Subway+ Bass DI-Preamp II

[Nebadon2000]

I can honestly say that the original was jam packed with endless tonal capabilities.
This next gen will be nothing less the the original.

With that said.
I have a Fender TB 1200 that I'll be using this preamp with.
Going to try going into the front end of the amp, but also want to try the Mesa going into the effects loop return.
Will the loop return idea override the amps preamp section?
You would think in all my years of playing I would know the answer to that.

Yes unless Fender has parallel EFX loop which is rare: Markbass amps are known for parallel loops

 

[Nebadon2000]

Is this voiced to sound like any particular Subway model's preamp, or is it its own thing? Does it overdrive like the Subway amps can, when you up the gain?

It is similar to/based on Mesa D800+

 

[logdrum]

It's here!

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I kinda fell into a subby dubby ting out the box

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I'm definitely getting the ABY switcher box for this. Being able to switch from the WD preamp to the Subway+ preamp is going to be a game-changer

The Subway+ seems to fit with all the damping settings. I like the medium and high the best so far.

Setting the preamp flat and just working the deep bright switches, and the hight pass and voicing control seem to offer a lot of tonal variations alone.

CONGRATS -- If you got one then it must be right as rain.

Well -- I found a Prodigy amp Sunday that was too hard to pass up, so there is that and so It will have to wait . But I do have this preamp ( on an extended loan ) made by some guys in the same county, it's dated but will have to do for now (Blue tape -- is just a dust cover both channels work ) . I do not know if I'll ever get a Subway product... Someone might not be so enamored and drop it in the classifieds.

I know it looks not pro sitting on wood blocks but that is for pictorial purposes only. Normally it's beneath my bathroom scale on the floor

 

[gstaats]

Ordered mine today finally. Will be using it wit ha fuzz pedal when ampless... Just want a micro pedalboard. Still will keep my Mesa TT-800 and Barefaced BB3 cabs when I need bring a rig. Hopefully the band gets to run IEMs for most of this year.

 

[DJ Bebop]

So, If you wanna make it more complicated

I am running my pedal like this. Bass into WD front end, tuner out on the WD to Subway+ in, Subway+ preamp out back into the WD aux in.

I can use the mute switches on the WD and the Subway+ to switch back and forth between the two preamps, or not. I can let both run at the same time. I have the Subway+ wiith more of a deep and slightly scooped setting, and the WD set up the opposite, brighter and more mid-forward. Using the Master on the + and the gain on the WD to blend the two together.

 

[gstaats]

I did upgrade part of my live rig to go with the Subway+, lol.... Upgraded the bands subs to EV ETX-15SP's.... Should sound great with the ETX-10p tops. WIll give that combo a whirl on the back patio after the Subway+ comes in.

 

[gstaats]

So, If you wanna make it more complicated

I am running my pedal like this. Bass into WD front end, tuner out on the WD to Subway+ in, Subway+ preamp out back into the WD aux in.

I can use the mute switches on the WD and the Subway+ to switch back and forth between the two preamps, or not. I can let both run at the same time. I have the Subway+ wiith more of a deep and slightly scooped setting, and the WD set up the opposite, brighter and more mid-forward. Using the Master on the + and the gain on the WD to blend the two together.

I used to go for complicated... But I've come to appreciate simplicity in setups, and, remind myself and the rest of my bandmates that most subtleties we appreciate as musicians are not noticed by live audiences and are typically lost through a PA in a live performance. I was able to convert one dude from running a fender twin for live stuff to a Quilter Phantom block. The twin was so loud he always had it turned way down, where it typically sounded thin and anemic. We're all happier with IEMs and being essentially ampless.

 

[Cahamp]

Here it is on my board. It's a pedalboard nano + if anyone is concerned with size.

 

[Turn Em Loose]

Well....Damn. Just had a quick 30-40 minutes to check it out on some headphones (AKG K240). I cranked the Input to about 3:00 and turned up the HPF and the Voicing a tad and it sounded great. Hell, it sounded great with all EQ options off/flat!

