Yamaha PB-1 preamp

[iammr2]

My EA iAmp800 provides this feature; it's great to be able to push a button to engage/disengage the EQ section. That said, I've never seen a plot that shows its frequency response with the EQ section bypassed, so I can't claim it's truly flat in the bypass mode.

Had my iAmp500 hooked up to an analyzer yesterday. Utilizing bypass, it was flat as a board from say 8khz up to 15khz and then dropped off. Seemed to have a hump in the bass around 100hz. Bass is hard to read since it jumps around so much. Tried averaging and the hump still seemed to be there. With bypass switched off, about 8khz and above seemed to drop off a db. I'd attribute this to the extra resistance from putting more electronics into the path.

That bass hump seemed to 2-3db and then dropped a db just above it, but above that, everything seemed to be within +/- 1db.

Please keep in mind that this was not a lab quality setup, just software on a laptop. The software itself and the low quality of the soundcard I'm sure influenced the output.

 

[Jazzdogg]

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[ark amps]

My old PB-1 does sound nice, but I mainly use it for practice with headphones or as a backup to my Pearce BC-1 which is very cool and versatile, I had a hard time finding one!

It is funny seeing others who own the PB-1 and dig it, I expected players to knock it!

I may add a tonestack bypass switch now that you all mention it

 

[James Hart]

holy crap those Ark Amps are cool looking!!!

The clips are pretty hot too.

 

[Chef]

whoa!
thanks for making me look at those.

suh....
weeeet...

 

[Doufuss]

My brother had one of these pre's hooked up to a Proximity amp and 2 PA bathtub scoops with JBL K140 drivers. Proximity was a group of guys that morphed into Bryston over the years, the same philosophy etc. He ran it bridged mono so about 1100 watts. Probably the loudest rig in all of captivity, having to compete with two full stacks and a VERY loud drummer. Setup and teardown were fatigueing. Yikes!

He had the nicest tone I'd ever heard until Markbass came along. It was entirely due to the pre amp and to this day I can't figure out why they're not still being made.

 

[TheRubok]

Necro'ing this thread. I have the Yam PB1 pre. I'll say that it's probably the best tone shaping preamp I've ever owned for bass. I run it through a Mesa 2:95. With a Mike Lull bass built in the late 90s. I can't say enough about how that combo sounds. The built in crossover on the PB1 with two channels out is fantastic. 2 channels, 1 to the 2x10" Trace Elliot cab, and the other channel to a 1x15" Trace Elliot cab fitted with an old school Altec speaker from the late 70's (don't ask me, I bought it ages ago and have no idea what the dude was thinking, but it sounds damn fine).

The tone is pretty good if you want to hear all of my mistakes.. It isn't forgiving. But the tone is about as good as it gets. Someday I'll master the beast. It's been 35 years of bass playing. Someday I'll get it all together, but I'm not 15 years old with stars in my eyes anymore. I just want it to sound good!!!

P.S. The old Peavey TB Raxx tube preamp sounds great using this chain, but it has a different character. I prefer the PB1. It depends on the tone I'm looking for.

 

[TheRubok]

Something to add.. the TB Raxx has a noticeable natural compression that changes the character of the signal. It definitely offers natural tube compression to the signal, and is obvious when using an audio program like Reaper or Cubase, which provides a visual representation of the signal. It's a great alternative to my signal chain if I want to go all analog, but I find that the TB Raxx removes some of the natural fortes and pianissimos that I use my fingers to create. Both of those preamps sound great... but in my rig I don't have rack space to keep both. So my goto is usually the PB1. The notes breathe more without the natural tube compression from the TB Raxx. To each their own..

 

[Raw N Low]

Something to add.. the TB Raxx has a noticeable natural compression that changes the character of the signal. It definitely offers natural tube compression to the signal, and is obvious when using an audio program like Reaper or Cubase, which provides a visual representation of the signal. It's a great alternative to my signal chain if I want to go all analog, but I find that the TB Raxx removes some of the natural fortes and pianissimos that I use my fingers to create. Both of those preamps sound great... but in my rig I don't have rack space to keep both. So my goto is usually the PB1. The notes breathe more without the natural tube compression from the TB Raxx. To each their own..

Those are definitely two very different pre's as you mentioned, and I really like them both. If you get a chance, check out the Peavey Bassist preamp. It's a sleeper and has a very good warm response and a usable compressor.