How to get the best out of valve pre amps in amplifiers

[la bam]

Hi all,

Ive been playing around recently trying to get a few stock sounds ready for a new band.

I have an ashdown evo ii with the valve pre amp - and at first try the valve pre amp doesnt really do anything (it never did in my other band, so i just left it barely on).

However, ive been tweaking the high mids and using the zoom b3 ampeg svt sim and it is now seemingly coming to live adding a nice richness to the sound.

Just out of interest does anyone have any tips/settings etc for getting the most out of these type of valve pre amps? Baring in mind the amplifier sections are solid state / class d in some others?

[Jack]

Hit them with plenty of input volume. I always struggled with my sensitively set up, finger plucked Stingray, never with my modded p bass strung with rounds and played hard with a pick.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

[quote name='Jack' timestamp='1497284450' post='3317029']
Hit them with plenty of input volume.
[/quote]+1, that's the only time a valve will act all that much differently. IMO valves in the pre are only effective as a sales tool. The real 'magic' of valves happens when they're in the output stage.

[dannybuoy]

Depends on the amp. On the Orange Terror Bass for example, the input stage has ridiculous amounts of gain on tap, so even with a very low output bass you can get some serious tube warmth/distortion going. Not quite the same as power tubes like Bill says, but still a great sound as long as you don't overdo it.

[Dan Dare]

I do find a valve pre does make a difference. It isn't night and day and I agree with Bill that the power stage does have a much larger influence, but a valve pre does seem to sweeten/enrich the sound. You can play around with different types - Watford Valves and others do an enormous range of preamp valves (very often an ECC83/12AX7 in preamps). I find a slightly lower gain model better for bass. The high gain types are more for guitar applications and add a bit too much dirt to bass for my taste. But that's just my preference, so worth experimenting.

[Count Bassy]

Depends on the amp in my (limited) experience.

Marshall DBS7400, Marshall B150 combo - lots of effect when you blend the Valve pre-amp in. Not just marketing

Carvin BX ??? - no noticeable change between valve and SS preamps. Seems to be marketing led. Might as well have just taped a valve inside the case so they could say it had one.

Edited June 13, 2017 by Count Bassy

[radiophonic]

I run my Stingray into the passive input of my Hattke LH500. The loading of the two inputs is (according to manual) the same, but an active bass into the passive input gives an edgier tone. I assume I'm pushing the headroom and maybe clipping the valve a bit, although it's not audibly distorted. The active input has so much headroom, it might as well be solid state. It's pretty easy to tell the difference. I should probably try a few alternative valves too.

[Lozz196]

I usually have the valve thingy set to fully off on my ABM600, preferring a sharper on-stage sound, however on recording last week I turned it up halfway and there was a much richer depth to the sound. The harmonics also seemed to sing out more.

[Zummerbass]

My Carvin R600's preamp valve works best between 10-2 o'clock,adding a nice warm edge. On the other hand output control best at 3 o clock,anything beyond that is stupidly loud.

[Twincam]

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1497284698' post='3317033']
+1, that's the only time a valve will act all that much differently. IMO valves in the pre are only effective as a sales tool. The real 'magic' of valves happens when they're in the output stage.
[/quote]

I somewhat agree with it being mainly a sales tool as a valve in the pre can sometimes (depending on amp) make very little difference.
Then again I've heard amps with ss or valve pre amp options that do make somewhat more of a differences. But its still not that true valve sound.
As already said its the power output valves where the magic is, especially when driven harder.

In the case of Ashdowns use of the valve having owned a few abm's, I think the valve is ok for adding a hint of better harmonics when pushed. But not really like a full valve amp.