my main preamp.

This rig is a monster with both of my Avatar 2 X 10 Deltas stacked vertically.
 

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#10
I ran an older Trace Elliot Bass amp that had tone for days but only 150watts from it's preamp out into a Carvin power amp and I had great success.

While I'm here: Will a Sansamp BDDI be sufficient to run into a power amp?
 
#16
::::BASSIST:::: said:
Not sure about that... what if the power amp has input sensitivity of 1.4v or more?
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I suppose you should check the input sensitivity on your amp but setting the the BDDI to "Line Level" and going into the input on a power amp has worked every time. I would adjust the Level as needed so that I didn't clip the amp. Worked perfectly on QSC PLX 1804, GX5 and the RMX 2450. As well as Crown XLS 402 and 602 power amps.
 

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