The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

[chadhargis]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a HPF, how are you using the LPF?

I'm using an [sfx]microThumpinator for my HPF. It cuts below 30hz at a very steep octave. For reasons I don't understand it gives me MORE bottom end. It's fantastic and is always on. Not even a switch on the pedal.

For LPF I'm using a Creation Audio Labs Grizzly Bass which has a shelving hi-cut that it claims to be for "cabinet emulation", but basically it rolls off the highs. It seems to have a variable frequency based on how far you turn the knob. There are no specifics on it, but it works extremely well.

The two combined give me a very solid sonic space. I'm not muddying up things for the kick and I'm not competing with the guitars.

 

[Hypercaffium]

I have a yamaha pb1 rack pre with the same fender tone stack eq, and it took me a little time to adjust to how it works and sounds. Knowing that flat is mids all the way up and bass and treble all the way down, you can acheive a mid cut by leaving the mid turned all the way up, and bring the bass and treble up little bits at at time to taste. The interesting thing about doing it like this, is by adjusting only the bass and treble knobs you can shift the frequency of the mid cut. Also I found that bringing the mid knob down also lowers the output of the pre. YMMV, but if you try adjusting from the true flat positions of 0 /max/0, and only bring up bass and treble to taste, you may find tones otherwise hidden by cutting the mid knob from max.

Thanks. This is a really fascinating EQ that works particularly well for my needs. I also gotta say that no matter how you turn the knobs, it always sound good. I'll experiment more for sure.

 

[tedsalt]

I'm using an [sfx]microThumpinator for my HPF. It cuts below 30hz at a very steep octave. For reasons I don't understand it gives me MORE bottom end. It's fantastic and is always on. Not even a switch on the pedal.

The lower the signal frequencies go, the more amplifier power is required to reproduce those frequencies accurately. If you cut those lowest unneeded frequencies, the amp is able to power the remaining frequencies more efficiently. It becomes easier for your amplifier to reproduce the remaining frequencies more accurately.

 

[DoctorZee]

Just read through all 17 pages, and I don't think I saw this discussed---but sorry if I missed it! Does anyone have any opinions about the DI signal quality between the more affordable choices (MXR, Tech21, Aguilar, etc.)? Curious if any of them send a "better" signal to a board/DAW than others.

 

[Zbysek]

Just read through all 17 pages, and I don't think I saw this discussed---but sorry if I missed it! Does anyone have any opinions about the DI signal quality between the more affordable choices (MXR, Tech21, Aguilar, etc.)? Curious if any of them send a "better" signal to a board/DAW than others.

Just a note: "better" is very subjective.

 

[DoctorZee]

Just a note: "better" is very subjective.

Of course! Sorry, I'm probably a bit ignorant about this, having never done live sound or mixing myself. But aren't some DI outputs noisier or somehow lower quality? I'm talking about signal quality, rather than tone.

 

[Zbysek]

Of course! Sorry, I'm probably a bit ignorant about this, having never done live sound or mixing myself. But aren't some DI outputs noisier or somehow lower quality? I'm talking about signal quality, rather than tone.

Yes, signal to noise ratio would be one of the few measurable qualities...

 

[chadhargis]

Just read through all 17 pages, and I don't think I saw this discussed---but sorry if I missed it! Does anyone have any opinions about the DI signal quality between the more affordable choices (MXR, Tech21, Aguilar, etc.)? Curious if any of them send a "better" signal to a board/DAW than others.

I've owned inexpensive and very expensive DIs and one thing was pretty constant...the DI worked as it should. It took a signal and sent it to the board. DIs aren't really complicated things. There was a thread on here somewhere that compared dedicated direct boxes (no preamp) and they put one odd duck in...a $20 el cheapo DI. You couldn't tell which one was which.

