The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

[scubaduba]

It’s been so interesting to follow this thread. The killer tube boxes of a few short years ago (Khan, Sonic Farm, Edison, Fatboy, LA-1A, PC-2A) are no longer discussed, yet they are still my faves. To me, they’re timeless. They give me the round tone I crave.

I’ve resisted the urge to acquire these latest solid-state AIO units. What am I missing?

Oh, we like to talk about them. Especially the Khan and SonicFarm here: Tube Preamp/DI Sound Samples — Noble, Oracle, P-15, Super Stack, REDDI, Tonecraft, Jule...

And the LA-1A would be one of the all stars here: Testing Compressors: Cali, Smoothie, Empress, Diamond, Keeley, FEA, Darkglass, Doc Lloyd, JHS & more
Lots of love for the PC-2A there too.

 

[scubaduba]

I still see the Khan mentioned regularly in here

One of my favorites.

 

[Killens84]

I caved and ordered a Khan this past weekend. It arrives Friday. I’m going to do some extensive comparisons with my Oracle.

 

[scubaduba]

I caved and ordered a Khan this past weekend. It arrives Friday. I’m going to do some extensive comparisons with my Oracle.

Well, that's pretty much an apples to oranges comparison. Sure, they both have a tube, but the Oracle is a preamp first and DI second (assuming your's has the integrated XLR DI out). The Khan is a tube DI with no preamp.

 

[Killens84]

Well, that's pretty much an apples to oranges comparison. Sure, they both have a tube, but the Oracle is a preamp first and DI second (assuming your's has the integrated XLR DI out). The Khan is a tube DI with no preamp.

For sure. I run my Oracle’s EQ pretty close to neutral, so I’m mostly interested in hearing the natural flat tone of both devices… flat vs flat. I’ve wanted to hear a Khan in person for a long time. I’ll finally get to do that.

 

[thrashingbass]

I love how without the bite it sounds very deep and full with the cab sim. It is my favorite feature of the SH-1. Definitely not strictly a "metal" DI, though many of us will likely buy it for that reason. Alongside my Sheehan Ultimate Drive-which I love for its separate dirty/clean channels-I can find any tone I could imagine. Currently engaging "bite" and cab sim with neutral EQ, letting some mild drive from the Sheehan pedal be turned into amazing, biting bass tone that is never thin, much less muddy (my compressor -> EBS pedal -> Tech 21 SH-1 DI-I play finger style.)

The SH-1 bite is very strong, however, which may make this tool misunderstood by a few bass players who fail to compensate elsewhere. Especially with other pedals, extra-care should be taken-alone, it's not that much of a problem unless the preamp section is somehow also cranked.

One could really have all needs met in the SH-1, because it has a neutral, "your bass", uncolored tone-if you choose-to extreme, rarely needed tonal mayhem. Add a compressor as/if needed. Hope you keep having luck and fun using it.

Updating my comment to state that the SH-1 is great used on the EBS Sheehan pedal's clean loop, even with the bite switch on (cab on as well, of course-I honestly never turn that off unless I need an strictly uncolored sound). That way it is not noisy at all, and one can use whatever effects or overdrive on the dirty channel. It can be used simply as aforementioned, but then it can be too much with the way it amplifies the drive channel alongside the clean. I can use it well like this too, by lowering the drive volume/intensity, but why not use the loops? Tremendous feature. Of course if you go direct from the SH-1, you would bypass the Sheehan overdrive channel, but it does sound great on its own regardless.

However, this thread is about pre-amps/DI boxes, and the and the above requires extra effort/gear, so my sincerest apologies. Just wanted to edit my statement so readers may avoid thinking the Tech21 pedal is noisy-it is nothing of the sort. I have seen negative reviews due to a clear misunderstanding of how to better employ this very useful DI box. You must not love it because I do!-but used "properly", I doubt most bass players would have any complaints.

Still stand by my statement that the SH-1 can do almost anything on its own unless you can't live with the extras of other effects it does not have. Basically a two separate channel, powerful pre-amp with an optional, powerful attack boost, and *superb* cab emulation that sounds really nice and pillowy, but not necessarily like you are playing through a mudbucker (unless you intentionally lower the highs and uppermids without engaging Bite.) You can sound plainly uncolored to very distorted with the gain up. My favorite tone is not with the gain cranked-all the contrary-but the way it emulates this particular cab can make it break up a bit with the preamp section engaged, even without distortion-a "clean" dirt/hair to the tone (you can negate this by not engaging the cab sim and/or adjusting your blend knob-it must not be a dirty DI). A super versatile, clean, "your bass" tone can be achieved if desired, so you can use it for *anything*-alongside a handy, extremely accurate tuner.

