Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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
- Thread starter chadhargis
- Start date
The Noble is REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY good. I had one and loved it.
I'm excited! I lucked out and snagged the Broughton P15 on Christmas day and was stoked to get my first tube DI. Then the Noble popped up on Craigslist earlier this week for a STEAL so I had to grab it as I have been wanting one for a long time now. Going to try them both out in the next few weeks and see where they stand. Also had a Shiftline in the past but I feel like I didn't really get into as much as I should have before I passed it on..
I loved the Noble and only moved on from it after getting a Shaw Tube Injection which sounded as good as the Noble but had a few more features and a better EQ.
When I got the SLO I compared it to the Shaw and it was nearly as good. In a mix I couldn't tell a difference. The SLO was smaller, lighter, runs off my power supply, and has some more features.
If I were a studio cat, I'd have kept the Shaw or Noble. But for live playing, portability, and cost....the SLO is the reining king.
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
Touche. That's definitely better. I just saw the $499 price on their website. Don't get me wrong. I'm sure it's worth it. I'm just poor.
OK. Some initial thoughts on these preamps.
Suncoast B2p
Big, full and punchy. Definitely tube tone. It does not have the breakup range that the SLO has which is totally fine with me. With a 12AX7 tube in the SLO I rarely turn the gain up past 9:00 or so on the SLO. The Suncoast B2p has a master dial and a volume dial for each channel. I like to think of the Master dial as a "headroom dial". Turn it up to create more headroom and then dial in the individual channel volume dials to taste. In other words, if you don't open up the Master dial a lot but turn up the volume dials, you will get more breakup. It's the wooly kind of breakup that is more like an amp on the verge of breakup or just over the threshold and obviously breaking up kind of feel. Not OD kind of feel which is great for me.
Each channel sounds different and both are highly usable. Overall, the B2p has a darker feel to it than a typical solid state preamp. Again, that's nice if that is your thing. The left channel is your Alembic F2B design. Flat is not all dials at noon.
Being able to combine both channels is killer. It is perfect for where you want to pop out of the mix, or boost overall presence for a chorus... that kind of thing. Honestly, I love running both channels together all the time. Big, huge, punchy tone.
Better than the SLO? Hmmm.... yes in many ways. And not in other ways.
BUT, the form factor It is bigger than the SLO. No cab sims. But, two tubes, two channels, more sound possibilities, and the breakup is more pleasing (to my ear anyway). If you have the SLO should you sell it and switch to the Suncoast? I'd say no. There is a lot of overlap. Given the choice of only having one? Hmm.... based on tone alone I'm going to go with the Suncoast.
The Suncoast lacks an onboard DI though.
Right now I am finding the Suncoast more flexible than the SLO with the dual channels and channel combine. I have it running out to a RNDI.
Marleaux Tonwerk
This one really surprised me. It is really, really good sounding. Very transparent (the opposite of the Suncoast). If you can't find a sound you like with this device.... well I guess you just don't know how to work an EQ. I think it is impossible not to be able to dial in something that sounds killer.
You have three EQ points for each frequency. And then you have boost and cut for whichever frequency you select. And you have control over both high mids and low mids independently. Huge EQ options. There are center detents for each EQ dial.
Input controls the input gain and corresponds with the LEDs monitoring how hard you are driving the input. There is tons of headroom. Output controls the output volume when using a typical patch cable connected to the output. When using the XLR out, the input control is how you control the volume out of the DI port.
Then you have a switch which sets whether the DI out is pre or post EQ and variations on that and what the footswitch does.
Definitely more on the modern side of things compared to the Suncoast. Definitely ads punchy and flair. Just real nice sparkle and punch. Perfect device to deal with room dynamics.
It has a headphones out too which is nice for practicing and dialing in your sound. No AUX in though.
I really like this one too.
Meridian Trinity
This is from the Meridian Guitars company out of Italy. This one looks real cool. Sort of retro. The VU meter is pretty slick and monitors your input gain.
From a tone perspective it is somewhere between the Suncoast and Marleaux. Definitely some inherent tone coloration but not as tubey as the Suncoast. The mid range sweep is great. The switch on the left determines which EQ point the Bass EQ dials and the right switch does the same for Treble. Love that feature. There are center detents for each EQ dial.
It has XLR out which sounds great. The footswitch on this one mutes the pedal. If you use the preamp as always on and last in your chain, then the footswitch essentially mutes your signal. I like that.
It is less neutral than the Marleaux. Adds some nice "umph" to your tone. An always on type of device.
I really like this one too.
I need more time with all of them to decide if all of them are keepers but I will say I was not let down with any of these. Sometimes you can get a new effect and know pretty much right away that it is not for you. Not so with any of these. They are all great in different ways. I will definitely be selling at least one of these, probably two.... just so I can try others.
