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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison
- Thread starter chadhargis
- Start date
If I had spares, I’d love to try to fit the guts from the RNDI into the Oracle case.
Ha! That's my thought too. Guessing it can give me a whole separate sound by just using my amp as a power amp. I'm getting antsy! Still a couple hours to wait until delivery.
Spec: 5 outlets
Outlet 1: HX Stomp (9v 1500ma)
Outlet 2: LA-1a (12v 1000ma)
Outlet 3: Tone Hammer (18v)
Outlet 4+5: (9v 500ma)
Overall the experience was great and I was super glad to work with John on this build. It got me everything I needed and he even made some extra outlets for any future additions. He also let me chose what sort of input (mickey mouse) to fit with what I already had going on. And then the price was outstanding (he let me name what I thought was fair). Overall I’d highly recommend working with him. Very knowledgeable and willing to work with you in a way that he explains thought processes behind the build! Definitely the only person I’m using for my power supplies here on.
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jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
The 6L6 moderns have been my favorite as well. Just a touch of hair with the right speaker combo. They really make it come alive. I used them on the Dr. Bonkers or Shift Line (I forget which) Sunn 2x15, and it’s awesome.
So I liked the 6550 one too, but, just too much inherent saturation (though it still sounded good).
If I had someway to footswitch between the 6L6 Modern and 6550 settings that would be cool
Sounds like it would be right up my alley. My current tastes are definitely more "thick and vintage" than "modern and super clean." Your description of the "just a bit-o-hair" tone is what I've really been digging lately. And very cool about the LED! Looking forward to your recording(s)!
I'd really be on the fence if one were to make me pick between a Beelzebub and Edison right at this exact moment.
5sg.
Cross posted from another thread.....
I'm kind of a preamp junkie/whore. They come and go too frequently. However, I have kept a THDI, the Wayne Jones pre, and an Orange Bass Butler and have kept an OmniCabSimDeluxe. I have sold a butt load and the only one I regret selling was a Warm Audio Pre73 and EQ.
The THDI is well, a THDI. The WJ is a pristine pre and has stereo in and outs. Great in a studio when you have time to dick around looking for different tones for different songs/parts. The Orange BB i just got but it is promising as there is an XLR for both the Bass and gui*** amps. Still dialing in this one. I have it set for a nice round, deep tone and can kick in some bite when needed. And the 1 knob compressor works.
However I am excited to try the Atomic Amps Bass Box.
Thanks
Rev. C
I'm kind of a preamp junkie/whore. They come and go too frequently. However, I have kept a THDI, the Wayne Jones pre, and an Orange Bass Butler and have kept an OmniCabSimDeluxe. I have sold a butt load and the only one I regret selling was a Warm Audio Pre73 and EQ.
The THDI is well, a THDI. The WJ is a pristine pre and has stereo in and outs. Great in a studio when you have time to dick around looking for different tones for different songs/parts. The Orange BB i just got but it is promising as there is an XLR for both the Bass and gui*** amps. Still dialing in this one. I have it set for a nice round, deep tone and can kick in some bite when needed. And the 1 knob compressor works.
However I am excited to try the Atomic Amps Bass Box.
Thanks
Rev. C
OK...Game over for me. I don't need to test anything else. Obviously it's full honeymoon phase but when you know you know. It fills in exactly what I felt I was missing from my set up and then some and does it better than I could have ever imagined. I haven't had a smile pasted to my face like that in...well...forever. Literally perma grin when playing through the Oracle. Can not believe the HEFT this thing adds to the tone let alone the ridiculously pillowy tooooooobey gooooooooey goodness!
Initial thoughts...mind blown to start. This has turned my solid state class D head into the equivalent of it's 60-80lb counter parts. I'm surprisingly a fan of all the controls and I say surprisingly because I've never been a fan of hi boost but this is really usable and with the treble cut a little bit it adds an overall clarity to the sound. I actually am really liking the lo boost as well. Adds some tubbiness or thickness to the bottom with out being subby and boomy. Could really come in useful for anything reggae or dub based or in a room where you need a little extra depth but don't want to push the ultra lows. HPF works great in the home setting but will know more it's level of usefulness when I get into the rehearsal space with the band again next week. I like it though and I have the Broughton HPF/LPF for situations that require anything more extreme. But so far the controls do a great job of exactly what they are labeled for. Excited to really start playing with the Range knob and the interaction of the controls.
