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Author Topic: Best Known Preamps  (Read 14625 times)

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rabidgerry

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Best Known Preamps
« on: Time Format »

Hi guy's, just wondering what we all regard as the best known rack preamp?

I got thinking about this last week when I was talking to a guy about gear and I mentioned I use the MP1.  Now normally when I say this to people they react as they have heard of the unit and how legendary it is.  This guy didn't react.  So this mad me think he didn't know the unit.

But then there have been other people I mentioned about using an MP1 and they have known exactly what it was and about it's reputation.

So tell me, what all do you guy's regard as the best known preamps.

Give me your top 5 rack preamps in order of best known.  I assume the MP1 will be in there, but perhaps not  :???:
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Harley Hexxe

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #1 on: Time Format »

Hey Gerry,

   You can't talk about rack mount preamps and not bring up the MP-1, after all, that's the one that started the whole thing!

    So you want 5 eh?

    I can tell you right off the bat not too many preamps impressed me back in the day, because I'm kind of the opposite of most people who were shopping for things like that. I listened for the best clean sound from the preamps I auditioned, instead of the most distorted sounds they could produce. That's because you can make any amp distort, and to whatever degree you want it too, but it's harder to get a good rich clean tone out of them.
    So...based on that viewpoint, here are my picks;

    ADA MP-1, (later, MP-1 Classic)
    Groove Tubes Trio
    Soldano X-77, or X-99
    Fender RP-1, (only one ever made, with matching power amp and they guy wouldn't sell it)  >:(
    Mesa Boogie Triaxis
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rabidgerry

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #2 on: Time Format »

but are they the best known?  Or the best in your opinion?

I was aiming for more the best known.

MP1 started it all?  I thought rack preamps had been out longer.  Pretty the Yamamha PG-1 was out a good few years before the MP1.  I could be wrong though.
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Guitars:1986 Westone Dimension IV, 1989 Korean Squier Fat Strat Silver Series, 1998 Korean Squier Fat Strat, MIM Fender Fat Strat - FR, Squier Stagemaster Deluxe - Thru Neck x 2, Squier Stagemaster 22 Fret - 1st Gen, 1999 Squier Showmaster - Anniversary Edition, Squier Showmaster, Tokai FV40 Flying V

Effects:  Ada Mp1, Peavey Rockmaster, Boss GX700 Boss SX700 * Amps:   Rocktron Velocity 300 - Koch ATR4502 - Peavey Classic 50/50
Cabs: 4 x Bugera 2 x 12"
Midi Controller: Behringer FCB1010

Soloist

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #3 on: Time Format »

I would say, the top 5 best known would be:
ADA MP1
Marshall JMP1
Mesa Triaxis
Mesa Racktifier
Soldano SLO100 Rackmount.
« Last Edit: Time Format by Soloist »
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rnolan

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #4 on: Time Format »

Hey RG, do you mean now or then ? I'd pretty much agree with Harleys list but if you include now, then the Axe-Fx and (maybe) Kemper should probably be included.  For back in the day I'd include Rockman.
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Harley Hexxe

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #5 on: Time Format »

Back in the day, Rocktron were popular just because of their affiliation with Bob Bradshaw, but I never liked the tones I got from any of them. They sounded too clinical for my taste.
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rabidgerry

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #6 on: Time Format »

Any era,

just tell me what you think are the top 5 best known rack preamps for guitar.

I'd say an MP1 is better known than an AXE FX.  Kempers isn't rack mounted Richard as far as I am aware and therefore I would not say it fits the list.  It sits on cabs like an amp head, not in a rack.

Solist list was pretty good.  He had the MP1 best known.  How many agree?

What Rocktron pre's do you mean Harely?


