The Sushi Box FX Secret Society

[Sushi Box FX]

Me: I have a couple days before parts orders start showing up so I finally have a little downtime between batches to get caught up on things that have been waiting for me for weeks now.

Also me: I'll bet I could make a pretty cheap hybrid amp with a UA or Slampegg as a preamp and a 500W class-D power amp.

EDIT: Looks like I could bump that up to 800W for like $50 extra.

 

[Nuage420]

Me: I have a couple days before parts orders start showing up so I finally have a little downtime between batches to get caught up on things that have been waiting for me for weeks now.

Also me: I'll bet I could make a pretty cheap hybrid amp with a UA or Slampegg as a preamp and a 500W class-D power amp.

EDIT: Looks like I could bump that up to 800W for like $50 extra.

The Luv Boat!

 

[Skip Chucker]

Me: I have a couple days before parts orders start showing up so I finally have a little downtime between batches to get caught up on things that have been waiting for me for weeks now.

Also me: I'll bet I could make a pretty cheap hybrid amp with a UA or Slampegg as a preamp and a 500W class-D power amp.

EDIT: Looks like I could bump that up to 800W for like $50 extra.

Super Slampegg?? Now with extra SLAM!

Underground Afterburner?? Where we're going, we don't need roads..

 

[Sushi Box FX]

Seriously though, I really have other stuff like repairs I need to finish up.

But I may be taking some more time off this fall to explore amps. I've been helping a guitarist on another forum with a preamp design, and he mentioned that he wanted to eventually turn it into a hybrid amp design and asked my opinion on the power amp design he was looking at, and based on that I accidentally designed an 800W amp in my head.

Also super quick Gondwana update (since there aren't any July batch updates yet), the guy I talked to at NAMM is still willing to help with the digital design, but he doesn't seem to be in a hurry to help with the design. So I'm considering doing a "Gondwana Mini" with just the tube IR loader section and two IR patches, as that's about the limit of my digital skills. I want to play with just the IR section with a number of things as it will help me decide if I can work simple IR functionality into some other projects.

 

[lomo]

…. I accidentally designed an 800W amp in my head.

That sounds amazing, in my head as well as yours and doubtless those of countless other Sushi Box fans, but I caution that getting the amp from your cerebral cortex to market at a profit while not overloading all your parallel life circuits might be bumpy. The amp space exists at a much loftier price point……much less subject to impulse buying……I suspect most TBers who have a bag o’ pedals only have 1-3 heads……and are a lot more prone to buying another pedal than another head…….but on the other hand a head would involve many of the same unit/ be more consistent in terms of production…I dunno……my expertise is medical imaging, so wadoo I know………but I am reminded of Kliban’s cleverly captioned cartoon. I will eagerly be watching the Sushi Space while enjoying your magnificent pedals.....

 

[bonin in the boneyard]

Keeping it simple:

The Finally sounds lovely even all by itself like this.

 

[bassbrad]

Me: I have a couple days before parts orders start showing up so I finally have a little downtime between batches to get caught up on things that have been waiting for me for weeks now.

Also me: I'll bet I could make a pretty cheap hybrid amp with a UA or Slampegg as a preamp and a 500W class-D power amp.

EDIT: Looks like I could bump that up to 800W for like $50 extra.

As exciting as that is I don't expect to be playing through a traditional bass amp very often, these daze I use an appropriately sized powered speaker as a monitor voiced by a preamp on my pedalboard. Easier to transport and more flexible.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

That sounds amazing, in my head as well as yours and doubtless those of countless other Sushi Box fans, but I caution that getting the amp from your cerebral cortex to market at a profit while not overloading all your parallel life circuits might be bumpy.

I completely agree. Plus since it would likely run at line AC voltage it would be a lot trickier to deal with following commercial power requirements than it is for 9-12VDC power in. But it's one of those things that's a case of "I want one for myself, so I'll build at least one and see what happens from there." Just like my rackmount Black Eye/power amp sim/IR loader/D.I., or my 5W B-15N practice amp.

 

[Hasty]

Me: I have a couple days before parts orders start showing up so I finally have a little downtime between batches to get caught up on things that have been waiting for me for weeks now.

Also me: I'll bet I could make a pretty cheap hybrid amp with a UA or Slampegg as a preamp and a 500W class-D power amp.

EDIT: Looks like I could bump that up to 800W for like $50 extra.

So that might answer my question. I ordered the Underground Accelerator in the July batch, then was wondering if I was getting the right tool for the job. Sent you a message on your website a few weeks ago but hadn't heard back yet. Figured you were busy with orders or catching up on stuff.

I was wondering if the Underground Accelerator would be a good choice to drive a power amp as a true preamp circuit and not just a boost. I tried reading through all 650+ pages of this thread at the time, but it started making my brain hurt. Too much info to digest in a short amount of time.

I had also considered the Finally since it has the DI option... but now all the built slots are gone. Hoping I made the right decision on that one.

 

[Sushi Box FX]

So that might answer my question. I ordered the Underground Accelerator in the July batch, then was wondering if I was getting the right tool for the job. Sent you a message on your website a few weeks ago but hadn't heard back yet. Figured you were busy with orders or catching up on stuff.

