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The Alembic F-1X Megathread
- Thread starter Michael Vee
- Start date
well i'm a huge fan. another convert to the f1x/sf2 combo. (see my reviews in tb gear reviews)
unfortunately due to major financial crap i had to sell both, the sf2 to BOO, the f1x to dirk d. now some other lucky guy gets to play with it.
the key to the f1x is devloping an understanding of the passive interactive tone controls with the deep and bright switch. a website exists somewhere to give you readouts for various settigns of the fender tone stack/rca tom walker circuit, slightly different paramaters need to be entered for the alembic.
the bottom line is that i could get a very mid boosted sound, but the settings to do so can be a bit odd. it is a unit you need to experiemnt with, but the results are well worth it.
it's a tossup as to which i miss more, the preamp or the superfilter.
unfortunately due to major financial crap i had to sell both, the sf2 to BOO, the f1x to dirk d. now some other lucky guy gets to play with it.
the key to the f1x is devloping an understanding of the passive interactive tone controls with the deep and bright switch. a website exists somewhere to give you readouts for various settigns of the fender tone stack/rca tom walker circuit, slightly different paramaters need to be entered for the alembic.
the bottom line is that i could get a very mid boosted sound, but the settings to do so can be a bit odd. it is a unit you need to experiemnt with, but the results are well worth it.
it's a tossup as to which i miss more, the preamp or the superfilter.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,944
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
IvanMike said:well i'm a huge fan. another convert to the f1x/sf2 combo. (see my reviews in tb gear reviews)
unfortunately due to major financial crap i had to sell both, the sf2 to BOO, the f1x to dirk d. now some other lucky guy gets to play with it.
the key to the f1x is devloping an understanding of the passive interactive tone controls with the deep and bright switch. a website exists somewhere to give you readouts for various settigns of the fender tone stack/rca tom walker circuit, slightly different paramaters need to be entered for the alembic.
the bottom line is that i could get a very mid boosted sound, but the settings to do so can be a bit odd. it is a unit you need to experiemnt with, but the results are well worth it.
it's a tossup as to which i miss more, the preamp or the superfilter.
http://www.duncanamps.com/tsc/
To simulate the F-1X, use the Fender tone stack and swap the C1 and C2 values (make C2=47n, C3=100n).
Hope this helps.
Now i own two(2) versions of the F1X the red one(a lighter model with red knobs and painted on Alembic symbol)and the blue version (much heavier version the newest one) and the red one sounds a whole lot funkier as oppose to the blue one which is much louder and rockier. So i keep the red one in my small rack and the blue one in my larger rack but, both units give me what i want. "Set it and Forget it" I think everyone should invest in an F1X by the way Alembic equipment is based on tone anyway. ask a Fender person
I finally broke down and bought some new speaker cables from our pal Butch Ammons. I've been needing new ones for a couple of years.
Butch started selling tubes recently, so I said, what the heck, let's swap out the tube in the F-1X. So, the order arrived yesterday with a JJ/Tesla ECC83s / 12AX7 - dual triode, spiral filament tube.
The top of an F-1X is held on with eight small Allen head (hex) screws, four on each side. After getting these off, I checked the Alembic website for instructions. You have to wiggle the top half of the tube shield down until it nests into the bottom half, then work the tube loose. It's a very good idea to work the tube loose with one hand, while supporting the circuit board with the other!
Got the stock tube out, and the JJ/Tesla went right in. It fit the tube shield better than the stock tube! The cover went back on okay, except two screws just did not want to go back into place due the case being ever so slightly bent from rackmounting.
So- how does the JJ/Tesla sound? It's not a dramatic difference from the original tube, but it's a bit cleaner and more dynamic. Notes flow together in a passage just a bit better. There is much less crackling and extraneous noise.. the preamp is silent. It was well worth the $9.
The original tube was 13 years old. It didn't have a great deal of actual time on, but perhaps it was aging a bit. I'm not sure, but I do know the F-1X has its personality back in full.
