Yeah, I prefer pedals with fewer knobs. I won't buy any more effects with six knobs, three is plenty, two may be better.
Now the Messenger has a bunch of knobs but I rarely fool with them, pretty much have it diald in and leave it alone.
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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison
- Thread starter chadhargis
- Start date
Yeah, I prefer pedals with fewer knobs. I won't buy any more effects with six knobs, three is plenty, two may be better.
Now the Messenger has a bunch of knobs but I rarely fool with them, pretty much have it diald in and leave it alone.
The Big Head and the Little Labs are for two entirely different applications. The Big Head allows you to hook up any music device turning the Big Head into a portable rehearsal solution. Great for when you are traveling and need to rehearse music on the go privately. There are other features of the Big Head like a built-in DAC but for my purposes, the bass sounds killer thru it and makes for a great portable rehearsal device. PJB Announces The BIGHEAD PRO (HA-2) | Phil Jones Bass
The Little Labs has a AUX input too...but it's designed to work mainly with a mixer.
I missed the aux jack. Looks like you can make the Little Labs work for the same application but doesn't seem to be bass-centric.
Been there, done that. As much as I'm very nerdy about gear, endless tweaking led me to change my habits and buy simpler pedals, and simpler stuff in general.
I already have a preamp, a SLO MkIIIS, which has both AUX in and headphones out (like the Big Head), plus cab simulations, it's tube driven etc. Due to practicality, I've put it into my small pedalboard and use a couple of other effects into its send/return, so I prefer to leave it just there.
I'm looking for a super small headphone amp to practice anywhere in my house or outside, possibly battery powered, with a decent EQ and crystal clear tone. That's the tone I want for practice, it must be clean.
I'd also like to use it as a preamp into the Line In or FX return of any amp I borrow for rehearsals. Does it work good?
I wonder what happens to the DI out on an amplifier when you bypass its preamp and use an external pedal. Does the XLR out works?
True. But I've read the Big Head works good with guitars, keyboards, drum machines and other devices.
I've watched a couple of videos and .. does this thing really sound this good ?
You can add the Boss GT-10b to that list as well. Both high and low are adjustable.
I have the SLO and the BigHead. The slow sounds amazing but it's not battery operated. The Big Head is a self-contained rehearsal practice headphone amp with built-in battery and aux for music devices.
Yes, it does. And, in my opinion, it's the best all around compact sized fully packed preamp around. No contest.
Yes, the SLO must be powered correctly with its own power supply or a proper one. I use a Cioks DC7 which is mounted under my board.
For a while, I used the SLO as a standalone solution. Basically both a practice amp (it has AUX in) and a preamp for band rehearsals. I used to bypass the EQ of whatever amp I could find on rehearsal rooms and build my tone exclusively with the SLO. It does work very good and if tubey tones are your thing, you'll be happy.
Eventually I got tired of constantly putting it in and out of his own box to avoid damage during carriage, it's a tube driven pedal and must be treated with care. Plus, its own power supply is basically mandatory, you can't use whatever power supply you can find.
I decided to put it in my small board so it can travel safe and be part of my "big" rig, giving its best at the end of the chain and having an FX loop.
I see the Bighead as a more practical home practice and recording solution, I just wonder how it works as a preamp, generally speaking. Can you tell me something more?
I'd put it into my gig bag and use its at rehearsals in these ways:
- Line out into the front of an amplifier, set flat and clean
- Line out into the Line in or FX return of an amplifier
- Line out straight into PA, mixer, or active monitors
D
I was hoping this thread would help me decide with which preamp to buy. It didn't 
I was hoping this thread would help me decide with which preamp to buy. It didn't
ALL OF THEM!!!
Sonically the Slo and Big Head are different. The SLO is warmer and has a beautiful break up when driven. Very much like a tube amp. The Big Head is very clean and HiFi sounding. The SLO stays on my board for recording situations and the BigHead stays in my gig bag for rehearsing music on the go with zero fuss.
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SLO!I was hoping this thread would help me decide with which preamp to buy. It didn't
D
Your own post made me decide against it. Plus shipping from Russia means paying sales tax in the EU.
I'm in between the Tech21 Qstrip and the Radial Bassbone V2.
I can't comment on the Radial BassBone but I've owned many Tech21 products and they all have a similar signature. Between the SLo and Tech21 The SLO wins hands down. Zero contest.
I emailed Shift Line to order one but was put into a waiting list (it's sold out ATM).
I'll report whether the taxman catches up with me or not.
It would suck of course given our 20% VAT in the Union of European Socialist Republics
I've never tried the SLO, but my experience with tube preamps has been positive. I've owned and gigged the LeBass, Noble, and Shaw Tube Injection....the Tube Injection is the one on my board now. The Noble is just as good, but with fewer tonal options than the STI.
I'm really wanting to try out the Ampeg PF-20 or PF-50 as a preamp. Yes...I know it's not a pedal format, but if it sounds as good through a DI as it does through a cab, then I'm sold.
I'm really wanting to try out the Ampeg PF-20 or PF-50 as a preamp. Yes...I know it's not a pedal format, but if it sounds as good through a DI as it does through a cab, then I'm sold.
I've had both a SLO and a BDDI V2 and sold the BDDI. The SLO can definitely do what I was doing with the BDDI.
Simple, straight up DI box without preamp circuit, possibly with cab emulation (that would be a plus). What's around? What do you guys suggest?
