ADA Depot - A Forum To Support Users of ADA Amplification Gear
Let's Get Technical => All PREAMP Tech Tips & Support => Topic started by: Loktite on May 18, 2016, 04:41:09 PM
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If I'm lucky, I'll be picking up an MP-1 (original) tomorrow. This will be my first piece of rack equipment, and I'll be piecing together more with time.
Until then, I would still like to play around with it to get familiar with the features. The manual says there is a headphone out on the back and that it is used for 600 ohm and up impedance headphones. I do not have high impedance headphones like that. What are my cheapest options here to at least play around with the preamp's sounds? Would I be able to go preamp > simple cab simulator > headphones?
Also, I have read that you want to always have a load on your tube amps. However, if I'm reading correctly this is only true with the power amp, correct? Preamp can be ran without a load?
Thank you for the help.
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Also, I have read that you want to always have a load on your tube amps. However, if I'm reading correctly this is only true with the power amp, correct? Preamp can be ran without a load?
You are correct. Preamp needs no load.
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Like Soloist said,no load required.Also you can use a lower impedance headphone without any problems.The 600 ohm is the ideal impedance for the NE5532 opamp but you can go as low as 32 ohms.
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Hey Loktite, the headphone out on the MP1 is already a bit "cabsim'ed" (see other posts). this is because the MP1 is designed to be a "live" preamp and plug into poweramp/guitar cabs on stage. You can use the headphone out direct for recording into PC or whatever (not quite as good as other cab sims but will work ok). If you want it to do what its supposed to, plug it through a decent transparent stereo power amp into 2 cabs >:D
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Thanks for the advice guys! I've read through a few of the posts on this forum and you guys have to be one of the most helpful communities I've been to.
Any recommendations on a decent budget power amp to go with this? Also, how important is the wattage of the power amp it goes into? Could I put it into something very low wattage for bedroom practice and have a higher wattage setup for gigs and band practice?
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Welcome to the Depot, Loktite! Get yourself over to the Discussions thread and introduce yourself so we can welcome you properly :thumb-up:
If you use a solid state power amp, they'll sound good at low levels and gig levels. Now, finding a SS amp that sounds warm and good is not easy, but it can be done. The ADA B200s is probably my favorite, but I'm a bit biased (pun intended). I have also heard about great results with a Mosvalve. I was pretty impressed with my old Marshall 8008 and a Crate Powerblock, your mileage may vary.
As for cheap tube power amps, you may want to search for a Peavey 50/50, or an ADA Microtube. There are others, I'm sure somebody else will mention them here - not many are actually cheap.
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You could go with a couple of amps, one low power and one higher for stage, but if you get a decent amp you can use it for both with no problem. I would advise however, that you tweak your patches at stage vol and then turn them down to desired bedroom level not the other way round (as when you crank them up they change).
B200s is also my fav even though they are getting old (which is a consideration). There are a few amps in the "new" market that will work fine. Carvin are worth a look (DCM200L (SS light, 1 RU not that expensive, Carvin TS100, nice amp all tube, so heavy but sounds great, although has a fan (like many tube amps) which may be an issue for the bedroom ?)).
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I would advise however, that you tweak your patches at stage vol and then turn them down to desired bedroom level not the other way round (as when you crank them up they change).
+1
Here, one great advantage is that you can set up different patches to work with the volume difference. You could set up one Bank of patches for the Ultimate Bedroom Experience, then have the same group of patches in another Bank that are modified for the gig/rehearsal volume.