The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

[benjobass]

...Honestly, if money were no object I'd have a lot of these in my arsenal...

Incredible. I'd actually be curious to know this extended list. It's understandable you'd have to move a bunch since you're also acquiring a bunch to keep the thread moving. But, as you say, if you could end up keeping more which ones would make that list.

 

[SteveC]

I’m pretty happy with just one. I’m not sure how I’d decide which one to take/use if I had multiples.

 

[scubaduba]

Incredible. I'd actually be curious to know this extended list. It's understandable you'd have to move a bunch since you're also acquiring a bunch to keep the thread moving. But, as you say, if you could end up keeping more which ones would make that list.

Well, if money were no object I'd have all of them.

But these would definitely make a second tier list for sure.

Arkham Oracle
Grace Alix
Shaw Tube Injection
Zod ID DI
Jule Monique
Useful Arts B-1
Khan
Tonecraft 363
Eclair Evil Twin

Oh, I'd love to have my sacrificed Zeibek Submarine Designer.

Might as well have a Noble too.

 

[Ethereal Thorn]

Interesting you favor the A design Reddi over the Khan I'd think the Khan's form factor and effected out would have edged it up on the list at least a slight the tone must be noticeably thicker

 

[IvanMike]

I've never been a fan of bright switches. Ever. With two exceptions. Both Broughton pedals. 1) The Silver Deluxe sounds better and more "tubey" with the bright switch engaged, in my opinion. 2) The SVPre. Someone on the Broughton thread recently suggested doing just that. Flipping the bright switch and dialing down the treble. With the bright engaged and treble rolled back to about 9:00, it's amazing. I'd turn the highs up to about 10:00 if I want that slightly glassier sound. Now it's got me flipping all my switches to see what I'm missing.

To this day my favorite bright switch was on the Alembic F1-X rack mount preamp. I’m not sure how unique or unusual their design is but essentially all it did was divert some of the highs around the tone stack. Instant brilliance without being harsh.

 

[scubaduba]

Interesting you favor the A design Reddi over the Khan I'd think the Khan's form factor and effected out would have edged it up on the list at least a slight the tone must be noticeably thicker

Tough call, to be honest. But yes, the REDDI has something real nice going on in the mids.

 

[scubaduba]

I've heard people mention in other threads, about other pedals that have bright switches...flipping the bright switch and dialing back the treble unearthed good tones. I'd like that try that approach with the DI+ myself.

The Bright switch is executed very well in the Lightstone Emperor and Mozztronics preamps. Makes for two different feels in the highs. This is also true of the Sonic Farm 2DI4 which gives you two "treble frequency" shifts that can take a dark bass and make it more open sounding. Or shift where the highs are centered for help a bass with a preamp that sounds brittle in the highs.

 

[jacoby75]

Interesting you favor the A design Reddi over the Khan I'd think the Khan's form factor and effected out would have edged it up on the list at least a slight the tone must be noticeably thicker

Haven't tried a Reddi, but the Khan is fantastic. It's like carrying a little Ampeg amp everywhere you go.

 

[scubaduba]

...but the Khan is fantastic. It's like carrying a little Ampeg amp everywhere you go.

The Mozztronics DI-2 even more so.

 

[jacoby75]

The Mozztronics DI-2 even more so.

I can only imagine. I'll probably have to try one of those some day. How does it compare with the P15?

 

[scubaduba]

I can only imagine. I'll probably have to try one of those some day. How does it compare with the P15?

Well, seeing as the P15 isn't in my first or second tier list and the Mozztronics is.....

 

[jacoby75]

Well, seeing as the P15 isn't in my first or second tier list and the Mozztronics is.....

 

[MascisMan]

The Bright switch is executed very well in the Lightstone Emperor and Mozztronics preamps. Makes for two different feels in the highs. This is also true of the Sonic Farm 2DI4 which gives you two "treble frequency" shifts that can take a dark bass and make it more open sounding. Or shift where the highs are centered for help a bass with a preamp that sounds brittle in the highs.

Does the EQ on the Emperor affect both channels? Also, is Dist/Fuzz 2 switch adjustable as far as amount of gain added?

