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
I'm thinking hard on one myself lol. I want to hear @scubaduba and others feedback before I do.
Out of curiousity, were you using the Telefunken with active basses, passive basses, or at the end of your pedalboard? (or all of the above)
I have an assortment of DIs that I've accumulated.
RNDI
Noble
Radial JDI
Telefunken Active DI
Aguilar Tonehammer
I've also owned/own a few of the Darkglass "Ultra" series boxes and the Omnicabsim Deluxe.
My anecdotal, non-scientific opinion is that the Noble>all the others. Which you'd hope given its price. If I just wanted a DI box, I'm going RNDI, it has really nice high end clarity and creates the same kind of desirable harmonic content the Noble does, but without the flexibility of the EQ. The JDI is totally usable and sounds great, I'd rather the RNDI. The rest all don't impart much character, at least no desirable character. The Tonehammer would be fine on a dirt channel. I use the Telefunken when I play my Moog live, it works well there.
But yeah, basically I love my Noble, if I didn't have it I'd be totally ok with using a RNDI.
RNDI
Noble
Radial JDI
Telefunken Active DI
Aguilar Tonehammer
I've also owned/own a few of the Darkglass "Ultra" series boxes and the Omnicabsim Deluxe.
My anecdotal, non-scientific opinion is that the Noble>all the others. Which you'd hope given its price. If I just wanted a DI box, I'm going RNDI, it has really nice high end clarity and creates the same kind of desirable harmonic content the Noble does, but without the flexibility of the EQ. The JDI is totally usable and sounds great, I'd rather the RNDI. The rest all don't impart much character, at least no desirable character. The Tonehammer would be fine on a dirt channel. I use the Telefunken when I play my Moog live, it works well there.
But yeah, basically I love my Noble, if I didn't have it I'd be totally ok with using a RNDI.
For sure with active basses and at the end of my chain. Might have used it with a passive bass but not 100% sure.
Hey guys thanks for taking all the Locust Stars. It's cool, I'll just use a Metal Zone.
Good luck with that. I don't live in the right time zone to buy Broughton, unless there's stock for a day, which there never are for the good stuff.
Looks like the Broughton thread had gotten so many posts, it's spilling into other threads.
It happens. Especially after three drinks
jacoby75
Supporting Member
- Mar 11, 2010
- 5,661
- 10,716
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Mike Lull Custom Guitars, DR Strings
You, sir, have a problem. And we all thank you for it.
I was real big on some pedals.
but then JohnK made me a pedal and I am favoring it by a very large margin for the tones that I love. (And by that I mean if I had to throw the others in the trash that I previously liked to keep this one I would do it)
but then JohnK made me a pedal and I am favoring it by a very large margin for the tones that I love. (And by that I mean if I had to throw the others in the trash that I previously liked to keep this one I would do it)
So is this pedal top secret or can you divulge what your talking about lol?
- Aug 21, 2003
- 11,617
- 18,684
- Disclosures
- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
Hi @chadhargis I have a Nashville friend of mine who plays with a lot of 'heavies' that loves the 'Fat Boy' for me its just getting the best sounding pre or DI its I have couple of requirements that DI/Preamp pedal has to have.
-Something that can be mounted to a pedal board (and if it used a wall wort that has to be able to be able to be mounted underneath and play with Voodoo power supply nicely.
-Also no tubes (if I can help it). I know, I know there is a slim chance of anything happening to a tube BUT I travel a fair amount and carry a pedalboard 4-6 times a week with me like someone would have carried a old school briefcase.
I have the REDDI for the studio and I'm not Lee Sklar at all, however I have 350 logged studio dates with it and that works for me.
Last night the Q-strip went back on and I will be using that again all weekend and twice on Sunday. The Q-strip is funny @scubaduba might shed some light on this as well. I find all Tech 21 products for lack of a better term 'boxy sounding' that is how my simple mind hears it. The Q-strip much less the others. One thing about the Q-strip is actually has an unafunaffected pass through. This is the main reason I'm not using Starlifter on this size board.
Lol sure, good timing! It’s a preamp of a Peavey Century, but I’ll also be receiving a Centurion one as well.
It’s the amps who’s sound was what Billy Gould used in FNM, esp their early years. But they’re one-offs. I made a thread about someone making a Peavey flavored overdrive based on the predecessor to what he used on here. Forgot about it, and it picked up in a big way. it’s well different from the DFA1979/F800B sound made by Big Game Pedals - I had that pedal a while back(that maker is building making a Deluxe version now)
My hope was to generate enthusiasm for one. I was totally and completely surprised as to how it wound up sounding. Even compared to his original samples.
@Bassworship1 here is the thread. I made it and forgot about it and it started getting attention. Then JohnK showed up.
Someone should build a killer dirt pedal from this line of heads(Peavey MarkIII/MarkIV content)
(and I wouldn’t suggest it for anyone or say “it’s a perfect preamp” - it’s what I was looking for, but a tone that benefits from a compressor and not “pretty” across its entire knob-turning range. After all, it’s based on one relatively cheap amps preamp. It just has some of the magic to it for me - much in the same vein of a Traynor TS50B/Rusty Box)
Someone should build a killer dirt pedal from this line of heads(Peavey MarkIII/MarkIV content)
(and I wouldn’t suggest it for anyone or say “it’s a perfect preamp” - it’s what I was looking for, but a tone that benefits from a compressor and not “pretty” across its entire knob-turning range. After all, it’s based on one relatively cheap amps preamp. It just has some of the magic to it for me - much in the same vein of a Traynor TS50B/Rusty Box)
Last edited:
- Aug 21, 2003
- 11,617
- 18,684
- Disclosures
- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
I'm looking at that, but its not available yet.
Its funny I want crisp but not ultra clinical crips like a radial active box. EQ is not totally critical to me since I don't tweak much but inherent sound is.
I don't mind some coloration. My RNDI should arrive today, I'm not home and I hope my daughter answers the door and signs for it
. If I move away from the Q-strip I will most likely get (2) of whatever it since I'm building a clone of this board.I'm going to be renting a commercial space for rehearsal and for recording drums real soon. I will leave a board there at all times.
- Aug 21, 2003
- 11,617
- 18,684
- Disclosures
- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
Nice @JoshC
I leaned away from the Noble (for a few reasons) but from my understanding it does not have a pass through.
You and @scubaduba got me pumped to try the RNDI.
I haven't even played it yet, but based on the description it appears great for me.
I'm glad it's not just me. I never get the tone I want from a Tech21 product other than the Q/Strip and the Bass Fly Rig to some degree. I was really surprised by both of them. But the BFR still had that Tech21 "sound" that just doesn't agree with me.
