REDDI vs P15 Poll Time. 2017 update coming soon!

[MarkA]

Total lurker here... I really like the P15 and Reddi, though one more than the other.

I have a question for those of you recording on computer...

Do you run your nice, fat DI into a USB interface then into the computer? Does the quality of the interface change the end result? ( I think I may know the answer to the last one.)

OR

Am I wasting resources on a nice DI only to put it into an ART Tube MP interface before Reaper?

Thanks for the clips!

The ART Tube MP -- unless they've come out with some version with USB of which I'm unaware -- isn't what I'd call a recording interface, but a preamp. In my limited experience with budget interfaces, yeah, the quality of the interface has an audible effect on the result -- there's the quality of the A/D conversion and the interfaces often have their own preamps (and you often can't bypass them, so you want them as much out of the way as possible -- that is, you want them to be fairly transparent).

If I were running a Reddi, P-15, or some other nice tube pre/DI for recording, I would NOT run it through another tube device before going into the computer. Best (comparatively) cheap interface I've found is the Focusrite Scarlett series (I'm running a 2i4). A close second was a Roland Quad Capture. Recording quality with the 2i4 was a bit better, while the Quad Capture is a bit more user-friendly (better metering) and feature rich. Both sounded much better than a very cheap M-Audio interface I tried long ago.

If the DI/pre I'm using has a level adjustment (most do) I try to turn that up and turn the level at the interface down so that I'm leaning more on my nice tube device and less on the tiny preamps in the interface.

 

[MarkA]

P Bass with Chromes and some foam through either the REDDI, P-15 or John K Peavey Super Festival 800B. Which is what? You guess.

I'm guessing P-15, Reddi, John K pedal (?). I've no knowledge of the last, but recall previous clips of the Reddi and P-15 being close-ish but with the latter sounding like it had a bit of boost in the low and high end (can't remember if that was EQed or set flat, though). I like clips one and two -- one is plumper down low but still pretty well-defined, two is leaner in the lows but has more definition in the mids-upper mids. Two sounds more like a classic 60s recording to me. I've never played with any of the aforementioned -- recall the REDDI being described as having a bit of a lower-mid push, too, so maybe I'm wrong, but that's my guess. As for preference -- would depend on the context. Liked #1 more at first blush -- more booty -- but could see #2 working better in certain mixes.

#3 sounded a bit hollowed-out to me -- a little "surfy" -- and clicky on top. Not my preference, but might sound great in the right mix, again. Wonder how it would do with a bit of EQ (if the pedal/whatever has EQ). My favorite amp is a bit clicky up top (through certain cabs, anyway) if I'm not careful, but if I back off the treble just a hair and roll back my tone knob just a bit, it's killer live. Messing with EQ can make comparisons a lot more complicated, though, and EQ just changes the level of something that's there already. If you don't like what's there, it won't fix it.

 

[MarkA]

Jazz with some Dunwich Volt Thrower influence through either the REDDI or P-15. Anyone wanna guess?

I'm guessing

Jazz with some Dunwich Volt Thrower influence through either the REDDI or P-15. Anyone wanna guess?

Having a harder time with this one. Based on my reasoning in the previous post, I'd say REDDI then P-15, but something in the mids/upper mids is making me want to reverse my answer. We'll go REDDI, then P-15, though.

 

[MarkA]

For the P with flats it goes in this order.
1. REDDI set at 10 o'clock
2. P-15 set at 10 o'clock (Treble,bass,level)
3. JKPVSF800B set with the treble at 10 o'clock, mids at noon, bass at 1 o'clock and the level at 9 o'clock.

The Jazz with Rotos and a very small touch of my Dunwichamps Volt Thrower
1. P-15 everything at 10 o'clock
2. REDDI set at 10 o'clock.

Okay, looks like I switched around the REDDI and the P-15 in each case. I take solace in my consistency.

Hmm... Looking closer, you've got treble and bass on the P-15 set at 10 o'clock. Should I infer a bit of cut (effective mid-boost), then?

 

[10cc]

Okay, looks like I switched around the REDDI and the P-15 in each case. I take solace in my consistency.

Hmm... Looking closer, you've got treble and bass on the P-15 set at 10 o'clock. Should I infer a bit of cut (effective mid-boost), then?

