CAE +3 SE or Mark IV

[bpm91]

Just wanted to get some opinions as I haven't tried the CAE but have a chance to swap my combo for it.

 

[Riven]

You'll fall in love with the 3+, I had the preamp for a while and compared it to a Triaxis and Egnater IE4.

3+ hands down. Professional, front to back

 

[camsna]

The 3+ comes in MANY iterations (SE, blackface, etc...). I'd e-mail John Suhr - [email protected] - and ask about all the different 'versions.'

But it's a KILLER! Amazing pre!

 

[bpm91]

Thanks for the responses. If the guy wants to do the deal, I think I'll just go right ahead and swap.

 

[Paul Secondino]

I had a 2005 or 2006 SE+ and it was cool but had been a part of a production that used inferior pots. The EQ and gain controls had the most unusable taper of any pots i have ever tried. There were quite a few threads about it on the HRI forum

That being said, The clean is the very best out there . The other channels are cool but for metal, you'll find yourself fighting the bass response. It's a very fat sounding preamp and the Mark 4 will chunk with ease where the 3+ will try to "boom" But on the other hand, the 3+ has superior mid gain tones. The MArk 4 can't compete there at all

 

[thetodd]

I ended up selling my 3+ preamp I had for a TriAxis back in 2002. Stupid move on my part. As much as I love the TriAxis, the 3+ was just amazing. Mine was one of the first ones, and the guy I bought it from got it from Steve Vai. Pretty sure mine was just a regular 3+, not an SE.

 

[bpm91]

I had a 2005 or 2006 SE+ and it was cool but had been a part of a production that used inferior pots. The EQ and gain controls had the most unusable taper of any pots i have ever tried. There were quite a few threads about it on the HRI forum

Good to know... seems the one I am looking at is about 2006, with John Suhr saying Ch. 1 is the exact circuit for the black face twin. I'll give it the full run-down before I trade anything.