Running it into the front end of my TH700 it brings in a lot of the elements that a DB751 offers. Adds all that tube warmth and goodness and adds that certain slam or heft that I associate with the DB751. The thing I am loving about it in this order is that the Oracle is ridiculously clear/clean and has a beautiful top end so it really cleans up any of that "wet blanket" aspect that can creep in from both the TH700 and a DB751.
Bypassing the TH700 front end is stupid good and I could see it being my preferred way to go. It's very ampegy. Amazing clarity to every note while having every bit of the pillowy tube aspect I associate with B15's. In this chain I'd imagine it's very much like the Arkham Beast but with half the power.
Running it with my Moollon P and flats into my sealed Bergantino NV212 sounds so good and just completes the vintage sound which is everything I've been after. It just SLAMS.... but it's like slamming into a padded wall at 100mph instead of a concrete wall. That's the pillowy aspect.
Can't wait to get deeper into it tonight and start dialing in some different settings
Initial thoughts...mind blown to start. This has turned my solid state class D head into the equivalent of it's 60-80lb counter parts. I'm surprisingly a fan of all the controls and I say surprisingly because I've never been a fan of hi boost but this is really usable and with the treble cut a little bit it adds an overall clarity to the sound. I actually am really liking the lo boost as well. Adds some tubbiness or thickness to the bottom with out being subby and boomy. Could really come in useful for anything reggae or dub based or in a room where you need a little extra depth but don't want to push the ultra lows. HPF works great in the home setting but will know more it's level of usefulness when I get into the rehearsal space with the band again next week. I like it though and I have the Broughton HPF/LPF for situations that require anything more extreme. But so far the controls do a great job of exactly what they are labeled for. Excited to really start playing with the Range knob and the interaction of the controls.
Running it into the front end of my TH700 it brings in a lot of the elements that a DB751 offers. Adds all that tube warmth and goodness and adds that certain slam or heft that I associate with the DB751. The thing I am loving about it in this order is that the Oracle is ridiculously clear/clean and has a beautiful top end so it really cleans up any of that "wet blanket" aspect that can creep in from both the TH700 and a DB751.
Bypassing the TH700 front end is stupid good and I could see it being my preferred way to go. It's very ampegy. Amazing clarity to every note while having every bit of the pillowy tube aspect I associate with B15's. In this chain I'd imagine it's very much like the Arkham Beast but with half the power.
Running it with my Moollon P and flats into my sealed Bergantino NV212 sounds so good and just completes the vintage sound which is everything I've been after. It just SLAMS.... but it's like slamming into a padded wall at 100mph instead of a concrete wall. That's the pillowy aspect.
Can't wait to get deeper into it tonight and start dialing in some different settings
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
Agreed. The 6550 was too hot for me. Sounded okay with an SVT sim, but not great.
So articulate! Enjoying your experience vicariously.
As I told you guys recently, your thread got me off the dime to acquire a Sadowsky SA200 for my home studio. Joy joy joy. Sounds like the Oracle might be the portable version.
Put this board together today. It doesn't suck. Also put a Mullard in to the Oracle. It doesn't suck either. How are you Oracle people attaching it to your boards? Dual Lock?
I think it packs a solid punch. It is fantastic for small pedal boards. Really, there is no other tube preamp/DI that is as feature right for the size.
I wish I had one right now to record some samples. We move on and try other things. That’s what I did. Nothing wrong with the SLO. It’s no slouch.
Notice much difference with the Mullard? I'll probably do some tube rolling at some point but I'm loving it as is so much right now that I've lost my desire to tinker for a bit. Velcro works great on these boards. Hard to pull them off once you've put them in place.
The Mullard is subtly smoother. Feels a little cleaner as well (but still warm and tubey, perhaps just higher headroom if that makes sense). To be honest, in a FoH mix, probably not much different. In IEM's noticeable though, yes. The stock JJ sounds fantastic so there really isn't a "better" between the two, just different.
I do want to try the Genalex Gold Lion also that people rave about.