Butch started selling tubes recently, so I said, what the heck, let's swap out the tube in the F-1X. So, the order arrived yesterday with a JJ/Tesla ECC83s / 12AX7 - dual triode, spiral filament tube.
The top of an F-1X is held on with eight small Allen head (hex) screws, four on each side. After getting these off, I checked the Alembic website for instructions. You have to wiggle the top half of the tube shield down until it nests into the bottom half, then work the tube loose. It's a very good idea to work the tube loose with one hand, while supporting the circuit board with the other!
Got the stock tube out, and the JJ/Tesla went right in. It fit the tube shield better than the stock tube! The cover went back on okay, except two screws just did not want to go back into place due the case being ever so slightly bent from rackmounting.
So- how does the JJ/Tesla sound? It's not a dramatic difference from the original tube, but it's a bit cleaner and more dynamic. Notes flow together in a passage just a bit better. There is much less crackling and extraneous noise.. the preamp is silent. It was well worth the $9.
The original tube was 13 years old. It didn't have a great deal of actual time on, but perhaps it was aging a bit. I'm not sure, but I do know the F-1X has its personality back in full.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,944
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Glad to hear that the new tube made an improvement, MV! Just curious, but what was the old tube?
Tom.
Tom.
Hey Tom Bowlus! Hope you and the Fremont Family all had a great day yesterday (and the rest of this weekend too!)
You know, you should Photoshop a "Turklops" avatar for the Thanksgiving weekend!
I just checked the tube. It's about as generic a tube as is possible- it has "12AX7" in red, painted on the tube going down the side, and it also has a white sticker on it that says "Made in China". That's IT.
I've always heard Alembic used whatever generic tubes they could get, not spec'ing the F-1X and F-2B to use a particular tube, and that's definitely the case here.
Who knows if they are still doing it that way, or if they've gotten tighter on tubes since the early 90's. I'll do a quick search on the Alembic forum.
Since this is a generic tube, there's no way of finding out from others about the life expectancy, tone, or anything else.
I can definitely say the JJ/Tesla is a step up over this barebones, low cost tube. I can also say, with a fair amount of confidence, to other Alembic preamp owners who've never cracked the case- get a premium, branded tube and replace the stock tube!
You know, you should Photoshop a "Turklops" avatar for the Thanksgiving weekend!
I just checked the tube. It's about as generic a tube as is possible- it has "12AX7" in red, painted on the tube going down the side, and it also has a white sticker on it that says "Made in China". That's IT.
I've always heard Alembic used whatever generic tubes they could get, not spec'ing the F-1X and F-2B to use a particular tube, and that's definitely the case here.
Who knows if they are still doing it that way, or if they've gotten tighter on tubes since the early 90's. I'll do a quick search on the Alembic forum.
Since this is a generic tube, there's no way of finding out from others about the life expectancy, tone, or anything else.
I can definitely say the JJ/Tesla is a step up over this barebones, low cost tube. I can also say, with a fair amount of confidence, to other Alembic preamp owners who've never cracked the case- get a premium, branded tube and replace the stock tube!
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,944
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
MichaelVee said:Hey Tom Bowlus! Hope you and the Fremont Family all had a great day yesterday (and the rest of this weekend too!)
You know, you should Photoshop a "Turklops" avatar for the Thanksgiving weekend!
I just checked the tube. It's about as generic a tube as is possible- it has "12AX7" in red, painted on the tube going down the side, and it also has a white sticker on it that says "Made in China". That's IT.
I've always heard Alembic used whatever generic tubes they could get, not spec'ing the F-1X and F-2B to use a particular tube, and that's definitely the case here.
Who knows if they are still doing it that way, or if they've gotten tighter on tubes since the early 90's. I'll do a quick search on the Alembic forum.
Since this is a generic tube, there's no way of finding out from others about the life expectancy, tone, or anything else.
I can definitely say the JJ/Tesla is a step up over this barebones, low cost tube. I can also say, with a fair amount of confidence, to other Alembic preamp owners who've never cracked the case- get a premium, branded tube and replace the stock tube!
