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The "Millennia STT-1" pre-amp

#41
fwiw I never liked the 737 in my hands (totally ymmv as I know most guys love them). I had one in my home studio and it just didn't really make me excited. I preferred the Summit TD-100/TLA-50 combination. Right now if I'm not running Monique (which I gig regularly and also use in the studio), I'm finding the Empirical Labs BigE to be pretty spectacular. If I was into hauling rack gear around, I'd run that with their eq and a power amp and be a happy camper.
 
#42
I really don't know why the topic of 'Mediocre' loudspeakers has even been mentioned here; people's loudspeaker choices are derived for many different reasons. I happen to have chosen the 'ElectroVoice' (BX-10) 10's for their low-mid sound quality, and the 'EighteenSound' (18LW 1400) 18's to be used in the two Acoustic 301 cabinets are very highly respected; both anything but mediocre. But even if they had been 'standard grade' drivers, they still would have been selected for (again) some very 'personal reasons'; this is why we share these choices with each other ...Thank God for TB!

One of our TB team members PM'ed me and asked me if I would mind scanning the whole article by 'Terry Buddingh': "Take the High Road-Five High-End Recording preamps w/instrument inputs" ...which I thought was an EXCELLENT idea! Just so you know, it's found in the Dec 1, 2002 issue of bassplayer magazine (w/James Jamerson on the cover). I tried to find it on the web so that I could just download and post it; but it's not available even straight from BP's website. So I scanned it to my computer and will try to make it as easily understood as if you were reading the article straight from magazine :thumbsup:

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Well, I know it's not the best story editing work you've ever seen but it was the best I've ever done lol! hope you could read and understand it's basic content folks, Cheers!
 
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#43
To be clear, when I asked Jeff if he was serious or kidding about the Voxbox, I wasn't taking a dig. I genuinely didn't know. In the context of the conversation up to that point and because, at least at first glance, the Voxbox seemed anything but simple, I really thought he might be kidding. Now I am less inclined to think so. The idea if someone putting a $3-$4K mic pre in the front of his or her bass rig is still slightly shocking to me, but I've spent more time and money than many of my musician friends would find reasonable having a custom cab built and, lately, trying different rack preamps (this coming from someone who wanted to do it all with a micro head) in search of a certain tone and response from my rig, so I can't judge. I'm still wary of the pursuit of tone through $$ - I think it's easy to get obsessed and precious about things and to lose perspective - but if you know what you're doing, can afford it, and that uber pre really delivers, I suppose it's more reasonable to have that one piece than to make a similar investment in multiple pieces that don't quite do it. I can't see myself with an STT-1 anytime soon, but I'm curious enough to read about its little brother in the article Tom linked to.
 
#48
Great thread here! The Millennia TD-1 and STT-1 have been around for some time and oddly enough I do remember that issue of Bass Player.
And always remember, wow, I couldn't afford anything like that back then, but it was a cool shootout!
Back then is when I bought my QSC PLX2402 and Eden WP-100 'The Navigator' and kept that for about 10 years.
I recently went crazy with all the popular bass heads (Ampeg SVT's, Mesa 400+, Big Block 750 / Titan, etc), even the spectacular Demeter HBP-1 and VTHF-300M rig.
I have gone back to use my QSC PLX2402 and have recently paired it with an old Ampeg SVT-IIP. Still got my Aguilar DB751 as my more simplified but amazing sounding amp. However, I do miss the clarity of the Demeter. That's why the Millennia STT-1 (and a few other channel strips) really intrigue me.
I loved the parametric eq on the HBP-1. Tom Bowlus was actually the one that got me interested in that amp.

Since the Avalon VT-737SP has been mentioned, I'm curious what others have think of the Universal Audio 6176 or LA 610MKII as useful tube preamps?
I've heard some have really enjoyed these being used as 'bass guitar preamps'. Heard similar things about the Focusrite ISA 400 MKII as well.