Did I read there is a bit of a cab sim on the DI? A subway 115? The DI sounds stellar. Quiet, too. I'll gig it a few times this month doing a country club and a reggae/dub thing. Can't wait to see if the headphone in/out can replace my Rolls monitor amp for IEM gigs.

The knobs on mine don't turn that easily. Maybe a little easier than my old trusty THDI? I really don't EQ a lot and am anticipating no issues with that.

EDIT: I can't believe this is only $199.

 

[agedhorse]

I can honestly say that the original was jam packed with endless tonal capabilities.
This next gen will be nothing less the the original.

With that said.
I have a Fender TB 1200 that I'll be using this preamp with.
Going to try going into the front end of the amp, but also want to try the Mesa going into the effects loop return.
Will the loop return idea override the amps preamp section?
You would think in all my years of playing I would know the answer to that.

I will have to look that info up when I get back to the shop. I don't remember.

 

[agedhorse]

Is this voiced to sound like any particular Subway model's preamp, or is it its own thing? Does it overdrive like the Subway amps can, when you up the gain?

Subway D-800+ preamp

 

[Pep]

Used the new preamp pedal tonight at a small gig with no FOH. Ran the bass into a PolyTune Mini / into a flanger / into the preamp. From there it went into QSC K12.2.
I was using my MTD Artist 4 which is "active". Bass & Mids were at the center-detent (12:00j. The Treble was at about 2:00, or a bit clockwise past the center-detent.

I thought it sounded awesome. One of my peers, a local/well-known bassist, happened to be in the audience.
At the end of the first set he bolted up to the stage to see my rig. He couldn't believe it. He said that it filled the room with amazing tone, punch and clarity.
I was obviously surprised by his comments because he just usually says "sounds good".
Needless to say I'm pretty pumped about it.

I wanted a clean sound so these are my settings as they would appear on a clock face. I'm saving these settings but I will continue to tweak.

Input: 9:00
Boost: 12:00
Bass: 1:00
Low (Mid): 11:00
High (Mid): 12:00
Treble: 10:00

HPF: 1:30
Voicing: 1:00
Deep: OFF
Bright: OFF
150/1800: 12:00
300/5000: 12:00
Master: 3:00

 

[GTHintz]

Hey Guys,
I'm new to the Subway gear. The only experience I have with Mesa was plugging into a Bass 400+ EONS ago and then a Walkabout Scout maybe a decade ago. Does that date me? Mesa gear generally wasn't available in my area. How would you describe the Subway tone? Andy? @agedhorse .

Thanks!
Brent

Hey Brent I own the first generation subway preamp and I would describe this along with everything else mesa I've tried as warm sounding but can get more HiFi than warm sounding amps typically go. It's got a bit of tight and focused low mids and lows but that deep switch brings up more sub bass. It's not as inherently sparkly sounding as say a Darkglass, gk, trick fish, Phil jones rig would be but it does have something that just works really well in a mix. You can hear yourself very well for sure. It's like trying to describe smooth punchy big tone with just enough shimmery highs to balance out. This new one with the hi pass filters and boost/ voicing knobs will let you shape how transparent vs how warm it gets so honestly it's got something for almost every type of player. The mesa is the first pedal to get me off my gk plex since I first got it quite a few years ago. The closest preamps to the mesa I've heard are the ebs microbass 2 and the Aguilar tone hammer. They both tend to favor a tight but thick punchy sound which I've always liked. With the right bass it'll sound massive.

 

[logdrum]

Used the new preamp pedal tonight at a small gig with no FOH. Ran the bass into a PolyTune Mini / into a flanger / into the preamp. From there it went into QSC K12.2.
I was using my MTD Artist 4 which is "active". Bass & Mids were at the center-detent (12:00j. The Treble was at about 2:00, or a bit clockwise past the center-detent.

I thought it sounded awesome. One of my peers, a local/well-known bassist, happened to be in the audience.
At the end of the first set he bolted up to the stage to see my rig. He couldn't believe it. He said that it filled the room with amazing tone, punch and clarity.
I was obviously surprised by his comments because he just usually says "sounds good".
Needless to say I'm pretty pumped about it.