PS No fx units guy's just preamps, for guitar tone, clean and distortion etc.
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Guitars:1986 Westone Dimension IV, 1989 Korean Squier Fat Strat Silver Series, 1998 Korean Squier Fat Strat, MIM Fender Fat Strat - FR, Squier Stagemaster Deluxe - Thru Neck x 2, Squier Stagemaster 22 Fret - 1st Gen, 1999 Squier Showmaster - Anniversary Edition, Squier Showmaster, Tokai FV40 Flying V

Effects:  Ada Mp1, Peavey Rockmaster, Boss GX700 Boss SX700 * Amps:   Rocktron Velocity 300 - Koch ATR4502 - Peavey Classic 50/50
Cabs: 4 x Bugera 2 x 12"
Midi Controller: Behringer FCB1010

Harley Hexxe

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #7 on: Time Format »

There is a rack version of the Kemper too, but it still looks like a toaster oven, just in the box.

   Rocktron Pirhana, and Chameleon, are the two most popular of those.
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Iperfungus

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #8 on: Time Format »

1) ADA MP-1
2) ADA MP-1
3) ADA MP-1
4) ADA MP-1
5) ADA MP-1

 :lol:

Jokes aside, there's no other MIDI preamp on Planet Earth I love and like more than a solid, old, good MP-1.
Marshall JMP1 isn't that bad, but I don't like clean tones and you cannot tweak it as you do with a MP-1.
Triaxis is too sophisticated and expensive (and it suffers from some design defects like internal plastic connectors that tend to dilate due to excessive warming...)...I like the old V-Twin more.
Rocktron preamps (Pro GAP of any version, Chameleon, VooduValve...) sound too "digital" to me (Piranha is not and its tubes powering is hi-voltage (190V), but I never tried it...).

MP-1 is forever and ever for me.

PS- The old Zoom 9150 isn't a bad unit at all...and it's cheap!
PS2- I also loved the Digitech GFX-1 TwinTubes preamp...but the MP-1 is a lot better!
« Last Edit: Time Format by Iperfungus »
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Iperfungus

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #9 on: Time Format »

Back in the day, Rocktron were popular just because of their affiliation with Bob Bradshaw, but I never liked the tones I got from any of them. They sounded too clinical for my taste.

+1  :thumb-up:
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rabidgerry

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #10 on: Time Format »

Iperfungus

but what do you think are the best known?  Not the best.  Which do you think are the preamps that everyone has heard off?

Even though I have never played Zoom 9150 I like that you and others rate a lowly 1 tube preamp like that.  I keep hearing good things about it.
Anyways.

State the most well known preamps if you will  :o
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Guitars:1986 Westone Dimension IV, 1989 Korean Squier Fat Strat Silver Series, 1998 Korean Squier Fat Strat, MIM Fender Fat Strat - FR, Squier Stagemaster Deluxe - Thru Neck x 2, Squier Stagemaster 22 Fret - 1st Gen, 1999 Squier Showmaster - Anniversary Edition, Squier Showmaster, Tokai FV40 Flying V

Effects:  Ada Mp1, Peavey Rockmaster, Boss GX700 Boss SX700 * Amps:   Rocktron Velocity 300 - Koch ATR4502 - Peavey Classic 50/50
Cabs: 4 x Bugera 2 x 12"
Midi Controller: Behringer FCB1010

Iperfungus

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #11 on: Time Format »

Iperfungus

but what do you think are the best known?  Not the best.  Which do you think are the preamps that everyone has heard off?

Even though I have never played Zoom 9150 I like that you and others rate a lowly 1 tube preamp like that.  I keep hearing good things about it.
Anyways.

State the most well known preamps if you will  :o

1) Mesa/Boogie Triaxis
2) Marshall JMP-1
3) ADA MP-1
4) Rocktron's preamps
5) Soldano SP-77

About the 9150, you should try one.
In the '90s we all were addicted to other stuff (the Triaxis being considered the Holy Grail of tube MIDI preamps, followed by less expensive Marshall JMP-1) and considered Zoom 9150 garbage.
What a mistake.
I bought one for 50 euros less than 1 year ago...and it's what kicked me into rack stuff again.
Now it's in my backup rack with a good, old Marshall Valvestate 8080 power amp.
It's a complete unit full of features.
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Chip Roberts

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #12 on: Time Format »

Iperfungus, do you have yours set to Linear, or Valvestate?  I know a lot of guys like a more linear sound for the MP1, but I personally prefer the added "warmth" provided from the Valvestate.  Just curious what yours was set for, as I have the 40 watt 8004.
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Harley Hexxe

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #13 on: Time Format »

Meas Boogie Triaxis is a very popular preamp, but I found it tedious to dial in a good tone, plus it has one hell of a lag switching from one program to the next.