Thanks, Michael! We had a very nice Thanksgiving, and I hope yours was equally nice.
Man, if I can find a picture of a one-eyed turkey, I'd be all over that Turklops thing!
While there are some decent sounding Chinese made preamp tubes (and I am generally of the opinion that preamp tubes don't really have a finite "life" to them, as do power tubes), I have found the F-1X to be reasonably responsive to tube changes, and that JJ is one of my preferred modern tubes. I think that for the money, they can make a noticable, though subtle, improvement. You can notch it up a bit more - perhaps - with a really nice NOS tube, but of course, the differences are fairly minor, and personal preferenes vary. But those JJ's are pretty darned affordable, and generally a decent and "fun" investment.
Take care, Tom.
The stock tubes that came in my F-2B (bought new in '82) are labled "Amperex 12AX7A/7025 Made In W. Germany". Since we know that Amperex were not really made in W. Germany, I did some research and determined that these tubes are constructed and look EXACTLY like RFT tubes (which are actually from E. Germany), so I'm convinced that they are RFTs. Anyway these tubes worked/sounded great for 21 years, and still perform like new to this day. But a few years ago I tried some various tubes in the F-2B and settled on some NOS Telefunkens as my favorite (though the original RFTs sound almost as good). Another tube that I found that sounded superb and didn't cost too much were some Japanese Amperex tubes made at the Matsushita plant in Japan which was set up for them by Mullard. If you run across any RFTs or Japanese Amperex tubes, I highly recommend them.
Any other F-1X owners/former owners out there who've replaced the tube and discovered it was a generic Chinese one?
I have to say that I lightly used that preamp for years with the Chinese tube and thought it sounded great! The JJ/Tesla does sound better, though. The Chinese tube did not age well, apparently.
I have to say that I lightly used that preamp for years with the Chinese tube and thought it sounded great! The JJ/Tesla does sound better, though. The Chinese tube did not age well, apparently.
I used to run both the F1X and The SF-2 Superfilter together........Ultra flexable.....I unfortunately sold them years ago, for what I about paid for them. Financial need was the reason and I am currently using my Eden Navigator or Epifani Quest II. I will get the alembics again someday....
Hey I have a couple questions for all of you coming from a potential first time F1-X owner:
First, what is a good used price for one these in good condition?
Second, I read this review on BGRA and the guy really seems to think that the unit isn't worth the money. He said it's too noisy, lacks midrange growl, and also cited the Chinese tube as a reason to look elsewhere. Has any one else had issues like this with an F1-X?
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Thanks everybody!
First, what is a good used price for one these in good condition?
Second, I read this review on BGRA and the guy really seems to think that the unit isn't worth the money. He said it's too noisy, lacks midrange growl, and also cited the Chinese tube as a reason to look elsewhere. Has any one else had issues like this with an F1-X?
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Thanks everybody!
I picked mine up for about $450 used. I've seen them go for less than that, and some more than that. All depends on what the seller is willing to take for it.
I read the review, and I disagree with that particular reviewer's opinions. I have an F1-X and an SF-2 Superfilter in my rig, and it is noiseless (unless, of course, I turn the treble way up - any cabinet with horns or tweeters will hiss if you do that in my experience). I also had cables custom made for my rig by Lava Cable (www.lavacable.com), and they are of the highest quality, eliminating or at least minimizing noise. As for the midrange, well I have no problems with it, so I can't comment on what the reviewer was saying here. The SF-2 is such a tone shaping machine it isn't an issue for me.
As for them being overpriced as referenced in the review, it is only overpriced if a handwired unit is overpriced. I've been to the Alembic factory in Santa Rosa, and watched Tony Stouffer handwiring these things. They are not made by a machine, and doing it by hand costs more, it's that simple. A lot of folks here and elsewhere have stated that Alembics are overpriced. As the owner of 6 Alembics, with one more on the way, I have to respectfully disagree. Again, I've been to the factory, and met the people who make these wonderful instruments and preamps. They make just about all the parts for their instruments, and the components they use are of the highest quality, down to what capacitors they use. They make their pickups in house on a machine designed and built by Ron Wickersham for that purpose; they mill and make all of their brass bridges, nuts, etc.; the sanding blocks they use are made by them to fit the hand of the person using it. All of these things cost money, and Alembic is a small, family owned business. They don't do the volume of big companies, nor do they do endorsement deals. This translates into higher prices, but without a compromise to quality or craftsmanship. If you ever get a chance to visit Alembic, do so. You won't be sorry you did, even if you don't care for their basses or preamps. They way they do things is a sight to see.
