Boogie Studio Pre users

[Brad Sarno]

I have a question for those who use the Mesa Boogie Studio Pre. I know Paul Franklin and Mike Johnson use this tube preamp for their studio rigs. I figured there may be a number of you out there who also use it. Franklin and Johnson apparently use the "recording" output instead of the direct output, even when they feed their Mosvalve power amps into speakers. Do any of you have any comments on the use of the direct out vs. the recording out?

What I have discovered is that the recording out is a quasi-speaker-emulator. In reality it's merely a very steep low-pass filter that pretty severely removes the high frequencies above 5kHz. At 10kHz the tone is about 25dB down. Some people go for a crispy top end. Here's an example of a very non-crispy top end tone.

Anyone?

Brad Sarno

[John Macy]

I have both of mine wired with the recording outs, and it does seem warmer, but not like you described, which seems pretty radical... More than enough top end for me <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by John Macy on 12 May 2005 at 02:45 PM.]</p></FONT>

[Steve Hinson]

Both of mine are MUCH quieter with the recording outs...and do have enough high end...do you guys use the"rhythm"channel or the"lead"channel?The lead channel sounds fatter but is harder to get good clean headroom out of...so I use the rhythm side of the switch.Everyone seems to like it...just wondering...

[Marty Muse]

Brad-
I have used the Boogie preamp in the studio in various configurations. Because I rarely had the thing set up the same way twice it took me a long time to come to the same place you are; that the recording outs were dumping tons of high end. I thought there might be something wrong with the unit. Went thru the schematic and everything seems to be functioning ok. It's good to know that I'm not the only one who experienced this. I'm not crazy!

[Dave Ristrim]

I have used my StudioPre into the old MosValve pwr amp for years. I have always used the regular outs. I thought the recording outs cut some power when I tried them. I have been going direct lately, but you got me thinking, I'll pull the rack out and try the recording outs. I know Randall Currie uses the recording outs too. At least he did last time I talked to him.
Dave

[Chris Bauer]

Anyone have brilliant ideas on optimum tube choices for this wonderful beast?

[SveinungL]

I have always (since 2000) used the regular outputs from the Mesa into my Mosvalve 500, and haven't really experimented a lot. I have put Elektro Harmonix tubes in my preamp and I'm happy with the sound.
Use the clean channel for clean and the overdrive channel for overdrive (suprise!!)

Example of the overdriven sound can be heard here.

The more traditional sound can be heard here.

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Thanks Sveinung Lilleheier
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Kentucky Riders

[Randy Carson]

had a mesa pre and just couldnt get the sound yet i produced a session with Mike Johnson and he used and it was warm as everyything.
were friends and i talked to him about it but he just didnt give any secrets away i guess my pre just didnt have it and i have talked to other guys that have said the same, but it makes me wonder if i knew what i was doing?
Randy

[James Quackenbush]

I will use the recording out's if I have a pedal steel that has a brite tone that is bordering on brash ....It's smoothes out the tone in an instrument that would normally sound brite or harsh .... A lot of these "simulator's" in a lot of different unit's do the same thing ... If you use the direct out's on a lot of other preamps, the tone would be thin, and enemic sounding
This is why a lot of folks will go to mic'ing the cabinet rather than going straight into the board ... With the Studio Pre having such a nice tube setup, and such a variable EQ section, the direct out's don't sound all that bad ...Jim