I was wondering if the Underground Accelerator would be a good choice to drive a power amp as a true preamp circuit and not just a boost. I tried reading through all 650+ pages of this thread at the time, but it started making my brain hurt. Too much info to digest in a short amount of time.

I had also considered the Finally since it has the DI option... but now all the built slots are gone. Hoping I made the right decision on that one.

Not sure how I missed your message on the website, sorry about that. But yes, Underground Accelerator's output is sufficiently hot that it can easily drive a power amp. It is designed as a true preamp, not just a boost.

 

[CochinoBass]

I've run my UA into the FX loop return on my GK 400RB and it drives it no problem and it sounds great.

 

[lomo]

....just an update as I did another direct comparo of my HW UA with my SMD UA.....although I am not at the location where my interface and looper live (which would have allowed a "proper" A/B recording of the same loop played through both), I did go to the trouble of swapping/using the same 12ax7 in both........the HW unit does indeed sound a bit fuller to my ear when it's at the end of clean/ on the precipice of breaking up (where I prefer it).......I'd never hear this in a mix, and I can't tell the difference once they're frankly overdriven, but they do sound "not quite the same".

 

[lomo]

I've run my UA into the FX loop return on my GK 400RB and it drives it no problem and it sounds great.

Cool. I much prefer my UA run through the amp's front end so I can use the amp's active eq to nudge 'n' sculpt the mids.

 

[CochinoBass]

I normally run it through the front end for the same reason, but I was curious if it would drive the amp by itself, which it does easily.

 

[Hasty]

Not sure how I missed your message on the website, sorry about that. But yes, Underground Accelerator's output is sufficiently hot that it can easily drive a power amp. It is designed as a true preamp, not just a boost.

Cool. Thanks for that update. I wasn't super worried, as I figured that was the case.

I'm building up a smaller rig with my Straight Ahead Power Amp from Jay Ganz and need a good and consistent pre to drive it. I have a Grace Felix, but I was wanting something smaller that wasn't quite so clean. I've been hankering for a tube driven pre so I thought this might be just what I needed.

Was torn between the UA and the Finally, but wasn't exactly sure which would best fit my needs. Thought the DI option might be nice since the Straight Ahead is nothing but a power amp... so I was having second thoughts about the UA and maybe doing the Finally instead. However, if the UA sounds similar to an Alembic F-2B then I'll be happy and just use my passive DI when needed.

 

[FronTowardEnemy]

Cool. Thanks for that update. I wasn't super worried, as I figured that was the case.

I'm building up a smaller rig with my Straight Ahead Power Amp from Jay Ganz and need a good and consistent pre to drive it. I have a Grace Felix, but I was wanting something smaller that wasn't quite so clean. I've been hankering for a tube driven pre so I thought this might be just what I needed.

Was torn between the UA and the Finally, but wasn't exactly sure which would best fit my needs. Thought the DI option might be nice since the Straight Ahead is nothing but a power amp... so I was having second thoughts about the UA and maybe doing the Finally instead. However, if the UA sounds similar to an Alembic F-2B then I'll be happy and just use my passive DI when needed.

Get both if you can. I use mine for IEM, or going to an amp.

 

[Hasty]

Get both if you can. I use mine for IEM, or going to an amp.
View attachment 4743399

Curious… what advantage would both give me?

I’m only driving an amp and don’t use IEMs anymore. Not against the idea, just want to know more.

 

[CochinoBass]

I see a lot of people with SB preamps using DG Hyper Luminal compressors, that must be a good pairing. I like the Markbass Compressore with the UA but I think if I was going to buy another compressor it would be the Hyper Luminal.

 

[Hasty]

For context... This will most likely be the makeup of my rig. I'm currently building a new pedalboard, as I've outgrown my small one... and the larger one is electric only. So this one will be in between and hopefully hold exactly what I need. Until I change my mind again.



I'm running a doubler setup. The signal path would be like this:

Double Bass> ToneDexter>Goodwood Audio Junction>Underground Accelerator> Straight Ahead Power Amp> MAS 16

Electric Bass> OvniFX Smoothie> Valvecaster> Goodwood Audio Junction> Underground Accelerator> Straight Ahead Power Amp> MAS 16

Of course all that is subject to change once I add the preamp. I might swap the older smoothie for my newer one off the big board, I also have a Tumnus and a HaunTaun that might take the place of the Valvecaster. Or possibly an octave? Never really know... I can be fickle with things like that. But realistically, it will probably stay close to what is pictured.

 

[FronTowardEnemy]

I see a lot of people with SB preamps using DG Hyper Luminal compressors, that must be a good pairing. I like the Markbass Compressore with the UA but I think if I was going to buy another compressor it would be the Hyper Luminal.

The DG Hyper Luminal was a happy surprise when running multiple Sushi pedals. It seems to filter out the noise, either on or off, associated with multiple tube gain stages.

I have a Becos Stella which I prefer over the HL, however the noise level is too much with multiple Sushi pedals that the HL filters out completely.

I do find the HL to be very punchy with my Sushi pedals.