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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

#5,521
Gab124 said:
This may be mentioned someplace way back in this thread. I am looking for a recommendation of a compressor to go after my Arkham Oracle. I want something that is fairly transparent, just a little evening out and dash of something special you only hear when turned off, but I really need it to have a DI out on it. I know the JHS Pump 'N' Peel is one, are there any others that are good?
Thanks so much!

I also just realized maybe I should ask this in a compressor thread, but using with the Oracle kinda made it relevant.......maybe
Click to expand...

In my very subjective opinion: I'm not sure the Plup n Peel would pair well with the Oracle. I found the JHS to be more 'gritty' than 'warm' in its tonal qualities. I worry, whatever gooey tube goodness you are getting from the Oracle, the PnP would be working to counteract that.

Did you know there's a new Arkham DI? It's not on his website, you have to go to his Instagram (or just contact him for more info). I would imagine that would pair great with your Oracle. :)

The only other compressors with a DI, that I know about, are the LA-1A and the Squeezbox. Both of those are fairly large, so you wouldn't save any pedalboard real estate, over having a separate compressor and DI. That said, I would imagine Oracle + LA-1A would be a pretty special combination. (But I haven't personally had a chance to try the LA-1A; I'm just going off its reputation.)
 
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#5,522
Mushroo said:
In my very subjective opinion: I'm not sure the Plup n Peel would pair well with the Oracle. I found the JHS to be more 'gritty' than 'warm' in its tonal qualities. I worry, whatever gooey tube goodness you are getting from the Oracle, the PnP would be working to counteract that.

Did you know there's a new Arkham DI? It's not on his website, you have to go to his Instagram (or just contact him for more info). I would imagine that would pair great with your Oracle. :)

The only other compressors with a DI, that I know about, are the LA-1A and the Squeezbox. Both of those are fairly large, so you wouldn't save any pedalboard real estate, over having a separate compressor and DI. That said, I would imagine Oracle + LA-1A would be a pretty special combination. (But I haven't personally had a chance to try the LA-1A; I'm just going off its reputation.)
Click to expand...


Interesting, and I did not know Arkham was making a DI. Thanks for the opinion on the JHS, that is exactly the kinds of things I thought/hoped I would get from this thread - I do not want to loose any of the Oracle goodness, it is becoming a major part of my sound these days. The LA-1A etc I do have gas for, but I have a REDDI I use for studio that I do not like taking to live shows, so wanted something good for live work (I also don't mess with compression in studio, engineer can have at that)
Thanks,
 
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#5,523
Btbp said:
Am sure I read it back then, but what made you switch from the LA-1A?
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Well, I was using the LA-1A as my DI (I had a 1/4” to male XLR from another thing and used the 600 ohm output on the LA-1A) as well. It worked fine. For some reason I couldn’t use the “boost” option when I ran it like that. Had great tone, warm and tubey.

Then I added a REDDI tube DI. I did so A/B with and without the compressor and the tubes didn’t seem to add that much any more with the REDDI. They did alone or in front of a JDI or something. I decided I could simplify and just do REDDI. I had never been much of a compressor guy, and I wonder if what I was really like of were the tubes.

so move ahead a few months and someone shared a video or something that talked about compression - like a lot of it - and I thought maybe I should try again. This time it was between a Cali or the Empress. Not sure why I went Empress but I love it. So does the rest of the band. And I run it on the 10:1 ratio. I know, seems crazy, but the tone is ridiculous.
 
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#5,526
Long thread...

So I thought this would be interesting to someone being out of the ordinary...
1008212306.jpg

I just removed the GP11 Mk V Preamp from this VA350 and am installing a vent panel to increase air flow around the 6 x 6550's. I am still using the Flat Response Tube Preamp for a Trace Pre-Shape 2 tone with an SM7 EQ preamp pedal AFTER a Night Owl Edison working a 60's Mullard EF86 - HPF - Splitter/Buffer - DG HL Compressor - EHX Analogizer. This feeds the FRTP with 2 x 60's Sylvania/Baldwin 12AX7's and one phase inverter 12AX7

I stumbled onto an ISP BETA Bass Rack Preamp and am running the Alembic SF-2 in the EFX loop. The signal is off the Splitter/Buffer to the DG X7 and then to the BETA input. Line Out to Preamp In on the Trace power amp.

I'm am very glad I found this ISP BETA!

The Bass feeding this monster has the Nordstrand/Dingwall FD3N pickups and DG Tone Capsule.
1008212318.jpg

The ISP DI is adjustable and offers pre master volume OR post. The X7 has a nice DI as is the Bass Only Telefunken. The full tube/BETA preamp mix goes from the Trace to a DG Element with selectable IR/Cab Sim and noise gate from the Line Out.

It SLAMS! :bassist:
 
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#5,527
PhatBottomBass1 said:
Long thread...

