GremlinAndy

I'm just going to say a few words here guys. Because this is info some of you may have been keeping quiet.

[i][b]"If you can possibly try an Aggie DB680, then you should."[/b][/i]

I bought one fairly recently, and it was like an epiphany! I have always prided myself on having a good sound. But after hearing my sound through this pre I realised that I've been missing my best possible sound by quite a margin.

Now it's not like I don't have experience of other pre's... I currently own: A Bass pod Pro XT, an Alembic F1-X, A Hughes and Kettner "Fortress", Trace Elliot MP11, GP12, GP11 MK5, Sans Amp, and a couple of other not worth mentioning. Plus A lexicon MPX G2 which has a great pre in it's own right.
Some have a tube upfront, some are just SS, but NONE of them have the sweet tones of the 680. You might, like me, have read some reviews, and while people rave about the 680, it's true to say that the owners of many other pre's rave about thiers too. Well I would have to say, PLEASE try this out for yourself and make a call yourself, if you can possibly get access.

The Aggie makes your sound more tonally pleasing than ever before, it makes the high notes more balanced with the lows, (bye bye reedy thin highs, hello fat fullsome singing highs.) Yet the lows ring with a bell like quality ...and "sympathetic frequencies" (I'm searching for the correct phrase here, forgive me), previously unheard, come to the fore and add to the richness of the sound...
It's a MARKED difference. You'll even find that the drummer notices (sorry drummers that was a cheap shot. But *actually* true) that the bass guitar is more pronounced, but not overpowering.
If anything it sits in the mix much easier. The difference is very musical.

I've had mine for a while now, but I've resisted actually raving about it, because I wanted to get me a second one before I potentially increased the competition on them. However I ordered my *spare* one today and it's on it's way. A mark of how impressed I am with this pre is the very fact that I *NEEDED* to secure a second one in case my first one ever fails. And with a retail of nearly £1000 that's not an easy call. ...but that does maybe tell you just how good this thing is.

[b]Pro's: [/b]the best sound bar none! Nuff' said!

[b]Cons: [/b]If you want a dirty filthy overdriven sound, then I have to warn you... Thats the only sound the 680 can't accomplish (actually, hardly at all) You should look elsewhere for that particular sound. And the price... The 680 cost me double my second most expensive pre, but honestly, it's worth every penny if you can afford it.

Andy

pm'd

Yep I agree 100% ...they're quite ugly. And the low response is very dissapointing.
I thought he might do a 2x15 in the same compact fashion as a 1210 very minimal sized and with uber lows. but no...

Yeah mate you may well be right.
I've been gassing for tubes since I bought an Aguilar DB680 just before Xmas, ...because the sonic difference between the Aggie and all my previous pre's made me think that my lifetime reliance on SS, (or ss with single tube assistance) might have been a terrible mistake...

I fairness the sound I'm producing right now with the Aggie and Powersoft makes me nearly do a sex wee...
So you see, it's not that I'm unhappy, but my recent purchace made me wonder if there's *even more* I've been missing...

My first thought was, not towards selling my Powersoft, but certainly *trying* a tube power section instead. ...However looking around reveals that there's really not much by way of choice out there, unless I'm missing something.

Dave:
Heh heh Cheers buddy. I thought as much...
I was considering moving away from the incredibly convenient Digam 3002 amp I'm using, in favour of tubes, and just began dreaming of some kind of utopian solution...
I think it would have to be based on Dr Who technology though... ah well, it shall remain the stuff of whimsy then.

Lee-Man:
yeah I thought as much...

oooof! That's a bit far I guess.

I dunno, I really like the looks of that baby though.

I'll sit tight until the gas builds up, or it sells...

where are you based buddy?
I may be interested in the MM

I've been considering trying to get hold of not just one, but two aggie DB 728's.
The main offputting thing for me would be the sheer weight. (of course, that's if you ignore the unavailablity...)

So my thoughts got to ticking over, and I was wondering what the possibility of 2 all tube power-amps of "max" power output (jeez I dunno what that means. 400 each? more? ...discuss!) in one rack mount box might be.
Wouldn't have to be bridgeable... would it fit in a 3u rack? (or is that just funny?) and ideally it wouldn't need a forklift to move it... (oxymoron?) Yes that's right I want the moon on a stick. And the stick should be *another* moon. ...And each moon should be Suns.

It would be interesting to me to know if this would be feasable, cost effective/prohibitive?

It's just a thought process atm, but who knows... maybe it would be in demand in numbers as high as in excess of [i]almost[/i] one. (me)

Mind you I'm drinking vodka....

Andy

Ah, you went with the unconventional choice of the "For Sale" section for this post then?

I had one of these back in the 80's. So insignificant was it's impact on me that I don't even recall what happened to it. I don't have it now, or for a long time ...so I can only conclude I gave it to some poor soul, who probably also can't recall where it went...

Don't waste your money buying this pile of worthless crapola.

My [i]Peterson Stroborack [/i]arrived a couple of weeks ago. Well what can I say. It's fast, accurate and does a whole load of "[i]sweeteners[/i]" and the like, which are a bit beyond my needs, and is much more accurate yet stable/usable. It also has a neat programmable scrolling message function, which has no reason to exist on a tuner, other than it's a cool effect. It's *the* most fantastic piece of kit, but [u]very[/u] expensive, so unless you have money to burn, I'd stick with my previous rack tuner, the Korg dtr2000 which I keep in my studio rack now.

Overview:
Looks: 9/10
Build Quality: 9/10
Ease of use: 10/10 (basic use) 5/10 (extended use)
Price/Value for money: 5/10 (so expensive and just does the same job as a *much* cheaper unit)
Overall: 7/10 (low [b]only[/b] because of price)

Andy

I can also vouch for the Tascam BT Mkii
It's the most empowering purchase you can imagine, because
A: It's small and portable,
B: Sounds great
C: Inaudible to neighbors,
D: has effects built in. (not recording quality but good enough for the purpose)
E: I'm sure there's an "E" but I ran out of steam.

I love mine and wouldn't like to be without it.

I think the MP3 one would be handier, but wasn't available when I bought mine. So I would suggest the MP3 one.

Nuff said.


Andy

Isn't that a 6u box?

I'm sorely tempted by this. Especially if it *is* 6u

Arrived today.
Will get the cheque for postage in the post tomorrow morning since I missed the post today. (...or will have by the time I get home to my cheque book).

Thanks.


I have a bass pod pro xt, I don't like it.

..well, erm it's ok but I'm hoping the Lexicon is easier to use live than the totally unusable (maybe I'm thick) Bass pod. The bass pod seems to have so many differing sounds, almost none of which are to my liking.


Maybe I won't like the Lexicon either. Fussy bugger.

Well you can bet your a55 I'll make good use of it!
I can't wait, especially after such glowing recommendation!

Thanks Nk for a splendidly easy transaction.

Well this might be controversial, but I find it easier to learn the vox first, then learn the bassline. If you know the vox first you tend to have them in your head as you learn the bassline, and when you've learned the bassline the vox come a bit more second nature. If I learn the vox after, I find I have to re-learn how to play the bassline again *with* the vox.

Subtle difference, but for me, it makes *all* the difference.

I love it when you nail a vocal line that is counter intuitive to the bassline. It's very rewarding.
I did lead vocals for a while, but because my voice is good-average, rather than great, I'd rather use my voice as a great backing vocalist. It's a real strength for a bassist to have great backing vox.
I've never been short of work when I wanted it anyway.

Andy

...possibly sold