Freddie75 Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Hi guys, I recently acquired a Crown XTI 2000 power amp and am now on the hunt for a preamp. I want a rackable pre and not a pedal. I am currently using this with the Aguilar tonehammer pedal - and through a genz neox 212t. I would prefer to get a tube pre but for clean/warm sound - not really into dialing in any dirt as would use a pedal for that. Any recommendations based on personal experience would be appreciated and particularly if you also use or have used the Crown XTI. I best mention that I primarily play funk / dance / R&B covers and my favourite tones would have to be that of players like Zender, Turner, etc. I know that tone is in the fingers for the most part but just looking at something to help me along the way......... Many thanks Freddie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krysh Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I never personally tried either, since I went the custom pedal tube preamp route but for 1u I suggest either demeter, an old aguilar, alembic or go 2u and try the new hype: http://www.juleamps.com/bass/monique.html... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 warwickhunt has his Hellborg preamp up for sale - i've got one and it's awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 There is an EBS up on the amps for sale forum somewhere. I have no experience of them (possibly the only variant of 1U I have not got around to trying oddly enough), but they are very highly thought of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Woops, there it is. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/223796-ebs-classic-bass-preamp/page__hl__ebs__fromsearch__1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Alembic FX1 and Demeter hbp -1 go for around the £300 mark 2nd hand. Both are very fine. The Alembic is not super versatile, but it does what it does extremely well. The Demeter has more EQ options. I had a long affair with a Demeter and catalogued it here. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/26029-demeter-hbp-1-pre-amp/page__p__1146966__hl__demeter__fromsearch__1#entry1146966 . By now I am running a Monique and an old TC 1114. They are very different but both really nice. The TC (when they come up) seems to go for absolute peanuts. The sad bit is that my ears are now knackered and I cannot play without earplugs so all the detail is totally lost on me. Don't let that be you kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 The old Trace Elliot V-Type pre-amp was lovely and woorked really well for me. I didn't have the rack unit but had a 4808 combo and a V4. The tone circuit is apparerently the old Fender design which pretty much works as well today as it ever did.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 If you're after an Aguilar type tone (as per your Tone Hammer and because they provide Paul Turner's live sound) then the closest I can think of would be the Monique referenced above. I know at least one gigging pro that uses Aguilar almost exclusively but has switched to Monique for some smaller gigs and recording. They really do sound amazing. Pretty expensive over here but the cost is all in the quality of build and circuitry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4lve Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Peavey T.B.Raxx if you can find one. Doubt you will find better value for money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The fasting showman Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 The old Ashly SC40 instrument preamp sounds great, has a brilliant eq section, and has been used by a lot of big names over the years. Yet another piece of gear I flogged for next to nothing back in the late '80s...sigh. I've seen them turn up for around £200ish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 I have an 'as new' Hellborg pre for sale (sales section); fantastic pre but I am presently wedded to my Thunderfunk. I have to confess that I am 90% certain it'll be sold next week but you never know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 http://www.davehallamps.co.uk/page48.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzyvee Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 I can recommend the Alembic F1-x. I've had one since around 2004 and use it with a QSC power amp. It's a pretty basic unit in terms of it's bass mid and treble controls compared to many other bass pre-amps available on the market but it does enable me to get the sound I want easily without much fuss. Jazzyvee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dincz Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 If you're getting the dirt elsewhere, you don't have to restrict yourself to bass preamps. It might be worth looking at mic preamps/channel strips as well. They often include very flexible parametric eq, compressor, noise reduction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 make sure your preamp has enough juice for the input sensitivity of your amp btw... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 [quote name='V4lve' timestamp='1386248502' post='2297646'] Peavey T.B.Raxx if you can find one. Doubt you will find better value for money. [/quote] Agree completely - they're great preamps; mine's paired with an old Classic Series 60 for those times I fancy a bit of all-valve action. I'm sure I recall reading that the only difference between the T.B.Raxx and T.G.Raxx (guitar version) is the lettering on the front, so you potentially have an easier search and, as a bonus, a multi-purpose preamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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