• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

#5,021
chadhargis said:
But I did something totally impulsive yesterday. I ordered a Line 6 POD Go. I've already been down the all digital route so I am not expecting great things, but I have to try it. Several of the guitar players at my church are running Kempers or Helix (helixes?) and it sure is funny to see the guitar player pack up and get off stage faster than I can.

As usual, I'll post up some info when it arrives and do some comparison testing.
Click to expand...

I'm a Stomp user and love it. Would love to share some notes with you on presets once you get it. I think I'm getting a pretty good tone out of mine at the moment. This clip was from church a couple weeks ago when I was running Empress Bass Comp Mk. II > Stomp > Studio One (EQ Flat) DI:

 
  • Like
Reactions: chadhargis, Jesuguru and kevk
#5,023
chadhargis said:
But I did something totally impulsive yesterday. I ordered a Line 6 POD Go. I've already been down the all digital route so I am not expecting great things, but I have to try it. Several of the guitar players at my church are running Kempers or Helix (helixes?) and it sure is funny to see the guitar player pack up and get off stage faster than I can.
Click to expand...

I’ve been debating an HX Stomp. I don’t use a lot of effects and I’ve been “effects free” for a long time. But...I sometimes think it’d be nice to have them available. I just don’t want to spend a ton and get a huge board. I already have a REDDI to bring for my DI - which I love.
 
#5,024
SteveC said:
I’ve been debating an HX Stomp. I don’t use a lot of effects and I’ve been “effects free” for a long time. But...I sometimes think it’d be nice to have them available. I just don’t want to spend a ton and get a huge board. I already have a REDDI to bring for my DI - which I love.
Click to expand...

Running an HX Stomp through a REDDI would be a powerful combo and would probably sound absolutely glorious.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MascisMan
#5,028
MascisMan said:
I'm a Stomp user and love it. Would love to share some notes with you on presets once you get it. I think I'm getting a pretty good tone out of mine at the moment. This clip was from church a couple weeks ago when I was running Empress Bass Comp Mk. II > Stomp > Studio One (EQ Flat) DI:

Click to expand...


Would love any advice you can give me.

I go through these phases. I've already gone the all digital route before a couple of times only to come back to my ole faithful analog tubes. The issue for me is never the tone...I get great tone out of digital gear. The issue is endless fiddling. I get a tone I love, then I want to try to make it better and it's an endless pursuit of perfection. With my tube gear I set it and forget it and never think about it again...but it's SO DAMN HEAVY and expensive and I'm getting tired of lugging around a 20lb board jam packed with thousands of dollars of equipment that absolutely no one cares about except me.

My goal will be to get the Helix as close to my current tube rig as I can. If I do, then I'll sell all that expensive boutique gear and be fat, dumb, and happy. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: kranahan, MascisMan, Nuage420 and 1 other person
#5,029
chadhargis said:
The issue for me is never the tone...I get great tone out of digital gear. The issue is endless fiddling. I get a tone I love, then I want to try to make it better and it's an endless pursuit of perfection. With my tube gear I set it and forget it and never think about it again...but it's SO DAMN HEAVY and expensive and I'm getting tired of lugging around a 20lb board jam packed with thousands of dollars of equipment that absolutely no one cares about except me.

My goal will be to get the Helix as close to my current tube rig as I can. If I do, then I'll sell all that expensive boutique gear and be fat, dumb, and happy. :)
Click to expand...

This is a logical post. For some (me) who only uses a few effects for a few songs, having the greatest $300 analog pedal isn’t really my priority. I mean, I want good sound but for my limited use I don’t want to spend a bunch and haul a big board. I already have a REDDI and a synth so there’s plenty of stuff.

The end of the 2nd paragraph is also truth.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nuage420
#5,030
SteveC said:
This is a logical post. For some (me) who only uses a few effects for a few songs, having the greatest $300 analog pedal isn’t really my priority. I mean, I want good sound but for my limited use I don’t want to spend a bunch and haul a big board. I already have a REDDI and a synth so there’s plenty of stuff.

The end of the 2nd paragraph is also truth.
Click to expand...

I don't really use "effects" in terms of distortion, octave, chorus, etc. But I do run a compressor all the time, I also run a high pass filter all the time, I run a preamp all the time. So what I really want is to see if I can get a tone as good as (or very close to) my Oracle, LA2A, RNDI setup but also have the ability to toss in an effect for that once in a blue moon need.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tedsalt and SteveC
#5,031
chadhargis said:
But I do run a compressor all the time, I also run a high pass filter all the time, I run a preamp all the time. So what I really want is to see if I can get a tone as good as (or very close to) my Oracle, LA2A, RNDI setup but also have the ability to toss in an effect for that once in a blue moon need.
Click to expand...

That’s some nice “analog” gear to duplicate. Not sure the other guys would let me get rid of my REDDI. And the HX doesn’t have an XLR out so...
 
  • Like
Reactions: chadhargis and 1983L2000
#5,032
chadhargis said:
Would love any advice you can give me.

I go through these phases. I've already gone the all digital route before a couple of times only to come back to my ole faithful analog tubes. The issue for me is never the tone...I get great tone out of digital gear. The issue is endless fiddling. I get a tone I love, then I want to try to make it better and it's an endless pursuit of perfection. With my tube gear I set it and forget it and never think about it again...but it's SO DAMN HEAVY and expensive and I'm getting tired of lugging around a 20lb board jam packed with thousands of dollars of equipment that absolutely no one cares about except me.

My goal will be to get the Helix as close to my current tube rig as I can. If I do, then I'll sell all that expensive boutique gear and be fat, dumb, and happy. :)
Click to expand...

I'll send you a PM and start a convo
 
#5,038
I just got a Shaw Tube Injection, and I think its basic sound is amazing. It fattens the sound, makes it punchier, and makes the low end huge yet not at all boomy. The Reiner Saturn V (IMHO the best-in-class hybrid class D amp) sounds amazing by itself. With the Shaw it feels like I swapped in the biggest baddest clean tube power amp ever.

Yeas, it is gigantic and kind of quirky. The hi output sounds WAY better than the lo, but when I use it I have to carefully manage my gain-staging when going into the front of an amp, or it gets noisy. But so far, I love it.

Of course, so far it’s just me in my practice room, I can’t wait to take it to rehearsal and gigs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tombowlus, R&B, Jesuguru and 4 others
#5,040
chadhargis said:
So what I really want is to see if I can get a tone as good as (or very close to) my Oracle, LA2A, RNDI setup
Click to expand...
chadhargis said:
Hey ya'll....heads up...the Line 6 POD Go is legit.
Click to expand...
So, are you ready to say that Oracle+LA2A+RNDI is your conclusion to the first 251 pages of the thread?

Oh, thank you for your heroic contributions!
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back