My two cents,
Alan
I agree with Alan's post completely.
When I changed the stock tube in my F-1X, it was the first time I'd looked inside the unit. I was completely impressed by the build quality I saw. Hand building an electronic unit, with certain techniques that machines can't recreate, results in a unit that is neat, organized, and high quality. The components truly are top-notch.
I agree that these preamps are worth the premium price. I personally find I can get a large range of usable sounds from the F-1X EQ. I'm not big on really harsh midrange-dense tone anyway, so I don't like, and can't use, the extreme amounts that an active midrange EQ could create.
Although the original tube had gotten noisy, it still sounded great, even though it was a generic Chinese 12AX7.
It wasn't hard to replace the tube, as detailed in my previous post on the subject. I eliminated the noise, and the preamp regained its full tonality- which is, to use an overused word, awesome.
I gigged the small rack last night at church- F-1X and Carvin F150 power amp in a Gator 3 space. I was running this into one M-Line Wizzy.
The preamp kept cutting out on me and oddly, the DI stayed on.
I was pretty disappointed, because in rehearsal, it sounded terrific.. however, it had cut out a few times there as well.
I thought that the replacement tube was not seated all the way, perhaps.
So, I got it back home and researched the problem. In the Alembic website's forum, Mica Wickersham indicates in several places that the F-1X suffers from jack problems when the preamp is not used frequently. The cure is to, in her words, "exercise the jacks" by plugging and unplugging them 30 times or so.
I had seen this before, and didn't think much about it, as I've not had other amps with this problem.
This morning, I thought, well, before I take the top of the F-1X and check things inside, why not give the "exercising" a try?
I did, and the problem was solved! I was amazed.
Even though Mica said that cleaning the jacks was not really necessary if one exercised them, I did pull out the De-oxit Gold and treated all the jacks after they were exercised, also applying it to my cord ends.
WOW! That preamp simply has blown my mind this morning. In fact, I don't think I've heard it sound that good in years, if ever.
It's also dead quiet, and the roaring and intermittent crackling is gone also. I probably didn't need to replace my tube after all, but I do like the sound of the JJ/Tesla.
So- all of you F-1X owners- even if you use your preamp frequently, exercise your jacks.. and treat them with De-oxit Gold or equivalent.
The preamp kept cutting out on me and oddly, the DI stayed on.
I was pretty disappointed, because in rehearsal, it sounded terrific.. however, it had cut out a few times there as well.
I thought that the replacement tube was not seated all the way, perhaps.
So, I got it back home and researched the problem. In the Alembic website's forum, Mica Wickersham indicates in several places that the F-1X suffers from jack problems when the preamp is not used frequently. The cure is to, in her words, "exercise the jacks" by plugging and unplugging them 30 times or so.
I had seen this before, and didn't think much about it, as I've not had other amps with this problem.
This morning, I thought, well, before I take the top of the F-1X and check things inside, why not give the "exercising" a try?
I did, and the problem was solved! I was amazed.
Even though Mica said that cleaning the jacks was not really necessary if one exercised them, I did pull out the De-oxit Gold and treated all the jacks after they were exercised, also applying it to my cord ends.
WOW! That preamp simply has blown my mind this morning. In fact, I don't think I've heard it sound that good in years, if ever.
It's also dead quiet, and the roaring and intermittent crackling is gone also. I probably didn't need to replace my tube after all, but I do like the sound of the JJ/Tesla.
So- all of you F-1X owners- even if you use your preamp frequently, exercise your jacks.. and treat them with De-oxit Gold or equivalent.