Now...all bets are off if you're talking preamp DIs as the preamp section colors the tone. As long as the signal is strong and quiet, I'm happy. Right now, I'm running my Shaw Tube Injection DI about half way up on the volume control per Kevin Shaw's recommendation. He told me running it higher would probably require the FOH engineer to pad the signal coming in.

 

[Ricardo Rodriguez]

I have both the Noble and the Shiftline... both excellent and very different. If you’re after tube grind and a built in cab simulator the Shiftline will have you covered.. you’ already familiar with the Noble. My Shiftline arrived in a very reasonable time... and right around $300.

I have 4 pre amps that I use with my powered BagEnd cabs
Noble
Mesa
Sadowsky
Shiftline

All great and very different.. aside from the Noble there are so many great affordable pre amps available that allows you to change up your sound.. which is one of the reasons I purchased powered cabs..

I currently own the Noble and thinking of getting the Shiftline. Would it be overkill to run the Shiftline into the Noble to take advantage of the Shiftline's tube grind?

 

[57pbass]

I currently own the Noble and thinking of getting the Shiftline. Would it be overkill to run the Shiftline into the Noble to take advantage of the Shiftline's tube grind?

I don’t think it’s overkill .. but you might want get a good O/D type pedal..
The Shiftline is a great device though..

 

[Ricardo Rodriguez]

I don’t think it’s overkill .. but you might want get a good O/D type pedal..
The Shiftline is a great device though..

Im thinking maybe this pedal might do the trick for subtle fat overdrive.
https://www.creationaudiolabs.com/grizzlybass

 

[tedsalt]

I've had the Noble, I have a 2di4, last night I ran a Markbass (tube) Compressore v2 into an Art Tube MP Studio into a HBE Bajo Mos boost into a Radial Stagebug SB-1 to FOH for rehearsal.

Very pleased with the subtle fat drive/tone ...

 

[57pbass]

Im thinking maybe this pedal might do the trick for subtle fat overdrive.
https://www.creationaudiolabs.com/grizzlybass

That looks very interesting.. I have a Digi Tech Bad Monkey which was $25. I rarely use pedals but when I need a good OD this is perfect..

 

[chadhargis]

Im thinking maybe this pedal might do the trick for subtle fat overdrive.
https://www.creationaudiolabs.com/grizzlybass

Fabulous pedal! I have one on my board that is always on. I use the overdrive all the time and the distortion as required. I also use it as a quasi LPF. The treble roll off knob is gold.

 

[Hypercaffium]

I currently own the Noble and thinking of getting the Shiftline. Would it be overkill to run the Shiftline into the Noble to take advantage of the Shiftline's tube grind?

No, but it would be somehow redundant imho. The beauty of preamps is the portability, having to deal with two preamps isn't the most practical thing to do.

I don’t think it’s overkill .. but you might want get a good O/D type pedal..
The Shiftline is a great device though..

The Olympic can do low to mid gain dirt very well and if pushed properly it growls more than enough for me.

 

[cosmicevan]

Not a DI, but I just got a Broughton Super Stack and as far as Preamps go, it's my new fav above the SV Pre and Super Stack as well as even beyond the Ictineo. It's got a tube in it and it's a stomp box...that alone makes me giddy, but it really just makes everything sound better.

 

[Ricardo Rodriguez]

Not a DI, but I just got a Broughton Super Stack and as far as Preamps go, it's my new fav above the SV Pre and Super Stack as well as even beyond the Ictineo. It's got a tube in it and it's a stomp box...that alone makes me giddy, but it really just makes everything sound better.

Just curious what pedals did you have prior to the Super Stack that the Broughton trumped?

 

[cosmicevan]

Just curious what pedals did you have prior to the Super Stack that the Broughton trumped?

It's been a LONG journey of basses and gear. If you click my profile, a good smattering of the previously owned stuff is listed.

