Oracle in the classifieds. No affiliation.
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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison
- Thread starter chadhargis
- Start date
Experimenting...
The VT Bass seems to love the signal from the LA-1A. Not sure how I like how some of the effects are sounding thru it from the MS-60B. The LA-1A is where my studio bass and G50 was. I can bump the tuner and BSW and get the G50 back on. No rush to decide.
The VT Bass seems to love the signal from the LA-1A. Not sure how I like how some of the effects are sounding thru it from the MS-60B. The LA-1A is where my studio bass and G50 was. I can bump the tuner and BSW and get the G50 back on. No rush to decide.
Same seller also has a Grace Design Alix in the same forum. (I'm also not affiliated with these listings)
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If you want to see how amp modeling is manifest in a product, Fractal Audio has your answer.
I'm no guru on this topic, but I will refer you to the Fractal Audio Systems AxeFxIII/FM3 "Audio Blocks Guide" so you can see how they go about modeling an amp, and what is provided for adjustable parameters. IMHO, this is real amp geek stuff, and if you're an amp builder, it's probably modeling nirvana.
https://www.fractalaudio.com/downloads/manuals/fas-guides/Fractal-Audio-Blocks-Guide.pdf
pages 9 through 18 cover their amp modeling, and it is further broken down into sections for the "basic" power amp modeling features, with additional "advanced" features for power amp component tweaking. There's a reason why Fractal Audio is highly regarded in the amp modeling world...and yes, it is worth the money.
I have been lurking/reading the thread from start to finish. I joined the forum. Thanks for all the info everybody! I have been using an Avalon U5 for many years going Direct to the house with the thru going to whatever bass amp set "flat" relying on my bass and U5 for tone shaping. I wanted something more compact and with a tube, so I recently purchased the Barber linden eq, along with the Night Owl Edison tube pre. The Barber came first, and it was everything I expected. My Edison pre came second, and it was everything I expected. I think they sound great by themselves and superb when paired together. I opted to go for these two pedals vs. one all inclusive Tube pre/di. I feel I can achieve my tone without having to tweak my bass as much and without the tone shaping of the U5 (set with high cut and tone setting on 2 or 3). With that said, the pedals do sound great going into the Avalon, but now I feel like I can leave the U5 in the studio and still get my sound. Oh, and my guitarists love to plug into my new pedals as well!
Micah at Arkam is working with some transformer companies to make a DI version of the Oracle a reality!!! Price would go up but that is understandable and he is looking to keep the price well under the Noble.
I'm a happy owner of a SLO MKIIIs, it's my go-to preamp for pretty much anything bass related.
Recently I bought a Tech 21 Q\Strip with the idea of keeping it on my desk and use it as a channel strip for recording vocals, guitars, keyboards and bass of course. After using it for a while with bass, I realized how powerful its EQ is compared to the SLO. I'm not saying one is better than the other because they're VERY different, but that EQ is very capable. SLO has tube tone, IRs and much more to offer, but its EQ is more restricted, by choice. It's almost impossible to make it sound bad, but I want to try something different and see how I like it.
I'll leave my Q\Strip on my desk, but I wonder if the VT Bass DI can be as good in terms of EQ.
How do you guys like the VT Bass DI?
Is the cab sim too dark?
I don't like having the parallel out in that place, because if you have the pedal in a pedalboard you basically sacrifice one or more outputs, at least you flip the pedal and use a 2 rows pedalboard. I have a Metro 16.
Is it possible to use some kind of extension cable or adapter to get access to the parallel out?
Thanks.
Recently I bought a Tech 21 Q\Strip with the idea of keeping it on my desk and use it as a channel strip for recording vocals, guitars, keyboards and bass of course. After using it for a while with bass, I realized how powerful its EQ is compared to the SLO. I'm not saying one is better than the other because they're VERY different, but that EQ is very capable. SLO has tube tone, IRs and much more to offer, but its EQ is more restricted, by choice. It's almost impossible to make it sound bad, but I want to try something different and see how I like it.
I'll leave my Q\Strip on my desk, but I wonder if the VT Bass DI can be as good in terms of EQ.
How do you guys like the VT Bass DI?
Is the cab sim too dark?
I don't like having the parallel out in that place, because if you have the pedal in a pedalboard you basically sacrifice one or more outputs, at least you flip the pedal and use a 2 rows pedalboard. I have a Metro 16.
Is it possible to use some kind of extension cable or adapter to get access to the parallel out?
Thanks.
Simply said: no. EQ on VT DI is retricted/limited when compared to Q Strip...
Steve, are you going IEM's most of the time? If you are, I highly recommend looking at the Two Notes C.A.B. M+. I recently added it to my board, and it has been a game changer! IEM's have never sounded so good! Pairs really nicely with the La-1a. Even sounds amazing through my powered monitor for live gigs.
I have looked at those in the past. Maybe worth a second look. The LA-1A was the first "game changer" for me in a long time...other than my Roscoe's.
The recent software update added a tuner, a noise gate, a tube preamp sim (to go with the tube power amp sim), and a HPF and 5 band semi parametric EQ.
Oracle shipping confirmation shows it'll land Monday but I'm hoping it'll show up early like a bunch of other packages have this week and I'll have it for the weekend. I've got my whole rig super dialed rn and sounding killer and after hearing @scubaduba comparisons I'm salivating even more. My Moollon P IV with flats is begging for some tubes in the chain!
I wonder if he'll have to make the housing bigger or if it'll be something you can send an existing unit in and have upgraded? At any rate I intend to pick up a RNDI because that combo is magic in the clips I've heard.
I would think a bigger housing based on previous comments, but maybe it can get shoehorned in. Not sure
@MascisMan I'll be curious to hear your thoughts about the compare/contrast of the StudioOne and Oracle.
