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The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

#24,721
I’ve got a UK assembled Ashdown Little Bastard 30 delivering tomorrow. I’ve got a More and I’m hoping it’s going to be able to deliver just that to this tube top. Might just mess around and get a neptunium because they’re a finite product but wanting to see if the extra volume the More provides will compensate for the breakup that everyone talks about when you push the LB30 preamp.

Am I delusional to think that the More can deliver more clean volume on this amp?
 
#24,722
broncobenshea said:
I’ve got a UK assembled Ashdown Little Bastard 30 delivering tomorrow. I’ve got a More and I’m hoping it’s going to be able to deliver just that to this tube top. Might just mess around and get a neptunium because they’re a finite product but wanting to see if the extra volume the More provides will compensate for the breakup that everyone talks about when you push the LB30 preamp.

Am I delusional to think that the More can deliver more clean volume on this amp?
Click to expand...
If you're putting the more in front of the amp it's likely to make it break up/drive the preamp harder vs whatever gain setting you have the amp dialled to, like using a bass with a higher output. if anything you'll likely end up with less clean volume. Unless I'm missing something obvious.
 
#24,723
broncobenshea said:
...wanting to see if the extra volume the More provides will compensate for the breakup that everyone talks about when you push the LB30 preamp.
Am I delusional to think that the More can deliver more clean volume on this amp?
Click to expand...
The MORE is literally a clean boost that also adds just a little bit of tube presence and depth. It will feed your LB30 a strong clean signal which sounds likely to push the preamp section into breakup.
With the 12AU7 that comes stock, the MORE can boost the signal into the LB30 by up to +24dB.

The MORE can't really increase the headroom of the LB30, that's largely determined by the preamp section.
Nor can the MORE increase the final output volume of the LB30, that's primarily determined by the four tubes in the power amp section and the sensitivity/efficiency of the speakers connected to the output transformer.

Jack
 
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#24,725
900se said:
Would the amp's 'effects send' be post pre-amp? It may be worth use the More to boost there?
Click to expand...
An amps' Effects Loop is generally between the preamp and power amp, so yes that could work.
If the LB30's breakup is coming from the preamp, bypassing the preamp would work; though that will also likely bypass all the controls on your amp except for Master Volume, so you'd need to do all your tone shaping before the MORE.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some power amp sections need to be driven pretty hard to get much volume, so you'd want to be feeding the MORE a pretty strong signal and also possibly want to swap its 12AU7 for a 12AX7 which would raise it's boost from +24dB to +33dB at max setting.
 
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#24,726
JackFawkes said:
An amps' Effects Loop is generally between the preamp and power amp, so yes that could work.
If the LB30's breakup is coming from the preamp, bypassing the preamp would work; though that will also likely bypass all the controls on your amp except for Master Volume, so you'd need to do all your tone shaping before the MORE.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some power amp sections need to be driven pretty hard to get much volume, so you'd want to be feeding the MORE a pretty strong signal and also possibly want to swap its 12AU7 for a 12AX7 which would raise it's boost from +24dB to +33dB at max setting.
Click to expand...
That's generally true... but the LB30 is different, in more ways than one. The first 12AX7 (labeled V3 rather than V1) is used as a unity-gain buffer that drives the effects loop, and its second section is where there's voltage gain. In other words, the effects loop is before the preamp and is at instrument (not line) level. Also, unlike usual practice, the SEND jack is switched, so if you plug something in there it prevents signal from going to the rest of the amp; if you SEND you have to RETURN otherwise there's nothing out.

You're not going to get massive volume out of it unless you have an efficient speaker. I have a CTM-30 (same amp, different case), it'a surprisingly loud into a good 4x10. But I use it when I've got PA support, take an output to the board from the DI (which is a separate winding on the output transformer), and the speaker is just your personal on-stage monitor. What you hear from your speaker is what's going to the PA. Turn it up until the meter starts hitting the red, and enjoy!
 
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#24,728
Newbie SB user here.

I started with an Underground Accelerator, but had a bit of an issue with controlling the Gain when using my active basses; and was unimpressed with the Radial ProDI mounted next to it.

Enter the Venus Z. Replaced both UA and ProDI. Still had a little issue with my higher output active instruments; until I replaced the ECC83S with a 5751. Then, the birds sang, the stars shone brightly, and all was well. One of the finest sounding preamps I’ve yet encountered. Might replace a bunch of my gear. :thumbsup:

IMG_6284.jpeg
 
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#24,729
Made a small change to the board. Found a good deal on the Octabvre MK I and I’m really digging it. The Neptunium ain’t going ANYWHERE. this thing sounds good. I’ve gotten some serious compliments on my tone since switching to it. It took me a minute to decide if I liked it, not because it didnt sound good, but because I was so used to hearing my basses straight through my amp ( which is a great amp, don’t get me wrong). Once I spent a little time with it and really got used to the FEEL of my bass through it, I was hooked.
IMG_4019.jpeg
 
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#24,730
bucephylus said:
Venus Z... One of the finest sounding preamps I’ve yet encountered.
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I'm obviously biased, but honestly I feel the same. I have a lot of preamp options to reach for when I play, and more often than not find myself reaching for Venus Z. The bassist in my band has one on his main board, and one of our guitarists uses one as a preamp/D.I. for his acoustic. It's really something special.

Glad you're enjoying it!
 
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#24,734
I'm not specifically familiar with the GK MB500 Fusion, but on my Ampeg SVT-3Pro there's a tube gain stage before the gain control. So putting any sort of a boost in front of a similarly-configured amp would enable driving the first tube a little harder than normal.

Whether that sounds good or bad will depend on the design of the preamp. There's certainly no harm in trying it to find out.
 
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#24,735
jpaulo said:
I have tried the Venus in front of a PF-50T, it helps push the ampeg pre-amp to breakup faster.
I guess More would do the same.
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I put a 12AU7 in V1 of my PF50T and a More in front of that and... maybe smoothest sound I've gotten out of that amp. Also using the More to push another thing into overdrive is something I recommend everyone to try in comparison to a regular boost.
 
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#24,736
I have used my More into the input of my Quilter V803 head and enjoy the range of outcomes that the More enables clearly from the Quilter. I've also used it before a number of my other heads and something good comes of it. As Nathan says, it really does give you more from your amp head- more tonal variations can be found and heard. That's the whole point. I did want to mention how much fun More is, fronting the V803.
 
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#24,739
Grand Slampegg should arrive tomorrow, can't wait to try it! :bassist: Now everybody stop hyping the Venus Z please. I'm moving house soon, so the budget is currently at zero. Finito.

Joking aside, between the SSDI, Neptunium and GS, I feel like I've managed to assemble my tube preamp trinity. Totally unnecessary luxury purchases, but it puts a big smile om my face and that's what we do it for, right?
 
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#24,740
Mayo Fan said:
Grand Slampegg should arrive tomorrow, can't wait to try it! :bassist: Now everybody stop hyping the Venus Z please. I'm moving house soon, so the budget is currently at zero. Finito.

Joking aside, between the SSDI, Neptunium and GS, I feel like I've managed to assemble my tube preamp trinity. Totally unnecessary luxury purchases, but it puts a big smile om my face and that's what we do it for, right?
Click to expand...
new house and new pedals?

Ramen never tasted so good.

:laugh:
 
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