I never tried the 9150 Zoom, because I had tried other Zoom products and found that all of them were very compressed sounding. So much so that they sounded like they were coming through a long cardboard tube.

The JMP-1 was the best looking Marshall preamp, but not the best sounding IMHO. It was very weak and thin sounding to my ears. Marshall had an earlier one that sounded better, that was the 9000(?)

People who bought the Triaxis or a Marshall preamp were really just paying for the name.

Really, the most popular rack mounted preamps that delivered honest and usable guitar amplifier tones, were the ADA's, Soldano, and Groove Tubes. When I was shopping around for another preamp in the early 90's, I was trying a lot of them out. I found that the ones I liked the most were the Soldano X-77, (SP was the channel switching model, X was the one with the MIDI card in it), The Groove Tubes Trio, (Which could also be upgraded to MIDI channel switching), and the MP-1 Classic.

The Classic had the loudest clean tones and was more affordable, so that made my choice for me. ADA's popularity had dropped considerably by that time because of the MP-2. ( It was too complicated for the simple-minded guitar players). So by that time, the only remaining popular rackmount preamps were the JMP-1, Triaxis, and the Rocktrons.

Up until that point in time, the MP-1 was really the most widely used preamp since it was so versatile and straight-forward, and it was easy to dial in a great amp tone, which you could easily add any effects unit to, to shape your sound the way you wanted it.
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rabidgerry

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Re: Best Known Preamps
« Reply #14 on: Time Format »

@Iperfungus  you mean 8008 right?  And thanks for your preamp submissions  :thumb-up:
@Chip roberts

I have nearly bought one of these 8008s before are they any good?  I know Billy Gibbons uses them and I have been eyeing up this amp for a while ans also wondering what the valvestate switch can add to the tone or a preamp????  Do tell guy's since you own them.

However I got a Rocktron Velocity for the price that these 8008!!!!!!!!!  Which is dirt cheap for a velocity, so I passed on the 8008 as the deal on the Velocity was too good.

I'd still want to know what one of these amps is like though?


@Harley  I know what you mean about zoom stuff.  However I don't know what you played and I'm assuming it was a lot older like my old Zoom Player 2100.  The Zoom G5 however is an excellent sounding unit.  May be the best unit they did in regards to MFX units for the floor. 

I can also vouch for their multitracks, they are definitely a leader in this field without a doubt.  I own two Zoom R24's and linked together, they have the ability to track 16 mics.

This 9150 can't be compared to their MFX units if it's these that you have tried out.  I say this because it was a completely new ball park for Zoom to enter into and wasn't just a rack mount of one of their pedals.

I used an old Zoom Player 2100 for years.  Served me well, but this was before I knew anything better.  Good for starting out I'd say.

Other great zoom gear that I can recommend.  Zoom did a range of fully analogue pedals, the most legendary being their copy of a Klon Centaur - the Zoom Pd01

This pedal is an awesome overdrive.  Built like a tank and sounded fantastic.  Cannot recommend it enough.  I sold mine as I had no purpose for it anymore.  They reach quite high prices now second hand. 

https://www.zoom-na.com/products/guitar-bass-effects/guitar/pd-01-zoom-power-drive



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"whadda ya want? we want Heavy Metal"

Guitars:1986 Westone Dimension IV, 1989 Korean Squier Fat Strat Silver Series, 1998 Korean Squier Fat Strat, MIM Fender Fat Strat - FR, Squier Stagemaster Deluxe - Thru Neck x 2, Squier Stagemaster 22 Fret - 1st Gen, 1999 Squier Showmaster - Anniversary Edition, Squier Showmaster, Tokai FV40 Flying V

Effects:  Ada Mp1, Peavey Rockmaster, Boss GX700 Boss SX700 * Amps:   Rocktron Velocity 300 - Koch ATR4502 - Peavey Classic 50/50
Cabs: 4 x Bugera 2 x 12"
Midi Controller: Behringer FCB1010
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