I can compare the OBP-2 to the Korean copy of the USA 9V circuit, never had the real thing.
I can give you a comparison of all three. The USA 9v (Haz) and the Korean-made Kramer copies are OpAmp powered circuits.
The OBP-2 uses JFET technology (same as the TonePump).
I personally prefer the copy to the OBP-2 because I find it is more warm and natural, where the OBP is more 'crisp'.
Absolutely. The JFET circuits don't loose signal and attack is instant with them. The tonal output can be colored (as it is with the TonePump to sound more growly) or they can be clean, as is the case with the Aguilar circuits.
The OpAmp circuits are warmer sounding... which is why they are popular. If you can get around the over-saturation issue (which Haz did by using an array of OpAmps in a single circuit, thus the distorted growl of the NS-2), then to me the OpAmp circuits have a warmer tone.
Both are great preamps but I also think the center frequencies for the bass and treble are different between the two, and I prefer the haz copy.
Yes. OpAmp circuits have less response. Meaning the frequency ranges from center to bottom (bass) and center to high (treble) are less than the JFET circuits. Less dynamic range, but when you look at the fact that bass guitars are really about the lower register, dynamic range isn't necessarily needed.
I find the haz copy frequencies are closer together if that makes sense? Closer to the mids than on the OBP which to me feels too high on the treble control, and too low on the bass.
I explained this above. Some people like the OBP circuits because you can get a wide range of tonal output from them. They're very clean and the signal from the pups is transferred with very little impedance out to your input source. I love Dave (Boonshoft) and Dave (Avenius) at Aguilar. Great guys and very serious musicians. They're like SPECTOR... it's musicians making equipment for musicians. So Aguilar always puts out excellent products. But I find their circuits to be too clean for my tastes. And of course I'll forever have the dirty growl of Sting's NS-2 in my head as the ultimate bass tone. Which means the OpAmp, solid-state SPECTOR/Haz tone circuit...
This is just my personal experience however, comparing the OBP-2 to the copy of the USA circuit that comes in the NS-2A.
The only difference I was able to tell between the original USA 9v and the Kramer Haz-copy was output strength and the copy is a little more tame. Growl is still there, but the USA model being made for active pups, seems to handle the signal from active pups better. And if you leave the original passive pups in then you loose the punch from the mids to the highs that the active EMGs have.
Not sure if the extra 300 is worth it to many people to get the USA circuit, but it is to me.
Without question for me. As much as I appreciate the TonePump for what it is and what it was designed to be (the sound of the older technology in the USA/Haz using the newest, best technology)... there is a warmth and tone to the original USA 9v circuit that nothing else can seem to capture 100% I think it's 80% there with the TonePump...
I guess it's like comparing a ADD mastered audio CD to a 33rpm vinyl record. The ADD CD will sound great but there'll be a tonal quality to the record that to me makes it sound a little more as if I was listening to the band or musician(s) live in the studio or on the stage.
Its gonna be a REAL HARD CHOICE for me between blue and green, I'm making myself wait until monday to be 100% sure of which I want
Personally... I like blue. I'm not sure what the colors Todd has worked out as choices for you guys because I've been so busy with NAMM stuff I haven't had time. But I will say that there's a Blue USA SPECTOR here (it's a matte finish) for NAMM that is beautiful.
And not to color anyone's personal choice... you guys need to know that as a photographer and cinematographer... green is a color we're trained to sort of dislike. Florescent bulbs shift light to a greenish color... which always looks horrible on film. And over-saturated greens in photography are a pain to deal with. So not that ANY color SPECTOR wouldn't be awesome. I just hear the word "green" and years of being told "green is bad" makes me instantly go... yuck! And I know it's a stupid programmed response from my work in film and photography. Green is actually a nice color on a bass guitar.
So don't let me and my anti-green attitude change your minds. I thought I'd share why I usually avoid green.
