ADA Depot - A Forum To Support Users of ADA Amplification Gear
Non ADA Gear => Rack Gear => Topic started by: Iperfungus on January 20, 2017, 04:51:19 AM
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As I've read somewhere in the Internet, people on budget should seriously consider a Zoom 9150 unit.
I still remember that in the '90s we considered this preamp and multifx as a crappy unit, but we definitely were wrong a lot.
Today it's very easy to find these 9150s for less than 100 euros and they really worth a try.
This old toy is plenty of features, it has a very good tube preamp and all the effects an average guitar player needs.
The user interface is very easy and programming patches doesn't require to be Stephen Hawking.
The 9150 has controls for both Input and Output level, so that one can fine tune the guitar signal and the overall output volume...I can assure that this allows to play late in the night at very low volume without risking to be put in jail.
Furthermore, the stereo phones out has a sort of speakers emulation and can be also used as a DI box.
The unit has a single tube for the preamp section (don't know if always used or just for some settings) and I found that tubes rolling makes sense also with the 9150.
The original tube is unbranded and there's no labeling at all...nothing.
I compared it to original MP-1 tubes and they look absolutely identical...so I assume this is a good quality high gain chinese tube from the '90s and it's still full of life (as internal battery as well).
I tested here a TungSol 12AX7, a couple of 7025 TADs (that are in my MP-1 right now) and a 5751 Philips JAN spec that is currently inside the unit as it makes it play great with both clean and dirty tones.
The good thing about this Zoom is that factory patches are very, very good and they are usable...just a few of them are crappy.
There are 99 factory presets and 99 user location and it possible to copy factory presets on user location and start creating patches from a (very good) base.
The preamp section is made of 8 different sounds: 2 cleans, 2 crunches, 2 overdrives and 2 high gains.
In this section ZNR (Zoom Noise Reduction) noise gate and a first mono loop are present.
The loop is just on/off, but it's useful to insert an overdrive in the signal path and program its usage from patch to patch.
Overdrives and High Gain have a Turbo setting that's a sort of on/off gain booster....but with a good overdrive in the loop better results can be achieved, turning the Turbo off and the stomp on.
I've done this with a Klon Centaur clone and the outcoming sound is awesome.
Compression can be set in this section as well.
Then there's a good, complete and effective EQ section that helps to fine tune your guitar tone.
On the digital FX side, this unit is missing nothing:
-1 chorus
-2 phaser
-3 flanger
-4 tremolo, stepper, rotary
-5 pitch shifter / octaver
-6 auto wah and pedal wah
-7 pedal pitch shifter
-8 mono and ping-pong delay
-9 classic reverbs (plate, reverse, hall, room...)
In the reverb section, there's an uncommon feature: if you don't want to use 9150 reverb, you can turn it off and use it's memory to expand memory and increase delay time in delay section! :metal:
After that, there's a Total section where the overall output volume can be set and the 2nd effects loop can be activated and programmed.
This 2nd loop is stereo (mono send, stereo returns) and it's fully programmable: can be set as serial, parallel, internally mixed and placed in different points of signal path (meaning sections: preamp, eq, modulation, delay...).
The MIDI implementation is complete: program change and control change are recognized and accepted.
With the Zoom 8050 and a FP01 expression pedal, all Real Time parameters can be modified in real time, making this unit very powerful in many situations.
The Zoom 8050 can be powered by connecting it to dedicated Remote plug and FP01 must be connected to 8050 directly, so further power supply is not needed: just power the 9150 on and it will power the 8050 (as the ADA MP-1 does with MC-1).
For sure there's stuff around that's better or better a lot (Lexicon MPX G2 or TC G Major 2, for instance), but that's more expensive stuff.
The overall quality of this little Zoom rack is very, very good and it can be used as a stand alone unit, covering anything from preamp to eq to digital FX.
I like it a lot and it's the toy that made me come back to crack gear. :headbanger:
When I bought the MP-1 and the GMaj, I was considering to sell it...
Then I decided to keep it and add a Marshall 8008 Valvestate power amp to build a 2nd, small and complete rack.
You can see something similar in the attached picture.
With the 9150, the 8008, the 8050 and the FP01 I could have a light "ready to go" plug-and-play rack I can use in different situations, if needed.
I attach also 9150 and 8050 user's manuals, for your advantage! :homer:
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Hey Max, nice rig :thumb-up:
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Hey Max, nice rig :thumb-up:
Small and good backup rack! :headbanger:
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I've considered getting one of these a number of times as they are so cheap.
