tube preamp ?

Kevin Ruddell · Post by **Kevin Ruddell** » 6 Mar 2004 9:03 am

As an experiment I put an ART tube preamp in front of my solid state amp to see if it would warm up the tone a bit if the guitar went through the tube first in the chain. After balancing the input and output of the device I turned down the guitar amps preamp knob. The guitar sounded a little warmer , brighter, louder , and a bit compressed compared to going straight into the amp.Although putting a preamp in front of a preamp seems redundant, I'm going to continue using it and maybe try putting it in the effects loop today. Has anyone else tried this approach ? just curious and wonder if anyone cares to comment.

thanks

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 6 Mar 2004 10:49 am

Moved to Electronics from No Peddlers.

Kevin Macneil Brown · Post by **Kevin Macneil Brown** » 6 Mar 2004 1:43 pm

I've tried the exact same thing a few times for recording. The ART adds some girth and presence to the sound coming from my little Danelectro solid state amp. I agree that it sounds a bit more compressed, but paradoxically it also seems to widen the dynamic range in response to my attack. Getting the input level right is huge, as you can get some fairly un-musical- sounding clipping going on if you're not careful.
I've even thought of using the tube pre for gigs, but then again I've got enough to pack up when I go out!

Kevin Ruddell · Post by **Kevin Ruddell** » 7 Mar 2004 12:55 pm

Kevin , thanks for your comments ! I concur with you on the results you experienced I'm going to try plugging into the effects loop and will post . Art's manual recommends using an insert point instead of going directly into a mike input if possible.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 7 Mar 2004 4:28 pm

What ART unit are you guys using?
I have a thing called an ART Tube Pac that I have used with a Condencer Mic while recording, but haven't tried it for steel.
It does have 1/4" jacks though.
I'll have to try it (got any setting ideas?).

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 7 Mar 2004 5:05 pm

Check the thread for Brad Sarnu's Black Box.

Kevin Macneil Brown · Post by **Kevin Macneil Brown** » 9 Mar 2004 6:34 am

I'm using the little ART Tube MP studio, the one with the cool VU meter on it.
It's a little grainy sounding--not pristine by any means-- but a very useful tool for the price.

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 9 Mar 2004 8:00 am

That's the one I'ved posted about before, except mine is two ART pre-amps in a rackmount unit.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 9 Mar 2004 8:01 am

Yup, Brad's little box gives same effect (affect? I can never remember...) plus a little extra.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 9 Mar 2004 10:05 am

Try setting it for unity gain, and try it BEFORE your volume pedal. See if that sounds better.