4 channel valve pre amp.

[vitor gracie]

What if someone took my fancy drawing I created and made it a reality? I was thinking of the sounds I use and need with all of the Mesa rigs I have owned. I thought, it kinda all boils down to a Roadster that can do things that Roadsters don't really do. But the idea of a 4 channel amp is probably the perfect arrangement for me. So I decided, what sounds do I really, really use playing live?
1. I would want the clean channel from a Trem-O-Verb, glassy bright and pure with clarity and diction...
2. the gritty tones of of the Roadster's channel 2 on brit mode. I had a Boss Blues driver heavily modded to get that dirty not so clean driven sound. It passes close enough. Think Stevie Ray's overdrive rhythm tone
3. The Orange channel from the mighty 2 channel Dual Rectifier. nuff said
4. A VERY Mark sounding lead tone with gobs of mid range, girthy lows and a rounded off top end that sounds like butter pecan tastes. Way overloaded singing gain for really long notes and singing lead passages.

So 4 sounds in a single space rack unit that looks dangerously close to a Formula Pre. In fact, the image I made used a Formula as a scale model. If you stare at it long enough, you can almost hear the tone of this thing. Anyone want to build it for me? :mrgreen:

 

[mr_fender]

This kind of a thing is on everyone's wish list. I've been wishing for years to have a three channel amp that has Fender cleans, Marshall crunch, and Boogie leads. The problem is these are three different creatures. Getting them all in one box that is seamlessly footswitchable is more than a simple task. There are so many nuances that live in the entire amps circuit (preamp, power supply, poweramp, output transformer, speakers, etc.) that make up the amps tone. It's possible, but far from cheap or simple. It usually ends up being easier to just use separate amps and a/b or use an amp switcher. Some products come close, but they never quite get you all the way there. My Mark IV does a pretty good Fender style clean and perfect Boogie lead. It can get a passable Marshall style crunch, so it's a close compromise. All in one units are always a bit of a compromise. Digital modeling stands to fill this role, but the technology just isn't there yet. Again, close but not quite there.

 

[vitor gracie]

Well, to be honest I was thinking of just a pre-amp by itself. And also, was planning to have only Mesa tones in it. Trem O Verb clean channel, Roadster Brit channel, 3rd channel would be the Orange sound from a 2 Channel Recto, and the 4th that glorious Mark lead sound we all know and love. I really think within reason and compromise it can be done.

 

[Danimal]

The Randall RM4/Egnater M4 would fit the bill except it's two rack spaces instead of one. And you'd have way more choices for tones than just those listed.

Also, the image didn't show up for me, just the dreaded "red x" error. :?:

 

[tribalfusion]

London Power is making one with more options than anything to date but it will be quite pricy (it is called the Studio preamp)

Ciao

 

[vitor gracie]

link to my photobucket album:

http://i644.photobucket.com/albums/uu162/vitorgracie/Valve-Pre/Valve-pre4.jpg

and by the way... the Randall RM4 is the way to go it seems. I never new this existed. 2 spaces and 4 different pre amps is a God send for me! I have only played the amps with the modules. The last one I plugged into was the Kirk Hemmet one and I was REALLY REALLY impressed with it. I gotta have one! lol You made my day Danimal!

I just wish Mesa made a version of this, but then we wouldn't be buying amps from them now would we? just modules. lol

 

[Danimal]

I gotta have one! lol You made my day Danimal!

I just wish Mesa made a version of this, but then we wouldn't be buying amps from them now would we? just modules. lol

Very true, I'd buy a Mesa version in a heartbeat though.

The Egnater modules are two channel, so you actually get an EIGHT channel preamp. Oh how cool is that?

Every so often I come really, really close to getting one and then I realize it's too expensive for me and stick with what I've got. I do have the channel switching power amp that accompanies the RM4 and love it!