Author Topic: Favorite rack mount preamp? (Read 324 times)

2400wattman · « **Reply #15 on:** December 06, 2008, 02:43:16 PM »

some luck Graeme, some damn luck!

jacko · « **Reply #16 on:** December 06, 2008, 03:32:19 PM »

Indeed Adam, I don't think I've ever won anything in my life.

george I posted about the navigator 9 posts up ;-)

graeme

georgie_boy · « **Reply #17 on:** December 08, 2008, 05:38:48 AM »

OOOOOPS!!

Sorry Graeme
You did extall the virtues of.to me.the best preamp on the market today!!

Thanks

George

bassman68 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 08, 2008, 07:29:40 AM »

I'm with Bob on this one. Playing in several bands always provides problems to me with 'signature' bass tones.
I hate having to tweak amp heads between numbers, especially in covers bands, so rely more so on my boss floorboard (GT-6B)for different patches & tone tweeks, having my amp set fairly flat, although my main amp head is a twin channel Markbass LMK with one channel set for fingerstyle & the other scooped slightly for slap. Any other adjustments are made from my Rogue, where the tone switches really come in handy.
When i went down the component rack route, i had a Trace elliot gp12 which was excellent at the time, but combining that with a RA 500 power amp & UV rack mount, the flight case weighed in at 6 stone! Mind you i think the Warwick Hellborg rack is quite weighty aswell, the power amp alone is about the 45lb + mark.
I envy players that can set their own signature tone & leave it, I'm sure the Eden navigator is a dream to use ( i used to use a metro twin channel combo with extension cabs)with a distinct Eden smoothness & versitility. The SWR Marcus pre-amp looks tasty as well & i've always wanted to track down an Alembic pre-amp, especially the super filter one but alas that looks to be 'work' to tweak the best tones from it.
As age creeps up & back problems!, weight issues are always fore-front of any rack seperates especially power-amps, to me, thats why i prefer the new(ish) 'digital' heads & neo speakers of the modern manufactures like Markbass,Genz benz etc.

Steve

daveski · « **Reply #19 on:** December 08, 2008, 12:05:01 PM »

I had the Trace GP12SMX series 6 for years,it was superb. I used it with two 4x10 cabs and it was amazing.
I sold it all a couple of years ago as i wanted something more portable and was in the same position as Loch.
I tried many different set ups but settled on the Ashdown Labs MK500 , this thing blew me away with the sound achievable(and the clever harmonic emphasis control).The people behind these where originally behind Trace. I more recently found out it's the same amp as the slap master Wojtek Pilichowski uses too, coupled with Ashdown 10 in drivers in there ABM cabs i really can't recommend this gear highly enough for the very very reasonable outlay.
Oh and by the way you don't have to be a slap fan to get the most from this amp either.

bkbass · « **Reply #20 on:** December 08, 2008, 12:26:32 PM »

Imiwa,try the ALembic Superfilter by itself as a solid state preamp. It'll surpass the tone flexibility of the Trace.It'll also be a lot less noisey. If you want to warm it up you can always put a cheap tube mic pre in front of it until you can add a FX1 or F2B. The other side of the coin has me recommending the Demeter for straight plug in and play tone. I say this because myself and a few of the bass players and stores who own them (that I've talked to) have everything set flat and the bass set on one. Again try and buy the superfilter first.Then add any of the aforementioned preamps later on. Good hunting and God bless.

kmh364 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 08, 2008, 02:09:38 PM »

Like BKBASS Barry says: Alembic F** + Alembic SF-2 + Big A** s/s amp of ur choice + speaker cab(s) of ur choice = Tonal Nirvana!

2400wattman · « **Reply #22 on:** December 08, 2008, 04:46:10 PM »

I run this through an SVT and sometimes two! I want to move into a bi-amp rig though to get the separation of frequencies.

jacko · « **Reply #23 on:** December 09, 2008, 01:26:24 AM »

Do you have help lifting that Adam? ;-)

Using the Stereo/bi-amp switch and crossover and balance controls, this gives me very good frequency separation on the occasions I feel the need to go down that route....

I'm thinking of getting another pair of speaker cabinets and running a pair of 2 ohm stacks (1200 Watts / channel)- a bit over the top for most of our gigs but it would be perfect for the bigger venues we play - plus, it would scare my guitarists senseless ;-)

graeme

(Message edited by jacko on December 09, 2008)

bassman68 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 09, 2008, 02:22:29 AM »

I like your reasoning Graeme!

georgie_boy · « **Reply #25 on:** December 09, 2008, 06:00:44 AM »

Graeme!!
Are you on drugs??

The sound of your rig at the Gathering was to say the least....superb!!
Why would you want to go for even more???

jacko · « **Reply #26 on:** December 09, 2008, 06:07:44 AM »

Mid life crisis?

Graeme ;-)

2400wattman · « **Reply #27 on:** December 09, 2008, 07:54:13 AM »

Graeme, I always need help to get that thing up on it's cabinet. The thing is at least 10-15 pounds lighter than my other rack which has my Aguilar DB 680 and Crown Macrotech 2400(which is 10-15 pounds heavier than the K2)and help is mandatory with that one!

crobbins · « **Reply #28 on:** December 11, 2008, 06:07:55 PM »

Yes, but does it go up to 11?

(Message edited by Crobbins on December 13, 2008)

2400wattman · « **Reply #29 on:** December 11, 2008, 07:44:39 PM »

Well it does go up to turn that damn thing down!!.