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Author Topic: ADA MP1 first impressions  (Read 1702 times)

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Lyates1987

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ADA MP1 first impressions
« on: Time Format »

First off i want to say that I LOVE playing through this preamp! It sounds f**king amazing when cranked. Everything sounds great through it. It seems to really like active pickups. I prefer playing passive pickups over active but my Fishman's sound off the chain through it! It sparkles and you can get those kinda sparkly specific tones you hear with Vito or Nuno. I understand that Vito used EMGs. i have some Zakk Wylde edition EMGs on a dean I got a long ass time ago but I Need to check the wiring on it. I gave it a fresh 9v and it still sounds dull. So needless to say i haven't given it the proper EMG test yet. It's definitely been given the seymour duncan test. If you have good pickups this preamp will sound good. Wolfgangs, JBs, etc all sound great and you can really hear and feel the pickup through this thing!!!! It's one thing hearing an d feeling different pickup with my other amps but this thing takes that to a different level. It also receives pedals very well. I'll boost with an SD1 or a TS9 and the characteristics of the pedals blend nicely with a good driving dirty tone with the gain relatively low on the ADA. Frankly it packs plenty of gain and more than enough for my tastes. Currently running 2x JJ ECC803S. Sounds great with those tubes, it came with Ruby stamped JJ 12ax7s. Going to swap mullard re-issues in at some point in the near future. It does have a screeching hissy noise when the gain is up past 5, 5.5 on OD2, Master G on 6.5 and up. .dist.  It did that with the rubys too. I would like to get a service at some point and refresh it. It's a 2.01. Not sure if the software is current and all that stuff. It saves and recovers my settings just fine. The output pot crackles and needs to be cleaned. It does this weird thing where it doesn't turn on but will turn on on the second attempt. It does that sometimes, not all the time. Other than that this thing works fine and sounds absolutely amazing. I like running it through my 5153 6l6 50 watt. It responds very well to the depth control. Effects loop works fine. This thing is the b*mb digity and I haven't played anything else since I got it. So much you can do with this thing. The ADA is perfect for an ADHD guy like myself. Last night I messed around with different settings for like 4 hours. It did not come with the footswitch but if I gig again I will more than likely get one. It does everything you need in a live setting as long as you get that footswitch you're good (unless you're good enough to have a guy in the back press the buttons for you.)  ^-^ I would have gotten the footswtich if I had more room. I bet this thing was the ultimate must have back when it came out. It's easy to see why it was so popular. I prefer to use the onboard chorus effect with cleaner tones. I like playing a chorused driving rythm tone sometimes, but I feel like I'm always having to adjust how I like it from one day to the next, however, the chorus in this thing isn't bad by any means. I usually play without effects 75% of the time though. If I have effects on it's cuz i'm feeling frisky. But goddam I love this thing. But yeah just need a good refresh job eventually and then it'll be perfect.
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rnolan

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Re: ADA MP1 first impressions
« Reply #1 on: Time Format »

( I bet this thing was the ultimate must have back when it came out.) Absolutely, I gigged with my first MP-1 for many years.  I clearly remember the first day I heard it, patch 01 Marshall, and I could have 128 of them at different volumes  :whoohoo!: , I had been using a 1973 Marshall 50w, so the MP-1 solved my need for different lead boost levels.
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Lyates1987

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Re: ADA MP1 first impressions
« Reply #2 on: Time Format »

( I bet this thing was the ultimate must have back when it came out.) Absolutely, I gigged with my first MP-1 for many years.  I clearly remember the first day I heard it, patch 01 Marshall, and I could have 128 of them at different volumes  :whoohoo!: , I had been using a 1973 Marshall 50w, so the MP-1 solved my need for different lead boost levels.

This thing can create a lot of different marshall flavors! This is the first rack preamp I've ever owned and I've been sucked straight into the rabbit hole with this thing.

Backstory: I always had a line 6 flextone 2 growing up while my dad had his tube amps. the line 6 did great for what it was but I was always craving the nuances and natural tone of the tube amps. Eventually got a JCM2000 then pedals to compliment it. I really, really, really love tweaking and dickin around with tone and having a tube amp to do that with is a joy. Now that I got this tube preamp I'm experiencing that particular joy all over again. A whole new world. So glad I pulled the trigger on it. Funny thing is I pulled the trigger after I put down a 12 pack! Glad that didn't turn into regret!
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Harley Hexxe

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Re: ADA MP1 first impressions
« Reply #3 on: Time Format »

Hey BJ,

        There's nothing regrettable about having the one that started it all.

        The 2.01 firmware is the last update to the MP-1 while it was still actively manufactured. All that did was add a few more factory presets into the permanent memory, but it was basically still the same preamp that it was when it first appeared in 1987. You can still find ADA MIDI controllers, they do pop up every now and again, but bear in mind, The ADA's use a 7-pin DIN cable, and you need the ADA wall wart to plug in to the back of the preamp.
        Realistically, you can plug in any MIDI controller with it's normal MIDI cable and it will switch program patches for you. You just won't have the phantom power option.
        I have a couple of those ECC803's in one of my preamps, they aren't bad at all.

        Either way you go, you've got one of the best preamps made, and you're running it through a tube power amp section, so you've also got the tones!

        Enjoy :ada-big:

Harley 8)
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I only have two brain cells left, ...and I'm saving them for the weekend!

Lyates1987

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Re: ADA MP1 first impressions
« Reply #4 on: Time Format »

Hey BJ,

        There's nothing regrettable about having the one that started it all.

        The 2.01 firmware is the last update to the MP-1 while it was still actively manufactured. All that did was add a few more factory presets into the permanent memory, but it was basically still the same preamp that it was when it first appeared in 1987. You can still find ADA MIDI controllers, they do pop up every now and again, but bear in mind, The ADA's use a 7-pin DIN cable, and you need the ADA wall wart to plug in to the back of the preamp.
        Realistically, you can plug in any MIDI controller with it's normal MIDI cable and it will switch program patches for you. You just won't have the phantom power option.
        I have a couple of those ECC803's in one of my preamps, they aren't bad at all.

        Either way you go, you've got one of the best preamps made, and you're running it through a tube power amp section, so you've also got the tones!

        Enjoy :ada-big:

Harley 8)

Tones for days when this thing is cranked! even though it probably needs a cap job it still sounds absolutely amazing!
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