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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

#5,184
The thing that attracted me to the Pod Go was it is an all in one. I am a heavy volume pedal user. It's got a tuner, all the effects I could ever want, preamp/amp models, and cab sim as well as all the connectivity.

The HX stomp and XL are considerably more expensive.
 
#5,185
F5F59A83-9FD0-44B9-81D2-ED852CAD6B8C.jpeg

Figured I'd post here for Clout and for the Stomp! I really dig this combo today!
 
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#5,188
chadhargis said:
Used the Pod Go in church this morning and was very pleased. No issues whatsoever and it sounded great. Guy playing EG1 was using a HX Stomp running straight DI. He is a studio cat and plays quite a bit around Nashville. Said he hasn't used an amp on a gig or in the studio in quite some time.

I talked to the sound engineer this morning who is also a musician and asked if he noticed anything that could be improved. He said no, then confessed to trading in all his gear for a Kemper, but he said he liked some of the Helix stuff so he put an HX Stomp in the effects loop.

I am simply astounded how good modeling is these days.
Click to expand...
Played a backyard party last night.
Totally ampless.
Guitarist Boss G10
Me ART pro channel.
Drums Roland TD 7
Acoustic XVive wireless
All into SoundCraft UI24R.

First outing with this equipment.
Went stellar. "Stage" volume was low. I could talk at normal levels and be heard easily. We did not have to overcome the acoustic drums.
The Sub (Harbinger 18) crossed over at 120 and the JBL PRX 712s fed by the crossover.
Mix of JBL , Line 6, and Harbinger monitors. (which were barely pushing 1/2 way)
5 separate monitor mixes. Which each member can adjust their own mix.
Absolutely the best sound balance I have been able to get. Clear clean vibrant.
Vocals floating above the instruments.
All of us in the same reverb image.
Slight Delay on vocals.
Slight shimmer added to acoustic with Chorus.
With the usually hard hitting drummer on the electric kit this outing allowed me to EQ slot everything into one clean stage mix where everyone could hear clearly.
The Automatic feedback control allowed me to cheat a bit and bring some extra brilliance into the vocal monitors and some reverb even!
I'm sold on it.

I elevated my Line 6 monitor on a small speaker stand facing me, with the Sub just in front of me.
Adjust the HPF on the monitor mix (s) to a 24db slope at 90 bass and kick were clear but thin sounding in only the monitors.
Once the mains were at volume they filled out the lows .
Wow!
The bass tone I was getting was good just a bit lifeless.

My Torpedo will arrive next Thursday.
After a shakedown period, and the installation of the Mesa IRs I'm pretty certain I won't be bringing an amp except to "uncertain" pa gigs.

Any gig where I'm doing sound or the
PA is known solid I'm going with the amp / speaker sim.

I'm convinced.

Now we can get those silent stage casino gigs. Heck the little coffee shop and hotel bar gigs we've been passing up because of volume restrictions (acoustic drums set the volume level has now been eliminated)

***Addendum. My pay for this gig exceeded the cost of the Torpedo***
 
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#5,190
ThisYouCanTrust said:
Nice way to put it :)
Click to expand...
Well to be fair it was really good, it just sounded like a nice tube pre, with tube compression (exactly what it is)
The ART is a very nice pre, and the comp (choice of optical or tube) and really flexible. with a nice EQ and an HPF.
Very clean just lacks a bit of harmonic richness. Also felt very dry and in your face direct in.
I'm just spoiled by the Mesa magic dust I've been blessed with for the last decade.

My hope is that with the Torpedo I can get the Mesa magic into any suitable PA with a small pedalboard. I'll likely need to add a comp and a pre for OD when desired.

I could spend more time with the ART, it is REALLY good, and likely tweak it more to get where I want to be, but being a rackmount not "lightweight" easy gig bag pack for the future gigs where I can let someone else run the sound.
I want to have some consistency with my virtual rig regardless of the FOH and retain a modicum of control of what is sent to any board.
 
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#5,191
MascisMan said:
Speaking of HxStomp, DrToneLab has an Alembic preamp setting as well:

Link Removed
Click to expand...

Dr Tone has some really good presets. I find this one impressive

Link Removed

However, what I see (and with this one also in particular) is that it takes away most of the blocks just to make a preamp. It sounds really really good, but you can only use it for that. How do you guys set your Stomp as a preamp?

