- Dec 21, 2007
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- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
Looking forward to more thoughts on this, especially in comparison to the SLO
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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison
- Thread starter chadhargis
- Start date
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
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- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
I don't slap . . . as a rule . . . like . . . ever. It would not end well for me or the reputation of the bass community at large. But even this little demo has got me pretty giddy . . .
HaHa...100% in that same boat with slapping for me and follow that same rule. But yeah...I think this little thump is going to be a fun addition to the board.
- Aug 21, 2003
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- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
Hello Folks DI Pedal folks...
Please feel free to share what features you want Preamp / DI over here on this thread.
What features do you want in a Preamp/DI pedal/floor unit?
Please feel free to share what features you want Preamp / DI over here on this thread.
What features do you want in a Preamp/DI pedal/floor unit?
Well after trying multiple high end Preamp pedals and DI's over the last year or so, such as the SLO (2 times lol), Mesa Subway Plus, Starlifter, Trickfish Minnow, RNDI, Noble, Khan Tube DI, Reddi, Firefly, and others, I have come to the conclusion that nothing sounds as good live as the Starlifter. The trickfish was the closest thing I've found but it was a little noisy and popped when engaging the Mute Switch. The Starlifter just gives me the smoothest Bass tone I've ever had live and IEM while giving you that Studio tone for live use.
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I don't know why, but I think I would love Starlifter too...haven't had a chance to try it yet...
My only hang up with the Starlifter is it's AC power requirement, rendering my Cioks DC5/7 useless.
Yeah if I couldn't have found a Power supply that would power it I probably wouldn't have kept it myself as I want that for portability and ease of use. Luckily I found a T-Rex Chameleon unit that powers it perfectly. It's the best piece of bass gear I've ever purchased. I can begin to tell the sound engineers and musicians that have raved about this unit though.
I've got the same issue. I don't want to be out the expense of a new power supply. I love my PowerMax (Ciocks DC-7 basically). I would love to A/B compare the Starlifter with the SLO. The slow knocked off a very good Shaw Tube Injection...not because it was superior sonically, but because it was smaller, lighter, and had more features. The tone difference was indistinguishable in a mix.
Not in the market for a Starlifter right now, but what are the specs on the included wall wart? Could you get a inline power supply that matches and could more easily be mounted under a pedalboard? Like something that comes with a laptop (non wall wart type).
Just thinking out loud about how I would use it.
Just thinking out loud about how I would use it.
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
Mmmmm. Pit orchestra toanz. After many, many pedal purchases in the last few months, I finally had a chance to take out a stripped down version of the board for a local high school theater production of "Beauty and the Beast." I brought the Ictineo and SVPre only because I wasn't sure which would sound better once I got to the theater and cranked up the amp. I love . . . . LOVE . . . . the SVPre, but I actually decided to go with the Ictineo. It's a bit clearer and projects better through my combo, which is important since I'm not patched into the PA at all and I'm filling the whole theater . . . quite well, I might add . . . with my little 15" combo. Barely turned the thing up halfway and it's still too loud for the room with the Ictineo feeding it. Like, we're talking an old historic theater with a balcony. It's crazy how much this thing can pump. I think the stage is tuned to a C, because every time I hit the C on my A-string, the whole building vibrates.
OK. In general, I do think I have come to the conclusion that I prefer the Trilobite to the SLO. It sounds very, very good and has a nice studio quality to it. Everything you feed in sounds better coming out. It is more precise than the SLO. By that I mean it plays faster and with more articulation. Of course it isn't going to breakup on you so if you want the OD sound directly from the preamp you aren't going to really get it with the Trilobite. You don't get cab sims either. BUT, it really can serve as a hub for your board with the mute switch, dual channels, multiple loops, a blend of dry and looped effects, multiple DI outputs and more. The Trilobite is certainly bigger than the SLO making it not nearly as pedalboard friendly but the power requirement is more power supply friendly.
I really like having control of low mids and high mides. I think the EQ is more useful than that of the SLO. It is more intuitive for those that struggle with the boost only style of the SLO.
I love the LED indicating signal gain - green for normal and red when clipping.
I would have kept the Minnow if it didn’t have a pretty audible pop when putting in mute. Have you noticed that with the Trilobite? I loved the tone, clarity and pucnch it had. Gives more ability to tone tune your tone.
Is the Minnow essentially half a Trilobite?
One of the things I love about the SLO, and tube preamps in general, is the great warm and wooly tone they impart. Bass can be really "dry" sounding without something to warm it up a bit.
Does the Trilobite give that same tube warmth and saturation? I am a junkie for trying new pedals, and I've tried several, but I find I gravitate to the ones that have a definite character to them.
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,233
- 45,132
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
. That essentially my impression with the trilobite having a few extra features like dual channel and effects loop. I really liked the minnow unused with the exception of the audible pop when engaging mute.
