Running a preamp through a regular head?

[The Magic Hoof]

Ok, let's say you've got something like a studio pre or a quad pre, but you've got no power amp... but you do have something like a dual rectifier head. In order to use the preamp you have you've got to have a power amp, so it leads me to ask if somehow you could successfully run a preamp into a dual rectifier head and only use the power amp section of it. And maybe the bass/mid/treble, EQ controls etc.

 

[jakehop]

The effects return-jack is as close to the power amp as you can get on that amp. It'll probably work out great!

 

[The Magic Hoof]

Interesting...

Any other thoughts?

 

[ryjan]

Just run the pre's outs to the amps fx return. Depending on which amp you are using the only tone controls that will be useable will be the presence and volume. If you run into the return of a recto you will be able to use the bold/spongy power options but you will be bypassing all of the preamps tone controls.

 

[The Magic Hoof]

Thanks for the info.

It's safe to do this though eh?

 

[ryjan]

Totally safe. All youre doing is taking the amps preamp out of the mix and replacing it with another. Think of all heads and combos as a rackmount preamp and power amp with the fx loop being the connection between the two.

 

[The Magic Hoof]

Sounds perfect. I'll give it a shot, I've got a dual rec on the way.

 

[Jmcthe3rd]

I run a Triaxis into the "Return" of the effects loop of my 2 ch Triple Rectifier without a problem. (It's cool to use the Modern mode for more low end thickness and vintage for more traditional rock) I would note though that I had the effects loop modified from parallel to series. If it was still parallel I'm not sure it would work 100% properly.