I must admit that I have also the Ashdown OriginAL and I love it, so maybe it's difficult to beat that. I like the SVT Pro4 in the HX and I create a patch that I like, but still cannot beat the Ashdown.
 
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#5,193
OMG the Two Notes Torpedo CAB M+ is freaking awesome sauce .
The preamp model , and poweramp are really impressive.
I bought the Mesa Subway IR pack , oh so good!
Hooked it up to a channel on the PA set completely flat EQ.
MUCH better -- juicy. Sounds to me like my Mesa Rig did when standing in front of it.
For the moment I'm going to forego getting a preamp to put in front of it.
The models in the CAB m + are clean and super flexible.
The Power Amp model is fantastic. Tubey goodness. So far like 6l6 pp in pentode, and the KT88 pp in triode mode with the gain cranked- just saggy, and wooly.
The EQ in custom mode, has an HPF/LPF and 3 band parametric.
the "Enhancer" has a bit of BBE sonic maximizer vibe to it, and a built in compressor that is very serviceable.

The Torpedo Cab remote software is nice, but a UI redesign would make it nicer.
Pretty pictures of the room the cab is in is nice to look at, but the menus are small, as are the control knobs.
bad tradeoff :( However: the onboard interface is manageable.

I picked up a Caline CP-12 Pure Sky overdrive for 34.00 , Sounds really good, and pretty quiet.
A Keely special edition 4 knob compressor enroute. (also in a sky blue finish)
Dug out my small Gator board , and a cheapo tuner pedal, connected my Shure receiver.

Too early to tell, but I'm feeling like my real rig is going to collect dust, and likely get moved on.
(replaced with a high end powered speaker)

How nice to have a Mic'd cab sound come out of the PA :) without the mic, and amp, and cabinet.

It is truly a truly convincing sounds very real.
16166441622014165176151046697408.jpg
 
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#5,194
/\/\3phist0 said:
OMG the Two Notes Torpedo CAB M+ is freaking awesome sauce .
The preamp model , and poweramp are really impressive.
I bought the Mesa Subway IR pack , oh so good!
Hooked it up to a channel on the PA set completely flat EQ.
MUCH better -- juicy. Sounds to me like my Mesa Rig did when standing in front of it.
For the moment I'm going to forego getting a preamp to put in front of it.
The models in the CAB m + are clean and super flexible.
The Power Amp model is fantastic. Tubey goodness. So far like 6l6 pp in pentode, and the KT88 pp in triode mode with the gain cranked- just saggy, and wooly.
The EQ in custom mode, has an HPF/LPF and 3 band parametric.
the "Enhancer" has a bit of BBE sonic maximizer vibe to it, and a built in compressor that is very serviceable.

The Torpedo Cab remote software is nice, but a UI redesign would make it nicer.
Pretty pictures of the room the cab is in is nice to look at, but the menus are small, as are the control knobs.
bad tradeoff :( However: the onboard interface is manageable.

I picked up a Caline CP-12 Pure Sky overdrive for 34.00 , Sounds really good, and pretty quiet.
A Keely special edition 4 knob compressor enroute. (also in a sky blue finish)
Dug out my small Gator board , and a cheapo tuner pedal, connected my Shure receiver.

Too early to tell, but I'm feeling like my real rig is going to collect dust, and likely get moved on.
(replaced with a high end powered speaker)

How nice to have a Mic'd cab sound come out of the PA :) without the mic, and amp, and cabinet.

It is truly a truly convincing sounds very real.
View attachment 4215416
Click to expand...

Just read up on the CAB M+, and wow. I had no idea it was so full featured. I have a Mozztronics DI-2 on the way, and it occurs to me the pair of them might make a great speakerless system for a quite reasonable cost...
 
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#5,195
/\/\3phist0 said:
OMG the Two Notes Torpedo CAB M+ is freaking awesome sauce .
The preamp model , and poweramp are really impressive.
I bought the Mesa Subway IR pack , oh so good!
Hooked it up to a channel on the PA set completely flat EQ.
MUCH better -- juicy. Sounds to me like my Mesa Rig did when standing in front of it.
For the moment I'm going to forego getting a preamp to put in front of it.
The models in the CAB m + are clean and super flexible.
The Power Amp model is fantastic. Tubey goodness. So far like 6l6 pp in pentode, and the KT88 pp in triode mode with the gain cranked- just saggy, and wooly.
The EQ in custom mode, has an HPF/LPF and 3 band parametric.
the "Enhancer" has a bit of BBE sonic maximizer vibe to it, and a built in compressor that is very serviceable.

