Members The Unknown Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Hi ! I play with headphones alot and since I already own a mixer, I plug in a preamp into the mixer's XLR input to practice. Right now, I'm using a SansAmp RBI, but I find it a bit noisy. I might be changing it for something else, but wouldn't spend a fortune. Any suggestions what to look at ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zachoff Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 My favoritest preamp, ever, is the Peavey Max Bass Preamp. For one, they're pretty cheap, and two... They sound good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rhythm Junky Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 This is what I have: http://www.gilmourish.com/?page_id=71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluedogaudio Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Yamaha PB1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpsands Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Yamaha PB1 Best pre I've owned or used. The Sansamps are really super noisy imho, and can't push a power amp hard enough for my tastes either. The 2u pre's are way overpriced and have too many gadgets on them in my opinion. Takes me about 5 seconds to set my tone with the Yamaha and it is really amazing. Other candidates I like:-BBE BmaxT - pretty good, sounds nice, fairly quiet, has some ok gadgets and is small. Get it on Ebay, best deals by far. -I have heard good things bout the Fender TBP-1, but it's awfully pricey -Demeter HBP-1 is probably what I would go for it I had the funds - the two band parametric is really more my style. But it's around 3x the cost of the PB-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpsands Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Another definitely possible option is to buy Presonus 1/2 rack mic preamp and the 1/3rd rack parametric eq. I don't know how the noise would be, but I'd expect it to be pretty decent based on my experience with mic pre's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Real MC Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Find a used Ampeg SVP-Pro, but make sure it doesn't have the stock chinese tubes as they are noisy and weak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluedogaudio Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Best pre I've owned or used. There are no doubt better preamps, but I don't think you can get a better preamp for the money. I have two of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RSBro Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Both Demeters are nice, as well as the Aguilar DB659, and another shout out for the BBE B-Max. Both models (tube pre and true SS) are excellent value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members countrybass Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 I have used until very recently, a Sansamp RBI and an Aguliar AGRO. Now I don't use any. I agree that the Sansamp is very noisy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Deep Bass Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Is the Sansamp RBI only noisy with headphones? I never noticed mine to be noisy, even on recordings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpsands Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 What I find is that in order to drive some power amps sufficiently you need to turn the gain up quite a ways, and in order to achieve some of the tones it can produce you need to turn the gain up quite a ways. Either way, by the time you add enough gain for me to like it it's noisy. It's not terrible, but it's enough for me to take a pass on it since it doesn't sound any better than other alternatives around the same price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpsands Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 There are no doubt better preamps, but I don't think you can get a better preamp for the money. I have two of them. Yeah, I haven't gotten to try a lot of boutique stuff but a combination of simplicity/ease of achieving tone, features, and cost/benefit, it's my favorite. You can get similar tones with a lot of pre's but the only ones I have liked about the same are 2u preamps which are a pain in the butt. The cost definitely plays a role in how much I love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 I never turn the gain on my RBI past 12 o'clock. It's not really a gain knob anyway: it's poorly named for the effect that it actually produces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 2manband Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 I have an older Trace Elliot GP 11 that I like a lot. They made them in preamp versions and with several different preamps. What kind of sound are you looking for? The Trace does a nice wooly rock sound, but probably wouldn't be the best for something like a hi-fi jazz sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Robin Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 This is what I have: http://www.gilmourish.com/?page_id=71 Buddy of mine used one of those in his rig back in the day. Linked to a McIntosh 2100 driving a pair of JBL 140's. Sweetness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Unknown Posted October 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 7, 2009 I have an older Trace Elliot GP 11 that I like a lot. They made them in preamp versions and with several different preamps. What kind of sound are you looking for? The Trace does a nice wooly rock sound, but probably wouldn't be the best for something like a hi-fi jazz sound. I've been an ampeg man when it comes to amps... but I tend to fond that what is supposed to emulate the sound of an ampeg never quite makes it really. So I guess a preamp that would let my basses do the talking would be nice... maybe a good affordable tube DI would do it then ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members heatheroo Posted October 7, 2009 Members Share Posted October 7, 2009 If you can find an old Roland SIP-301 they sound great and have a compressor and built in crossover.........and they usually go pretty cheap. I've been using one since 1982'ish with no break downs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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