The Soundgear Club

[Phlipper]

The SRX2EX2 (mine was in black) was the first bass I bought. Had previously just borrowed our bassists PJ when switching off. It started a longterm affair with Ibanez.

 

[Zooberwerx]

View attachment 4821415 View attachment 4821422 This is my SRX2EX2 and I'm considering another preamp for it. I love how it looks, how it plays and the comfortable design, I just feel I could get a better control over the sound with a new (different) pre. I have a Tone Monster 2-band pre currently installed but it's not cutting it. Any suggestions? I'm considering an Audere pre as I've heard great things about and the price is very reasonable.

That's the way I'd go. I'm not much into stacked knobs but, since your hand is forced give the 4 knob layout, you'll be better-off with the pic'd stacked hi / low mids in addition to treble / bass.

Riis

 

[Phlipper]

Why the frown?
I have 6, a BTB and an RB and have had lots more.

It just got kinda crazy, I had like ... 6 SRs and a BTB at one time. Now down to two fretless SR4s, one fretted 5er and one fretted 4. However, I've fallen in love with the CMD Big Breaks so if I can't buy a pair for my 5er I will be forced to buy an SR 5er with Big Breaks.

It gets crazy ... like I really need all that for my country gig.

 

[kleinenenten]

View attachment 4821415 View attachment 4821422 This is my SRX2EX2 and I'm considering another preamp for it. I love how it looks, how it plays and the comfortable design, I just feel I could get a better control over the sound with a new (different) pre. I have a Tone Monster 2-band pre currently installed but it's not cutting it. Any suggestions? I'm considering an Audere pre as I've heard great things about and the price is very reasonable.

I am literally debating doing the exact same pre-amp in my 5 string SRX (and then possibly following it up with my own 4 string SRX2EX2). I'd love your take on it if you go that route.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I'm pretty much an Audere fan-boy but need some real-time input before sinking $$ into a mod...

I have a mid-tier 2012 SR755 with stock Bart MK1 and preamp...3 band and 2-position mid freq switch. Actually, it's not bad but it needs a little something and I can't leave well enough alone. I was thinking of dropping-in an Audere Classic module (<$150) to complement the MK1's but wondering if I'd really be gaining any real estate. IOW, are the MK1's a limiting factor which would limit the benefit / efficacy of the preamp upgrade?

Riis

 

[fourstringbliss]

I'm pretty much an Audere fan-boy but need some real-time input before sinking $$ into a mod...

I have a mid-tier 2012 SR755 with stock Bart MK1 and preamp...3 band and 2-position mid freq switch. Actually, it's not bad but it needs a little something and I can't leave well enough alone. I was thinking of dropping-in an Audere Classic module (<$150) to complement the MK1's but wondering if I'd really be gaining any real estate. IOW, are the MK1's a limiting factor which would limit the benefit / efficacy of the preamp upgrade?

Riis

The legendary/notorious MK1's, huh? It's been a long old time since I've played a bass with MK1's in them (various Lakland 44/5501's) and I remember not really liking them, but then was it the pickups or the preamp or both I didn't like? I also never had a chance to A/B those basses with similar ones with different pickups or preamps to see if there was enough of a difference to justify the cost.

It's my understanding that the pickups/preamp were designed as a unit and I do remember often reading people saying the pickups were just fine but the preamp held them back. How do you like the sound with the EQ flat? I know it's not the same as passive, but it can't be that different.

One thing I've always appreciated about Audere preamps is that they're designed to let your pickups shine. Unlike some other preamps they're not meant to add special sauce but to remove impedance loading and signal distortion and to give that passive tone with more flexibility. If you like playing this bass it's a relatively small price to pay to maybe make it better. I'm sure you could sell the Audere pre if it didn't make enough of a change.

 

[Zooberwerx]

The legendary/notorious MK1's, huh? It's been a long old time since I've played a bass with MK1's in them (various Lakland 44/5501's) and I remember not really liking them, but then was it the pickups or the preamp or both I didn't like? I also never had a chance to A/B those basses with similar ones with different pickups or preamps to see if there was enough of a difference to justify the cost.

It's my understanding that the pickups/preamp were designed as a unit and I do remember often reading people saying the pickups were just fine but the preamp held them back. How do you like the sound with the EQ flat? I know it's not the same as passive, but it can't be that different.

One thing I've always appreciated about Audere preamps is that they're designed to let your pickups shine. Unlike some other preamps they're not meant to add special sauce but to remove impedance loading and signal distortion and to give that passive tone with more flexibility. If you like playing this bass it's a relatively small price to pay to maybe make it better. I'm sure you could sell the Audere pre if it didn't make enough of a change.