Haven't tried a Reddi, but the Khan is fantastic. It's like carrying a little Ampeg amp everywhere you go.

Can the 1/4" out of the Khan drive a power amp?

 

[SteveC]

Interesting you favor the A design Reddi over the Khan I'd think the Khan's form factor and effected out would have edged it up on the list at least a slight the tone must be noticeably thicker

I held off on the REDDI for a long time because of the size and unaffected 1/4” out. But it sounds amazing. I’m sure the Khan does, too. In this price/category they all sound good.

When I was buying, the Khan wasn’t in this form. If it were, I may have considered it. I don’t use my amp (Genzler that sounds fantastic) that much. Maybe 5-6 times a year. It might be nice if I could warm it up by putting a tube DI in front of it. But at this time (and it could change) it’s not worth redoing my stuff. I play 9 of 10 gigs DI/IEM and the REDDI is just a great sound in my - and my band mates - ears. I’m guessing the Khan or any of them really, would be as well. Nice to have options.

I’m waiting for Jeff to come out with an updated version of the old Genz Benz Streamliner or something. Then maybe I can have a tube head that can work as a preamp and DI for supported gigs and as a nice tube combo amp for those gigs. That would be the ideal for me I think.

 

[scubaduba]

The EQ effects both channels of the Emperor. The Dist/Fuzz button effects channel 2 and allows you to use the Gain control to dial in a little or a lot.

 

[jacoby75]

Does the EQ on the Emperor affect both channels? Also, is Dist/Fuzz 2 switch adjustable as far as amount of gain added?



Can the 1/4" out of the Khan drive a power amp?

Never had a chance to try that. The 1/4" line out is only a little hotter than the signal you're feeding it, if I recall correctly. So I suppose it depends on what you're feeding into it, if THAT could push a power amp. But the DI out is hotter than heckballs, if you could use the XLR to drive one.

 

[scubaduba]

I can only imagine. I'll probably have to try one of those some day. How does it compare with the P15?

The Mozztronics DI-2 is far more versatile. I also prefer the EQ stack. You also get the option of EQ inserted or out of the mix. It is much smaller which is nice. Just really a great piece of kit.

 

[Killens84]

Aside from being an amazing sounding preamp, one of the big appeals of the Arkham Oracle (DI version) for me is how pedalboard friendly it is, and it uses an IEC cable for power. That allows me to use an IEC Y-splitter adapter for my Oracle and Cioks DC7. My whole pedalboard runs off of one power cable, with the splitter powering the Oracle and DC7.
If my pre/DI were staying planted in one permanent location, and not traveling, I’d likely try one of bulkier DI’s that isn’t very pedalboard friendly. But ever since Arkham added an XLR to the Oracle, it checks all the right boxes for me.

 

[jacoby75]

Aside from being an amazing sounding preamp, one of the big appeals of the Arkham Oracle (DI version) for me is how pedalboard friendly it is, and it uses an IEC cable for power. That allows me to use an IEC Y-splitter adapter for my Oracle and Cioks DC7. My whole pedalboard runs off of one power cable, with the splitter powering the Oracle and DC7.
If my pre/DI were staying planted in one permanent location, and not traveling, I’d likely try one of bulkier DI’s that isn’t very pedalboard-friendly. But every since Arkham added an XLR to the Oracle, it checks all the right boxes for me.

The Oracle is a really, really good one. The SSDI only barely inched it out for me, but is way less pedalboard-friendly. I could have been very happy with the Oracle for a long time.

 

[fivestringgecko]

I’m waiting for Jeff to come out with an updated version of the old Genz Benz Streamliner or something. Then maybe I can have a tube head that can work as a preamp and DI for supported gigs and as a nice tube combo amp for those gigs. That would be the ideal for me I think.

I've had recurring thoughts of doing this with an Ampeg PF50T, since I already have a pair of PF115HEs. I also wasn't playing many gigs with amps pre-Covid, so it could be a nice all tube DI/EQ option that could also function as a poor man's B-15 that could still maybe keep up at a gig volume-wise.

5sg.