So I thought this would be interesting to someone being out of the ordinary...
View attachment 4431750
I just removed the GP11 Mk V Preamp from this VA350 and am installing a vent panel to increase air flow around the 6 x 6550's. I am still using the Flat Response Tube Preamp for a Trace Pre-Shape 2 tone with an SM7 EQ preamp pedal AFTER a Night Owl Edison working a 60's Mullard EF86 - HPF - Splitter/Buffer - DG HL Compressor - EHX Analogizer. This feeds the FRTP with 2 x 60's Sylvania/Baldwin 12AX7's and one phase inverter 12AX7

I stumbled onto an ISP BETA Bass Rack Preamp and am running the Alembic SF-2 in the EFX loop. The signal is off the Splitter/Buffer to the DG X7 and then to the BETA input. Line Out to Preamp In on the Trace power amp.

I'm am very glad I found this ISP BETA!

The Bass feeding this monster has the Nordstrand/Dingwall FD3N pickups and DG Tone Capsule.
View attachment 4431772
The ISP DI is adjustable and offers pre master volume OR post. The X7 has a nice DI as is the Bass Only Telefunken. The full tube/BETA preamp mix goes from the Trace to a DG Element with selectable IR/Cab Sim and noise gate from the Line Out.

It SLAMS! :bassist:
Click to expand...

That ISP Beta preamp is quite nice! I reviewed one back in my Guitar World's Bass Guitar Magazine days, and I was highly impressed. Still own a Beta, though I have not gigged it in many years.
 
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#5,528
tombowlus said:
That ISP Beta preamp is quite nice! I reviewed one back in my Guitar World's Bass Guitar Magazine days, and I was highly impressed. Still own a Beta, though I have not gigged it in many years.
Click to expand...

Cheers Tom,

Yours was the most informative insight available on the BETA. Oddly, no negativity around it by others inclined to post comments.

It's a nice tool, for tailoring a distortion tone, for sure! I'm liking it so much that I'm now considering a separate Bag End PD10BX OR Bergantino IP112 and leave the clean TE tone to the tubes, but that's another thread...
 
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#5,529
Those who have tried them, would you say that the Trickfish Minnow and Nordstrand Starlifter are more similar? My impression is yes from youtube and from what I remember reading here (but it's been awhile). I have the Minnow and love its inherent tone but also curious about the Starlifter and not sure I could justify both if they are really similar.

Also for anyone who has also/owned tried the Mesa Subway Plus how that compares to both as well.

Thanks!
 
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#5,535
Btbp said:
Can someone remind me the name of that oddly-shaped pedal that is just a tube, no controls, with a big window on the tube?
Click to expand...

The newest V2 actually does have one control, a switch on the side to boost it into higher-gain territory. Also window replaced with open grille to dissipate heat better.
I'm rocking V1, and it's become an always-on, never-leaves-board pedal. I have other pedals for higher gain stuff, but I'm open to someone convincing me that V2 is worth the upgrade.
 
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#5,536
Jesuguru said:
The newest V2 actually does have one control, a switch on the side to boost it into higher-gain territory. I'm rocking V1, and it's become an always-on, never-leaves-board pedal. I have other pedals for higher gain stuff, but I'm open to someone convincing me that V2 is worth the upgrade.
Click to expand...

The boost is based on the one used on the Parabellum drive. I really like the Parabellum on low gain with that boost engaged, and I definitely considered the V2 unit for that reason (I’ve got the V1 and Parabellum, so…).
 
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#5,537
Howdy y'all, looking for suggestions.

Right now my signal chain is bass -> tuner -> Broughton HPF -> Markbass Compressore -> Damnation MBD-2 -> ISP Decimator -> amp. I really love the distortion on the MBD-2, but I want to be able to stack it with something at the end of the signal chain (I guess I could put it before the noise gate?) with just a little bit more grunt and clank in my metal projects. I am also looking for something with a DI out that I can send to front of house for live shows or recording, either with or without the distortion. I do not need a built in compressor, gate, or filters. Headphone out and impulse responses for silent practice would be cool but are certainly not essential.

I am completely overwhelmed by my options and intend to try before I buy, but where should I start looking? I am thinking about the Sansamp VT Bass, which everyone says is basically the standard Sansamp but better, but I am completely open to suggestions for anything cool I may be overlooking. No Darkglass please, I've sold every DG pedal I've ever bought and just don't get on with them for whatever reason.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: I have just discovered that two metal bassists whose tones I absolutely love are both sending their signals into a Sadowsky pre/DI, which is decidedly not a distortion pedal. This complicates things a bit.
 
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#5,538
Gab124 said:
Interesting, and I did not know Arkham was making a DI. Thanks for the opinion on the JHS, that is exactly the kinds of things I thought/hoped I would get from this thread - I do not want to loose any of the Oracle goodness, it is becoming a major part of my sound these days. The LA-1A etc I do have gas for, but I have a REDDI I use for studio that I do not like taking to live shows, so wanted something good for live work (I also don't mess with compression in studio, engineer can have at that)
Thanks,
Click to expand...
I use my REDDI for live gigs. Sounds amazing. It was a literal head turner when I first used it. I've talked about trying something else and the band just says don't mess with it.
 
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