True on all counts. I'm working along the lines of "...it can't hurt". I really like this bass because it's light and the neck profile is really comfortable, more so than my 1405. I put a couple used Auderes in my Fernandes basses...didn't have much say in the configurations!

Riis

 

[Bartrinsic]

True on all counts. I'm working along the lines of "...it can't hurt". I really like this bass because it's light and the neck profile is really comfortable, more so than my 1405. I put a couple used Auderes in my Fernandes basses...didn't have much say in the configurations!

Riis

Does the preamp have an off switch? If so, I'd consider trying new PUps first, either Aguilar DCB-D2 (assuming Bart P2 size is what you need), Nordstrand Zen Blades or Nordstrand Big Splits (the Aggies can drop in; for the Nordys, you should contact them to get the right string spacing). Any of those will put some kick in your pluck vs. MK1s. If you like the Audere Class A shimmery sound, go for it, but recall there is no off switch for passive. I think the Nordstrand 3b is actually more transparent and it has an off switch.

 

[Bartrinsic]

View attachment 4821415 View attachment 4821422 This is my SRX2EX2 and I'm considering another preamp for it. I love how it looks, how it plays and the comfortable design, I just feel I could get a better control over the sound with a new (different) pre. I have a Tone Monster 2-band pre currently installed but it's not cutting it. Any suggestions? I'm considering an Audere pre as I've heard great things about and the price is very reasonable.

A flexcore would cost more, but it has push/pull on/off volume in addition to stacked 4 band controls.
FLEXCORE PREAMPS - High performance onboard bass preamp

 

[stingray69]

I'm pretty much an Audere fan-boy but need some real-time input before sinking $$ into a mod...

I have a mid-tier 2012 SR755 with stock Bart MK1 and preamp...3 band and 2-position mid freq switch. Actually, it's not bad but it needs a little something and I can't leave well enough alone. I was thinking of dropping-in an Audere Classic module (<$150) to complement the MK1's but wondering if I'd really be gaining any real estate. IOW, are the MK1's a limiting factor which would limit the benefit / efficacy of the preamp upgrade?

Riis

I have a 2012 SR705 that had the MK1's and preamp - and facing down the same choice. I opted for changing out the pickup first and seeing if I still had any problem with the preamp. In my case, I first went with Aguilar DCB's and then later, Nordstrand Big Singles. IME, both were very much an improvement over the MK1's. It's been too long to recall exactly why I didn't like the MK1's, but I think it had to do with feeling kinda "meh" in general with my tone.

In any case, with both sets of replacement pickups, I found the stock preamp worked very well with both pickup sets and I still have no desire to do anything with the stock preamp (short of any unforseen failure of it). So, IME I believe the bottleneck was with the MK1's. YMMV.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[kleinenenten]

I'm pretty much an Audere fan-boy but need some real-time input before sinking $$ into a mod...

I have a mid-tier 2012 SR755 with stock Bart MK1 and preamp...3 band and 2-position mid freq switch. Actually, it's not bad but it needs a little something and I can't leave well enough alone. I was thinking of dropping-in an Audere Classic module (<$150) to complement the MK1's but wondering if I'd really be gaining any real estate. IOW, are the MK1's a limiting factor which would limit the benefit / efficacy of the preamp upgrade?

Riis

I am NOT a pickup expert by any stretch, but I'd say that my MK1s sound much better with my Bart preamp installed. This is on a 2004ish SR505. I've heard before that the preamp is the weak link, and that the pickups are fine. In my (very limited) experience, that is the case. The new preamp also has a 3 way mid switch (which my model didn't have originally, but later ones do), and I really like that. I can basically set my bass's tone controls how I like, and then switch mids to go from brighter hi mids, fairly even "mid" mids, and lower mids being the focus. It's pretty great for a quick tone switch.

I've never installed after market pickups in a bass, and this is the only preamp I've changed as well. All that being said, the improvement of just the preamp has made me wonder if I should also do the pickups and really see how this bass can shine... But so far, I really don't have a need to.

Anyway, the clean tone on the modded SR505 is FAR better than my stock SRX505, which is why I'm looking into an Audere preamp for my SRX. Maybe Bartolini as well. Besides already having a positive experience with Bartolini, it has the added positives of having a master volume built in to the preamp, so I could match the volume of my two main basses, and a push/pull for active/passive. This is important to me, since I use a lot of dirt etc. and want similar output on basses so I don't have to reconfigure pedals etc. all the time. I want to be able to just crank the volume on both (as I typically do) and just go. It also helps that the Bartolini has a push/pull pot for active/passive. The Audere doesn't have a master volume control, nor a push/pull for active/passive. Of course, the Bartolini is roughly 60% more expensive for a similar 2 band setup...