I wanted a clean sound so these are my settings as they would appear on a clock face. I'm saving these settings but I will continue to tweak.

Input: 9:00
Boost: 12:00
Bass: 1:00
Low (Mid): 11:00
High (Mid): 12:00
Treble: 10:00

HPF: 1:30
Voicing: 1:00
Deep: OFF
Bright: OFF
150/1800: 12:00
300/5000: 12:00
Master: 3:00

What bacon did you get?

 

[JJR58]

I will have to look that info up when I get back to the shop. I don't remember.

Thank you!

 

[BrentSimons]

Hey Brent I own the first generation subway preamp and I would describe this along with everything else mesa I've tried as warm sounding but can get more HiFi than warm sounding amps typically go. It's got a bit of tight and focused low mids and lows but that deep switch brings up more sub bass. It's not as inherently sparkly sounding as say a Darkglass, gk, trick fish, Phil jones rig would be but it does have something that just works really well in a mix. You can hear yourself very well for sure. It's like trying to describe smooth punchy big tone with just enough shimmery highs to balance out. This new one with the hi pass filters and boost/ voicing knobs will let you shape how transparent vs how warm it gets so honestly it's got something for almost every type of player. The mesa is the first pedal to get me off my gk plex since I first got it quite a few years ago. The closest preamps to the mesa I've heard are the ebs microbass 2 and the Aguilar tone hammer. They both tend to favor a tight but thick punchy sound which I've always liked. With the right bass it'll sound massive.

Thank you!

 

[agedhorse]

I can honestly say that the original was jam packed with endless tonal capabilities.
This next gen will be nothing less the the original.

With that said.
I have a Fender TB 1200 that I'll be using this preamp with.
Going to try going into the front end of the amp, but also want to try the Mesa going into the effects loop return.
Will the loop return idea override the amps preamp section?
You would think in all my years of playing I would know the answer to that.

Ok, because the TB-1200 is such a complicated amp (internally), I had to refresh my memory...

You can use the effects return as it is post all but the variable room voicing balance circuit, but it's more or less a hot instrument level so you will want to run the master on the amp pretty high to avoid hitting the effects return input clamping circuit (which will cause distortion). This is an impedance balanced input which will work with a TRS cable.

You can also run directly into the power amp input using a TRS cable which allows the power amp input circuit to operate in impedance balanced mode. This bypasses the room balance circuit and the master volume control and is line level. The master volume on the pedal will then act as the master volume control for the power amp.

 

[JJR58]

Ok, because the TB-1200 is such a complicated amp (internally), I had to refresh my memory...

You can use the effects return as it is post all but the variable room voicing balance circuit, but it's more or less a hot instrument level so you will want to run the master on the amp pretty high to avoid hitting the effects return input clamping circuit (which will cause distortion). This is an impedance balanced input which will work with a TRS cable.

You can also run directly into the power amp input using a TRS cable which allows the power amp input circuit to operate in impedance balanced mode. This bypasses the room balance circuit and the master volume control and is line level. The master volume on the pedal will then act as the master volume control for the power amp.

You're a good man Andy!
@agedhorse
Thanks a ton for this info.
Greatly appreciated.

 

[DJ Bebop]

So, If you wanna make it more complicated

I am running my pedal like this. Bass into WD front end, tuner out on the WD to Subway+ in, Subway+ preamp out back into the WD aux in.

I can use the mute switches on the WD and the Subway+ to switch back and forth between the two preamps, or not. I can let both run at the same time. I have the Subway+ wiith more of a deep and slightly scooped setting, and the WD set up the opposite, brighter and more mid-forward. Using the Master on the + and the gain on the WD to blend the two together.

So I was thinking of getting an ABY switch box but this method above is working for me. Just needed to use two extra cords and I'm good to go

 

[ErnieD]

Cold, rainy weather here in SE TX. Caint walk the dog, gonna play inside with this instead.