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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

I’ll save you time and trial. LA-1A. Your search will end before it starts.

If only I could decide on a DI/preamp.
I've got a Sushi Box PA arriving this week, I'm going to run that with a tuner and LA-1A on a Nano with a Stagebug 2 next to it. It will be millimetre perfect but I think it will work. Local shop has a NuX MLD coming in, so I will bring that home and try it too fingers crossed.
 
now ya tell me! I just got a Doc Lloyd!

a few pages back I reported I got an mxr m81 di+. It didn’t work so I got my money back... I’m still preampless....

I don’t think I need the xlr/di part... my amps have them and I have a separate box too.

Don’t worry, you will love that thing. It’s the best optical compressor I’ve used. Sounds mighty big.
 
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Actually I don't know why I keep looking at this thread?? I got a NuX and diamond junior comp that sound really good together, I really like the AGL tone print on all the time with the drive, I blame y'all for the gas I'm suffering with ;)
I am hanging to try the NuX MLD with the LA-1A. These units plus a D'Addario Tuner will fit perfectly on a Nano.
 
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Like I said in another thread, I'm thinking about going in a different direction: smaller board (Nano+ instead of my current Metro 16), no preamp and/or DI in the board, just basic pedals (tuner, comp, dirt) and the effects I use the most (octave, modulation). Any preamp of choice and/or DI would be carried in a gig bag (or the backpack I use for cables, batteries and other stuff) and it would be put on the floor, right next to the board.
Why I'm thinking about this? Let me explain.
I have bought my BB800 with the idea of using it mostly as a compact/portable power amp, a neutral tool that is feeded by any preamp I consider the best for the situation. I have three preamps that cover all my needs (2 would be enough but this thread doesn't help at all :)) and usually I play with just a preamp and a clip on tuner. I use pedals sometimes for specific projects or in the studio, so I don't need them all the time. When I need them, I prefer to have a board that is as small and light as possible.
I see the advantage of having some sort of "modular" setup with selectable preamps for the job, without having any of them velcroed on the board. It would make my life easier even for recording, for a number of reasons.
A disadvantage would be the fact that I must carry a separate power supply for the preamp of choice (if it doesn't run on batteries) and a power strip, but I always carry that stuff anyway, so it doesn't make a difference for me.
Maybe i should try and see how it goes.

PS: maybe it's just an excuse to buy all the preamps mentioned in this thread? :P
 
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I want a P-15 just for the hammertone finish.

Stop! Hammertone!

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Like I said in another thread, I'm thinking about going in a different direction: smaller board (Nano+ instead of my current Metro 16), no preamp and/or DI in the board, just basic pedals (tuner, comp, dirt) and the effects I use the most (octave, modulation). Any preamp of choice and/or DI would be carried in a gig bag (or the backpack I use for cables, batteries and other stuff) and it would be put on the floor, right next to the board.

I see the advantage of having some sort of "modular" setup with selectable preamps for the job, without having any of them velcroed on the board. It would make my life easier even for recording, for a number of reasons.
A disadvantage would be the fact that I must carry a separate power supply for the preamp of choice (if it doesn't run on batteries) and a power strip, but I always carry that stuff anyway, so it doesn't make a difference for me.

PS: maybe it's just an excuse to buy all the preamps mentioned in this thread? :p

I am kind of with you. I don’t think this is a bad approach. I have a Nano with my TU-2, Rolls PM50s (for my wired IEM’s) and my LA-1A compressor. A CIOKS DC-7 is mounted underneath for power. I don’t really use effects so it’s my basic DI/IEM board that covers 95% of my gigs. When I use an amp (Genzler MG350/MG12T) this of course works great in front of it.

I am looking for a preamp/DI that I can use that isn’t going to be on my board. I guess it could if it were small (I won’t go bigger than a Nano+) and could be powered by my DC-7. The thing is, like you mention, a top end tube DI/Pre uses their own power - the standard plug that I don’t remember the name of, like your amp for example - So having it on your board isn’t necessarily a plus as there’s another cable to plug in anyway. Then again, if most of my gigs are DI/IEM having something on my board does make sense. The problem is finding a pre/DI that would fit (with my other items) on a Nano+ board. At this point, the NuX is about the only one that would fit as all the ins and outs are top and left, an DI could use my DC-7. Its not a tube unit, but I do have tubes in my compressor.

I’m not sure how many I would have (not made of money) but the ability to pick and choose is nice. I actually had this thought YEARS ago when using racked power amps and preamps. I though, why not have a power amp and then a bunch of preamp pedals and just swap for the need/gig. Never did it (I used a Demeter) but I still liked the idea.
 
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