The preamp is an essential (if not crucial) element in the sound chain. The bass amplification is always difficult to understand and obtaining a quality sound often remains complex.

The “Outboard” preamp (often offered as a pedal) can prove to be a precious ally for the bassist. Today there are many models from virtually all manufacturers of bass equipment. Both amplification specialists and effects pedals.

There are two main families: transistor preamps and tube preamps.
Two ways of approaching the sound … The first will sound in a precise, even surgical way, with a modern sound, the second will offer a more “Vintage” and authentic, more organic sound.

What is more, beyond the fact that most will significantly improve the sound quality, these small boxes, often particularly compact, have become over the years real Swiss knives. Whether you are the nomadic bassist who needs to be able to play backing tracks with headphones, the professional or occasional bassist looking for an ideal solution to record his bass, the amateur bassist looking for a simple and effective way to practice his instrument without disturbing his sound entourage or anyone who no longer wishes to move a bulky and cumbersome amp for his concerts, the preamp will be your partner of choice.

In most cases, it offers an equalization (more or less complex), an XLR output (with a Pre or Post EQ selector) to connect it to a sound system or a sound card, as well as a Jack output (direct out) to connect it to your favorite bass amp and give it more versatility, even a better tone.
There is sometimes a compressor, an effects loop (which allows you to use effects without their sound being processed by the preamp), an auxiliary input for playing music, a headphone output, a high simulation speaker, a Midi control or an overdrive that will bring more character to your sound.

The transistor preamps

Among the essential transistor models, we can cite the “Tech 21 Sansamp” family, which, for the most part, simulate tube Ampeg heads. They have greatly evolved over the years to offer ever more flexibility.
Still with transistors, the Aguilar ToneHammer and DB925 are particularly compact, simple and versatile models.
The Radial Engineering Bassbone V2 and Radial Engineering OD are examples of sonic transparency and allow the use of two basses simultaneously, each having its own dedicated channel. Ideal for a passive bass and an active bass or a bass and a double bass.
The Sadowsky SPB-1 and Sadowsky SPB-2 are ultra easy to use and sound quality models.
We can also mention the EBS Microbass 3 , the Mesa Boogie Subway Bass & Subway Plus Bass Preamp , the ultra compact and complete MXR Bass Preamp M81 , the modern Darkglass Ultra series with devastating distortions, the Gallien Krueger Plex with tuner integrated and memorized settings, the ultra nomadic Phil Jones HA-1 Bighead equipped with a Lithium-Ion battery and a digital / analog converter “Burr Brown” or the Ampeg SCR-DI or Classic.

Tube preamps

They generally offer a 12AX7 type lamp, more rarely a second. They provide a more authentic and organic tone with a beautiful natural compression. Among the essentials, we find the EBS Valvedrive , offering a Vintage or Modern sound, the ultra-complete Markbass Vintage Pré , equipped with digital Cinch and Toslink outputs with three sampling frequencies for direct connection to sound cards and audio interfaces, the Two Notes LE Bass , which allows two preamps to be used independently or simultaneously and also offering Midi control.

IR Chargers

We can also tackle the case of a new generation of devices such as the Two Notes Torpédo Cab M which offers another alternative such as IR or “impulse response”. This technology makes it possible to simulate a cabinet (guitar or bass) in a given environment. It will therefore be possible to select the type of microphone and the positioning used for the sound recording, the type of room (large, small, etc.), the type of tube, the type of loudspeaker (10 “, 12 ”, 15 ”, 18 ”). In short, a solution allowing to take in the bag of its instrument an impressive quantity of simulation of Loudspeakers of all kinds. Imagine yourself with most of the legendary Cabinets from Fender, Vox, Marshall, Mesa Boogie, Ampeg, Gallien Krueger, Trace Elliot or even Markbass and many others in a 10 cm side case weighing barely 450 grams.

For bassists concerned about their sound on stage, in rehearsal, in recording or simply looking for a nomadic solution, these little magic boxes that are the Outboard preamps will be of appreciable, even essential use.

For more information, you can contact me by email [email protected] or phone +41 21 811 28 88.

Jean-Luc
Bass guitar specialist