 

[stingray69]

I am NOT a pickup expert by any stretch, but I'd say that my MK1s sound much better with my Bart preamp installed. This is on a 2004ish SR505. I've heard before that the preamp is the weak link, and that the pickups are fine. In my (very limited) experience, that is the case. The new preamp also has a 3 way mid switch (which my model didn't have originally, but later ones do), and I really like that. I can basically set my bass's tone controls how I like, and then switch mids to go from brighter hi mids, fairly even "mid" mids, and lower mids being the focus. It's pretty great for a quick tone switch.

I've never installed after market pickups in a bass, and this is the only preamp I've changed as well. All that being said, the improvement of just the preamp has made me wonder if I should also do the pickups and really see how this bass can shine... But so far, I really don't have a need to.

Anyway, the clean tone on the modded SR505 is FAR better than my stock SRX505, which is why I'm looking into an Audere preamp for my SRX. Maybe Bartolini as well. Besides already having a positive experience with Bartolini, it has the added positives of having a master volume built in to the preamp, so I could match the volume of my two main basses. This is important to me, since I use a lot of dirt etc. and want similar output on basses so I don't have to reconfigure pedals etc. all the time. I want to be able to just crank the volume on both (as I typically do) and just go. It also helps that the Bartolini has a push/pull pot for active/passive. The Audere doesn't have a master volume control, nor a push/pull for active/passive. Of course, the Bartolini is roughly 60% more expensive for a similar 2 band setup...

Often times, there is more than one path to the same destination. Sounds like the stock MK1's with the stock preamp might not be the best combo Ibanez ever put out, but changing out one or the other can result in a marked improvement. In my case, I went for pickups first but who knows - maybe I should have tried the preamp first. Tone quest - it never ends.

 

[kleinenenten]

Tone quest - it never ends.

This. 1000000%. Maybe one day we could meet up and see which we prefer - swapped out pickups or swapped out preamp!

 

[21DaHoagie12]

mk1 preamp is DEFINITELY the weakpoint ... if you've swapped pickups and are pleased with the sound, you'll be absolutely blown away when you swap out that garbage mk1 preamp.... throw in an audere (everyone here seems to get hot n bothered for those lol), an aguilar, bart ntmb, etc. and get ready for your jaw to drop... mk1 preamp is so inferior they should never be used for anything IMO

 

[Zooberwerx]

This. 1000000%. Maybe one day we could meet up and see which we prefer - swapped out pickups or swapped out preamp!

Yep. If I swapped out both the pickups and preamp, the mods would be worth more than the bass unless I snagged the pickups on the secondhand market. Not sure of the appropriate size designation, though.

Riis

 

[Outbush]

True on all counts. I'm working along the lines of "...it can't hurt". I really like this bass because it's light and the neck profile is really comfortable, more so than my 1405. I put a couple used Auderes in my Fernandes basses...didn't have much say in the configurations!

Riis

I guess my 2 bob's worth would be to try a set of Nordstrand Big Splits in there first with the current electronics & see if you like it passive. If not, then add a pre. nordstrand will match sizes if the current pick ups are an odd size. If the bass is comfortable & light that's gold right there.

 

[kleinenenten]

Yep. If I swapped out both the pickups and preamp, the mods would be worth more than the bass unless I snagged the pickups on the secondhand market. Not sure of the appropriate size designation, though.

Riis

That's one of the problems - the MK1 pickups are an odd size/shape. Bart (of course) make direct drop ins, but I think everyone else requires either special ordering a pickup or routing the cavity. One of the reasons I got the preamp changed before the pickups - there were many more options!

 

[ardgedee]

There is always the option of getting standard-sized pickups smaller than the Mk1 pickups and then using shells the size of the Mk1 pickups. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what some pickup makers do when they fulfill orders for odd sizes.

 

[Snert]

There is always the option of getting standard-sized pickups smaller than the Mk1 pickups and then using shells the size of the Mk1 pickups. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what some pickup makers do when they fulfill orders for odd sizes.

As I just posted on the EHB thread, "Even better, how about they make their pickups a more standard size like EMG 35/40/45?"

Ibanez are kicking themselves in the ass by using oddball sizes. I really like my SR806 but if the pickups were EMG sized, I could easily swap in other PUs, like EMGs. Or QTuners. Otherwise the bass is perfect for me. I'm going to rout mine to fit them, but it's a PITA I don't need. Why put bassists through the hassle when they must know many guitarists will swap out pickups, but fortunately for most, they're only in a couple of standard sizes, A, T, HB, P90 etc.

 

[stingray69]

FWIW, both the Aguilar DCB and Big Singles fit perfectly in my SR705 (previously w/MK1's) - no routing required.