Recently-ish I decided to go the route of an ampless rig where my rig IS my pedalboard. I started hunting for stompbox pre's that could drive a poweramp and ideally give me some tonal shaping control. I was coming from a Demeter VTBP-201s (for tube) and an Avalon U5 (for non tube) setup when I discovered Broughton so I was used to high fidelity and warmth/fatness of Demeter when it comes to tubes. I had tried EBS, MXR, Radial, Aguilar, etc pres/DI boxes and was still searching when I stumbled across a Broughton one off DI / preamp called The Problem Solver. It is most similar to the Messenger, but has effects loops, 4 band parametric EQ and is missing some features found on the Messenger like all top jacks, boost, EQ that can be toggled. The sound, build quality, pricing, power requirements and gain stages are spot on in the Broughton pre's...and for a DI, the messenger/problem solver has pristine clarity for a modern tone plus the real game changer...a built in H/LPF. Discovering what H/LPF could do for me was a big "a ha moment" and I'll probably require some form of this tool going forward in whatever my setup may turn into. The Problem Solver became my "rig" but I still liked the idea of having other voices or amps-in-a-box so I continued exploring pre-amps. I feed an SV Pre and a Silver Deluxe into the problem solver as well as the Super Stack. Sometimes I stack em...SV Pre sounds particularly nice when going into the Silver Deluxe.

No matter what I tried, there is no substitute for an actual tube. I was GASing hard for a Noble or a Shaw, but those are huge and very expensive...the Super Stack isn't cheap, but it is a pedal and it has a tube in it and you can tell when it's on and when it gets turned off. If you are looking for "that tube sound" in a pedal, this is it...literally. It enhances your sound in a really inviting way.

 

[chadhargis]

he messenger/problem solver has pristine clarity for a modern tone plus the real game changer...a built in H/LPF. Discovering what H/LPF could do for me was a big "a ha moment" and I'll probably require some form of this tool going forward in whatever my setup may turn into.

BINGO!

I run a microThumpinator for my HPF and a Grizzly Bass for LPF. I can't tell you how much "fuller" my bass sounds when I filtered out all the sub harmonics below 30hz and cut and the high end clink and clank. Even without any other tone shaping...the HPF and LPF makes a HUGE difference.

 

[Ricardo Rodriguez]

It's been a LONG journey of basses and gear. If you click my profile, a good smattering of the previously owned stuff is listed.

Recently-ish I decided to go the route of an ampless rig where my rig IS my pedalboard. I started hunting for stompbox pre's that could drive a poweramp and ideally give me some tonal shaping control. I was coming from a Demeter VTBP-201s (for tube) and an Avalon U5 (for non tube) setup when I discovered Broughton so I was used to high fidelity and warmth/fatness of Demeter when it comes to tubes. I had tried EBS, MXR, Radial, Aguilar, etc pres/DI boxes and was still searching when I stumbled across a Broughton one off DI / preamp called The Problem Solver. It is most similar to the Messenger, but has effects loops, 4 band parametric EQ and is missing some features found on the Messenger like all top jacks, boost, EQ that can be toggled. The sound, build quality, pricing, power requirements and gain stages are spot on in the Broughton pre's...and for a DI, the messenger/problem solver has pristine clarity for a modern tone plus the real game changer...a built in H/LPF. Discovering what H/LPF could do for me was a big "a ha moment" and I'll probably require some form of this tool going forward in whatever my setup may turn into. The Problem Solver became my "rig" but I still liked the idea of having other voices or amps-in-a-box so I continued exploring pre-amps. I feed an SV Pre and a Silver Deluxe into the problem solver as well as the Super Stack. Sometimes I stack em...SV Pre sounds particularly nice when going into the Silver Deluxe.

No matter what I tried, there is no substitute for an actual tube. I was GASing hard for a Noble or a Shaw, but those are huge and very expensive...the Super Stack isn't cheap, but it is a pedal and it has a tube in it and you can tell when it's on and when it gets turned off. If you are looking for "that tube sound" in a pedal, this is it...literally. It enhances your sound in a really inviting way.

I would love to hear tone samples of the Super Stack Pedal