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The Great Bass Preamp/DI Comparison

This is a legitimate question and I hope it doesn't come off as unappreciative but are all the reviews on here generally subjective personal opinions or do some people do audio or video reviews or comparisons? I'm too lazy to dig through 80 pages to research at the moment.
 
Yes, both, typically based on a persons experience, musical taste and style, tonal goals, the specific type of equipment, etc. Non-tube vs tube, analog vs digital, etc. There are so many types of preamps out there, designed for different purposes, it becomes hard to compare them.

Some members have more experience and have actually owned and used both in the real world, and then can offer an objective opinion. I tend to look for those members opinions. You'll figure out who those folks are pretty quickly.

If you haven't owned both, it's purely (subjective) opinion with no actual experience with that equipment to back it up.

And if you have any favorites, it might not be easy to be objective.

It's hard to do.

And in the end, alot of times, I'm just plain wrong or not as accurate as I could be, not explaining my background and experience that form my opinions.

Don't listen to me. Maybe ask me more questions, and I might tell you my background and experience.

I just know what I like, based on my experience, my taste and style, and my tonal goals.

I typically like a warm clean tone. Sometimes some tubiness. Ideally I'd like to have both, or shades of both, available at the stomp of a footswitch. I'm currently happy with where I'm at, even though I don't have the footswitch option (yet).

And when I eventually do go there (if I do), I'm not sure if I want something cleaner than what I've currently got, or something with just a little more something on it.

Reading and being involved in threads like this will typically help narrow your search and quest for tonal bliss.

In the end what it boils down to, is that you have to do your homework, make an informed decision, and try some gear, in order to find what you want.

@scubaduba , @chadhargis and @DirtyDuke make it hard to keep oneself content, as they are continually trying new gear, and giving us gas.

Will one ever be totally content? Maybe if I quit TB :)

That's just my opinion, YMMV, ...
 
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I'm talking about the mids Q dial in combination with the phase reverse button.

From the manual: https://www.gracedesign.com/support/manuals/ALiX_Owners_manual_RevD.pdf

"Q factor determines the sharpness of the bandwidth of the frequency being adjusted. A higher Q factor setting – turning the Q knob further clockwise - creates a sharper bandwidth and thus a more targeted, surgical EQ adjustment. Alternately, a lower Q factor - turning the Q knob further counter clockwise - creates a broader tonal adjustment."

In practice, the broader tonal adjustment in combination with the phase reverse button can create a "looser" feel, at least to my ear. Because of how important the mid frequencies are to a bassist's tone (whether boosted or cut), the Q of the bandwidth can have a relatively significant impact.

That is correct. Until you have another pedal in front of the preamp. Like a compressor or OD or Reverb, etc. That's where the phase button becomes pretty handy.


I’ve read these lines a couple of times now and I still don’t get it. What does the phase button do, unless you have another signal to phase it against?

I’m all in for magical buttons but after reading the manual it seems like a regular 180 phase shift knob, but I’m not sure?
 
I’ve read these lines a couple of times now and I still don’t get it. What does the phase button do, unless you have another signal to phase it against?

I’m all in for magical buttons but after reading the manual it seems like a regular 180 phase shift knob, but I’m not sure?

Phase reversal probably has something to do with the Insert or Input on the back of the device, allowing you do adjust phase for another device connected through one of these.

Just SWAG, I could be wrong.
 
Phase reversal probably has something to do with the Insert or Input on the back of the device, allowing you do adjust phase for another device connected through one of these.

Just SWAG, I could be wrong.

I use the phase button for upright to help control feedback. Reversing the phase will often help with feedback

And now you know as much as I do about this subject. :D
 
Yes, both, typically based on a persons experience, musical taste and style, tonal goals, the specific type of equipment, etc. Non-tube vs tube, analog vs digital, etc. There are so many types of preamps out there, designed for different purposes, it becomes hard to compare them.

Some members have more experience and have actually owned and used both in the real world, and then can offer an objective opinion. I tend to look for those members opinions. You'll figure out who those folks are pretty quickly.

If you haven't owned both, it's purely (subjective) opinion with no actual experience with that equipment to back it up.

And if you have any favorites, it might not be easy to be objective.

It's hard to do.

And in the end, alot of times, I'm just plain wrong or not as accurate as I could be, not explaining my background and experience that form my opinions.

Don't listen to me. Maybe ask me more questions, and I might tell you my background and experience.

I just know what I like, based on my experience, my taste and style, and my tonal goals.

I typically like a warm clean tone. Sometimes some tubiness. Ideally I'd like to have both, or shades of both, available at the stomp of a footswitch. I'm currently happy with where I'm at, even though I don't have the footswitch option (yet).

And when I eventually do go there (if I do), I'm not sure if I want something cleaner than what I've currently got, or something with just a little more something on it.

Reading and being involved in threads like this will typically help narrow your search and quest for tonal bliss.

In the end what it boils down to, is that you have to do your homework, make an informed decision, and try some gear, in order to find what you want.

@scubaduba , @chadhargis and @DirtyDuke make it hard to keep oneself content, as they are continually trying new gear, and giving us gas.

Will one ever be totally content? Maybe if I quit TB :)

That's just my opinion, YMMV, ...

I do enjoy trying new gear, but my GAS is starting to finally thin. I was SUPER happy with the SLO. Had someone not posted a Arkham Oracle in the classifieds wanting to trade for a SLO I would still have the SLO on my board. But hey, I can try the Oracle without much money out of pocket and if I want another SLO they pop up for sale used every now and then.

My holy grail of tone is the old school Ampeg tone. To me, that IS bass. Nothing wrong with any other tone, I just prefer the old school stuff. I've heard that tone on so many records in my life that it just sounds "right" to me. I've tried various preamps that were supposed to emulate that tone, and I didn't like them. The Noble was really good, then I tried the Shaw which was a little better because it had a better EQ, then the SLO which wasn't as good to my ears as the Shaw, but it was smaller and had more features.

That said...I seldom used the features. I don't typically use cab sim. I don't use FX loops. I don't use headphone outs or AUX in jacks. I just don't. The thing I loved best about the Noble was that it had two knobs. The same thing I love about my P bass...two knobs. It forces you to use your hands to get different tones. I've tried digital rigs all MIDI controlled and fancy...and I keep coming back to simple.

I hope the Oracle is all that I have heard it is. If it gets me back to what I had with the Shaw in a smaller package, I'll be in tone heaven.