Here is a great link for those looking at some of the other channel strips mentioned, but doesn't include the Millennia:
http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead.com/Channel-Strips.html
 
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#49
bassballs27 said:
Since the Avalon VT-737SP has been mentioned, I'm curious what others have think of the Universal Audio 6176 or LA 610MKII as useful tube preamps?
Click to expand...
I had a LA-610 Mk II for a while, great sounding but the EQ is more some fine sculpting of the frequency ends more than anything else IME. The compressor sounds great when used in moderation as it really can squish to signal down.

Here is a recording of my old 4001V63 with a '60s magnetic horseshoe pickup (with .0047µF cap in place) and scatterwound toaster that I did with the LA-610 Mk II into a Marantz PMD661. Strings are TI Jazz Rounds and I used a pick (very rare for me these days). This was just some stream of consciousness noodling so pay no attention to the clams! :D The recording was mostly to show the sound with different combinations of the pickups.
 

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#50
Jeff Scott said:
I had a LA-610 Mk II for a while, great sounding but the EQ is more some fine sculpting of the frequency ends more than anything else IME. The compressor sounds great when used in moderation as it really can squish to signal down.

Here is a recording of my old 4001V63 with a '60s magnetic horseshoe pickup (with .0047µF cap in place) and scatterwound toaster that I did with the LA-610 Mk II into a Marantz PMD661. Strings are TI Jazz Rounds and I used a pick (very rare for me these days). This was just some stream of consciousness noodling so pay no attention to the clams! :D The recording was mostly to show the sound with different combinations of the pickups.
Click to expand...

Wow, didn't expect this! Thanks Jeff!
Your bass sounds pretty huge. The Ric sounds very clear. Which mode were you in at the final 2 minutes? I liked that best.

Hmm, there's some pretty good clips of the Millennia on Youtube as well. Cool.
 
#51
That last part is the HS pickup solo'd, then towards the very end I added the toaster back in. Even with the cap in it sounds great. Currently, that pickup is in my March '73 4001, sans cap, but I just need to find time to put the cap back in (it has been removed previous to my buying the bass.

0:00-2:22 - neck toaster pickup solo'd
2:22-5:02 - both toaster and magnetic horseshoe pickup
5:02-6:58 - magnetic horseshoe pickup solo'd
6:58 to end - both pickups again

Within these sections the tone also varies as I pick the strings on either side of the HS pickup.

BTW, this is a single track, no overdubs.
 
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#52
tombowlus said:
I have owned and gigged a number of dedicated bass preamps and "channel strip" preamps over the years, and I played out with a rack rig for many years (cycling through a number of power amps, as well - like others, the CA9 seemed to consistently give me the best results, live). ...

Regarding the STT-1, I have one, and I agree that it's really nice on bass. So is its little brother, the TD-1. We Invalid Link Removed.
Click to expand...

+1
 
#53
I would add that you can often find these used in the 2K range...killer pre with that hybrid path capability. Dial things up with Telefunkens and RTC's and look out!

:bassist:
(Sold mine a while ago, lasted 3 months...had to buy another)
 
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#54
You're definitely right mothra. Since the STT-1's have been out for some time, there's definitely used one's out there.

I'm wondering if any company has tried to make something simliar or if one could use a few components rack components to make something similar to the STT-1. It probably wouldn't get the same clarity (or be nearly as quiet), but does that really isn't a requirement for me in a live or practice setting.

Technology has definitely changed since, so I would assume there are other channel strips out there with similar power and clarity that can be used for bass.

I wonder about the Rupert Neve Designs Portico II. Different flavour I suppose, but could offer a similar result.
Probably the same deal with the Focusrite ISA 430MKII.

Just as a side note to those still reading, I recently purchased an Universal Audio 6176 and it kills on bass. This is my first experience with a mic preamp with bass. I can't believe how much gain it has! Unreal! First time I had to truly dial back my QSC PLX2402 because it was simply too loud and I was only operating it with one channel at 4 ohms. It sounded MASSIVE!
It's just too bad it doesn't have a parametric eq on board. The shelving eq is quite musical sounding, but I'd prefer to shape the eq with a better range of frequencies.
 

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