@Dave Hill has been using my P-15 for a few weeks now and he has been setting both treble and bass at ten o'clock. So I just rolled with what he had going but dropped his volume from noon to ten o'clock as well. Just to see if the volumes of both the P-15 and REDDI set at ten o'clock were anywhere close to each other. Plus.... @svtb15 and @JimmyM "if I recall correctly" stated that they like to run their level on the REDDI at about that.

 

[10cc]

I'm guessing P-15, Reddi, John K pedal (?). I've no knowledge of the last, but recall previous clips of the Reddi and P-15 being close-ish but with the latter sounding like it had a bit of boost in the low and high end (can't remember if that was EQed or set flat, though). I like clips one and two -- one is plumper down low but still pretty well-defined, two is leaner in the lows but has more definition in the mids-upper mids. Two sounds more like a classic 60s recording to me. I've never played with any of the aforementioned -- recall the REDDI being described as having a bit of a lower-mid push, too, so maybe I'm wrong, but that's my guess. As for preference -- would depend on the context. Liked #1 more at first blush -- more booty -- but could see #2 working better in certain mixes.

#3 sounded a bit hollowed-out to me -- a little "surfy" -- and clicky on top. Not my preference, but might sound great in the right mix, again. Wonder how it would do with a bit of EQ (if the pedal/whatever has EQ). My favorite amp is a bit clicky up top (through certain cabs, anyway) if I'm not careful, but if I back off the treble just a hair and roll back my tone knob just a bit, it's killer live. Messing with EQ can make comparisons a lot more complicated, though, and EQ just changes the level of something that's there already. If you don't like what's there, it won't fix it.

Yeah I thought number two (P-15) did have more of a classic sixties sound going on. If I boosted the bass a hair it would sound a little bigger in the lows.

Number three does have a treble, mid and bass I just haven't had the time to dial this pedal in yet. It does have some potential and most certainly sounds like an old Peavey Super Festival.

 

[10cc]

I'm guessing

Having a harder time with this one. Based on my reasoning in the previous post, I'd say REDDI then P-15, but something in the mids/upper mids is making me want to reverse my answer. We'll go REDDI, then P-15, though.

Ha! Pulled the ole switcharoo on this one.

 

[JimmyM]

@Dave Hill has been using my P-15 for a few weeks now and he has been setting both treble and bass at ten o'clock. So I just rolled with what he had going but dropped his volume from noon to ten o'clock as well. Just to see if the volumes of both the P-15 and REDDI set at ten o'clock were anywhere close to each other. Plus.... @svtb15 and @JimmyM "if I recall correctly" stated that they like to run their level on the REDDI at about that.

Kirk runs his at noon but I run mine at about 10:00 because it's close to the volume I'd be at with most any other DI.

Good test, though...I didn't get to hear on headphones, but to me running the P-15 all at 10:00 brought it pretty close to the REDDI tone, which sounds pretty flat to me. Was not quite as fired up about the JohnK DI even though most of the stuff he does is brilliant, but the REDDI and P-15 kicked it. Have a real soft spot for some of those mic'ed tones too, though. The SVT was especially yummy.

 

[10cc]

Kirk runs his at noon but I run mine at about 10:00 because it's close to the volume I'd be at with most any other DI.

Good test, though...I didn't get to hear on headphones, but to me running the P-15 all at 10:00 brought it pretty close to the REDDI tone, which sounds pretty flat to me. Was not quite as fired up about the JohnK DI even though most of the stuff he does is brilliant, but the REDDI and P-15 kicked it. Have a real soft spot for some of those mic'ed tones too, though. The SVT was especially yummy.

The SVT was it for me. I wish I had a better mic, the ole 57 is probably not picking up all the goods. Plus I have not a clue where the ideal placement for the mic should be? I just boomed it in on the right edge (around 2 o'clock) on the top right speaker of an 810.
As far as the John K pedal I think with some more time I'll be able to figure it out more and make it produce something more enjoyable.
I guess I'll be saving up for something like a M88. But yeah the SVT is it.

 

[10cc]

I also was really surprised at the Kustom 200. I think it really had all the fundamentals a bass tone should be providing.

 

[MarkA]

Yeah I thought number two (P-15) did have more of a classic sixties sound going on. If I boosted the bass a hair it would sound a little bigger in the lows.

Number three does have a treble, mid and bass I just haven't had the time to dial this pedal in yet. It does have some potential and most certainly sounds like an old Peavey Super Festival.

