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what are pre-amps?

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by mikey patrick ., Oct 12, 2001.

  1. Oct 12, 2001 #1
    mikey patrick .

    mikey patrick .

    Oct 2, 2001
    los angeles.
    i am new to this bass thing so please excuse my ignorance, but i was wondering what is the purpose of having pre-amp, like a sansamp?
    thanks. mikey patrick.
     
  2. Oct 12, 2001 #2
    joel the bass player

    joel the bass player Supporting Member

    Nov 27, 2000
    Omaha, NE
    Preamps are things that allow you to tailor your stock bass sound to one that is to your liking and then send the signal to a power amp. Preamps don't have any power and are useless unless you have an amp.

    jtbp
     
  3. Oct 12, 2001 #3
    Acepiloto

    Acepiloto

    Aug 25, 2000
    Basically a preamp is used for coloring of your sound, or in other words, sculpting of tone. As for the SansAmp, it gives a warmer tube sounds that can also give you a bit of overdrive. EQ is also something that is on most preamps (Bass, Mid, Treble, etc.) so you can fine tune your tone. Some preamps are located directly on your bass in the form of an eq.

    A seperate power amp is needed in order to play through speakers, this is common practice to have a seperate preamp and poweramp.

    Some of the more common preamps for bass are: Line 6 Bass Pod :D; Sansamp Bass Drive DI; SWR Interstellar Overdrive, and Grand Prix; Ampeg SVP-Pro; Zoom 506; along with many others.

    I hope I have been of some sort of assistance in this matter.
     
  4. Oct 12, 2001 #4
    FalsehoodBass

    FalsehoodBass

    Jul 22, 2001
    Denver, CO
    agreeing with what they both said.. most amps you see in a guitar store are both a preamp and poweramp in the same box.. the swr bass 750, Ampeg SVT4, EdenWT, just to name a few.. most companies only make one, maybe 2 preamps and a slew of different preamp/poweramp combos. Those are essentially the same preamp with different poweramps built into them. WHen starting, its normally cheaper to get a bass amp w/ both things in it, but when you get to more high-end equipment, its cheaper, and gives you more options when you buy everything seperately.