I have used Zoom gear as well in the past and I honestly thought it was good. The last thing being G5. I still use their multitracks to record, two R16's.
I read good things about this preamp. Glad someone has something good to say about it, a surprise underrated gem perhaps with it's one 12ax7.
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I read good things about this preamp. Glad someone has something good to say about it, I surprise underrated gem perhaps with it's one 12ax7.
Shit yes.
It’s a surprisingly very good unit.
I used a Zoom 9030 for very long time many years ago.
It was a good preamp/FX unit, but 9150 is better a lot.
It has its own voice and it’s a different voice from other Zoom products.
I had a G3X pedalboard and a MS-70CDR, most recently…but I sold both after few weeks.
The 9150 is a cheap item today, but it’s plenty of useful features and very complete, a good standalone unit.
I also own Zoom 8050 and FP01 MIDI controller and expression pedal, as I wrote: this gives full access to any 9150 function, program changes, control changes and whatever.
And I’m going to buy a Valvestate 8008 for this second small rig I’m putting together.
You can achieve very good clean, crunch and distorted tones…and you can also achieve good results with some tube rolling.
For the price, worth a try for sure!
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I always used to want an Zoom super player 8080. That thing looked the absolute dogs balls to me when I was a kid. I ended up with 2100 instead which I still have. My tone probably sucked ass back then though hahaha I didn't really know what I was doing until I got a Boss GT6 and took years trying to figure it out.
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Ok, job completed! :banana-rock:
The Marshall Valvestate 8008 is a very, very good power amp: dead silent and powerful, not so different from the B200s in some way...I like them both!
It's 80W + 80W stereo, but it has a dual mode linear/valvestate that helps to match it to preamp and cabinet.
First test has been with MP-1 + GMaj into the Blackstar cab: WOW!!! :headbanger: :headbanger: :headbanger:
Love at first note!
Now it's paired with the Zoom 9150, but I've to completely rework the eq with this unit.
By the way, this power amp is a blast!
Price I paid for it? 70 euro... :facepalm: :wave:
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Hey Max, very cool :headbanger:
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Hey Max, very cool :headbanger:
I've to say I like the 9150 into my Rivera combo more. :facepalm:
I've to rework all the eq...but I'm not 100% sure I'll get what I like.
The Valvestate its a very good power amp: a keeper.
If I will not obtain good results with the Zoom, I will sell it and buy something else (like a Rocktron Voodu Valve...).
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Or MP2 :dunno: LoL
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OR 3TM - uber gain. :headbanger:
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Hi guys!
Worked a little with EQ on the 9150...and now....WOWOWOWOWOW!!! :thumb-up:
Cut the basses, add some mids, fine tune highs...and here we go! :banana-rock:
Then I turned off preamp boost (Turbo) and put a Centaur Klon-e in preamp mono loop to boost drive : :headbanger: :headbanger: :headbanger:
ZNR is a very good noise gate too, within this unit.
Now I set the power amp to Valvestate also with the 9150 and it's perfect.
A very good match again!
Awesome '80 cleans, powerful drives...it misses nothing.
My Zoom is not for sale... :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Go Max :whoohoo!: , now with another stereo cab you can use a Y cable (or A/B A+B thingy) and run both rigs at the same time >:D :headbanger:
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Go Max :whoohoo!: , now with another stereo cab you can use a Y cable (or A/B A+B thingy) and run both rigs at the same time >:D :headbanger:
= DIVORCE or JAIL
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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:lol: but it will sound so good... >:D
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:lol: but it will sound so good... >:D
So f**king good, you mean??? :lol: :thumb-up:
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Absolutely :metal:
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That would be a nice experiment... :facepalm: :wave:
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And if you got another stereo 2 x 12 cab, you could use one cab for the left (one from each amp) and the other for right (again one from each amp) and then split the cabs a bit (at least the width of one cab separation to break the infinite baffle effect).
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And if you got another stereo 2 x 12 cab, you could use one cab for the left (one from each amp) and the other for right (again one from each amp) and then split the cabs a bit (at least the width of one cab separation to break the infinite baffle effect).
You kill a dead man. :facepalm:
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Hey Max, well not intentionally LoL,
but it's just one little itsy bitsy 2 x 12 cab >:D and the other one needs a friend..
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Hey Max, well not intentionally LoL,
but it's just one little itsy bitsy 2 x 12 cab >:D and the other one needs a friend..