Okay, I've heard the phrase "Peavey Super Festival" before but, aside from the name and "old amp", I didn't know anything about them (I don't even know if they're tube or SS). A bit of quick googling turned up a "rig rundown" in Premier Guitar for Jesse Keeler, bass player for Death from Above 1979 -- turns out the Super Festival is a big part of his sound (he says that the distortion he gets is from the amp and not a pedal).

Listening to this as I type...


...and the distortion is cool and, far as I can tell, unique. There's more to the rig of course (including an Acoustic 450B running a second cab) but, still, cool sound.

Here's the article: Rig Rundown: Death From Above 1979 | Premier Guitar

...and a link to another thread where I found this cool old advert. The Super Festival F800 Bass. Heavy.

 

[MarkA]

Kirk runs his at noon but I run mine at about 10:00 because it's close to the volume I'd be at with most any other DI.

Good test, though...I didn't get to hear on headphones, but to me running the P-15 all at 10:00 brought it pretty close to the REDDI tone, which sounds pretty flat to me. Was not quite as fired up about the JohnK DI even though most of the stuff he does is brilliant, but the REDDI and P-15 kicked it. Have a real soft spot for some of those mic'ed tones too, though. The SVT was especially yummy.

The SVT was it for me. I wish I had a better mic, the ole 57 is probably not picking up all the goods. Plus I have not a clue where the ideal placement for the mic should be? I just boomed it in on the right edge (around 2 o'clock) on the top right speaker of an 810.
As far as the John K pedal I think with some more time I'll be able to figure it out more and make it produce something more enjoyable.
I guess I'll be saving up for something like a M88. But yeah the SVT is it.

I also was really surprised at the Kustom 200. I think it really had all the fundamentals a bass tone should be providing.

Okay, didn't see any SVT or Kustom clips in this thread so (search, search)... you guys are referring to this, I assume?
SVT,800rb,360,370,Kustom200,REDDI,P-15,GK212IIDirect,JohnKSuperFestival with clips

 

[davelowell2]

The ART Tube MP -- unless they've come out with some version with USB of which I'm unaware -- isn't what I'd call a recording interface, but a preamp. In my limited experience with budget interfaces, yeah, the quality of the interface has an audible effect on the result -- there's the quality of the A/D conversion and the interfaces often have their own preamps (and you often can't bypass them, so you want them as much out of the way as possible -- that is, you want them to be fairly transparent).

If I were running a Reddi, P-15, or some other nice tube pre/DI for recording, I would NOT run it through another tube device before going into the computer. Best (comparatively) cheap interface I've found is the Focusrite Scarlett series (I'm running a 2i4). A close second was a Roland Quad Capture. Recording quality with the 2i4 was a bit better, while the Quad Capture is a bit more user-friendly (better metering) and feature rich. Both sounded much better than a very cheap M-Audio interface I tried long ago.

If the DI/pre I'm using has a level adjustment (most do) I try to turn that up and turn the level at the interface down so that I'm leaning more on my nice tube device and less on the tiny preamps in the interface.

Thanks MarkA!

 

[Dave Hill]

I like the P-15 more and more. The capability of adjusting the tone just puts it over the top for me.

 

[jmbjandfam]

I like the P-15 more and more. The capability of adjusting the tone just puts it over the top for me.

I would really like hear a direct side by side with a Reddi, the P-15 and a Noble.

 

[Dave Hill]

I would really like hear a direct side by side with a Reddi, the P-15 and a Noble.

@10cc may be able to do this in a couple weeks. We just found out there is a Noble fairly local! @MTN.bass72!!
I'm also eager to hear this. Honestly though, the Noble would have to be startling better to justify its price (double the price of a P-15).

 

[franklindayala]

All I know that I'm on the waiting list for a P-15... And all of this is killing me....

 

[Dave Hill]

Me too!
Although I may be getting close, real close!!

 

[nshuman]

All I know that I'm on the waiting list for a P-15... And all of this is killing me....

My P-15 has replaced the preamp on my YBA200-2. Bass > Board > P-15 > YBA200-2 tube power section. Perfection.

 

[Dave Hill]

My P-15 has replaced the preamp on my YBA200-2. Bass > Board > P-15 > YBA200-2 tube power section. Perfection.

You have the v2 with affected 1/4 out?