The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

[scubaduba]

Oh my...

 

[MascisMan]

Are the Blackbird and Leveling Amplifiers in the same enclosures?

 

[shaggy45]

Oh my...


View attachment 3751590

did a cat sleep on your oracle

 

[jthisdell]

did a cat sleep on your oracle

It's a new thing, rat fur on pedals.

 

[scubaduba]

Haha. Possibly. Better picture.

 

[scubaduba]

Are the Blackbird and Leveling Amplifiers in the same enclosures?

Same size, yes.

 

[chadhargis]

Haha. Possibly. Better picture.

View attachment 3751704

I thought the Blackbird was a guitar preamp. How does the EQ work for bass?

 

[MascisMan]

I thought the Blackbird was a guitar preamp. How does the EQ work for bass?

I dont know the answer to this, but, the manual states the EQ is a "Classic Tone Stack" that is "based on the passive tone stacks found on the 'Blackface' Fender Twin Reverb Amp."

If I'm not mistaken the Twin Reverb "Bass" control is around 60-65Hz?

 

[scubaduba]

The Blackbird sounds really, really good with bass guitar.

 

[shwashwa]

the blackbird is just a classic fender tone stack. i think its probably like the alembic in a pedal. how does it sound compared to the oracle?

 

[MascisMan]

the blackbird is just a classic fender tone stack. i think its probably like the alembic in a pedal. how does it sound compared to the oracle?

Im not so sure. Do the Twin Reverb and Alembic use the same (2/10/2) tone stack? This is made specifically for guitar and not bass.

 

[scubaduba]

The Blackbird works very well with bass. The EQ is definitely useful.

 

[Mushroo]

I dont know the answer to this, but, the manual states the EQ is a "Classic Tone Stack" that is "based on the passive tone stacks found on the 'Blackface' Fender Twin Reverb Amp."

I thought you had a Super Stack on your pedalboard? Same idea.

 

[shwashwa]

Im not so sure. Do the Twin Reverb and Alembic use the same (2/10/2) tone stack? This is made specifically for guitar and not bass.

Yes, I know the alembic is a classic fender tone stack and I know for a fact that the Blackbird also is because I have corresponded with them about it

 

[scubaduba]

the blackbird is just a classic fender tone stack. i think its probably like the alembic in a pedal. how does it sound compared to the oracle?

Oh man. That's tough. They both sound very, very good. The Oracle is probably the more wooly of the two. The clean channel on the Blackbird is tasty. I've been comparing the two all weekend and I keep going back and forth on which I prefer.

Having two channels is +1 for the Blackbird.

Being able to easily tube roll is +1 for the Blackbird.

Both have great EQ control. Both can sound deep and full.

Neither are the most pedalboard friendly but an edge to the Blackbird.

The Range control on the Oracle is nice.

Both have plenty of volume.

Both have tubes and transistors.

The Blackbird is capable of plenty of OD — way more than the Oracle.

The Oracle is maybe a little more...lush sounding?

Hmm....

 

[shaggy45]

Oh man. That's tough. They both sound very, very good. The Oracle is probably the more wooly of the two. The clean channel on the Blackbird is tasty. I've been comparing the two all weekend and I keep going back and forth on which I prefer.

Having two channels is +1 for the Blackbird.

Being able to easily tube roll is +1 for the Blackbird.

Both have great EQ control. Both can sound deep and full.

Neither are the most pedalboard friendly but an edge to the Blackbird.

The Range control on the Oracle is nice.

Both have plenty of volume.

Both have tubes and transistors.

The Blackbird is capable of plenty of OD — way more than the Oracle.

The Oracle is maybe a little more...lush sounding?

Hmm....

What about compared to the slo?

 

[scubaduba]

I need to get a SLO again. The SLO beats the others on size and cab sims. Oracle and Blackbird have no cab someone option. The SLO wins for having a DI out if that is important to you.

 

[shaggy45]

Im just curious how close the tone stacks are. If they are very similar the trade off would be you could get dirt on command with the black bird.

 

[tedsalt]

An A/B/A+B blend pedal with an oracle and a blackbird would be interesting. And large.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Being able to easily tube roll is +1 for the Blackbird.

Okay, bear with me here as I'm new to tube preamps (never owned one... yet). I'm not familiar with the term "tube roll." Can you fill me in? Thanks in advance!

5sg.