Studio preamp too smooth.... need more sizzle!

[Cron]

Hi, i just got a studio preamp.

I love the cleans but the lead ch is a little too smooth for my taste. I guess i want more mark iv type sizzle and fizz from it. Its not dull at the moment but it doesnt seem "crunchy" enough (at any gain setting). I tried different preamp tubes and the electro harmonix i have in there gave me the most sizzle but still not enough. I have to run the treble on 10 else its just too smooth. Pushing up the 6600 slider makes it very spikey and doesnt add the sizzle i want. The low end also seems a little loose (even with bass under 3) I tried it through 3 different tube power amps with the same results.

Im willing to try the iic+ mod on it but im not actually sure if this will make it even smoother. I might also add switches to take the bass shift / deep modes in and out if it will help with flubbyness.(i understand they are enabled permanently on the studio pre?)

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Jackie]

Doesn't the Studio have a "Lead Bright" switch? Try turning that on?

 

[Cron]

It is on

 

[crane]

Try a 12AT7 NOS, JAN Philips greyplate or blackplate, they really sound "cutting", but a bit "thin" too. Try one of them in any position, V1 and V5 (or 6 ? last position) first. They really cost nothing.

 

[Blaklynx]

Why not try a pedal out front? Something with a bit of fizz or fuzz, so to speak? Depending on the pedal, the gain can be fairly low (to create the fizz/fuzz component) and the output level can be relatively high or at parity.

One of the peldals that many people complain about is Boss's humble Metal Zone - it's got the 'fizz' factor if so desired. Personally, I think it's a really cool pedal. It's all in the EQ and gain levels. Another that you may want to look at is Wamplers Pinnacle but I'm not so sure it'll be what you want. Fantastic pedal though.

Also, the MI Audio Crunch Box and MI Audio Tube Zone you may want to look at. The Tube Zone can have quite a bit of bottom end so an EQ pedal after it is ideal. The rest of it's tone controls allow for plenty of adjustment.

Check youtube for for above pedals. Here's a start and this bloke does the best reviews IMO. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMJLIOSMaZM

 

[Cron]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Ive tried a couple of tube swaps and some drive pedals infront and it is sounding better. The drives i have sound cool but too smooth (od808). I'll see what i can borrow, not keen on spending cash on pedals just yet (this is not my main rig)

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

The Studio Pre is intended to be ultra smooth...like the MkII it came from.

 

[Cron]

Just wanted to report back. Im getting the best results so far running the studio pre into a 5150 power section with a boss overdrive in front. Keeping the 1st channels gain control low and upping the 2nd one. Also, keeping the 1st volume very low and running the 2nd ch's parralel volume on 9 or 10 helps for some reason. Brings out chunkyness and sizzle.... Even without a boost.

Im running from the fxloop out (sounds more open) and ive removed the reverb tube (was told its a good idea if im not using the reverb) Any truth to that? Ive read also that marco sfogli disconnected his reverb completely because it affects the signal even if the knob is on 0. Any truth to that?

 

[Jackie]

Ive read also that marco sfogli disconnected his reverb completely because it affects the signal even if the knob is on 0. Any truth to that?

I don't know about Reverb in that amp, but my tech removed the whole noise gate circuitry and some "anti-footswitch pop" components from his ENGL Powerball because he wanted his amp to sound more open - believe it or not, it does.

 

[ryjan]

Why did you buy an apple if you wanted an orange? :lol: No matter what you put on your apple it'll still taste like an apple.

 

[Neptical]

Why did you buy an apple if you wanted an orange? :lol: No matter what you put on your apple it'll still taste like an apple.

Peanut butter....so it tastes more like peanut butter!

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

Excuse me for saying but it sounds like the Studio Pre is not for you obviously as you are trying to change it's tone. While it's certainly not a one trick pony it does has certain limitations and that's centered around its intended purpose. It was never designed to be a "be-all end-all" sort of system, it's a MkII and that's it. I have enjoyed using them for years, typically purpose driven...currently using it as a lead channel only with a touch of compressor on the front end. Point being this, a leopard cannot change its spots... no matter how much hiar dye is added.