There's no free space on that room... :facepalm:
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... :facepalm:
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There's no free space on that room... :facepalm:
Yes there is, just put it on top of the other cab, move the rack on top :whoohoo!: , hey then it's only a small quad box (well sort of), or better spin them on their side vertically and do the L/R diagonally >:D ... Hmm, the walls may rattle a "little" bit, but hey no biggy :thumb-up: . And lets face it, you've got (nearly) enough guitars, what you need is more cabs and preamps :headbanger:
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There's no free space on that room... :facepalm:
Yes there is, just put it on top of the other cab, move the rack on top :whoohoo!: , hey then it's only a small quad box (well sort of), or better spin them on their side vertically and do the L/R diagonally >:D ... Hmm, the walls may rattle a "little" bit, but hey no biggy :thumb-up: . And lets face it, you've got (nearly) enough guitars, what you need is more cabs and preamps :headbanger:
Did I told you that you're The Devil yet? >:D
:lol:
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Hmmm maybe you have O:-) But it would work (quite well) in the given dimensions and the diagonal crossing of the L/R would be very interesting, and really, your "just" adding headroom :dunno: and letting all your gear play together (which will make them happy).
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Hmmm maybe you have O:-) But it would work (quite well) in the given dimensions and the diagonal crossing of the L/R would be very interesting, and really, your "just" adding headroom :dunno: and letting all your gear play together (which will make them happy).
Happy gear = happy me = UNhappy wife = DANGER = IKEA 3 times at week = SUICIDE = NO MORE GEAR :lol: :lol: :lol:
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You just have to convince your wife everything Ikea sells is crap, it might take a long time but I did succeed ;D
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You just have to convince your wife everything Ikea sells is crap, it might take a long time but I did succeed ;D
I'd better buy some kind of box at Ikea and build a 2x12 stereo cab with it... :lol:
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Reading this conversation just gave me an evil idea for my living room >:D
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I hope it doesn't involve anything from Ikea ;D
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:lol: :lol: :lol:
No, actually it got me thinking about looking for an old console stereo thing in some of the resale shops out here. If I bought one of those, and converted it into a rack system with guitar equivalent speakers, and added a means to insert backing tracks that I record on my studio downstairs, I could have quite a party up here and do it in style! ;D
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Reading this conversation just gave me an evil idea for my living room >:D
I decline ANY responsibilty... :wave:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
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Reading this conversation just gave me an evil idea for my living room >:D
I decline ANY responsibilty... :wave:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Too late >:D
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Reading this conversation just gave me an evil idea for my living room >:D
I decline ANY responsibilty... :wave:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Too late >:D
:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:
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:lol: :lol: :lol:
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Excellent idea Harley :thumb-up: I like it allot.
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Thanks Richard,
I once took an old TV set that didn't work, but it was in a nice wooden console, and took out the guts and turn it into an aquarium. it looked cool. I had to have it custom made to fit in where the old picture tube was!
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A variation on the theme, I think I posted this before in the rockman discussion, a mate of mine had this 6 x 12 cab, he got an old fridge and mounted the speakers in the door (looked really cool and also sounded good). He had a rockman x100 he modified, used lift/elevator buttons (he's a lift tech) to switch it, a 100/100w mosfet amp he built, crap it sounded good :thumb-up: >:D , this was just before ADA MP-1s came out here. He only did one gig with it IIRC and it took 4 of us to lug it up the stairs LoL.
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A variation on the theme, I think I posted this before in the rockman discussion, a mate of mine had this 6 x 12 cab, he got an old fridge and mounted the speakers in the door (looked really cool and also sounded good). He had a rockman x100 he modified, used lift/elevator buttons (he's a lift tech) to switch it, a 100/100w mosfet amp he built, crap it sounded good :thumb-up: >:D , this was just before ADA MP-1s came out here. He only did one gig with it IIRC and it took 4 of us to lug it up the stairs LoL.
Maybe you should have drank the beer first before lugging it upstairs! :beer: :lol:
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Marshall is doing the opposite, they are making fridge's from amps ;D
http://marshallfridge.com/
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A variation on the theme, I think I posted this before in the rockman discussion, a mate of mine had this 6 x 12 cab, he got an old fridge and mounted the speakers in the door (looked really cool and also sounded good). He had a rockman x100 he modified, used lift/elevator buttons (he's a lift tech) to switch it, a 100/100w mosfet amp he built, crap it sounded good :thumb-up: >:D , this was just before ADA MP-1s came out here. He only did one gig with it IIRC and it took 4 of us to lug it up the stairs LoL.
:o :o :o