(A compressor is all I would add before the SH-1, for a super minimalist setup. Kind of good it doesn't have one as many players use their favorites anyway, and some bassists don't use compressors. I am using the EHX White Finger as of late, but also like the humble DOD Milk Box, which I had from before, and do not plan on selling. One of these days I may get a Keeley Compressor Pro, but frankly am happy with what I have.)

Sorry once more for my mostly unnecessary post. ‍ May all of you find joy and musical pleasure with the tools you already have and love.

 

[Doug Bright]

Has anyone tried the new ampeg sgt-di?

 

[mikeGJ]

Has anyone tried the new ampeg sgt-di?

Plenty of talk here: Ampeg SGT-DI

 

[DELACIUS]

guys I tried a bunch of stuff, read all the posts here (well almost all)
And finally realised that for DI and preamps, my choice would be the Capo.

Just listened to some stuff on YouTube and for me that's the best I've heard so far, so musical. The whole idea on it it's just perfect.

Your thoughts?

 

[Franz975]

guys I tried a bunch of stuff, read all the posts here (well almost all)
And finally realised that for DI and preamps, my choice would be the Capo.

Just listened to some stuff on YouTube and for me that's the best I've heard so far, so musical. The whole idea on it it's just perfect.

Your thoughts?

I want to try a Capo, it look pretty cool

 

[Real Soon]

This board serves my purposes well for the time being. Using it to record some rock n roll sounds tonight, thru RNDI and then my Black Lion B173, yielded what I'd call shockingly good results. Tuner's in the Tuner output, others on the right in the Trilobite's Insert path, ones on the left in the switchable FX path. InterBass is post-Trilobite, but one could make an argument for putting it in the FX loop when it's on preamp duties.

 

[Mayo Fan]

This board serves my purposes well for the time being. Using it to record some rock n roll sounds tonight, thru RNDI and then my Black Lion B173, yielded what I'd call shockingly good results. Tuner's in the Tuner output, others on the right in the Trilobite's Insert path, ones on the left in the switchable FX path. InterBass is post-Trilobite, but one could make an argument for putting it in the FX loop when it's on preamp duties.

View attachment 5072495

Looks really cool! I've been eyeing that Trilobite to make switching basses a bit easier with dedicated gains and EQs. Looks like a killer setup with that FX loop, it hadn't really occurred to me that the switchable loop would be very useful to me too.

 

[Real Soon]

Looks really cool! I've been eyeing that Trilobite to make switching basses a bit easier with dedicated gains and EQs. Looks like a killer setup with that FX loop, it hadn't really occurred to me that the switchable loop would be very useful to me too.

It's worth noting that the B channel's baked-in EQ points are unusual, while still sounding good. B can do fantastically well for bass, but also works for keyboard or guitar in case you're working a diverse portfolio. Might help decide how to set things up in case you're doing an active + passive, or J + P, or any other config of two basses, too.

Also I've used B as a way to handle the low guitar riff in Rock Lobster on bass, and it was phenomenal. Pretty killer!! And only made even better with the Particle Accelerator in the Insert path to retain its beautiful tone while enjoying the Trilobite's tight, no-bad-settings huge feel.

 

[chadhargis]

I have one of the new Ampeg SGT-DI boxes on backorder. I'm a big Ampeg fan, so I figured I'd give it a go and see how it stacks up against my HX Stomp SVT emulation.

 

[SteveC]

I started with the studio tube DI last night. 1/2 way thru the 1st set I switched to my SVT 4Pro and cab and sound guy said it was better. The SVt4 Pro is a great model.

 

[jacoby75]

The SVT4 into anything with the ultra hi and lo engaged really is fantastic. Especially if you run it into an SVT Nrm and top it off with the tape saturation (or technically run the tape saturation between the two amps) and the Shift Line SVT 8x10 IR. Straight up delicious.

 

[SteveC]

If only I could get 3-4 synth tones I need.

24K magic tone (Moog-ish)
Raise your glass tone (really driven octaves)
Shake it off tone (sub bass)
Take on me (Yamaha DX7)

 

[MascisMan]

If only I could get 3-4 synth tones I need.

24K magic tone (Moog-ish)
Raise your glass tone (really driven octaves)
Shake it off tone (sub bass)
Take on me (Yamaha DX7)

Source Audio C4?

 

[JoeDoe]

If only I could get 3-4 synth tones I need.

24K magic tone (Moog-ish)
Raise your glass tone (really driven octaves)
Shake it off tone (sub bass)
Take on me (Yamaha DX7)

I mean, it’s no C4, but you might be pleasantly surprised at the BMS for those tones.

 

[SteveC]

The C4 seems complicated. The BMS has good sounds, but no presets. I’m hoping I can get something I like with my Stomp. Just haven’t had time to experiment, and I’m hoping IMA will release his Stomp presets soon. He gets great synth bass tones.