The Torpedo Cab remote software is nice, but a UI redesign would make it nicer.
Pretty pictures of the room the cab is in is nice to look at, but the menus are small, as are the control knobs.
bad tradeoff :( However: the onboard interface is manageable.

I picked up a Caline CP-12 Pure Sky overdrive for 34.00 , Sounds really good, and pretty quiet.
A Keely special edition 4 knob compressor enroute. (also in a sky blue finish)
Dug out my small Gator board , and a cheapo tuner pedal, connected my Shure receiver.

Too early to tell, but I'm feeling like my real rig is going to collect dust, and likely get moved on.
(replaced with a high end powered speaker)

How nice to have a Mic'd cab sound come out of the PA :) without the mic, and amp, and cabinet.

It is truly a truly convincing sounds very real.
View attachment 4215416
Click to expand...
I really want to try one of these. Every time I see one I get all lusty. And people say great things about them. The only thing stopping me is the lack of a dry out to run to an amp. But I just might have to get over that.
 
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#5,196
jacoby75 said:
I really want to try one of these. Every time I see one I get all lusty. And people say great things about them. The only thing stopping me is the lack of a dry out to run to an amp. But I just might have to get over that.
Click to expand...

I am the same way. I got really close when Sweetwater had that sale a couple months back...maybe now is the time. I want to try my Stomp + Torpedo M+
 
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#5,198
/\/\3phist0 said:
OMG the Two Notes Torpedo CAB M+ is freaking awesome sauce .
The preamp model , and poweramp are really impressive.
I bought the Mesa Subway IR pack , oh so good!
Hooked it up to a channel on the PA set completely flat EQ.
MUCH better -- juicy. Sounds to me like my Mesa Rig did when standing in front of it.
For the moment I'm going to forego getting a preamp to put in front of it.
The models in the CAB m + are clean and super flexible.
The Power Amp model is fantastic. Tubey goodness. So far like 6l6 pp in pentode, and the KT88 pp in triode mode with the gain cranked- just saggy, and wooly.
The EQ in custom mode, has an HPF/LPF and 3 band parametric.
the "Enhancer" has a bit of BBE sonic maximizer vibe to it, and a built in compressor that is very serviceable.

The Torpedo Cab remote software is nice, but a UI redesign would make it nicer.
Pretty pictures of the room the cab is in is nice to look at, but the menus are small, as are the control knobs.
bad tradeoff :( However: the onboard interface is manageable.

I picked up a Caline CP-12 Pure Sky overdrive for 34.00 , Sounds really good, and pretty quiet.
A Keely special edition 4 knob compressor enroute. (also in a sky blue finish)
Dug out my small Gator board , and a cheapo tuner pedal, connected my Shure receiver.

Too early to tell, but I'm feeling like my real rig is going to collect dust, and likely get moved on.
(replaced with a high end powered speaker)

How nice to have a Mic'd cab sound come out of the PA :) without the mic, and amp, and cabinet.

It is truly a truly convincing sounds very real.
View attachment 4215416
Click to expand...
This is good info. I have a CAB m+ for awhile and haven't really sat down to figure to make use of it. Got some upcoming recording dates that the band will be doing so it might be a good time to get it dialed in.
 
#5,199
chadhargis said:
Two Notes makes some great stuff. Be sure to join the Two Notes internet forum. You can pick up some good tips there and interact with folks from Two Notes.

Two Notes Audio Engineering

When my Le Bass had an issue, the owner of the company responded to me. Very cool!
Click to expand...
Well technically it's a sub forum at Rig Talk .
 
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#5,200
dlb1001 said:
This is good info. I have a CAB m+ for awhile and haven't really sat down to figure to make use of it. Got some upcoming recording dates that the band will be doing so it might be a good time to get it dialed in.
Click to expand...
With all models and Sims turned off, the DI is really good, solid and quiet.
Check that you have the latest firmware! :) The noise gate works really well too, almost invisible.

This would be an excellent Re-amp box. If I was recording it's how I'd leverage it's tech.
 
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