Suncoast B2p
Big, full and punchy. Definitely tube tone. It does not have the breakup range that the SLO has which is totally fine with me. With a 12AX7 tube in the SLO I rarely turn the gain up past 9:00 or so on the SLO. The Suncoast B2p has a master dial and a volume dial for each channel. I like to think of the Master dial as a "headroom dial". Turn it up to create more headroom and then dial in the individual channel volume dials to taste. In other words, if you don't open up the Master dial a lot but turn up the volume dials, you will get more breakup. It's the wooly kind of breakup that is more like an amp on the verge of breakup or just over the threshold and obviously breaking up kind of feel. Not OD kind of feel which is great for me.
Each channel sounds different and both are highly usable. Overall, the B2p has a darker feel to it than a typical solid state preamp. Again, that's nice if that is your thing. The left channel is your Alembic F2B design. Flat is not all dials at noon.
Being able to combine both channels is killer. It is perfect for where you want to pop out of the mix, or boost overall presence for a chorus... that kind of thing. Honestly, I love running both channels together all the time. Big, huge, punchy tone.
Better than the SLO? Hmmm.... yes in many ways. And not in other ways.
BUT, the form factor It is bigger than the SLO. No cab sims. But, two tubes, two channels, more sound possibilities, and the breakup is more pleasing (to my ear anyway). If you have the SLO should you sell it and switch to the Suncoast? I'd say no. There is a lot of overlap. Given the choice of only having one? Hmm.... based on tone alone I'm going to go with the Suncoast.
The Suncoast lacks an onboard DI though.
Right now I am finding the Suncoast more flexible than the SLO with the dual channels and channel combine. I have it running out to a RNDI.
Marleaux Tonwerk
This one really surprised me. It is really, really good sounding. Very transparent (the opposite of the Suncoast). If you can't find a sound you like with this device.... well I guess you just don't know how to work an EQ. I think it is impossible not to be able to dial in something that sounds killer.
You have three EQ points for each frequency. And then you have boost and cut for whichever frequency you select. And you have control over both high mids and low mids independently. Huge EQ options. There are center detents for each EQ dial.
Input controls the input gain and corresponds with the LEDs monitoring how hard you are driving the input. There is tons of headroom. Output controls the output volume when using a typical patch cable connected to the output. When using the XLR out, the input control is how you control the volume out of the DI port.
Then you have a switch which sets whether the DI out is pre or post EQ and variations on that and what the footswitch does.
Definitely more on the modern side of things compared to the Suncoast. Definitely ads punchy and flair. Just real nice sparkle and punch. Perfect device to deal with room dynamics.
It has a headphones out too which is nice for practicing and dialing in your sound. No AUX in though.
I really like this one too.
Meridian Trinity
This is from the Meridian Guitars company out of Italy. This one looks real cool. Sort of retro. The VU meter is pretty slick and monitors your input gain.
From a tone perspective it is somewhere between the Suncoast and Marleaux. Definitely some inherent tone coloration but not as tubey as the Suncoast. The mid range sweep is great. The switch on the left determines which EQ point the Bass EQ dials and the right switch does the same for Treble. Love that feature. There are center detents for each EQ dial.
It has XLR out which sounds great. The footswitch on this one mutes the pedal. If you use the preamp as always on and last in your chain, then the footswitch essentially mutes your signal. I like that.
It is less neutral than the Marleaux. Adds some nice "umph" to your tone. An always on type of device.
I really like this one too.
I need more time with all of them to decide if all of them are keepers but I will say I was not let down with any of these. Sometimes you can get a new effect and know pretty much right away that it is not for you. Not so with any of these. They are all great in different ways. I will definitely be selling at least one of these, probably two.... just so I can try others.
Last edited:
Just now realized that the Suncoast has an effects loop. Scuba, have you tested the loop? Im assuming it is post-EQ?
Yeah I just realized this after posting. Have you tested it?
Also, can it be powered reliably by 2 of the DC7 9v outs?
Last edited:
I expect you meant Suncoast F2p as that is what is in the picture with the other preamps reviewed here?
Yes, working just fine on a CIOKS DC7 with parallel cable off two 9v ports.
OK, the Marleaux Tonwerk is pretty impressive. So many ways to finesse your sound. I like that it doesn't highly color your natural bass tone but it makes everything bigger, fuller, and better without getting boomy. It is built real well.
This video is a good one to see what it is capable of:
Use good earphones!
This video is a good one to see what it is capable of:
Use good earphones!
Just fine. The F2p is a real good preamp. I tried both channels with the left channel being the Alembic F2B based channel. Honestly, the both sound real good. Combining the channels is fantastic for some extra "umph".
I would say it is on the darker side which you would expect from a tube based preamp. But interestingly the SLO is a pretty bright preamp by comparison.
I would say it is on the darker side which you would expect from a tube based preamp. But interestingly the SLO is a pretty bright preamp by comparison.
By the way, channel B of the F2p is the '59 Bassman.
Both mid points are about 300Hz, the Bass and Treble EQ are shelving and similar to the Bassman 50 EQ.
Apparently mine is a prototype that was made for Mike Amico at Bass Central. Thus the reason it has a silver face. Production models have a black face.
Both mid points are about 300Hz, the Bass and Treble EQ are shelving and similar to the Bassman 50 EQ.
Apparently mine is a prototype that was made for Mike Amico at Bass Central. Thus the reason it has a silver face. Production models have a black face.