 

[Shane C]

Hey,

Have you tried running from the FX send output instead of the main outputs? It should add a touch more open-ness to the sound. Mike B said this works for the Quad but Im not sure if the Studio will have the same results.


Shane

 

[Cron]

Yea i only run from the fx loop send. It does sound better and more open.

 

[r_cod_81]

Sorry for the resurrection of an old thread but I'd just like to offer my suggestions.

To tighten up the bass I switch the Lead Fat ON. This makes palm muting way less flabby (I have the bass control on three, the 80Hz slider on the centre line and the 240 one slightly above this.

For sizzle I run the treble quite high (8) and also boost the 2200 slider to just under the top line and the 6600 one just under this. I keep the lead drive as low as I can get away with to keep the saturation level I'm after (although I am guilty of simply running on full-throttle most of the time).

I o/p from the main outs to my power amp and the rec. outs to my Tascam 8-track. I absolutely love the recording outs, they sound perfect to me. How anyone can get a bad recorded tone really is beyond me!

 

[Shane C]

Its not that old r_cod_81.. now its reborn! (Hey I was in born 81!)

I noticed you (r_cod_81) have the Behringer PEQ 2200... I have one as well! Great unit. And on that note, the problem in question of the smoothness of the mesa studio/quad is not a lack of highs.. but an abundance of mids!! And using the PEQ2200 or a G-major for that matter, one can set said PEQ between 700-750hz (My recommendation) and then set level to taste and then proceed to scoop your way into non-smooth metal glory! Or something similar.

Right now Im using the Behringer PEQ2200 for the Low Cut Filter to chop everything under 80-100hz to keep things tight in live situations and Im using the PEQ in the G-major-2 to scoop the mids.


If anyone would like to hear the difference between a tone with and without PEQ I'd be happy to record something so you can hear a direct comparison. I don't own a Studio preamp but Im sure channel 1 of my Quad will do the job.


Shane

 

[r_cod_81]

Dude that's exactly what I do!! How did you see my settings from the other side of the world?!!

So yeah - PEQ is in the effects loop with a cut of everything below 100ish Hz (mostly to stop the floor/building vibrating and pissing off the neighbours) and small (-3 to 5 dB) cuts at about 500 and 800 Hz. Behringer stuff sometimes gets a bad rap but I've always found them to be pretty solid as well as being readily available and pretty cheap.

The main reason I have a Studio pre is that it came up on eBay before a Quad and was half the price. That said a Quad just went in the UK for GBP420 and I paid 400 for my Studio! I believe a Quad's channel 1 is similar to the Studio (based on the Mk IIC/ IIC+) so the tones will be pretty similar. If I ever get round to it I'll A/B some PEQ recordings.


Take care,
Richard

 

[Shane C]

Richard,

All I can say is.. great minds think alike! :mrgreen: The low cut filter is the key! 0-80hz just aint 6-string guitar territory in my opinion, of course it all depends on the amp how much is needed to be cut, or even the placement of cabinet.

Im curious why you use your PEQ in the loop? Have you experimented with placement? The Fx send on the Quad sounds SO MUCH better than the Main outputs, so I run from the Quad FX Send to the PEQ then G-major then VHT.


You should definitely pickup a Quad man, I love mine to death.


Shane

 

[r_cod_81]

Agreed w.r.t. cutting at 80Hz, I got the idea from Andy Sneap.

I tried boosting the input with an EQ but it got really flabby and totally overpowered the natural sound pf the preamp so I went for the loop option. I use the main O/Ps as I record straight from the preamp to a Tascam 8-track and want to have the effects-loop effects in there too. I'll maybe try running from the FX send to effects then straight to the power amp to see what it sounds like.

I was very tempted by the Quad but I can't really justify it at the moment a quad would involve having to upgrade my switching system too etc, etc...

Best wishes,
Richard