WTB: Alembic Preamp F-1x or F-2b

[Rhythmdoctor]

I'm not actually sure what the difference between the two are, I just know I want an Alembic preamp for the rig I'm building. I have a 1983 Spoiler and currently shopping around to upgrade my amplification.  Currently using a GK combo amp but moving on to something better.  Once I secure this preamp I will be looking for a good cab/speaker setup.

[lbpesq]

Hi RD, and welcome to the club.   Both are great preamps.   I use an F-2B in my main guitar rig, and have an F-1X in the bass rig in my studio.   There are two significant differences.   The F-1X is mono and has an effects loop while the F-2B is stereo and doesn’t have an effects loop.  Hope that helps.

Bill, the guitar one.

[rv_bass]

…in addition, the F-1X has both crossover and full range outputs and a DI out.

I have both the F-1X and F-2B and love them

More info here as well…

https://alembic.stores.yahoo.net/preamps.html

[jazzyvee]

I have both and to my ears the F-1x sounds brighter and crisper toned and the F-2b is s warmer sounding preamp.

[hieronymous]

A lot depends on what you are trying to achieve - if you have a mono instrument like the Spoiler then F-1X might be the way to go - mono preamp that lets you split your signal if you want. F-2B has two inputs for a stereo instrument, or you can run your bass through one channel and something else (like bass-pedal synth in my case) through the other.

[Rhythmdoctor]

Thanks, everyone!

[lbpesq]

You can also use the old Fender trick to “jumper” Channel A to Channel B on the F-2B.   You plug your instrument into the first input on Channel A, then run a cable from the second input on Channel A to the input on Channel B.  Both channels will see the same signal, but you can adjust each individually for a stereo effect from a mono instrument.

Bill, tgo

[jazzyvee]

Thanks Bill, i am gonna try that. :-).
if i do that and use the mono out, is the end result any different from just using a mono jack from my bass into one input channel of the F2b?

[lbpesq]

Interesting question, Jazzy.  It sounds like you may wind up with something sort of like a two channel SF-2.  What I do is run the two channels of the F-2B into a Carvin DCM200L stereo power amp and then into two separate 1x12 cabs loaded with JBL K120s.

Bill, tgo

[Bob_Ross]

I have both and to my ears the F-1x sounds brighter and crisper toned and the F-2b is s warmer sounding preamp.

I've never listened to them side-by-side -- and, full disclosure, I haven't read the link to the Alembic site that rv_bass posted above, so I might be talking outta my butt in what could be a completely preventable faux pas! -- but my recollection of the circuit design is that the tone stack is identical between the two preamps...but that's the only part that's identical. F-1X has more solid state components in between the input and the tone stack than the F-2B does iirc.

Da hell do I know?

[edwardofhuncote]

Here was a thread with nice comparison a Club Member did a little while back using his Series I bass and one of each Alembic preamps as a test subject. There are audio files within.


https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=25102.msg251008#msg251008

[jazzyvee]

I have old ears and what i hear may not be accurate but the both sound great if you have a good sounding bass and want a simple way to get a great sound.

[Rhythmdoctor]

What's the power rating on these things?  I'm very new to gear and such and I'm thinking of running 2 cabs and wondering if I can do that with either of these?  Assuming yes but don't know for sure.

[jazzyvee]

Ok if you are new to gear then you may not understand that the pre-amp is not something you plug cabs directly into.
These are devices that raise the output of your bass to a level that can drive a power amplifier.
So to use one of these for gigging you will need to get a separate power amplifier and the output from the pre-amp goes into the power amp. Then you connect your cabs to the power amp
.
I use one with a lightweight Class D Crown XLS1502 power amp but you can use any number of power amps or even take the output of your F1-x or F2-b and run it into your existing bass amp via the power amp input or return socket of the send/return loop.
Just get one that satisfies you power you want to deliver.
Hope that helps.

[hammer]

As Jazzyvee indicated, the missing link here is the power amp. Your current setup has all of these components (preamp, power amp, speakers) built into one box. Convenient, but with nowhere near the flexibility or tonal possibilities of a separate preamp and the power of a stand-alone power amp.


When it comes to power amps nowadays you can get a lot of power for the price (and easily run more than a single cab). What your looking for is adequate headroom for the contexts in which you play (e.g. a metal band in large venues vs. a folk/bluegrass group with miked acoustic instruments in small clubs).  The better power amps also offer the option of stereo capabilities for those of us with series basses where you can run the neck PU through one channel to a separate cab and the bridge PU through a second channel to a different cab. People here use Crown, Yamaha, QSC, and a variety of other power amps a good deal of which have stereo/ two channel capabilities.


The other thing to think about is whether you’re going to be lugging that amp, preamp, and cabs all over the place or it’s going to sit in a studio. The new power amps can be serious light in weight as in 3-5 lbs versus 30 lbs. However when you add it all up a high quality combo rig is sometimes the way to go.


Of course, then there is the ultimate in tone shaping equipment, the Alembic SF2 that includes two filters with incredible range. But that’s a whole different story.