If you could buy any tube preamp, what would it be???

[Monsta-Tone]

I'm really leaning toward a Triaxis.
I need as much versatility as possible. We play anything from Santana to Slayer and tons of originals that range in tones from Allman Brothers to Zappa to Mastodon.

I want something that has flawless patch changes and takes effects really well.
It also has to sound like a real amp, not a processed piece of crap!
I want the signal chain to be mostly tube, a little solid state is ok.
I don't want any FX in the preamp.


I've owned:
JMP-1 - very easy to use, but not enough gain. Nice sustain though.

MP-1 - very easy to use, but not enough gain, preset glitches, and used to be hard to get serviced.

Roland GP-100 - really cool sounds, but in the end, the JMP-1 won for the tube tones.

Digitech crap - I've had just about everything they made up until the 2112, that was the last one I bought. They always sound great at bedroom level, but sound thin and feeble at higher volumes.

Carvin Quad X - I didn't know much about tube amps or tubes back then. I sold it because it had a horrible hissing noise that I couldn't even dial out with the built in noise gate!




I am thinking a Triaxis with a 2:90 or 50/50.


My setup will be:
Guitar: PRS McCarty or Carvin DC747
FX: TC Electronic G-System & a Morley Bad Horsie II wah pedal.

 

[iFreedom]

MP-1 - very easy to use, but not enough gain, preset glitches, and used to be hard to get serviced.
quote]

I've owned an MP-1 for about 4 months and at first I loved it, then I hated it, and now i'm am finally learning how it tweek it (and my VHT2502 poweramp) and mic my cab properly and have actually found a very satisfying tone (mostly play metal c-tune). I hated it it so much that I've still got it up for sale to buy a mark V but I am second guessing now.

I've read other reviews that say not enough gain-which floors me. I've run groove tube and JJ's for preamps and they put out copious amounts of gain and sustain (and noise) on the MP-1. When I ran that much gain through a mix, it washed out the "body" of my tone. So I cut back with 1 JJ and 1 EH.

The cleans are outstanding especially if you lightly touch it with the built in chorous...BINGBONG!

But, I've never played a triaxis and I have no doubt that'll give mesa tone instantly, but the price, ouch. I too was to a buy one, but back then I couldn't find one used and new price was outrageous.

I've heard the mesa Quad is outstanding, too bad thoughs seem to be impossible to buy.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I thought about a Quad too, but the physical size of it just doesn't seem practical to me.
I love the thought of the Triaxis being 1 rack space!

 

[sepsis]

CAE+SE or maybe a Soldano X99

 

[Turumbar82]

Maybe look into an some ENGL preamps. I have an E530 that I'm loving a lot right now. Great clean sounds all the way to super tight and heavy.

If I had the money though I would go for a Triaxis though. The GC I used to live near always had one and I would always play on it when I went there and I thought it was awesome!

 

[Bobby Marshall]

Well, if $ were not a limit, I would get a Fish, only because I already have the Studio Pre and the Quad. Alice in Chains tone is pretty sweet.

Oh yeah, and a Demeter TGP-3. STP tone.

Actually, I believe both of those guys track multiple amps to get their tone but those preamps are integral and out of their popular (read radio) songs, the guitar sounds seem really great to me.

I have read a few posts here about the Triaxis and making mods to the op amps. Sounds like the perfect preamp for a fellow with your skills if it really needs to have those types of mods to work well and be low noise.

The Quad may be 3 spaces but it is really good. Does anyone need more than 4 tones, really? It is going to be part of my stage rig and will be putting the Studio Pre back in the home studio.

R1 - clean
R2 - some dirt
L2 - heavy rhythm
L1 - face melting lead mode

R1 + R2 + L2 + L1 = Mesa Goodness.

Peace.

Bobby

 

[stephen sawall]

Bogner Fish, Soldano X99 or Egnator M4 no particular order. I am surprised no one said the Egnator....

 

[sir riff a lot]

if I could buy any one???? hhhmmmmmmmmm

I'd buy that massive one that Marty Mcfly plugs in to in "back to the future", and when he strums a chord it throws him across the room.

yeh

 

[masque]

T-R-I-A-X-I-S

 

[ESP123]

Rocktron Prophesy 2 is an amazing pre-amp. The channel changes are on the spot and immediate. The tones are extremely good sounding (it is a real tube pre-amp). Its got any sound and tone you could possibly want and all are fully tweakable to your liking. It sounds incredible when paired up with any Mesa power amp (2:90, 2:100, 50/50, 20,20 etc)

You simply can't go wrong with it and Rocktron is a fantastic company who supports their products really well. Check out a review/demo of it at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_TBTUEVOHQ

 

[Bobby Marshall]

If you want an Egnater designed product - check this out!!!!

http://www.hugeracksinc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53110&highlight=

 

[Monsta-Tone]

:shock: Holy crap that's a lot of chicken heads!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[stephen sawall]

I saw that crazy thing a bit back .... first thought "chicken head soup".

 

[Tubes Rock!]

Bogner Fish

 

[Tubes Rock!]

MP-1 - very easy to use, but not enough gain, preset glitches, and used to be hard to get serviced.

I've listened to an MP-1 with the 3TM, 3 tube mod, and this thing ROCKS! More gain then you'll ever need.. But like you've mentioned, support is all on your own. Those who sell the 3TM can install and perhaps service if you send it back if probs came up.

 

[francm]

MP-1 - very easy to use, but not enough gain, preset glitches, and used to be hard to get serviced.

I've listened to an MP-1 with the 3TM, 3 tube mod, and this thing ROCKS! More gain then you'll ever need.. But like you've mentioned, support is all on your own. Those who sell the 3TM can install and perhaps service if you send it back if probs came up.

I say stock ADA mp-1. If you need more gain, you probably need to practice more. I can't imagine maxing out the gain on this thing.

 

[Areola]

I was hoping that this included imaginary preamp units, where you could pull the preamp section out of any head.. because i'd pull the preamp out of the 400+ and run it though a 2:100 just so I turn it up louder.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

:lol: You're a sick man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Areola]

I meant turn it up more, and get more gain. I can't get enough gain at the moment!! Volume on 10 and Output is lucky to get to 2. lol

 

[Friedmett]

I've had my Quad preamp for some years and it sounds awesome.

For the tones and sustain I'm keeping it. I don't need anything else for Mesa/Boogie tones. Hard to find something as good for the money.

I dig old classic Marshall sounds and my '78 Marshall 50 watt 2104 combo handles that department.