I finally got all three Alembic Tone Racks

[rv_bass]

I have these three units too.  I use an F2-B with my guitar rig, each Chanel going to a separate speaker cab.  I find it easier to connect my F-1X to my SF-2 for use with my bass.

[pauldo]

Pure happiness 

...and the ability to AB test for the community I guess.

Nice!
I would be happy with just one unit...   

[mario_farufyno]

Picure,
What is the rationale for having an F-1X AND an F-2B?

Pure happiness 

Love it!

[glocke]

I could never decide if i wanted an F1X or an F2B.  Now I know what the answer is. Get both.

[jazzyvee]

An S-F2 is a great alternative to an F-2b  or F-1x and allows almost limitless eq possibilities. As you may recall i have this setup in one of my racks and it sounds incredible.
However it does take some time to be able to use it confidently because the Sf2 is so dominant that if you are not careful you can set it up so that changes you make on the bass are filtered out by the Sf2 and you don't hear what you expect. Will Gunn uses this setup on a filterless series bass which makes good sense. Sf2 is much easier to use in the send/return loop of the f1x 

[edwin]

Here's my rack from the 90s that includes all three preamps.

[glocke]

An S-F2 is a great alternative to an F-2b  or F-1x and allows almost limitless eq possibilities. As you may recall i have this setup in one of my racks and it sounds incredible.
However it does take some time to be able to use it confidently because the Sf2 is so dominant that if you are not careful you can set it up so that changes you make on the bass are filtered out by the Sf2 and you don't hear what you expect. Will Gunn uses this setup on a filterless series bass which makes good sense. Sf2 is much easier to use in the send/return loop of the f1x 

I actually have an SF2 hooked up to my Demeter Preamp going through 2 Bag End 1x15's.  Thats my "living room" rig.  Sounds great, but sadly Im far too lazy to break that down on a routine basis for gigs. 

I still want an Alembic Pre to toy with though.  Problem is I just don't know which one I'd be better off with. 

[synapticgroove]

So, would a filterless Alembic (i.e., Epic) ran into the S-F2 provide one with most of the goodness of a Series 2?

[jwright9]

edit

[synapticgroove]

So, would a filterless Alembic (i.e., Epic) ran into the S-F2 provide one with most of the goodness of a Series 2?

Epics have a filter.

Ok, I mean a Q switch/potentiometer.  Is the bass boost/reduce, treble boost/reduce on an Epic anything at all like the filters on a Distillate, Signature or Series instrument?

[mica]

So, would a filterless Alembic (i.e., Epic) ran into the S-F2 provide one with most of the goodness of a Series 2?

Epics usually have a bass and treble control, and while an SF-2 will give you access to low-pass filtering and Q controls of a Series I/II, it can't sound like the massive single coil pickups on a Series I/II bass. The range on the SF-2 is 45Hz=6KHz, on the basses it's about 300Hz-6KHz. The SF-2 also has high-pass and band-pass modes. So it has more range of tonal possibilities than a Series I/II, but it doesn't have the initial input from the strings to the pickups, so it really won't sound like a Series I/II.

[synapticgroove]

Thanks, Mica! Great info to know 👍